Simone Ingbo Hansen, founder of Epos Communication, discusses her entrepreneurial journey and the importance of authentic communication and branding. She emphasizes the power of relatability and storytelling, using memes as a way to connect with and engage audiences. Simone also highlights the value of giving back and serving others through social media, rather than focusing solely on self-promotion. She shares her personal experiences and challenges, and how they have shaped her creative and humorous approach to communication.

Discussing the importance of being mindful of one's platform and the need for authenticity and personal connection. She emphasizes the value of learning from failure and the importance of trusting one's gut instincts. Simone also shares her process for working with clients, which includes conducting interviews, creating brand guides, and developing content strategies. She highlights the significance of storytelling in marketing and the power of building a community around a brand. Finally, she discusses the role of founders in brand strategy and the potential benefits of user-generated content and testimonials.

Takeaways

• Authentic communication and branding are key to connecting with audiences and building a loyal community.
• Memes are powerful tools for relatability and evoking emotion, making them effective in marketing.
• Giving back and serving others through social media can create a positive impact and build trust and loyalty.
• Being vulnerable and sharing personal experiences can resonate with audiences and foster genuine connections.
• A holistic communications strategy considers every touchpoint of the customer journey and ties it into brand positioning. Be mindful of your platform and the impact of your content on others
• Authenticity and personal connection are key in building a strong brand
• Failure is a valuable learning experience
• Trust your gut instincts when making decisions
• Develop a clear brand strategy and content plan
• Storytelling is essential in marketing and building a brand
• Building a community around your brand can lead to user-generated content and testimonials
• Founders should consider stepping back and letting the brand speak for itself

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

03:05 Brand Positioning and Holistic Communications

06:33 Translating Memes to Professional Platforms

09:44 The Relatability and Power of Memes

11:32 Memes as a Form of Community and Branding

13:21 Using Humor to Address Mental Health and Illness

14:43 The Positive Impact of Social Media

19:25 The Value of Authenticity and Impactful Posts

21:41 Building Trust and Loyalty through Holistic Communications

23:09 The Success of Giving Value and Serving Others

24:45 Embracing Vulnerability and Authenticity

25:14 Being Mindful of Your Platform

26:11 Learning from Failure and Trusting Your Gut

28:29 The Process of Working with Clients

30:51 The Importance of Doing Work You're Proud Of

31:44 Building a Connection with Clients

38:28 The Power of Storytelling in Marketing

44:53 Building a Community Around Your Brand

48:44 The Benefits of User-Generated Content

In this episode of The Growing For It Podcast, hosts Travis and Mikkel sit down with Christoffer Bak, co-founder of the innovative clothing brand Shaping New Tomorrow. Christoffer shares the incredible journey of scaling their business and emphasizes the critical role of a strong company culture in their success.

They initially faced scalability problems and had to manually handle everything. They relied on friends and family to help with packaging and sales. As they automated processes and implemented new technologies, they were able to overcome the challenges of scaling. They expanded to multiple stores in Denmark and then ventured into Germany and Sweden. The key to their success was creating a strong culture and providing an exceptional customer experience. Bak emphasizes the importance of mindset when hiring and the need to believe in oneself throughout the entrepreneurial journey.

Takeaways

• Scaling a business requires overcoming scalability problems and finding ways to automate processes.
• Building a strong culture and providing an exceptional customer experience are crucial for success.
• When hiring, prioritize mindset over experience.
• Believing in oneself is essential throughout the entrepreneurial journey.
• Creating a sticky product and asking for feedback early on are important for growth.
• Asking friends for help can be valuable in the early stages of a business.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Shaping New Tomorrow

02:14 Overcoming Scalability Problems and Automating Processes

05:14 Building a Strong Culture and Providing an Exceptional Customer Experience

09:01 Prioritizing Mindset When Hiring

12:06 The Importance of Believing in Oneself

29:50 Asking Friends for Help in the Early Stages

41:25 The Best Quote to Live By

44:06 Instilling Advice in a Newborn

Stay connected with The Growing For It Podcast and follow us on social media for more insightful episodes:

Connect with us and stay updated with the latest episodes:

Travis James Mathers www.linkedin.com/in/travis-james-mathers/

Mikkel Karsgaard www.linkedin.com/in/10xmks/

Christoffer Bak www.linkedin.com/in/christoffer-bak-813134102/

In part 1 of this episode, Travis and Mikkel sit down with Christoffer Bak, one of the brilliant minds behind Shaping New Tomorrow, an innovative clothing brand. Christoffer shares invaluable insights into the entrepreneurial mindset that has driven the brand’s success, offering practical advice and strategies for aspiring entrepreneurs.

They started by experimenting with different products and focusing on the purpose of each product. They emphasized the importance of finding a net positive amount of energy to pour into your passion and bringing in people who believe in your vision. They discussed the role of innovation in a clothing brand, which involves understanding customer needs and developing products that meet those needs. They also talked about the importance of gathering feedback from customers and iterating on products to improve them.

Takeaways

• Experimentation is important in the early stages of a business, especially when you're unsure of what you're doing.
• Finding a net positive amount of energy and bringing in people who believe in your vision are crucial for success.
• Innovation in a clothing brand involves understanding customer needs and developing products that meet those needs.
• Gathering feedback from customers and iterating on products is essential for improvement.
• Creating a community around your brand and providing value to customers can lead to success.
• Being focused on your core customer and providing a solution to their needs is key.
• Taking care of customers and creating a positive experience is important for building a loyal customer base.
• Scaling a business requires strategic partnerships and effective marketing.
• Being personal and authentic with customers can create a strong connection and lead to success.
• Passion and enthusiasm are essential for building a successful business.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Shaping New Tomorrow

04:10 The Role of Innovation in a Clothing Brand

05:10 Understanding Customer Needs and Developing Solutions

08:27 Creating a Community and Providing Value

10:17 Focusing on Your Core Customer and Providing Solutions

13:32 Taking Care of Customers and Creating Positive Experiences

16:26 The Power of Innovation and Iteration

28:59 Gathering Feedback and Improving Products

37:05 Crowdfunding and Marketing Strategies

46:57 Being Personal and Authentic with Customers

48:24 The Power of Passion and Enthusiasm in Business

Connect with us and stay updated with the latest episodes:

Travis James Mathers www.linkedin.com/in/travis-james-mathers/

Mikkel Karsgaard www.linkedin.com/in/10xmks/

Christoffer Bak www.linkedin.com/in/christoffer-bak-813134102/

In part 2 of this episode of "The Growing For It Podcast," hosts Travis and Mikkel sit down with Kim Scott, renowned author and thought leader, to delve into the intricate balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and its profound impact on innovation. Drawing from her extensive experience at leading Silicon Valley companies like Google and Apple, Kim shares valuable insights on how intrinsic motivation can drive creativity and productivity while excessive focus on extrinsic rewards can stifle innovation.

Key Discussions:

- The Superstar and Rockstar Modes: Kim explains the distinction between employees in "superstar mode," who are on a steep growth trajectory, and those in "rockstar mode," who excel in their current roles without necessarily seeking promotion. Understanding and managing these modes is crucial for fostering a balanced and effective workplace.

- Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation: Kim emphasizes the importance of intrinsic motivation—the drive that comes from within, such as personal growth, fulfillment, and passion for the work itself. She contrasts this with extrinsic motivation, which includes external rewards like promotions, bonuses, and public recognition. Kim argues that while extrinsic rewards are necessary, an overemphasis on them can diminish intrinsic motivation and harm innovation.

- Impact on Innovation: The conversation highlights how excessive focus on extrinsic rewards can lead to a competitive and politically charged environment, ultimately stifling creativity and innovation. Kim provides practical examples from her time at Google and Apple, illustrating how these companies navigated these challenges differently.

- Building a Motivating Environment: Kim discusses strategies for creating a work environment that nurtures intrinsic motivation, such as respecting and valuing all roles within a company, ensuring fair compensation, and recognizing the importance of meaningful work and personal fulfillment.

Takeaways

• Give and receive feedback to create a culture of growth and improvement
• Differentiate between bias, prejudice, and bullying and respond accordingly
• Respect personal boundaries and create an inclusive environment
• Consider the power dynamics in the workplace and lay down power when necessary
• Praise more than you criticize and learn from successes
• Understand the differences between companies and adapt to their cultures
• Writing a management book requires self-reflection and feedback from others

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview

05:14 Creating a Culture of Feedback and Growth

16:21 Navigating Bias, Prejudice, and Bullying in the Workplace

36:10 Understanding Power Dynamics and Leadership

45:08 The Importance of Praise and Learning from Success

46:34 Differences Between Companies: Google vs. Apple

47:31 The Challenges and Rewards of Writing a Management Book

Follow and connect with us:

Travis James Mathers www.linkedin.com/in/travis-james-mathers/

Mikkel Karsgaard www.linkedin.com/in/10xmks/

Kim Scott www.linkedin.com/in/kimm4/

In this episode, Kim Scott discusses her book Radical Candor and its relevance to leadership and communication. She emphasizes that bad leaders are not necessarily bad people, but they lack management skills.

Kim highlights the importance of balancing being a micromanager and an absentee manager, and the need for thought partnership. She also explores the power imbalance in the manager-direct report relationship and the need for managers to lay down their power and build real human relationships. Sharing her personal experiences and the concept of Radical Candor, which involves caring personally and challenging directly.

In this conversation, Kim Scott discusses the importance of radical candor in building strong interpersonal relationships and effective communication within teams. She shares personal anecdotes and experiences to illustrate the power of caring personally and challenging directly. Scott emphasizes the need for managers to create a culture of caring and to personalize their approach to each team member. She also provides practical tips for conducting effective one-on-one meetings and soliciting feedback. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the impact of remote and hybrid work environments on radical candor.

Takeaways

• Bad leaders are not necessarily bad people, but they lack management skills.
• Balancing being a micromanager and an absentee manager is crucial for effective leadership.
• Managers need to lay down their power and build real human relationships with their direct reports.
• Radical Candor involves caring personally and challenging directly.
• Ruinous empathy, obnoxious aggression, and manipulative insincerity are common pitfalls in communication and feedback.
• Meaningful praise and direct feedback are more effective than the feedback sandwich approach. Radical candor is essential for building strong interpersonal relationships and effective communication within teams.
• Caring personally and challenging directly are key components of radical candor.
• Managers should create a culture of caring and personalize their approach to each team member.
• Effective one-on-one meetings are crucial for building relationships and understanding individual needs.
• Soliciting feedback is important, and leaders should create a safe space for employees to provide honest feedback.
• Remote and hybrid work environments require adjustments in communication strategies, such as prioritizing phone calls over video calls and utilizing walking meetings.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and the Challenges of Being a Manager

03:49 Power Imbalance and Building Real Human Relationships

09:35 The Importance of Management Skills

12:45 Understanding Radical Candor

14:55 Avoiding Communication Pitfalls

25:05 The Power of Radical Candor in Interpersonal Relationships

31:29 Creating a Culture of Caring and Personalization

35:11 Conducting Effective One-on-One Meetings

37:02 Soliciting Feedback and Creating a Safe Space

46:55 Adapting Radical Candor to Remote and Hybrid Work Environments

Connect with us and stay updated with the latest episodes:

Travis James Mathers www.linkedin.com/in/travis-james-mathers/

Mikkel Karsgaard www.linkedin.com/in/10xmks/

Kim Scott www.linkedin.com/in/kimm4/