March 5, 2025 • 28 mins
Can creativity change the future of a city? In this episode, we dive into the power of storytelling, branding, and resilience with Deborah Brandt, founder of Fig Industries. As a leader in creative marketing and a champion for small businesses, Deb shares how Fig has helped revitalize local economies by connecting communities, supporting entrepreneurs, and fostering meaningful collaboration.
We explore how Fig Industries, a certified B Corporation, has navigated economic downturns and the pandemic while staying true to its mission. Deb also shares her vision for expanding Fig’s impact to cities nationwide and how creative leadership can transform businesses and communities alike.
Key Takeaways:
- The role of creativity in problem-solving and business success.
- How Fig Industries fosters local economic growth and community engagement.
- The challenges and rewards of leading a mission-driven creative business.
- Why resilience and collaboration are essential for long-term impact.
- How ethical business practices and storytelling drive meaningful change.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, a creative professional, or someone passionate about community impact, this conversation will inspire you to think differently about leadership, branding, and the future of small businesses.
About Deborah Brandt:
Deborah Brandt, owner of Fig Industries, has a passion for creative communication and an unwavering determination to help small businesses, which she considers the heartbeat of any community. A certified B Corporation, Fig Industries is a design and marketing studio specializing in branding and communications.
Deborah also founded Fig magazine—a champion for small businesses and impactful organizations—currently franchised in 3 locations and poised to help many more cities grow and thrive.
Connect:
Website figindustries.com
LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/fig-industries
Instagram instagram.com/figindustries
Facebook facebook.com/figindustries
This episode is brought to you by Fig Industries; meaningful and strategic brand development. Go to figindustries.com to learn more.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Announcer (00:00):
The following programming is sponsored by Marc
J Bernstein.
The views expressed do notnecessarily reflect the views of
this station, its management orBeasley Media Group.
Entrepreneur, founder, authorand financial advisor, Marc
Bernstein helps high-performingbusiness owners turn their
visions into reality.
Through his innovative work andthe Forward Focus Forums, Marc
connects entrepreneurs toresources that fuel their
(00:21):
success.
Marc connects entrepreneurs toresources that fuel their
success.
Bounders Forum is a radio showand podcast where entrepreneurs
share their journeys, revealingthe lessons they've learned and
the stories behind their success.
Join Marc and his guests for amix of inspiration, valuable
insights and a little fun.
Now let's dive in.
Marc Bernstein (00:40):
Good morning America.
How are you?
We're here today in sunnyPhiladelphia, beautiful day.
Unfortunately not beautiful allover the country as hurricanes
are approaching and all thatkind of thing.
But you know we are survivors.
And I have in the studio notAng today, she's out but I have
Craig Lerch with me of EXPRealty Luxury Real Estate, and
(01:04):
Craig has been on the showbefore and he's hosted with me
before and he's consideringdoing his own podcast, so we're
kind of doing a trial run heretoday.
So welcome, craig, thank you.
And Deb is with us and I'llintroduce Deb formally in a
minute.
But good morning Deb.
Announcer (01:19):
Good morning.
Marc Bernstein (01:20):
And we are because of Deb and because I've
been inspired by her story.
We always have a topic of theday and our topic today is the
power of creativity, and she gotme thinking.
I don't know what she's goingto say about this, but I know
it's what she does.
But for me I can tell you youknow I'm an artist by background
.
I was actually a visual artistas a kid, became a musician and
(01:45):
you know my music is the startand the end of our show.
It's from our album, the bandFretz Bridges and Skins and it's
called Like Herding Cats is thename of the album.
I don't say it very often, butthere's a plug.
It's on all your favoritestreaming services.
So, and I think about theconnection between that and you
know I was a music major incollege, then I went to law
(02:06):
school, now I'm a financialplanner.
There's a lot of creativity inall those things that I've done,
especially in financialplanning.
I find a lot of it becauseyou're trying to solve problems
and I always found thatcreativity drives kind of
everything that I do and I thinkabout that often.
You know we had to pivot duringthe pandemic.
(02:28):
It took creativeness for me,creativity to do all that.
And, by the way, deb and I werecounting, we're both
left-handed, and when I wasbored in music school and law
school because there were boringtimes I would count how many
left-handed people there were ineach of the classes, and both
in music school and law schoolit was more than double the
(02:51):
average, because it's about 15%of people that are left-handed
and it was over 30%.
It was about a third of thepeople.
Deborah Brandt (02:57):
So what I deduced from that was that
left-handed people are creativeand they are smart because and
we're problem solvers because wehave to figure out how to make
it through the world in aright-handed world.
Marc Bernstein (03:12):
I think you're right.
We talked about some of thoseways we have and haven't done
that.
So that's true.
So that's how it's impacted me,craig.
How about you?
And then we'll let Deb have thefinal word, because she's the
master of it.
Craig Lerch (03:24):
First of all, I'm not left-handed, but I know
everybody that is left-handed isextremely creative.
You have a left-handedpersonality, though I could be
left-handed a lot.
I could be a lot of things to alot of people.
But this is so exciting becauseI theoretically do not have a
creative, pretty side in me atall.
I know how to create and talkto people and sell and change
(03:46):
lives and all that stuff.
That's a form of creativity butat the same time to take and
I'm looking at the things you'regoing to talk about they're
gorgeous, they're touching allthe senses and you're going to
touch on them.
But to have that creative side,my mom was an artist, my sister
could draw, my daughter, casey,is phenomenal in drawing.
(04:08):
But to see this prettiness cometogether and to see a vision,
it's phenomenal.
And thank you for letting me behere with you because this is a
side I don't know.
I know how to do it in business, I just don't know how to put
it down.
So this is an exciting time.
This is an exciting day.
Marc Bernstein (04:21):
Well, that's great.
I love your enthusiasm, asalways, and Deb your word on the
power of creativity.
Deborah Brandt (04:27):
Well, first of all, thank you so much for
having me here on the show today.
Marc Bernstein (04:30):
Thank you for coming from Lancaster to
Philadelphia it was a joy and aneasy drive.
Nice.
Deborah Brandt (04:36):
Just a little bit of traffic.
So I believe that creativityhas the power to change the
world and that creatives shouldbe at every table.
And you know, and we're oftenoverlooked in the business
sector, and we really do webring new ideas, we bring ways
to change the status quo and, inthe case of Fig, which is the
magazine that we created, it caneven change a city.
Marc Bernstein (04:59):
And look you are , before you said anything about
it, or before I knew we weregoing to talk about this.
I knew that about you because Iknow your background and I know
you have a creative background,but you're a very successful
entrepreneur.
You're changing the world andwe'll talk about how you're
we're trying, yes.
Well, we'll talk about howyou're doing that.
So let me introduce to youDeborah Brandt, owner of Fig
(05:22):
Industries.
She has a passion for creativecommunication and unwavering
determination to help smallbusinesses, which she considers
the heartbeat of any community.
Amen, I'm with you on that.
A certified B Corporation.
We need to address that alittle bit too, because not
everyone knows what a BCorporation is.
Fig Industries is a design andmarketing studio specializing in
(05:45):
branding and communications.
We'll also talk about the factthat Deborah also founded Fig
Magazine, a champion for smallbusinesses and impactful
organizations, and it started inLancaster, but she currently
has franchised it in threelocations and she's poised to
help many more cities grow andthrive, which I find inspiring
(06:08):
and amazing that she's doingthis.
So welcome officially, deb.
Deborah Brandt (06:11):
Thank you.
Marc Bernstein (06:12):
So let's start out with, as we always do, your
story.
Tell us about your backgroundand how you came to be doing
what you're doing today.
Deborah Brandt (06:19):
Well, that might take more than 20 minutes.
I understand my background.
I am from Lancaster Countyoriginally and went to Kutztown
University for a degree incommunication design and then
left and went to New York Cityand said I was never coming back
.
So I was in New York a longtime ago in the 90s, and that's
where I started and reallycreated my career.
(06:39):
I ended up being at a designstudio and then going into
Luggery Goods and Consumer Goodsdoing package design for
cosmetics and fragrance.
Marc Bernstein (06:51):
So that was industrial design in the sense
that you were doing.
Deborah Brandt (06:53):
It was graphic design, graphic design, so
graphic design, and marketingfor Ralph Lauren, for Parfum
Givenchy, which is part of LouisVuitton.
And then from there I movedback to my hometown of Mannheim,
or Lancaster, pennsylvania.
Mannheim was where I wasoriginally from.
Marc Bernstein (07:09):
So it was a bit of a culture shock to go back
the auto auction.
Deborah Brandt (07:12):
Yes, which is why yes?
Marc Bernstein (07:14):
Yes, so yes, but so so why did you go home?
Deborah Brandt (07:20):
Well, there were a few reasons.
We had been there for aboutseven years and I ended up with
a health scare at age 28, whichwas a shock, and it was a
reality.
Marc Bernstein (07:31):
Were you married at that point?
Deborah Brandt (07:32):
I was married.
I married my high schoolsweetheart and he followed me to
the New York area, Loved everysecond of it but was ready to,
you know, for the next step andmoved back to our hometown.
So we had two choices eithermoving to Chicago or moving back
to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, andwe chose Lancaster.
Marc Bernstein (07:52):
Wisely, so it may become the next Chicago.
The way it's going, that's whatwe're hoping for.
That's what we're working on.
That's great.
So you moved back there, andthen what happened?
Deborah Brandt (08:01):
Yes, moving back , found ourselves in the middle
of this great little city butthere wasn't a lot happening and
decided that we wanted to finda way to shine a light on the
small businesses that were inthe city of Lancaster.
At that point it was 2005.
So I had been there for fiveyears and I love people and I
(08:22):
love getting involved in what'shappening around me.
So I really dove in to thecommunity by that point and saw
that there was a need toshowcase the small business
community in Lancaster Countyand or in Lancaster City.
So I started this thing calledFIG and it was a direct mail
piece going outside the city tobring people into the city and
(08:44):
support the small businesses.
Marc Bernstein (08:45):
Can I stop you for one second?
Yep, Because I read about thehistory.
Why fig?
Mm-hmm?
Just explain that for a secondbecause it's a great concept.
Deborah Brandt (08:52):
We wanted a name that my partner and I she was a
writer and I was a designer Atthe time we owned the business
together and we wanted a namethat would take on a life of its
own, and so the fig fruit is ahistorical fruit and the seeds
in the fig mean unity andprosperity, and it's also.
It's a sweet fruit, but it'snot pretty, and all cities are
(09:13):
not pretty, but they're veryspecial places, and we wanted to
find a way to show the world.
Marc Bernstein (09:19):
I love that meaning and it is one of my
favorite foods in the world figs.
So at the time it wasn't apopular fruit, now it is and, by
the way, in brands.
Deborah Brandt (09:32):
I see a lot of like fig and olive as a
restaurant and all that used alot lately.
So remember you started.
This was almost 20 years ago,so maybe we were a small part of
making it more popular.
Marc Bernstein (09:38):
That's what I'm thinking exactly.
So okay, so anyway, Iinterrupted you, so you started
fig, yes, and yes.
And what happened then.
Deborah Brandt (09:45):
So, it was quite a journey For the first five
years it was a labor of love.
People didn't know what we weredoing, but we were these two
cheerleaders for our city Fiveyears you and your husband.
Marc Bernstein (09:55):
No, this was me and my business partner, your
business partner.
Deborah Brandt (09:57):
Yes, two women on a mission was what that was
your husband does work in thebusiness with you now right, he
is our CFO yes but he ispart-time with the business.
So over the years, when youstart a small business, you also
need someone that has a securejob with benefits.
Right gotcha, we've taken turnsover the years Good financial
(10:19):
planning.
Now we have that with ourbusiness and he's part of that
with us.
So it took a while for peopleto understand what we were doing
.
About five years into it, mybusiness partner left.
I became a sole proprietor andthat's when I expanded and moved
Fig into other locations.
Marc Bernstein (10:36):
Gotcha Fig the magazine.
Deborah Brandt (10:39):
The magazine yes , yes.
Marc Bernstein (10:41):
And how is that going today?
Deborah Brandt (10:43):
So it is going very well After almost 20 years.
We are incredibly involved inthe city of Lancaster and if
you've been there, it has beenquite a revitalization, mostly
in the past 10 years.
The magazine itself we'vefranchised, so we are in several
locations across the countryand our design and marketing
(11:05):
studio, which we haven't talkedtoo much about, called Fig
Industries, is also thriving andwe work for small to mid-sized
businesses as well as someregional larger organizations.
Marc Bernstein (11:17):
Deb, we always talk about on the show that
being an entrepreneur is notnecessarily the smoothest of
rides, so you've had somechallenges along the way.
What kind of challenges do youthink you've had and what kind
of strengths did you develop toovercome those?
Deborah Brandt (11:32):
Wow, where to start.
So, as a creative businessowner and the leader of a design
and marketing studio, you knowthere's creativity all day, but
you don't really learn how to bea leader and how to lead other
people.
So it's taken me quite sometime and I've grown over the
years, you know to reallyunderstand and love that the
(11:58):
people within our organization.
That is our product, that's whowe are, and we're only as good,
essentially, as our nextedition of Fig or our next
creative project.
So I value the people who arewith our company so much.
We have about 12 people.
We have some part-time peopleas well, so it's taken me some
(12:18):
time.
I will say that I feel likeI've.
You know, my word is resilience, because our company not only
made it through all of thosechallenges, but also through,
you know, the economic downturnin 2009 and 10 and then a
pandemic.
Marc Bernstein (12:34):
Right, yes.
Well, resilience is a big wordthese days.
You heard it a lot all over theworld.
You know, you look at, I don'tbring politics in this, but you
have a war in Ukraine as anexample and the resilience of
the Ukrainian people, which hasbeen remarkable.
But certainly as anentrepreneur, it's a word that
you need to have handy at alltimes, right, yes?
(12:56):
So where do you see this goingfrom here?
And I know let's talk aboutyour three-year vision, because
I know that's one of the thingsthat you had brought up.
Deborah Brandt (13:04):
Yes, very important.
Our three-year vision is to beable to take this FIG platform
and this buy local, love, localsmall business platform and put
it in the hands of creatives ingreat cities around the country
so that they can lead theircommunities and make change in
their communities, because I dobelieve that creativity, as I
(13:28):
mentioned before, can changeeverything.
Marc Bernstein (13:31):
And that's Fig the Magazine With that.
This is a great time to take aquick commercial break, but I
want to come back and talk toyou about how the magazine does
that and the impact of whatyou're doing in your businesses
would be great.
So we'll take a quick break andwe'll be right back on Founders
Forum.
Announcer (13:48):
Fig Industries is a strategic marketing agency
specializing in branddevelopment and design.
As a woman-owned certified BCorporation, they're on a
mission to elevate ideas, changeperceptions and transform
businesses.
With a spirit of collaborationand a mission to help revitalize
their hometown of Lancaster, pa, in 2005, they founded FIG, an
(14:11):
enthusiast guide to local dining, shopping, arts and community,
shopping, arts and community.
Almost 20 years later, fig isstill celebrating Lancaster City
and can also be found in theLehigh Valley and Columbia,
south Carolina.
If you are an entrepreneur whowants to start FIG in your area,
find out more at figmagazine.
com.
Marc Bernstein (14:39):
We're back on Founders Forum with our guest
today, Deb Brandt, and we haveCraig Lerch in the studio.
Welcome back, Deb.
So I know what your magazinedoes and I know how it has an
impact, but describe to ouraudience how you're making an
impact in cities through Fig,the Magazine.
Deborah Brandt (14:58):
Thank you.
So Fig is an enthusiast guideto shopping, dining, arts and
community, but it's so much morethan that.
It really is a way to bringtogether all the great things in
your community and tell thatstory.
So it's storytelling All of thecontent within each issue of
Fig.
We create so our design andmarketing studio, we actually
(15:20):
take all the photos and we writeall the stories and it's a way
for us to.
It's a way for us to let peopleget to know their community,
because I believe that if yougive people a reason to love
where they live, they willtransform their community that's
amazing.
Marc Bernstein (15:38):
So, um, you've started.
So when you go to a new cityand I think is Charleston one of
the ones you're in- We've beenin Columbia, south Carolina.
Deborah Brandt (15:47):
There is a studio in Columbia that runs
their edition of Fig and they doa tremendous job and they've
actually been doing it for 12years.
Marc Bernstein (15:56):
So when you go in and nobody's heard of this
concept before, I mean there arecity magazines, but this is try
to describe it to the listeners.
But this is unlike any citymagazine you've ever seen.
It's really elegant, high classprinted on great paper, and it
(16:16):
highlights businesses primarilyand what they're doing in the
communities, and it talks aboutcommunity building to a certain
extent.
Yes, so when you start brandnew, how does that happen in a
new city?
Deborah Brandt (16:31):
It does take some time to get traction.
In addition to the printmagazine, there are social media
channels, as well as a websiteand weekly e-news.
So it's about how do youconnect that, create that, how
do you create that buzz and thatenergy and get people excited
about it?
One thing other than creativitythat I'm always preaching would
(16:52):
be collaboration.
So we never come into a newcity without city leadership,
the mayor, people knowing thatwhat our mission is and being
part of that mission.
So it really is a way to youknow, create a movement.
Marc Bernstein (17:13):
So now let's jump back to Lancaster, the city
of Lancaster, Pennsylvania,where you've been doing it for
how many years?
Deborah Brandt (17:19):
19 19.
Marc Bernstein (17:20):
So now it's I imagine it's a it's, it's a land
.
You know, it's like a landmarkalmost of the city.
Everyone kind of knows about it.
Deborah Brandt (17:30):
I would hope so.
Marc Bernstein (17:31):
And how do?
How do people get that?
Do you mail it to people?
Deborah Brandt (17:34):
Yes, it is a direct.
We direct mail it and it isbased on a mailing list, but
also you can sign up to, youknow, receive it at your home.
We also are targeting newpeople moving into the area.
So every month we send fig tonew homeowners so that they can
buy local right from the verystart.
Marc Bernstein (17:52):
Nice, so I assume this is very expensive to
produce, I would imagine,because it's a really nice piece
.
Deborah Brandt (17:58):
I would say yes.
Marc Bernstein (17:59):
And to fund that and you're not a nonprofit, so
in order to make a profit, Iassume this is funded by
advertising from the businessesthat are in it.
Deborah Brandt (18:08):
You're a financial guy, aren't you?
Marc Bernstein (18:09):
Yes.
Announcer (18:10):
I am.
Deborah Brandt (18:13):
Yes, it is advertiser driven.
I will say that we also havesome amazing community partners
and collaborators that want andneed the city of Lancaster to
thrive and they partner with usand that would be the city of
Lancaster, the High Foundation,Willow Valley so large entities
that really believe in the cityand want to help make sure that
(18:34):
it's thriving.
You know, help make sure thatit's thriving.
Marc Bernstein (18:38):
Some of those are nonprofits which I assume
get grants to help promote thecity and they use some of that
money to help fund it as well.
Yeah, I think the concept isamazing and the fact that it's
successful.
Anything that's been.
I've seen things like thisstartup before and they last a
couple of years and they fizzleout, but 19 years it means it's
working.
Deborah Brandt (18:57):
19 years is a long time and I do believe in
the long game.
This is not an immediate tryingto help transform a city is not
an overnight quest.
It takes time and it takescollaboration and it takes a lot
of resilience back toresilience.
Marc Bernstein (19:19):
And I know I haven't asked you this, but I
know that there's a connectionbetween the impact you're making
with Fig, the Magazine, andwhat you help businesses do in
terms of making an impact withFig Industries.
Talk about that a little bit ifyou don't mind.
Deborah Brandt (19:33):
So with Fig Industries, we work with
companies and organizations whoare either on a mission or who
are invested in theircommunities.
We do have consumer goodcompanies that have a mission
behind them.
We work with nonprofits andfoundations so that we can
(19:53):
communicate their message andtell their story of how they're
investing in their clients intheir community.
So it all ties together nicely.
Marc Bernstein (20:03):
I understand and Fig Industries is a B
Corporation and I don't knowthat all of our listeners know
what a B Corporation is.
So why don't you describe thatand talk about why you elected
to become a B?
Deborah Brandt (20:15):
Yes, we are a bee corporation for about the
past five years and it hasalways been part of our company
to be mission driven, andbecoming certified, which was
something we've gone throughtwice, was a great way to
measure our environmental impact, our cultural impact, the
impact on our community and thebee court movement I believe
(20:41):
started here in Philadelphia.
Marc Bernstein (20:42):
Is that right that I wasn't aware of?
I only know of it because acouple of years ago I was on a
member of EntrepreneursOrganization and they had a
conference that I attendedvirtually and I learned a lot
about B Corporations.
Yes, do you.
When it comes to creativity,how do you inspire I'm sure you
(21:07):
inspire a culture of creativitywithin your company, because
that's what you're all about.
How do you do that and how isthat going?
Deborah Brandt (21:15):
Well, so we, you know, every day have the
opportunity to think of thingsin a different way, and that's
how I believe that creatives canchange the world, because we
see things a little bitdifferently than everybody else
the perspective of our clients,to understand the perspective of
(21:36):
people who may be reading FIGand to think about how we can
reach them differently and howwe can impact communities and
brands and lives.
Marc Bernstein (21:47):
And so in FIG Industries, back to the branding
company.
I'm jumping back and forth.
But what kind of things do youdo as a company to impact the
community?
Deborah Brandt (21:57):
We're extremely involved.
We are on boards and we workwith organizations Because of
the magazine.
We're out there in thecommunity at events and things
like that on a pretty wellweekly basis.
So we do give back a lot.
We have a social missionprogram through FIG where we
(22:18):
work with a nonprofit andsupport them all year long with
promotion in the magazine.
We also, to stay creative, wego on field trips.
We get involved in some reallyfun things that are happening
Nice and we try to make surethat we keep that creativity
flowing.
Marc Bernstein (22:36):
And B Corporations treat their
employees differently as well.
You want to talk about that alittle bit and what kind of
things you do.
Deborah Brandt (22:45):
We're measured on.
The things that we're measuredon are benefits, our employee
benefits.
We make sure that we pay atleast 70% of all of the benefits
.
So there's lots of details thatare important to be able to be
certified.
We also have some salaryrequirements about the gap
(23:05):
between the highest paid and thelowest paid, and we meet those
as well.
So it's all of those thingsthat kind of come together.
Marc Bernstein (23:12):
I gotcha, what else would you have us know
about Fig that we haven't talkedabout?
Deborah Brandt (23:19):
Well.
So our design and marketingteam is just simply amazing and
we're located in Lancaster,pennsylvania.
We're not a Philly team or aNew York team, but we have the
quality of some of the biggercities.
We have a heart for communityand, through the magazine and
the work that we do, we are onthe ground.
(23:39):
So we're very, very, veryconnected.
So I would say that the thingsthat make us special creativity,
collaboration and connection.
I didn't intend for them all tobe Cs, but they are.
Marc Bernstein (23:52):
That's pretty good.
I was trying to make some allto be C's, but they are.
That's pretty good, do you?
I was trying to make some jokesabout the B Corporation, but
I'll stop with that.
But are you?
Your clients, I assume, are allover the place.
They're not just local, correct.
Deborah Brandt (24:06):
That is true.
Marc Bernstein (24:06):
Can you talk about any of your larger clients
and what the kind of companiesthat you represent?
Deborah Brandt (24:12):
So we work with a lot of, as I said, nonprofits
and foundations.
We work with a naturalinvesting company called Natural
Investments.
Actually, they're all over thecountry, but we work with
someone in Chicago.
We work with senior living, aswell as some educational
institutions, willow Valleybeing an example of that.
(24:33):
Yeah, willow Valley, garden,spot Village, messiah Lifeways,
and then we also work in homeimprovement.
So for some companies who aredoing some expansion and
building, Very interesting.
Marc Bernstein (24:50):
I know you're a reader and a lifelong learner,
like I know Craig is and I am.
Deborah Brandt (24:55):
As you have to be.
Marc Bernstein (24:56):
You have to be.
Well, not everyone is, thoughyou can't take that for granted.
What?
What book are you currentlyreading?
Deborah Brandt (25:02):
So I have a stack beside my bed of about
five or six.
Marc Bernstein (25:05):
I'm like that too.
Do you read multiple books atonce?
Deborah Brandt (25:14):
I didn't used to , but now I do, because some
days I want to learn things andother days I just want something
mindless.
So this one is a learning bookthat.
I'll mention, and it's calledTown Inc.
It's by Andrew Davis and I amactually putting together a
presentation and it's been anamazing book because it talks
about the transformation ofcities through companies who
(25:35):
operate there and who live there, and how your city is known for
what you produce or what youmake, and how each city should
be known for something.
So it ties in very nicely withwhat we do.
Marc Bernstein (25:46):
And the presentation is the one we were
talking about earlier.
Deborah Brandt (25:49):
Yes.
Marc Bernstein (25:50):
Do you want to talk a little bit about that?
We just have a couple minutesleft.
Deborah Brandt (25:52):
So, because I've been doing this for 20 years,
which is a long time, I have alot of history to pull upon and,
as I said, I believe that ifyou give people a reason to love
where they live, they willtransform their community.
So it does tie in the historyof FIG, but it talks about
telling the stories of thebusinesses and organizations who
(26:15):
are in a city and reallycreating that brand, because a
city is an organic, living,breathing brand and it's always
changing.
So through something like FIGI'm not saying it has to be FIG,
but through something like FIGyou can tell that story four
times a year and you can connectpeople and connect them to the
(26:35):
places and the organizationswhere they can shop, they can
give, they can get involved,because people want to get
involved in their communitiesand something like this will
give them a chance to do that.
Marc Bernstein (26:49):
By the way, when you stay in a hotel in a city
such as Lancaster, they usuallyhave these local magazines that
tell you where to shop and allthat.
That are, I think, prettycheesy.
Have you gotten fig into thehotels?
Deborah Brandt (27:00):
Yes, the majority of our distribution is
local through the mail, but 20%of our distribution is tourism,
so we are in all the majorhotels as well.
Marc Bernstein (27:10):
So I have to think people come and see this
and they're like blown awaybecause I've never seen anything
like this in a hotel.
Deborah Brandt (27:15):
Just this past weekend, two people reached out,
one from Indianapolis and onefrom Florida.
They happened to be in a hotelin Lancaster and they want to
know what's going on with Figand how they can get it in their
city.
Marc Bernstein (27:28):
One quick question.
I know it's, I know, I think Iknow the answer, but how do you
see your legacy?
Deborah Brandt (27:41):
That is such a big question for one minute of
time.
I see my legacy as really beingan advocate for one big idea
that can change everything, andfor creativity and for
collaboration and forencouraging creative
entrepreneurs to step up and saythey can lead in their cities.
Marc Bernstein (27:53):
Deborah Brandt, thank you so much for being here
today.
Craig Lerch, thanks for beinghere again, thank you.
Smiling throughout the show.
Fantastic stuff, Deborah.
Fantastic, and you gotta seethis.
And thank you to our listenersfor being with us today on
Founders Forum and please lookfor us online on your favorite
podcasting channel and we'll seeyou again next week.
Announcer (28:15):
We hope you enjoyed your time with Founders Forum
and that you found value to takewith you throughout your day.
Join us again next week foranother episode of Founders
Forum on WXKB 1039 HD2.
The following programming is sponsored by Marc
J Bernstein.
The views expressed do notnecessarily reflect the views of
this station, its management orBeasley Media Group.
Entrepreneur, founder, authorand financial advisor, Marc
Bernstein helps high-performingbusiness owners turn their
visions into reality.
Through his innovative work andthe Forward Focus Forums, Marc
connects entrepreneurs toresources that fuel their
(00:21):
success.
Marc connects entrepreneurs toresources that fuel their
success.
Bounders Forum is a radio showand podcast where entrepreneurs
share their journeys, revealingthe lessons they've learned and
the stories behind their success.
Join Marc and his guests for amix of inspiration, valuable
insights and a little fun.
Now let's dive in.
Marc Bernstein (00:40):
Good morning America.
How are you?
We're here today in sunnyPhiladelphia, beautiful day.
Unfortunately not beautiful allover the country as hurricanes
are approaching and all thatkind of thing.
But you know we are survivors.
And I have in the studio notAng today, she's out but I have
Craig Lerch with me of EXPRealty Luxury Real Estate, and
(01:04):
Craig has been on the showbefore and he's hosted with me
before and he's consideringdoing his own podcast, so we're
kind of doing a trial run heretoday.
So welcome, craig, thank you.
And Deb is with us and I'llintroduce Deb formally in a
minute.
But good morning Deb.
Announcer (01:19):
Good morning.
Marc Bernstein (01:20):
And we are because of Deb and because I've
been inspired by her story.
We always have a topic of theday and our topic today is the
power of creativity, and she gotme thinking.
I don't know what she's goingto say about this, but I know
it's what she does.
But for me I can tell you youknow I'm an artist by background
.
I was actually a visual artistas a kid, became a musician and
(01:45):
you know my music is the startand the end of our show.
It's from our album, the bandFretz Bridges and Skins and it's
called Like Herding Cats is thename of the album.
I don't say it very often, butthere's a plug.
It's on all your favoritestreaming services.
So, and I think about theconnection between that and you
know I was a music major incollege, then I went to law
(02:06):
school, now I'm a financialplanner.
There's a lot of creativity inall those things that I've done,
especially in financialplanning.
I find a lot of it becauseyou're trying to solve problems
and I always found thatcreativity drives kind of
everything that I do and I thinkabout that often.
You know we had to pivot duringthe pandemic.
(02:28):
It took creativeness for me,creativity to do all that.
And, by the way, deb and I werecounting, we're both
left-handed, and when I wasbored in music school and law
school because there were boringtimes I would count how many
left-handed people there were ineach of the classes, and both
in music school and law schoolit was more than double the
(02:51):
average, because it's about 15%of people that are left-handed
and it was over 30%.
It was about a third of thepeople.
Deborah Brandt (02:57):
So what I deduced from that was that
left-handed people are creativeand they are smart because and
we're problem solvers because wehave to figure out how to make
it through the world in aright-handed world.
Marc Bernstein (03:12):
I think you're right.
We talked about some of thoseways we have and haven't done
that.
So that's true.
So that's how it's impacted me,craig.
How about you?
And then we'll let Deb have thefinal word, because she's the
master of it.
Craig Lerch (03:24):
First of all, I'm not left-handed, but I know
everybody that is left-handed isextremely creative.
You have a left-handedpersonality, though I could be
left-handed a lot.
I could be a lot of things to alot of people.
But this is so exciting becauseI theoretically do not have a
creative, pretty side in me atall.
I know how to create and talkto people and sell and change
(03:46):
lives and all that stuff.
That's a form of creativity butat the same time to take and
I'm looking at the things you'regoing to talk about they're
gorgeous, they're touching allthe senses and you're going to
touch on them.
But to have that creative side,my mom was an artist, my sister
could draw, my daughter, casey,is phenomenal in drawing.
(04:08):
But to see this prettiness cometogether and to see a vision,
it's phenomenal.
And thank you for letting me behere with you because this is a
side I don't know.
I know how to do it in business, I just don't know how to put
it down.
So this is an exciting time.
This is an exciting day.
Marc Bernstein (04:21):
Well, that's great.
I love your enthusiasm, asalways, and Deb your word on the
power of creativity.
Deborah Brandt (04:27):
Well, first of all, thank you so much for
having me here on the show today.
Marc Bernstein (04:30):
Thank you for coming from Lancaster to
Philadelphia it was a joy and aneasy drive.
Nice.
Deborah Brandt (04:36):
Just a little bit of traffic.
So I believe that creativityhas the power to change the
world and that creatives shouldbe at every table.
And you know, and we're oftenoverlooked in the business
sector, and we really do webring new ideas, we bring ways
to change the status quo and, inthe case of Fig, which is the
magazine that we created, it caneven change a city.
Marc Bernstein (04:59):
And look you are , before you said anything about
it, or before I knew we weregoing to talk about this.
I knew that about you because Iknow your background and I know
you have a creative background,but you're a very successful
entrepreneur.
You're changing the world andwe'll talk about how you're
we're trying, yes.
Well, we'll talk about howyou're doing that.
So let me introduce to youDeborah Brandt, owner of Fig
(05:22):
Industries.
She has a passion for creativecommunication and unwavering
determination to help smallbusinesses, which she considers
the heartbeat of any community.
Amen, I'm with you on that.
A certified B Corporation.
We need to address that alittle bit too, because not
everyone knows what a BCorporation is.
Fig Industries is a design andmarketing studio specializing in
(05:45):
branding and communications.
We'll also talk about the factthat Deborah also founded Fig
Magazine, a champion for smallbusinesses and impactful
organizations, and it started inLancaster, but she currently
has franchised it in threelocations and she's poised to
help many more cities grow andthrive, which I find inspiring
(06:08):
and amazing that she's doingthis.
So welcome officially, deb.
Deborah Brandt (06:11):
Thank you.
Marc Bernstein (06:12):
So let's start out with, as we always do, your
story.
Tell us about your backgroundand how you came to be doing
what you're doing today.
Deborah Brandt (06:19):
Well, that might take more than 20 minutes.
I understand my background.
I am from Lancaster Countyoriginally and went to Kutztown
University for a degree incommunication design and then
left and went to New York Cityand said I was never coming back
.
So I was in New York a longtime ago in the 90s, and that's
where I started and reallycreated my career.
(06:39):
I ended up being at a designstudio and then going into
Luggery Goods and Consumer Goodsdoing package design for
cosmetics and fragrance.
Marc Bernstein (06:51):
So that was industrial design in the sense
that you were doing.
Deborah Brandt (06:53):
It was graphic design, graphic design, so
graphic design, and marketingfor Ralph Lauren, for Parfum
Givenchy, which is part of LouisVuitton.
And then from there I movedback to my hometown of Mannheim,
or Lancaster, pennsylvania.
Mannheim was where I wasoriginally from.
Marc Bernstein (07:09):
So it was a bit of a culture shock to go back
the auto auction.
Deborah Brandt (07:12):
Yes, which is why yes?
Marc Bernstein (07:14):
Yes, so yes, but so so why did you go home?
Deborah Brandt (07:20):
Well, there were a few reasons.
We had been there for aboutseven years and I ended up with
a health scare at age 28, whichwas a shock, and it was a
reality.
Marc Bernstein (07:31):
Were you married at that point?
Deborah Brandt (07:32):
I was married.
I married my high schoolsweetheart and he followed me to
the New York area, Loved everysecond of it but was ready to,
you know, for the next step andmoved back to our hometown.
So we had two choices eithermoving to Chicago or moving back
to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, andwe chose Lancaster.
Marc Bernstein (07:52):
Wisely, so it may become the next Chicago.
The way it's going, that's whatwe're hoping for.
That's what we're working on.
That's great.
So you moved back there, andthen what happened?
Deborah Brandt (08:01):
Yes, moving back , found ourselves in the middle
of this great little city butthere wasn't a lot happening and
decided that we wanted to finda way to shine a light on the
small businesses that were inthe city of Lancaster.
At that point it was 2005.
So I had been there for fiveyears and I love people and I
(08:22):
love getting involved in what'shappening around me.
So I really dove in to thecommunity by that point and saw
that there was a need toshowcase the small business
community in Lancaster Countyand or in Lancaster City.
So I started this thing calledFIG and it was a direct mail
piece going outside the city tobring people into the city and
(08:44):
support the small businesses.
Marc Bernstein (08:45):
Can I stop you for one second?
Yep, Because I read about thehistory.
Why fig?
Mm-hmm?
Just explain that for a secondbecause it's a great concept.
Deborah Brandt (08:52):
We wanted a name that my partner and I she was a
writer and I was a designer Atthe time we owned the business
together and we wanted a namethat would take on a life of its
own, and so the fig fruit is ahistorical fruit and the seeds
in the fig mean unity andprosperity, and it's also.
It's a sweet fruit, but it'snot pretty, and all cities are
(09:13):
not pretty, but they're veryspecial places, and we wanted to
find a way to show the world.
Marc Bernstein (09:19):
I love that meaning and it is one of my
favorite foods in the world figs.
So at the time it wasn't apopular fruit, now it is and, by
the way, in brands.
Deborah Brandt (09:32):
I see a lot of like fig and olive as a
restaurant and all that used alot lately.
So remember you started.
This was almost 20 years ago,so maybe we were a small part of
making it more popular.
Marc Bernstein (09:38):
That's what I'm thinking exactly.
So okay, so anyway, Iinterrupted you, so you started
fig, yes, and yes.
And what happened then.
Deborah Brandt (09:45):
So, it was quite a journey For the first five
years it was a labor of love.
People didn't know what we weredoing, but we were these two
cheerleaders for our city Fiveyears you and your husband.
Marc Bernstein (09:55):
No, this was me and my business partner, your
business partner.
Deborah Brandt (09:57):
Yes, two women on a mission was what that was
your husband does work in thebusiness with you now right, he
is our CFO yes but he ispart-time with the business.
So over the years, when youstart a small business, you also
need someone that has a securejob with benefits.
Right gotcha, we've taken turnsover the years Good financial
(10:19):
planning.
Now we have that with ourbusiness and he's part of that
with us.
So it took a while for peopleto understand what we were doing
.
About five years into it, mybusiness partner left.
I became a sole proprietor andthat's when I expanded and moved
Fig into other locations.
Marc Bernstein (10:36):
Gotcha Fig the magazine.
Deborah Brandt (10:39):
The magazine yes , yes.
Marc Bernstein (10:41):
And how is that going today?
Deborah Brandt (10:43):
So it is going very well After almost 20 years.
We are incredibly involved inthe city of Lancaster and if
you've been there, it has beenquite a revitalization, mostly
in the past 10 years.
The magazine itself we'vefranchised, so we are in several
locations across the countryand our design and marketing
(11:05):
studio, which we haven't talkedtoo much about, called Fig
Industries, is also thriving andwe work for small to mid-sized
businesses as well as someregional larger organizations.
Marc Bernstein (11:17):
Deb, we always talk about on the show that
being an entrepreneur is notnecessarily the smoothest of
rides, so you've had somechallenges along the way.
What kind of challenges do youthink you've had and what kind
of strengths did you develop toovercome those?
Deborah Brandt (11:32):
Wow, where to start.
So, as a creative businessowner and the leader of a design
and marketing studio, you knowthere's creativity all day, but
you don't really learn how to bea leader and how to lead other
people.
So it's taken me quite sometime and I've grown over the
years, you know to reallyunderstand and love that the
(11:58):
people within our organization.
That is our product, that's whowe are, and we're only as good,
essentially, as our nextedition of Fig or our next
creative project.
So I value the people who arewith our company so much.
We have about 12 people.
We have some part-time peopleas well, so it's taken me some
(12:18):
time.
I will say that I feel likeI've.
You know, my word is resilience, because our company not only
made it through all of thosechallenges, but also through,
you know, the economic downturnin 2009 and 10 and then a
pandemic.
Marc Bernstein (12:34):
Right, yes.
Well, resilience is a big wordthese days.
You heard it a lot all over theworld.
You know, you look at, I don'tbring politics in this, but you
have a war in Ukraine as anexample and the resilience of
the Ukrainian people, which hasbeen remarkable.
But certainly as anentrepreneur, it's a word that
you need to have handy at alltimes, right, yes?
(12:56):
So where do you see this goingfrom here?
And I know let's talk aboutyour three-year vision, because
I know that's one of the thingsthat you had brought up.
Deborah Brandt (13:04):
Yes, very important.
Our three-year vision is to beable to take this FIG platform
and this buy local, love, localsmall business platform and put
it in the hands of creatives ingreat cities around the country
so that they can lead theircommunities and make change in
their communities, because I dobelieve that creativity, as I
(13:28):
mentioned before, can changeeverything.
Marc Bernstein (13:31):
And that's Fig the Magazine With that.
This is a great time to take aquick commercial break, but I
want to come back and talk toyou about how the magazine does
that and the impact of whatyou're doing in your businesses
would be great.
So we'll take a quick break andwe'll be right back on Founders
Forum.
Announcer (13:48):
Fig Industries is a strategic marketing agency
specializing in branddevelopment and design.
As a woman-owned certified BCorporation, they're on a
mission to elevate ideas, changeperceptions and transform
businesses.
With a spirit of collaborationand a mission to help revitalize
their hometown of Lancaster, pa, in 2005, they founded FIG, an
(14:11):
enthusiast guide to local dining, shopping, arts and community,
shopping, arts and community.
Almost 20 years later, fig isstill celebrating Lancaster City
and can also be found in theLehigh Valley and Columbia,
south Carolina.
If you are an entrepreneur whowants to start FIG in your area,
find out more at figmagazine.
com.
Marc Bernstein (14:39):
We're back on Founders Forum with our guest
today, Deb Brandt, and we haveCraig Lerch in the studio.
Welcome back, Deb.
So I know what your magazinedoes and I know how it has an
impact, but describe to ouraudience how you're making an
impact in cities through Fig,the Magazine.
Deborah Brandt (14:58):
Thank you.
So Fig is an enthusiast guideto shopping, dining, arts and
community, but it's so much morethan that.
It really is a way to bringtogether all the great things in
your community and tell thatstory.
So it's storytelling All of thecontent within each issue of
Fig.
We create so our design andmarketing studio, we actually
(15:20):
take all the photos and we writeall the stories and it's a way
for us to.
It's a way for us to let peopleget to know their community,
because I believe that if yougive people a reason to love
where they live, they willtransform their community that's
amazing.
Marc Bernstein (15:38):
So, um, you've started.
So when you go to a new cityand I think is Charleston one of
the ones you're in- We've beenin Columbia, south Carolina.
Deborah Brandt (15:47):
There is a studio in Columbia that runs
their edition of Fig and they doa tremendous job and they've
actually been doing it for 12years.
Marc Bernstein (15:56):
So when you go in and nobody's heard of this
concept before, I mean there arecity magazines, but this is try
to describe it to the listeners.
But this is unlike any citymagazine you've ever seen.
It's really elegant, high classprinted on great paper, and it
(16:16):
highlights businesses primarilyand what they're doing in the
communities, and it talks aboutcommunity building to a certain
extent.
Yes, so when you start brandnew, how does that happen in a
new city?
Deborah Brandt (16:31):
It does take some time to get traction.
In addition to the printmagazine, there are social media
channels, as well as a websiteand weekly e-news.
So it's about how do youconnect that, create that, how
do you create that buzz and thatenergy and get people excited
about it?
One thing other than creativitythat I'm always preaching would
(16:52):
be collaboration.
So we never come into a newcity without city leadership,
the mayor, people knowing thatwhat our mission is and being
part of that mission.
So it really is a way to youknow, create a movement.
Marc Bernstein (17:13):
So now let's jump back to Lancaster, the city
of Lancaster, Pennsylvania,where you've been doing it for
how many years?
Deborah Brandt (17:19):
19 19.
Marc Bernstein (17:20):
So now it's I imagine it's a it's, it's a land
.
You know, it's like a landmarkalmost of the city.
Everyone kind of knows about it.
Deborah Brandt (17:30):
I would hope so.
Marc Bernstein (17:31):
And how do?
How do people get that?
Do you mail it to people?
Deborah Brandt (17:34):
Yes, it is a direct.
We direct mail it and it isbased on a mailing list, but
also you can sign up to, youknow, receive it at your home.
We also are targeting newpeople moving into the area.
So every month we send fig tonew homeowners so that they can
buy local right from the verystart.
Marc Bernstein (17:52):
Nice, so I assume this is very expensive to
produce, I would imagine,because it's a really nice piece
.
Deborah Brandt (17:58):
I would say yes.
Marc Bernstein (17:59):
And to fund that and you're not a nonprofit, so
in order to make a profit, Iassume this is funded by
advertising from the businessesthat are in it.
Deborah Brandt (18:08):
You're a financial guy, aren't you?
Marc Bernstein (18:09):
Yes.
Announcer (18:10):
I am.
Deborah Brandt (18:13):
Yes, it is advertiser driven.
I will say that we also havesome amazing community partners
and collaborators that want andneed the city of Lancaster to
thrive and they partner with usand that would be the city of
Lancaster, the High Foundation,Willow Valley so large entities
that really believe in the cityand want to help make sure that
(18:34):
it's thriving.
You know, help make sure thatit's thriving.
Marc Bernstein (18:38):
Some of those are nonprofits which I assume
get grants to help promote thecity and they use some of that
money to help fund it as well.
Yeah, I think the concept isamazing and the fact that it's
successful.
Anything that's been.
I've seen things like thisstartup before and they last a
couple of years and they fizzleout, but 19 years it means it's
working.
Deborah Brandt (18:57):
19 years is a long time and I do believe in
the long game.
This is not an immediate tryingto help transform a city is not
an overnight quest.
It takes time and it takescollaboration and it takes a lot
of resilience back toresilience.
Marc Bernstein (19:19):
And I know I haven't asked you this, but I
know that there's a connectionbetween the impact you're making
with Fig, the Magazine, andwhat you help businesses do in
terms of making an impact withFig Industries.
Talk about that a little bit ifyou don't mind.
Deborah Brandt (19:33):
So with Fig Industries, we work with
companies and organizations whoare either on a mission or who
are invested in theircommunities.
We do have consumer goodcompanies that have a mission
behind them.
We work with nonprofits andfoundations so that we can
(19:53):
communicate their message andtell their story of how they're
investing in their clients intheir community.
So it all ties together nicely.
Marc Bernstein (20:03):
I understand and Fig Industries is a B
Corporation and I don't knowthat all of our listeners know
what a B Corporation is.
So why don't you describe thatand talk about why you elected
to become a B?
Deborah Brandt (20:15):
Yes, we are a bee corporation for about the
past five years and it hasalways been part of our company
to be mission driven, andbecoming certified, which was
something we've gone throughtwice, was a great way to
measure our environmental impact, our cultural impact, the
impact on our community and thebee court movement I believe
(20:41):
started here in Philadelphia.
Marc Bernstein (20:42):
Is that right that I wasn't aware of?
I only know of it because acouple of years ago I was on a
member of EntrepreneursOrganization and they had a
conference that I attendedvirtually and I learned a lot
about B Corporations.
Yes, do you.
When it comes to creativity,how do you inspire I'm sure you
(21:07):
inspire a culture of creativitywithin your company, because
that's what you're all about.
How do you do that and how isthat going?
Deborah Brandt (21:15):
Well, so we, you know, every day have the
opportunity to think of thingsin a different way, and that's
how I believe that creatives canchange the world, because we
see things a little bitdifferently than everybody else
the perspective of our clients,to understand the perspective of
(21:36):
people who may be reading FIGand to think about how we can
reach them differently and howwe can impact communities and
brands and lives.
Marc Bernstein (21:47):
And so in FIG Industries, back to the branding
company.
I'm jumping back and forth.
But what kind of things do youdo as a company to impact the
community?
Deborah Brandt (21:57):
We're extremely involved.
We are on boards and we workwith organizations Because of
the magazine.
We're out there in thecommunity at events and things
like that on a pretty wellweekly basis.
So we do give back a lot.
We have a social missionprogram through FIG where we
(22:18):
work with a nonprofit andsupport them all year long with
promotion in the magazine.
We also, to stay creative, wego on field trips.
We get involved in some reallyfun things that are happening
Nice and we try to make surethat we keep that creativity
flowing.
Marc Bernstein (22:36):
And B Corporations treat their
employees differently as well.
You want to talk about that alittle bit and what kind of
things you do.
Deborah Brandt (22:45):
We're measured on.
The things that we're measuredon are benefits, our employee
benefits.
We make sure that we pay atleast 70% of all of the benefits
.
So there's lots of details thatare important to be able to be
certified.
We also have some salaryrequirements about the gap
(23:05):
between the highest paid and thelowest paid, and we meet those
as well.
So it's all of those thingsthat kind of come together.
Marc Bernstein (23:12):
I gotcha, what else would you have us know
about Fig that we haven't talkedabout?
Deborah Brandt (23:19):
Well.
So our design and marketingteam is just simply amazing and
we're located in Lancaster,pennsylvania.
We're not a Philly team or aNew York team, but we have the
quality of some of the biggercities.
We have a heart for communityand, through the magazine and
the work that we do, we are onthe ground.
(23:39):
So we're very, very, veryconnected.
So I would say that the thingsthat make us special creativity,
collaboration and connection.
I didn't intend for them all tobe Cs, but they are.
Marc Bernstein (23:52):
That's pretty good.
I was trying to make some allto be C's, but they are.
That's pretty good, do you?
I was trying to make some jokesabout the B Corporation, but
I'll stop with that.
But are you?
Your clients, I assume, are allover the place.
They're not just local, correct.
Deborah Brandt (24:06):
That is true.
Marc Bernstein (24:06):
Can you talk about any of your larger clients
and what the kind of companiesthat you represent?
Deborah Brandt (24:12):
So we work with a lot of, as I said, nonprofits
and foundations.
We work with a naturalinvesting company called Natural
Investments.
Actually, they're all over thecountry, but we work with
someone in Chicago.
We work with senior living, aswell as some educational
institutions, willow Valleybeing an example of that.
(24:33):
Yeah, willow Valley, garden,spot Village, messiah Lifeways,
and then we also work in homeimprovement.
So for some companies who aredoing some expansion and
building, Very interesting.
Marc Bernstein (24:50):
I know you're a reader and a lifelong learner,
like I know Craig is and I am.
Deborah Brandt (24:55):
As you have to be.
Marc Bernstein (24:56):
You have to be.
Well, not everyone is, thoughyou can't take that for granted.
What?
What book are you currentlyreading?
Deborah Brandt (25:02):
So I have a stack beside my bed of about
five or six.
Marc Bernstein (25:05):
I'm like that too.
Do you read multiple books atonce?
Deborah Brandt (25:14):
I didn't used to , but now I do, because some
days I want to learn things andother days I just want something
mindless.
So this one is a learning bookthat.
I'll mention, and it's calledTown Inc.
It's by Andrew Davis and I amactually putting together a
presentation and it's been anamazing book because it talks
about the transformation ofcities through companies who
(25:35):
operate there and who live there, and how your city is known for
what you produce or what youmake, and how each city should
be known for something.
So it ties in very nicely withwhat we do.
Marc Bernstein (25:46):
And the presentation is the one we were
talking about earlier.
Deborah Brandt (25:49):
Yes.
Marc Bernstein (25:50):
Do you want to talk a little bit about that?
We just have a couple minutesleft.
Deborah Brandt (25:52):
So, because I've been doing this for 20 years,
which is a long time, I have alot of history to pull upon and,
as I said, I believe that ifyou give people a reason to love
where they live, they willtransform their community.
So it does tie in the historyof FIG, but it talks about
telling the stories of thebusinesses and organizations who
(26:15):
are in a city and reallycreating that brand, because a
city is an organic, living,breathing brand and it's always
changing.
So through something like FIGI'm not saying it has to be FIG,
but through something like FIGyou can tell that story four
times a year and you can connectpeople and connect them to the
(26:35):
places and the organizationswhere they can shop, they can
give, they can get involved,because people want to get
involved in their communitiesand something like this will
give them a chance to do that.
Marc Bernstein (26:49):
By the way, when you stay in a hotel in a city
such as Lancaster, they usuallyhave these local magazines that
tell you where to shop and allthat.
That are, I think, prettycheesy.
Have you gotten fig into thehotels?
Deborah Brandt (27:00):
Yes, the majority of our distribution is
local through the mail, but 20%of our distribution is tourism,
so we are in all the majorhotels as well.
Marc Bernstein (27:10):
So I have to think people come and see this
and they're like blown awaybecause I've never seen anything
like this in a hotel.
Deborah Brandt (27:15):
Just this past weekend, two people reached out,
one from Indianapolis and onefrom Florida.
They happened to be in a hotelin Lancaster and they want to
know what's going on with Figand how they can get it in their
city.
Marc Bernstein (27:28):
One quick question.
I know it's, I know, I think Iknow the answer, but how do you
see your legacy?
Deborah Brandt (27:41):
That is such a big question for one minute of
time.
I see my legacy as really beingan advocate for one big idea
that can change everything, andfor creativity and for
collaboration and forencouraging creative
entrepreneurs to step up and saythey can lead in their cities.
Marc Bernstein (27:53):
Deborah Brandt, thank you so much for being here
today.
Craig Lerch, thanks for beinghere again, thank you.
Smiling throughout the show.
Fantastic stuff, Deborah.
Fantastic, and you gotta seethis.
And thank you to our listenersfor being with us today on
Founders Forum and please lookfor us online on your favorite
podcasting channel and we'll seeyou again next week.
Announcer (28:15):
We hope you enjoyed your time with Founders Forum
and that you found value to takewith you throughout your day.
Join us again next week foranother episode of Founders
Forum on WXKB 1039 HD2.
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