Local Marketing School

In this episode of Local Marketing School, Emily Steele chats with Laurel Rundle, founder of AHA Marketing, all about effective sampling programs for brands, big and small. Since 2011, AHA Marketing has specialized in connecting brands with consumers through trusted professional channels. Laurel explains their unique approach of partnering with professionals like doctors, doulas, and gym owners to distribute product samples.  We ch...

In this episode of Local Marketing School, Emily Steele interviews Caroline Grace, founder and CEO of Product and Prosper, to chat through building successful CPG brands in retail. Caroline shares insights to help emerging brands navigate retail complexities. She emphasizes the importance of proper positioning, packaging, and pricing, using the example of PAKTLI Foods to illustrate how refining a brand's story and foundation can le...

In this episode of Local Marketing School, Emily Steele interviews Candace Molatore, a creative director, photographer, model, and branding consultant from Portland, Oregon. Candace drops by to share insights into her career as a content creator and influencer, discussing the importance of building long-term relationships with brands, the value of creative freedom in partnerships, and the realities of being a content creator beyond...

In this episode of Local Marketing School, Emily Steele interviews Morgan Lerner, Chief Creative Officer at GoNanas,  the fastest growing baking mix company, using bananas to make indulgent, vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-friendly baked goods. Morgan joins to share how GoNanas has grown from a college dorm room to ecommerce to now sold in over 4000 retailers.  We discuss key strategies for growth, staying authentic on social medi...

In this episode of Local Marketing School, Emily Steele interviews Holly Chapman, Head of Brand at Papier, a stationery and personalized products company. Holly shares her journey from the communication industry to becoming Head of Brand at Papier. We dive deep into Papier’s US expansion and all the strategies employed to make for a truly omnipresent brand splash across the market. Listen for tips on local creator partnerships, cre...

In this episode of Local Marketing School, Emily Steele interviews Umaimah Sharwani, founder of Paro, a food brand specializing in South Asian flavors. Umaimah shares her journey of creating Paro out of homesickness for her mother's cooking and her experience scaling digitally native brands. We cover various aspects of building a food brand, including the importance of being retail-ready, community building through events and socia...

In this episode of Local Marketing School, Emily Steele interviews Leslie Bailey, co-founder and CEO of Indy Maven and Maven Space. Leslie shares her entrepreneurial journey, discussing the challenges and rewards of starting both a digital media brand and a coworking space. We dive into the importance of finding community and support outside one's immediate circle, learning from others in the industry, and being willing to make mis...

In this week’s Local Marketing School episode, Emily Steele interviews Alisha Espey, the Program & Events Director at the Downtown Davenport Partnership. We dove into one of the area’s biggest festivals, Alternating Currents, and all the details that go into drawing big crowds and executing on powerful partnerships across the city. Alisha discusses how she and her team create awareness and leverage local expertise as well as th...

In this week’s episode, Emily Steele chats with Casey Harrison, CEO and founder of Polished Strategic Communications located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Casey shares her journey to founding her own communications agency and touches on the incredible clients she’s gotten a chance to work with like Women's Equity Brunch, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, Business Equity for Indy and Indy Crew. She shares her company’s core val...

In this week’s episode, Emily Steele chats with Erica Jacobs, the marketing director at Nightingale, a thriving ice cream sandwich company based in Richmond, Virginia, with a growing national presence. Erica shares insights into her role, discussing the obstacles and successes of managing marketing for a growing brand. We delve deep into the unique aspects of marketing a frozen product with seasonal fluctuations and explore the inn...

In this week’s Local Marketing School episode, Emily Steele interviews Jennifer Magley, a dynamic speaker, author, and Chief Brand Officer at The Basketball League and Basketball Super League. Jennifer shares the why and how to create memorable experiences, both in personal interactions and in business settings. She shares insights from her experiences as an emcee and host, emphasizing the value of surprising and delighting audienc...

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Kelly Bennett, brand strategist and advisor at With Kelly Bennett and host of the Emerging Brands Podcast. Kelly Bennett is a New York City based brand strategist and advisor launching CPG food & beverage brands. They work with early-stage founders to differentiate brands and products in the marketplace, speak directly to their target audience, drive consumer demand (even before l...

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Brandon Puszkiewicz, a program manager for the Indiana Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Scott Soltys-Curry, creator of the Indianapolis Coffee Guide. We discuss their collaborative project involving coffee sleeves designed to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention. The initiative combines the local coffee scene with a meaningful cause, ...

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Sara Croft, the Co-Founder and CEO of Five Four,  a growth agency for early-stage founders and founder-led businesses. Sara offers insights on experimentation, community-led growth, and preparing clients for fundraising, product launches, and revenue growth. We dive into the importance of local marketing and the power of meeting customers where they’re at. Listen in for valuable persp...

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Jessyca Dewey, the founder of The Y Collective, a social-first digital marketing agency working with CPG better for you brands. She discusses her journey from working in-house at brands like Califia Farms and VaynerMedia to starting her own agency, emphasizing the importance of integrated marketing approaches for smaller brands. Jessica highlights the value of being an extension of a ...

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Rachel Greiner, the marketing and social media manager at Experience Grand Rapids. She joins to share her strategies for promoting the city and attracting both locals and out-of-town visitors. She discusses the Brewsader app, which highlights the city's breweries and encourages people to visit them all, and the Flights of Flavor program, which showcases food and drink flights at l...

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Jarrhod ‘Rod’ Johnson, Co-Founder & Chief Values Officer at BLK & Bold, the specialty coffee and tea company that prioritizes domestic social impact. Through their 5% For Our Youth Program the brand donates to youth in need locally and nationally. They also quickly became the first Black-owned nationally distributed coffee company and a top seller on Amazon since launching on ...

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Katie Olthoff, co-founder at ChopLocal, an online meat marketplace connecting customers with independent farmers and butcher shops all over the country! ChopLocal provides a platform for small-scale farmers to sell their products while also offering marketing support to help them reach a wider audience. Katie joins Emily to discuss topics like search engine optimization, social proof,...

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Amanda Dare, founder and owner of Louisville-based, Woman-Owned Wallet and WOW Factor Collective. Amanda is on a mission to put money into the wallets of women. She joins Emily to discuss the challenges faced by women in business and the impact of supporting women-owned businesses in the local economy. They also touch on staying true to yourself, the power of curiosity, intentional ma...