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In this episode of The Intangible Brand, Jerry and Carl sit down with Susan Baier, founder of Audience Audit, to explore how professional service firms can build stronger brands by understanding what their audiences actually believe, not just who they are on paper.

Susan explains why demographics and generic personas often fall short, and how attitudinal research helps firms sharpen their point of view, create more relevant thought leadership, and earn trust over time. We talk about what clients really expect from expertise-led brands, how original research becomes a long-term differentiator, and where AI supports marketing teams versus where it risks flattening credibility.

We cover:
• Why perspective matters more than demographics
• What attitudinal segmentation reveals that personas miss
• How custom research creates defensible differentiation
• What clients actually want from thought leadership
• The role of trust, substance, and experience in brand building
• Where AI helps and where it can quietly erode credibility

Recommended resource:
• Exceptional Experiences podcast by Neen James

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Follow the Hosts: Jerry Gennaria & Carl Winstead

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Get In Touch: hello@theintangiblebrand.com

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In this episode, we talk with Tate Fisher about what it really takes to design service experiences that serve customers, support employees, and work for the business. Tate draws on years of work with multi location and franchise brands to explain why service is always co created and why balance across those three stakeholders matters more than any single tactic.

The conversation hits on how to build predictable systems without stripping out humanity, what frontline teams actually need in order to create meaningful moments, and why real behavior should shape both spaces and processes. Tate also shares what he’s learned from navigating franchisor–franchisee dynamics and the north star that helps both sides stay aligned.

What We Cover:

• The customer–employee–owner framework
• How co creation shows up inside physical service environments
• Designing systems that free people to deliver better experiences
• Lessons from telecom, franchise networks, and student housing
• Where alignment breaks down in multi site brands and how to fix it

Resources Mentioned:

• The Founders podcast

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Tate Fisher and Katalyst Group

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Follow the Hosts: Jerry Gennaria & Carl Winstead

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Get In Touch: hello@theintangiblebrand.com

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In this episode of The Intangible Brand, Jerry and Carl talk with Brandon Coleman Jr., a brand strategist, speaker, and author who has spent five decades helping organizations understand what brand really is and how culture shapes it.

Brandon shares the stories and lessons that shaped his philosophy, from early mentors who challenged him to define value, to the rebrand of his own family firm, to his favorite example of culture-powered consistency at Buc-ee’s. His message is simple but hard-hitting: brands are built by people, trained through culture, and proven through experience.

In this Episode

• What “Brand On” means and why few organizations achieve it
• How culture, training, and consistency shape real brand experience
• Brandon’s early lessons in sales, confidence, and telling the truth
• The rebrand of his family firm and what it taught him about identity
• Why Buc-ee’s is a masterclass in operational culture
• How employees become brand evangelists
• Why big companies struggle with culture and where it breaks down

Guest

Brandon Coleman Jr. is a brand strategist, speaker, and author who has led thousands of brand alignment engagements across industries for more than 50 years. Known for his storytelling and straight talk, he teaches leaders how to build cultures that deliver on the brand every day.

Resources

• The Paradox of Success

Connect With Us

Follow the Hosts: Jerry Gennaria & Carl Winstead

Learn More about TOKY & Cline

Get In Touch: hello@theintangiblebrand.com