What To Do When Design Is The Bottleneck Dog Whistle Branding podcast

#Entrepreneur #Business #Marketing #Military Veterans #Entrepreneurship #Brand Strategy #Bunker Labs #Marine Corps #Navy #Air Force #Ironbound Media #Mike Steadman #Start #Veteran Entrepreneurs

36:44

In this episode of the Innovators and Investors Podcast, host Kristian Marquez sits down with Amar Bakshi, founder of Shared Studios and Noro, to explore how Amar’s visionary work is redefining human connection through immersive technology. Amar shares the evolution from his original art project, which connected strangers worldwide via life-size video portals installed in locations from New York to Tehran, refugee camps, and universities, to creating Noro’s cutting-edge video conferencing solutions that bridge the gap between virtual meetings and face-to-face interaction. They discuss the inspiration behind his projects, including his personal experiences as a journalist and his grandmother’s story of displacement, highlighting the emotional and cultural impact of authentic human connection. Amar explains the challenges of building a global network in complex political environments, the importance of community-led curation, and leveraging technology to enable deeper trust and collaboration beyond traditional video calls like Zoom. The conversation also covers insights into building company culture, navigating the transition from art to business, raising capital, and how AI and future tech innovations could enhance multilingual communication and intimacy in virtual settings. Amar closes by sharing lessons learned as a founder about balancing commitment with perspective and fostering inclusive, purpose-driven teams. This episode provides a thoughtful look at how technology can create meaningful, serendipitous human connections across borders and industries. Learn more about Amar's work at https://noro.co/ Connect with Amar on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amarcbakshi/ Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply at https://finstratmgmt.com/innovators-investors-podcast/podcast-guest-application/ Want to learn more about Kristian Marquez's work? Check out his website at https://finstratmgmt.com…

Dog Whistle Branding »
What To Do When Design Is The Bottleneck

about a year ago 28:05

MP3•Episode home

What happens when design is the bottleneck?

You came up with a great business idea, maybe even raised some capital for it, and then decided to hire an outside design agency, like ours at The MisFits, to build your brand identity. You had good momentum at first, but you can’t agree on the right design yet. Now what.

This is a frustrating challenge for the client and the design team. If I sound like I’m speaking from first-hand experience, it's because I am. Design can be a huge bottleneck when launching a venture from scratch, especially if you need it for your website, packaging, and other collateral before you can move forward.

Today on the show, Drew and I discuss the challenges of getting clients through our design process and some words of advice for those of you working with an external design team.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

106 episodes

What To Do When Design Is The Bottleneck

Dog Whistle Branding

published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

What happens when design is the bottleneck?

Today on the show, Drew and I discuss the challenges of getting clients through our design process and some words of advice for those of you working with an external design team.

Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com

Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

106 episodes

#Entrepreneur #Business #Marketing #Military Veterans #Entrepreneurship #Brand Strategy #Bunker Labs #Marine Corps #Navy #Air Force #Ironbound Media #Mike Steadman #Start #Veteran Entrepreneurs

All episodes

Dog Whistle Branding

1
What To Do When Design Is The Bottleneck 28:05

1 year ago28:05

28:05

What happens when design is the bottleneck? You came up with a great business idea, maybe even raised some capital for it, and then decided to hire an outside design agency, like ours at The MisFits, to build your brand identity. You had good momentum at first, but you can’t agree on the right design yet. Now what. This is a frustrating challenge for the client and the design team. If I sound like I’m speaking from first-hand experience, it's because I am. Design can be a huge bottleneck when launching a venture from scratch, especially if you need it for your website, packaging, and other collateral before you can move forward. Today on the show, Drew and I discuss the challenges of getting clients through our design process and some words of advice for those of you working with an external design team. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg…

Dog Whistle Branding

1
Lean Marketing: More Leads, More Profit, Less Marketing with Allan Dib, Author of Lean Marketing & The One-Page Marketing Plan 50:30

1 year ago50:30

50:30

When I first took the leap into entrepreneurship full-time, back in 2018, one of the first books I recommended was Allan Dib's, The 1-Page Marketing Plan: Get New Customers, Make More Money, And Stand Out From The Crowd. In the book, Allan gives a step by step process for creating a marketing plan that converts warm prospects into paying customers. I use Allan’s framework from the book for podcasts, clients, and my own personal business ventures, including IRONBOUND Boxing and the MisFits. A few months ago, I signed up for the 1-Page Marketing Plan Online course, which sparked me to finally reach out to Allan and invite him on the show to talk through his framework, and also discuss his more recent book, "Lean Marketing: More Leads, More Profit, Less Marketing". I feel like there’s a lot of woohoo when it comes to marketing, but at the end of the day it needs to be sustainable, and put money in the bank, which is what Allan and I discussed on today’s show. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg Check out Allan’s latest book here: https://leanmarketing.com/…

Dog Whistle Branding

1
Killer Creative with Robert Mains, CMO at Guardian Revial & CEO of Rebel Victory Media 32:40

1 year ago32:40

32:40

How do you drive traffic to your website? I know this is a question that I’ve been pondering lately as we continue to grow the MisFits and think of ways to help our clients. One way is through Killer Creative, badass videos, and other forms of content that catch your perfect customers' attention, leading them down a rabbit hole that eventually converts them into paying customers. One of the best in the business that I personally know is Rob Mains, Founder of RebelVictory Media, a content production house for emergings brands, including the nationally recognized Beard Club, which Rob is a partner and content creator for. More recently however, Rob’s focus is on helping veterans get the support they need through Guardian Revial, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to revive and preserve the mental health and wellbeing of veterans and first responders — our guardians — at no cost to them. Like me, Rob is a bit of a bearded Renaissance man, but he’s still a content creator at heart. On the show, we talk about how to leverage video to drive leads, his thoughts on the creative business, and his calling to serve the veteran community at Guaridan Revival. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg Learn more about Guardian Revival here: https://www.guardianrevival.org/…

Dog Whistle Branding

1
Innovate or Die 45:49

1 year ago45:49

45:49

The moment you start to get comfortable and complacent, you’re already dead; you just don’t realize it yet. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg

Dog Whistle Branding

1
You Are Not Serious People 41:54

1 year ago41:54

41:54

If you’re afraid to invest in your brand, in the words of Logan Roy from the HBO show Succession, You are not serious people. I’m all about staying lean, driving sales, and maximizing profitability. I’m a bootstrapper and proud of it. Truth be told, you can start a business these days with a Google Doc, a menu of products and services, and a hit list of potential prospects. I’ve done it multiple times at this point, but even I’ll admit that can only get you so far. If you want to be taken seriously and become a category of one, you must be willing to invest in your brand, which Drew and I discuss on today’s show. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg Learn more about Lincoln Design. Co here: https://www.lincolndesignco.com/ “Succession” clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIauW3roDm0…

Dog Whistle Branding

1
Killer Video Storytelling with Sean Bell, Founder of Loud Media 32:34

1 year ago32:34

32:34

Drew and I chop it up with fellow veterans and video storyteller extraordinaire Sean Bell, Founder of Loud Media, which helps brands tell epic stories through video content. On the show, Sean shares how he thinks about storytelling, why he’s so passionate about video, Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur,” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg Checkout out Sean’s website: https://loudvisualmedia.com/ Here’s a trailer to Sean’s Film “This is Why We Training” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baRJa1xvdY4…

Dog Whistle Branding

1
What Two Local Businesses Have Taught Me About Brand Loyalty 19:46

1 year ago19:46

19:46

I share what a local bar and barbershop taught me about brand loyalty. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg Checkout our new website: www.IRONBOUNDMedia.com

Dog Whistle Branding

1
A Media Company For The Misfits & Underdogs 41:05

1 year ago41:05

41:05

I discuss IRONBOUND Media’s rebrand and category expansion to serve ‘Underdogs & Misfits’ (Challenger brands led by Veterans, Black women, and anyone else use to being one of one). Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg Checkout our new website: www.IRONBOUNDMedia.com…

Dog Whistle Branding

1
Data-Driven Beauty with Shante Frazier, Founder of WellCapped 46:34

1 year ago46:34

46:34

Do you ever come across a founder with an idea that makes you think to yourself, “damn, I really think they’re onto something here.” That’s how I feel about today’s podcast guest, Shante Frazier, Founder of WellCapped, a data-driven beauty company that provides online wig rentals through a monthly subscription. I’m not a venture capitalist yet, but if I was, I would definitely invest in Shante, and you’ll hear why on today’s show Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg Learn more about WellCapped here: https://wellcapped.com/…

Dog Whistle Branding

1
Internal Branding & The Business of Design with Dan Janssen, Owner / Creative Director at Lincoln Design Company 56:23

1 year ago56:23

56:23

Today on Dog Whistle Branding, my boy Drew O’Brien, from the design company “We Make Cool Shit,” chop it up with Legendary designer and studio owner, Dan Janssen, Owner/Creative Director of Lincoln Design Co., a Portland-based branding and design studio that represents the gold standard for modern designers, whose clients include Nike, Hot Wheels, and WWE just to name a few. I wanted Dan on today’s show to talk about Lincoln’s unique approach to internal branding, the business of design, and where the opportunity lies in the future for small studios like We Make Cool Shit and IRONBOUND Media. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg Learn more about Lincoln Design. Co here: https://www.lincolndesignco.com/…

Dog Whistle Branding

1
You Think You Need Marketing When You Really Need Sales! 21:16

1 year ago21:16

21:16

In this episode of Dog Whistle Branding, I discuss the problem with focusing on marketing when you should be focusing on sales. Trust me, this problem is more common than you think. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg…

Dog Whistle Branding

1
Ten Thousand True Fans 16:54

1 year ago16:54

16:54

In this episode of DWB, I reflect on my goal for the new year goal of acquiring 10,000 True Fans, as opposed to 1,000 as recommended by Kevin Kelly in his essay, “1000 True Fans. Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg…

Dog Whistle Branding

1
Stop Brainstorming, Start Painstorming 17:40

1 year ago17:40

17:40

In this episode of DWB, I discuss why “painstorming” is the new brand storming. Before we jump into the show, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the link in the show notes and also Download the official Dog Whistle Branding playbook at ironboundmedia.com Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg…

Dog Whistle Branding

1
How To Create An Authority Machine For Your Business 25:53

2 years ago25:53

25:53

Today on DWB, I share my thought process for creating an authority machine at IRONBOUND Media, a process for sharing thoughts and ideas in a systematic way that positions us as an authority on brand building. I share a framework I came up and hopefully, you can apply it in your own business. Before we jump into the show, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the link in the show notes and also Download the official Dog Whistle Branding playbook at ironboundmedia.com Be sure to subscribe to the Dog Whistle Brand Newsletter on Substack here: www.dogwhistlebranding.com Order my book, “Black Veteran Entrepreneur” here: https://amzn.to/3gme7kg…

Dog Whistle Branding

1
A Coffee Company Run by Firefighters with Luke Schneider, Founder & CEO of Fire Department Coffee 44:37

2 years ago44:37