The Brand Herald

On this episode of The Brand Herald, Landon sits down with Jacob Percy, Vice President of Communications at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, to talk about stewarding a brand with more than 165 years of history, why clarity on your audience drives every decision, and what it takes to design merch people actually want to keep wearing.Jacob shares his path from West Palm Beach to Belmont University, a short stint as an investment analyst, and then on to Louisville, where he earned his Master of Divinity and PhD at Southern. Before leading communications, he helped bring the campus bookstore in-house. Focusing on students meant sourcing better, pricing fairly, and building a store students trusted, not just a place to shop when the rich uncle comes to town.From there, the conversation turns to brand. Jacob explains Southern’s history, from its founding in Greenville, South Carolina, in 1859 to a class schedule once built around the Louisville train schedule. He also covers how the school manages two distinct brands, Southern Seminary and Boyce College, along with a third in President R. Albert Mohler Jr. He walks through the “trusted and warm” tone of voice he and creative director, Sam Rice, use to keep the brand consistent while adapting for donors, pastors, and college students. He’s also candid about why discipline matters: “We’ll be the first ones to get bored of being consistent.”The second half is all about merch: the brand in physical form. Jacob talks through how Southern prioritizes conferences and matches giveaways to the audience, including a long sleeve inspired by Italian soccer club Como lifestyle merch, and polos for pastors instead of bold t-shirts. Landon and Jacob also get into heavyweight tees, skipping the Sherpa trend, and Landon’s “concentric circles” approach to logo placement. They close on what excites Jacob most, the role of a four-year degree, and the lesson he wishes he’d learned sooner: focus on the process, not just the outcome.Chapters:00:00 Introducing Jacob Percy and Southern Seminary01:30 From a business degree at Belmont to a PhD at Southern, and being “addicted to school”05:05 Bringing the campus bookstore in-house and getting clear on the audience07:39 Pricing for students, not the rich uncle, and why admissions tours end in the bookstore08:45 Southern Seminary and Boyce College, explained10:16 Honoring 165 years of history while keeping the brand relevant12:39 Stewarding two brands, from “truck and trailer” to a standalone Boyce College17:10 Where all that design talent comes from, and the “trusted and warm” brand grid20:23 Starting with the objective, and staying consistent even when it feels boring21:19 Merch as the brand in physical form24:33 Designing the CROSS Conference long sleeve, inspired by Como 190728:16 Polos for pastors, heavier tees, and skipping the Sherpa trend29:36 Concentric circles and knowing who the merch is for30:58 Preview days, the students, and the job of a four-year degree33:30 Process over outcomes, and a little Nick SabanResources:sbts.eduhttps://boycecollege.com/

On this episode of The Brand Herald, Landon sits down with Kara Klunk, Director of Marketing at C. Herman Construction, to talk about what it looks like when a company grows extremely fast but keeps the small company culture. Kara joined the Charleston office in March 2020, her first role in construction, and has watched the firm grow to a nationally ranked, employee-owned business with more than 100 employees.Kara walks us through her career jump that started with a layoff in vacation rentals, an open marketing coordinator position, and three months of learning construction virtually during COVID. Landon and Kara then discuss what C. Herman actually builds; multifamily, with a focus on affordable housing, garden, and podium projects, and why a two-state industry can still feel small when the same subcontractors and developers show up in every market.The practical half of the episode is about branded clothing as culture. After two years splitting time as director of HR and Marketing, Kara wanted an employee shop built around items people are proud to wear on the job site and on the weekend. She talks through onboarding kits, seasonal gear, a rewards program tied to safety awards and work anniversaries, and why the company carefully selects which pieces they want on their shop. Landon presses on the difference between a vendor and a partner when 100 employees start ordering.Kara closes on the idea that relationships are how C. Herman grows, and that hard conversations get easier when those relationships have been invested in first. Looking ahead, she is planning a clay shoot for The Releaf Foundation, a mid-year 10-year celebration, and a Florida expansion. Chapters:00:57: How Kara found Goodson through a peer company03:00: From Pennsylvania marketing to a layoff, then a leap into construction. 05:11: Opening the Charleston office in March 202006:43: What C. Herman builds: multifamily, affordable housing, garden, and podium.09:35: Becoming an ESOP in fall 2024, and why Chris Herman did it early. 11:12: Chris Herman's path from architecture to founding the company in 2017. 12:27: Still feeling like a small company at 100 employees and a projected $45 million. 14:43: Why the HR seat changed how Kara thinks about branded apparel. 16:47: Building an intentional shop, rewards, and gear people wear off the clock. 24:04: Relationships as the growth engine, including the hard conversations.Resources:Kara Klunk LinkedIn   C. Herman Construction LinkedIn   C. Herman Construction

On this episode of The Brand Herald, Landon sits down with Stephanie Carroll, Associate Vice President for Advancement at Lipscomb University. From a walkable campus two miles from downtown Nashville, Stephanie explains how a Christian university builds belonging, purpose, and a brand people still want to wear.Stephanie grew up in California with parents who encouraged Christian education. That conviction sent her to Cedarville University, into a campus fundraising job, and later to Nashville after a five-year anniversary trip planted the idea. At Lipscomb she describes a rare model: students from age two through a doctorate, plus lifelong learning into retirement. Lipscomb's Center for Vocational Discovery uses StrengthsFinder and Working Genius so students leave knowing their purpose, their calling, and how to put both to work in a workplace, a family, and life.The Lipscomb brand, Stephanie says, should feel like community, belonging, warmth, and connection. That is not a soft substitute for excellence. Students still go on to top medical schools and law schools. Sixty-five percent of alumni stay in Middle Tennessee, which turns the alumni office into a living job network. On merch, she explains that alumni wait for the new designs. She is always asking the Goodson team for new ideas because items have to be useful enough to keep and visible enough to share. Presentation matters as much as the product. A coffee mug in branded tissue and a branded bag is a different gift than a mug handed across a table.The sharpest lesson for any brand is Stephanie's view of the customer. Universities stay loyal for life, two years out, fifteen years out, a wedding, a baby, a promotion. Most businesses stop after onboarding, the one-year mark, and a holiday gift. Stephanie is already looking at AI tools that flag those moments so Lipscomb can show up. The customer relationship never ends. The brands that remember that keep earning the next conversation.Chapters:01:01: Stephanie Carroll joins Lipscomb University in Nashville. 02:07: Age two to ninety-nine: Lipscomb Academy through lifelong learning. 03:18: Country stars, Tight End U, and a campus two miles from downtown. 06:30: How a hated student fundraising job became Stephanie's career. 12:17: An intentionally Christian university built around purpose and calling. 16:46: Deep roots, good debt, and why Christian education is worth the investment. 19:34: Belonging without weakness: what the Lipscomb brand should feel like. 23:08: Why 65% of alumni stay in Middle Tennessee and how that fuels careers. 26:16: Why people still want to wear the logo, and what merch has to earn. 34:00: The customer never ends: what higher ed teaches businesses about loyalty.Resources:Stephanie Carroll LinkedIn   Lipscomb University LinkedIn   Lipscomb University

On this episode of The Brand Herald, Landon sits down with Abbie Mitchell of Texas Roadhouse to unpack what happens when a brand is ready for a moment it didn’t plan. The Goodson team worked with Abbie in her Hyland Insurance days, she now helps lead social for Texas Roadhouse and its sister brands, Bubba’s 33 and Jaggers, and she had a front-row seat when a soccer fan in Japan turned a casual steak recommendation into a viral conversation.We start with Abbie’s path: a University of Louisville communications grad who built a marketing seat from scratch at a family-owned insurance firm, then landed the digital job that allowed her to work on three brands. She walks through the journey of a growing in-house marketing department that somehow still feels family-owned and how long it really takes to learn the dynamics of a national restaurant brand.The conversation turns practical fast. Abbie breaks down what “owning social” actually means when local stores run their own Facebook pages, why leadership buy-in changed the game more than any single campaign, and how bringing strategy in-house from an agency gave the team room to leave content flexible. Planned posts do fine. The content made in the moment is what performs. Tools like Meltwater and clearer attribution on gift cards helped leadership see social as strategy, not just something you have to do.Then comes Mr. K: a Japan-based soccer account, a World Cup tweet about Texas Roadhouse’s “best cost performance steak,” and a social listening alert that snowballed into DMs, a leadership green light, a Dallas store visit, and custom merch turned around in days. Nearly a month later, the conversation was still going with roughly a billion impressions on X alone. Abbie’s closer lands harder than any metric: it’s okay not to know everything. Lean on the people who are better at the piece you’re not. That’s how a brand joins the conversation instead of watching it pass by.Chapters:00:00: Welcome Abbie Mitchell, Texas Roadhouse, and a viral steak tweet. 01:36: From UofL to Hyland: building a marketing role as a team of one. 04:17: Getting passed over twice before landing at Texas Roadhouse. 04:52: Bubba’s 33, Jaggers, and how the three brands show up differently. 06:25: Trading SMB life for a national brand that still feels family-owned. 08:42: Social, email, SMS, and content libraries for local store pages. 11:21: Leadership buy-in, bringing social in-house, and why spontaneous posts win. 16:42: Mr. K, Meltwater, and the “best cost performance steak” World Cup moment. 19:35: From a DM to Dallas — leadership trust, a store visit, and custom merch overnight. 27:44: Abbie’s advice: lean on your team and admit what you don’t know.Resources:https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbie-mitchell-785193101 

On this episode of The Brand Herald, Landon sits down with Foster McCarl, a Louisville-based strategic advisor and business coach. Foster's story isn't a straight line. It winds through western Pennsylvania, Los Angeles, Hilton Head, and finally Kentucky, shaped at every turn by family, faith, and a willingness to do the hard work in front of him. This episode is less about tactics and more about how a great personal brand isn't built in a marketing meeting. It's built across a lifetime.Foster grew up inside a family business that his grandfather started with a $2,500 GI Bill loan in 1946, building what would become a 90-million-dollar mechanical contracting firm. That legacy of promises kept, of street-smart integrity, of a name that meant something in a community follows Foster everywhere he goes. He shares how watching his grandfather honor a bad deal with the owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates became a founding story for the McCarll brand. From there, Foster traces his path through a decade in Los Angeles, managing Guitar Center's flagship acoustic room on Sunset, running a certified Apple consulting business, and even being in the room when Steve Jobs revealed the first iPhone before eventually landing in Louisville to get better support for his daughter on the autism spectrum.The conversation turns to the work Foster does today as a strategic coach and why his unusual path makes him uniquely suited for it. Like Michelangelo removing everything that wasn't David, Foster's coaching philosophy centers on helping business owners and CEOs identify what they actually want, uncover what's blocking them, and then hold them accountable to their own stated goals. He describes himself on his business card as an "unreasonable friend", someone who cares deeply but won't let you off the hook. The discussion also gets honest about listening, communication styles, and the discipline it takes to be truly present in a world built for distraction.Landon and Foster land on the idea that ties it all together: a brand is a promise, and trust is what makes the promise. Foster's grandfather built that trust by honoring an impossible deal. Foster builds it today by showing up, asking the right questions, and never pretending to have all the answers. His final piece of advice is to practice business acupuncture, focus on helping other people's bottom lines grow, and your own will follow, is a quietly radical idea in a world still chasing the grind. Chapters:00:00: Landon introduces Foster McCarl01:07: Father's Day weekend in Louisville and Foster's wood shop obsession03:16: Growing up in western Pennsylvania and the McCarl family business origins. 05:18: Foster's grandfather, the Pittsburgh Pirates deal, and a promise kept. 07:46: From LA to the Carolinas to Louisville08:37: Witnessing the first iPhone reveal live at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference. 10:48: Working with his father and the gap between planning and implementation. 13:13: Moving to Louisville for the Bluegrass Center for Autism17:34: How lived experience makes Foster an authentic and relatable coach. 19:41: The coaching philosophy: removing what isn't David and asking the right why. 22:43: On listening, auditory processing, and being present in a distracted world. 27:39: A brand is a promise, from grandfather to grandson, the McCarl legacy. 30:53: Final advice: be intentional, be authentic, and practice business acupuncture.Resources:https://www.linkedin.com/in/fostermccarl/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/foster-mccarl/ 

On this episode of The Brand Herald, Landon sits down with Josh McKain of Henry Rose Consulting, a Louisville-area operations consultant, group coaching founder, with an impressive LinkedIn presence. Josh's story isn't a straight line. It's a winding path from accounting to insurance operations to entrepreneurship, held together by a persistent curiosity and an ability to build trust with people quickly.Josh and Landon connected with each other on LinkedIn before finally sitting down for coffee and discovering they had a lot more in common than they realized. Josh unpacks the origin of Henry Rose Consulting, including the moment on a solo hike at Deem Lake when the name just appeared in his head, and what it means to build a consultancy around a personal brand rather than a keyword-stuffed service description. He's candid about not thinking of himself as a marketer and yet, the way he shows up consistently on LinkedIn and in his community tells a different story.From there, the episode shifts into the evolution of Josh's business model. What started as one-on-one consulting pivoted, almost organically, into Throughput Mastery, a group coaching program built around helping business owners get clear on what they actually want from their businesses, not just what they want to sell. Josh walks through the epiphany he had in Europe that forced him to ask a harder question: why build a business you don't love? He also introduces Aero Growth, a partnership venture, and talks frankly about the challenge of juggling multiple brands under one personal identity.The episode closes on something both Landon and Josh keep returning to throughout: the irreplaceable value of real human connection in an age of AI and automation. Josh's ability to rally accomplished, influential people around a shared idea, from a near-miss business summit to a growing coaching community, is the thread that runs through everything he's built. His friend's line says it best, and Josh has clearly taken it to heart: the only way to lose is to stop playing.Chapters:00:00: Landon introduces Josh McKain and the story of how they met on LinkedIn. 01:25: Josh reflects on their "online dating of business networking" connection and LinkedIn as a relationship tool. 02:14: Josh explains why he doesn't consider himself a marketer and how that shapes his approach to visibility. 04:06: Growing up in New Albany, Indiana, his early career in accounting, and the pivot to Progressive Insurance. 08:04: How Josh landed at Strothman despite bombing his interview and what that taught him about self-awareness. 12:05: The origin of Henry Rose Consulting17:04: An epiphany in Europe, why Josh stopped building a business he didn't love and started building one he did. 19:33: Introducing Throughput Mastery and Aero Growth28:40: Branded merch, personal brand, and why Josh asked Landon to make his logo smaller. 36:24: Practical advice for anyone thinking about going out on their ownResources:Josh McKain LinkedIn Henry Rose Consulting LinkedInThroughput Mastery Aero Growth LLC

On this episode of The Brand Herald, Landon sits down with Todd Krise, founder of MercenaryMarketing.ai, a Louisville-based AI consulting firm helping businesses and solopreneurs harness artificial intelligence without the hype, the headaches, or the fear. What starts as a conversation about a Louisville Business First article quickly becomes one of the most grounded, practical discussions about AI and brand that The Brand Herald has hosted yet.Todd's path to founding Mercenary wasn't linear. Sports journalism, publishing, agency life, and a front-row seat to social media's rise all built the foundation. But it was watching AI emerge on the horizon that made him go out on his own. The core idea behind Mercenary is deceptively simple: most businesses already have the tools, the data, and the people, they just need someone to connect the dots. Todd's platform serves as an aggregator, pulling together a client's existing CRM, email marketing, content tools, and social channels into a centralized system powered by AI. The result is a smarter version of you, working while you're in the field.The conversation turns toward the harder, more human questions: What does brand even mean in an AI-saturated world? Brand, in Todd's view, is the knowledge base, it's everything your AI agents know about how you speak, what you stand for, and how you serve customers. It's not a logo or a color palette. It's the totality of how people experience you, whether they're talking to you in person or to your AI persona at 11:30 at night. What makes this episode stick is Todd's conviction that as technology gets more powerful, authenticity gets more valuable. Humans can smell fake and the businesses that will win in an AI-first world are the ones that use AI to amplify what's real about them, not to manufacture something that isn't. For anyone wondering where to start, Todd's parting advice is to go to mercenarymarketing.ai/resources, pick a low-risk tool, and dip your toe in. The mercenary isn't here to replace you. He's here to make you unstoppable.Chapters:00:02: Landon opens with a Louisville Business First article covering Todd's AI consulting startup. 00:36: Todd introduces himself, journalist, MBA, and self-described PhD in "butt kissing." 01:51: Todd's career path from sports journalism to agency work to spotting the AI wave early. 04:49: The origin of the Mercenary name 05:54: How the business evolved from C-suite content creation to a full AI platform09:32: Real client use case, how a three-business solopreneur uses AI to prospect, communicate, and monitor leads while he's in the field. 12:46: The knowledge base explained why cloning a client's voice and expertise is the key to AI content that actually sounds like them. 19:41: How Todd defines a brand in an AI world. It's not your logo, it's your knowledge base. 25:03: Why hyper-local, in-person relationships are becoming more valuable as AI scales.31:15: Practical advice for every AI readiness level and where to find low-risk starting points at mercenarymarketing.ai/resources.Resources:Todd Krise LinkedIn   MercenaryMarketing.ai LinkedIn   MercenaryMarketing.aiMercenaryMarketing.ai/resources

On this episode of The Brand Herald, Landon sits down with Bronson Cordle, Vice President of Marketing at Vsimple, to explore the real mechanics of marketing software platform in a B2B world. Bronson brings a rich agency background. He trades the agency grind for the chance to build something from the ground up.Landon and Bronson talk about Vsimple's defining challenge, when your platform can automate nearly any business process for nearly any industry, how do you go to market without saying nothing to everyone? Bronson walks us through the company's decision to lean into AI-powered features and a modular, verticalized approach, targeting commercial interiors, material handling, heavy equipment, and manufacturing niches where Vsimple already has proof, relationships, and traction.From there, Landon and Bronson get into the nuance of brand-building versus performance marketing and why it's common to confuse the two. Bronson explains how keeping branded activities separate from customer targeted campaigns is how your marketing earns revenue and becomes the CFO's best friend. Trade shows, relational selling, and the hand-in-glove reality of marketing and sales alignment round out the tactical picture for a company whose complex sale demands a human touch that no digital ad can replicate.The episode closes on a story that will stick with anyone who's ever bought 500 cheap notebooks thinking they saved the company money. Buddy, Vsimple's CEO, says if the logo goes on it, it has to be something people are proud to carry. It's a reminder that brand isn't just what you say, it's what you hand someone across a table. Bronson's parting advice is to try more things, measure what matters, and never put all your bets on one line item.Chapters:01:10: Bronson's background and what Christian education has to do with marketing02:25: What pushed Bronson toward Vsimple04:51: What you actually lose when you leave agency life06:34: Vsimple overview and services10:00: The horizontal platform problem 10:58: An AI features suite and the industries Vsimple targets15:49: Brand vs. performance marketing24:16: Trade shows, B2B relationships, and keeping a human touch27:33: Why generating leads isn't enough if marketing isn't supporting every stage of the sales cycle33:49: Bronson's one marketing tipResources:Bronson Cordle LinkedIn  Vsimple LinkedIn Vsimple

On this episode of The Brand Herald, Landon sits down with Chad Churchman of Hyland Insurance to discuss the intersection of professional branding and community. Transitioning from a decade in digital marketing at Journeys to the insurance world, Chad shares how he helped shape Hyland’s internal culture. We explore the "Hyland way"—a philosophy built on educating rather than selling, and the simple act of answering the phone. It’s a grounded look at how a 40-year-old family business maintains its relevance by staying human in a digital age.The conversation shifts to the practical mechanics of brand building, from managing email signatures for 40+ employees to the value of quality promotional items. Chad emphasizes that whether it’s a sideline presence at a Louisville City FC match or internal team apparel, the goal is always utility and longevity. We’ve found that Hyland’s commitment to "putting their money where their mouth is"—by purchasing quality gear for their team—creates an organic brand advocacy. It’s a reminder that in a crowded market, consistency and character are the only real differentiators.Chapters:01:00: Chad’s ranking as a semi-pro pinball player and his first-place finishes.02:05: A brief history of Hyland Insurance, the 40-year-old, family-owned Louisville company.04:04: Chad’s transition from digital marketing at Journeys to finding a home at Hyland.08:25: The first 90 days of consolidating internal marketing and creating visual consistency.12:20: Why "Educate, Don't Sell" and answering the phone are Hyland’s secret weapons.18:22: A candid look at the complexities of managing email signatures across departments.21:54: Strategic partnerships with Bellarmine University and Louisville City FC.26:48: Why Hyland invests in their team’s clothing to build internal pride.36:19: Tips for owners hiring their first marketing leader and the importance of being realistic with expectations.Resources:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-churchman/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/hyland-insurance-services/ https://hylandins.net/

On this episode of The Brand Herald, Landon welcomes back his first-ever repeat guest, Klaus Schlimm. Klaus, formerly the VP of Marketing at Progressive Materials, has stepped into a new role as the President of Countryman Coatings. The conversation explores Klaus's transition from the commercial roofing world to the DIY and residential market, highlighting the unique challenges and rewards of building a brand from the ground up.The discussion focuses heavily on the importance of authentic brand building and customer education. Klaus shares his vision for Countryman Coatings not just as a product manufacturer, but as a "roof coating encyclopedia" that provides DIYers with the resources and customer service they need to succeed. From the role of high-quality merch in building reputation to the strategy of "bending the brand" to stand out at trade shows, this episode offers practical insights for any entrepreneur looking to cultivate a loyal community and an enduring brand.Chapters00:02 Landon introduces Klaus Schlimm, the first repeat guest.02:28 Klaus discusses his background in sales and marketing.04:10 Transitioning to the role of President at Countryman Coatings.05:40 Understanding the niche market of residential roof coatings.09:53 Building an "encyclopedia" of resources for DIY customers.11:44 The story and values behind the Countryman brand.12:39 Why high-quality merch is vital for brand reputation.17:32 Standing out at trade shows by "bending the brand".24:47 Shifting from commercial to consumer-focused digital marketing strategies.27:19 Klaus’s advice for entrepreneurs starting a new venture.Resources:Klaus Schlimm LinkedInCountryman Coatings LinkedIn