#199 Brand Affinity: Why Your Employees Need to Love Your Strategy

Employees won’t advocate for what they don’t understand—or feel. Too many companies mistake “brand awareness” or internal campaigns for advocacy. But without emotional connection to your strategy—without brand affinity—you’ll never build a true culture of alignment, ownership, and advocacy. Today, we’re talking about a game-changing concept for CEOs and founders who are ambitious, who can achieve their vision, but whose company sometimes feels more like a loose collection of teams than a single, aligned force. Find the show notes for this episode here: https://www.modernemployerbrand.com/podcast199 Get my book to learn a LOT about story-driven branding here: https://www.storydrivenemployerbranding.com Subscribe to this podcast and please, if you loved my podcast, rate it and share the love to others who you believe will love it, too! Lots of love Susanna  

🔥 CEOs, listen up. The most powerful storyteller in your employer brand isn’t HR or comms. It’s YOU. When the person at the top goes quiet, so does the culture. But when you lead with a story—authentic, value-based, human story—your people don’t just listen. They align. They believe. They act. In this final part of my podcast series on modern leadership branding, I unpack why narrative power is the new executive influence tool—and what it looks like when the CEO becomes the Chief Storyteller. ✔️ What stories you should be telling ✔️ Where to show up (without being an influencer) ✔️ How to build credibility, consistency and culture with story This episode isn’t just for top execs—it’s for every EB pro trying to get their CEO to finally step up and speak up. 🎤 Show notes available here: https://modernemployerbrand.com/podcast198 📕 Get the book: https://storydrivenemployerbranding.com  

RIP old-school EVPs. They had a good run… until nobody believed them anymore. 🙃 The world has changed. People want work that fits into their lives—not just flashy slogans and buzzword bingo on your careers page. In this episode of the Story-Driven Business Podcast, I’m showing you the modern replacement: ✨ The Modern Work-to-Life Promise ✨ Real, evolving Key Story Themes These aren’t just words. They’re the foundation of trust, retention and reputation. Learn the method → storydrivenemployerbranding.com

HOT TAKE: If your employer brand still revolves around your CEO, tech stack, or product features… you’re not branding a company. You’re feeding an ego. And egos don’t scale. People do. Your people are the hero of your business strategy. Not you. In my latest episode of the Story-Driven Business Podcast, I dive into a mindset shift that turns modern leadership on its head:🎙️ “The Talent is the Hero: A Leadership Shift That Changes Everything” When leaders stop trying to be the centre of the story and start guiding their people as the protagonists, trust builds. Retention grows. Innovation takes off. And employer branding? It becomes magnetic. 👉 Are you ready to lead like Yoda, not Iron Man? Find the show notes for this episode: modernemployerbrand.com/podcast196 Get the book for the full monty here >  

What if your company culture is actually sabotaging your business strategy? In this episode of the Story-Driven Business podcast, I reveal how to decode your organisational culture using the Competing Values Framework and the OCAI diagnostic tool. You’ll discover how different culture types—Clan, Adhocracy, Market, and Hierarchy—shape everything from leadership and performance expectations to recruitment messaging and talent profiles. This episode is especially powerful for modern leaders, HR professionals, and founders navigating growth, change, or transformation. I’ll also show you how my Magnetic Employer Branding Method™ transforms culture insights into magnetic content, leadership communication, and employee experiences. Based on the framework behind my book Story-Driven Employer Branding, this episode will forever change how you approach culture—and help you turn it into a strategic superpower. Listen now and start aligning your culture with your business mission. Let’s make your strategy magnetic!

What if your employer brand was never meant to live in talent acquisition?  What if it’s the missing link between your culture, people, and business strategy? In this game-changing episode of Story-Driven Business Podcast, Susanna Rantanen—author of Story-Driven Employer Branding and the world’s leading expert in modern employer branding—shares why story-driven positioning is your most underrated strategic tool. Discover: The four strategic company culture types and why knowing yours is critical How to design employee experiences that make your employer brand believable What the Master Plan is—and why you need one before you post anything online Why CEOs and founders should care about employer branding ROI (spoiler: it’s not just applications) 🎧 This episode connects the dots between leadership, business success, and storytelling in a way no “recruitment campaign” ever could. 📚 Get the book: storydrivenemployerbrand.com 🎙️ Shownotes: modernemployerbrand.com/podcast194

What if I told you your employer brand already exists—and it’s silently telling the world what kind of leader you are? In this episode, Susanna Rantanen—creator of the Magnetic Employer Branding Method™—reveals why employer branding has become your leadership advantage. Discover how story-driven employer branding connects your business strategy, values, and company culture into a cohesive narrative that drives behaviour, improves retention, and boosts performance. 🎯 Learn how to: Turn culture into your company’s invisible compass Align your people with your strategic vision Attract talent who already believe in your mission This episode will change how you lead—from the inside out. 🔗 Get the book: storydrivenemployerbranding.com

Why do so many brilliant strategies fall flat in execution? One word: buy-in. And what unlocks buy-in? Not data. Not directives. Stories. In this episode of the Story-Driven Business Podcast, modern employer branding gal Susanna Rantanen unpacks the power of storytelling as the most underrated – and underused – leadership skill in business. Learn how to turn your strategy into a shared mission, your message into a movement, and your culture into a magnet for talent. Expect: Tangible tips for execs, CEOs and team leads Real-life examples of storytelling success The Magnetic Employer Branding Method™ in action Why communication IS culture 🎧 Listen now and discover how to inspire action, build trust, and leave a legacy—one story at a time.

Forget charisma. Ditch the data dump. The most powerful leadership tool isn’t in your MBA textbook—it’s storytelling. In this episode, Susanna Rantanen, the world’s leading modern employer branding expert, dives into why storytelling is the most overlooked yet essential skill for leaders today. Discover how to lead with clarity, inspire trust, align culture, and boost your “Return on Inspiration”—all through the stories you tell. 💡 Featuring ideas and thoughts from masterminds such as Donald Miller, Brené Brown, Simon Sinek and Susanna from the new book Story-Driven Employer Branding, this is the mindset shift every leader needs. 🎧 Listen now and discover why storytelling isn’t fluff—it’s fuel. 🔗 Need to check out the show notes? Go here: modernemployerbrand.com/podcast191 👉 Grab your signed copy of the book at storydrivenemployerbranding.com 👉 Or find it on Amazon

What if your employer brand wasn’t just seen… but deeply felt? In this episode of the Story-Driven Business Podcast, I (Susanna Rantanen, the world’s leading modern employer branding expert) reveal the 11 powerful steps to building an employer brand so aligned with your business mission, it becomes magnetic. Using the Magnetic Employer Branding Method™, I'll guide you through how to: Transform your current culture into a Strategic Company Culture Make your people your loudest brand advocates without begging for reviews Craft a Work-to-Life Promise™ that top talent feels in their bones Win sustainable attention and convert it into long-term talent affinity If your employer brand still relies on campaigns, perks, or empty values — you’re not just behind. You’re invisible. 🎧 Tap play to future-proof your brand. 📕 Grab the book: storydrivenemployerbranding.com