Episode 214: Trust Before Transaction

If you love doing your work more than selling it, you’re in good company. But when sales conversations feel heavy, you may be asking one conversation to accomplish too much.In this episode, I walk through the first three stages of what I call the Cycle of Engagement: awareness, engagement, and consideration. I share how each phase helps people discover your work, get to know you, and feel comfortable exploring what you offer.I also talk about why engagement is a two-way street. Welcoming subscribers, responding thoughtfully, asking questions, and serving with generosity give relationships room to grow. When you’ve built that foundation, an invitation to work together can feel like a natural next step.In this episode, I talk about:* Creating awareness through speaking, podcasts, and writing that reaches people beyond your existing audience.* Building trust by participating in conversations and serving before you sell.* Making clear invitations that help people move from connection to consideration.Although someone may be a stranger to you, you don’t have to be a stranger to them. That familiarity can give your next sales conversation a very different starting point.Brand for Good LinksLearn more about my agency: prosperforpurpose.comGo behind the scenes on branding: Brand & Belief: lorraineschuchart.substack.comInterested in my personal essays? Find them here: lovelorraineschuchart.substack.com Get full access to Lorraine Schuchart at lorraineschuchart.substack.com/subscribe

A growing business can win awards, attract customers, and still struggle with cash flow. Clayton Tomasino knows because he’s lived it—and he’s willing to share what he learned.In this episode of Brand for Good, I sit down with Clayton, CEO and owner of Scorpion Protective Coatings, a family business serving thousands of small businesses in the automotive industry. Under his leadership, Scorpion has earned a place on the Inc. 5000 list five times while keeping service at the center of its growth.Clayton returned from Hawaii to help his father build the business, expecting his role to be temporary. Nearly 20 years later, he’s helping other entrepreneurs build businesses that give them greater freedom.We talk about how that commitment shapes everything from product development and pricing to team culture and his willingness to become the face of the brand.In this conversation, we explore:* Building trust through service. Clayton explains why helping customers succeed guides his business decisions.* The expensive lessons of growth. He shares how confusing net income with available cash—and holding on to marketing tactics too long—created costly problems.* Listening before investing. We discuss how customer frustrations can reveal opportunities to enter a competitive market.* Creating shared responsibility. Clayton describes the daily 15-minute meetings that help his team understand their contributions and track the business’s health.* Getting comfortable being visible. He opens up about moving beyond his introversion, having fun on social media, and recognizing the cost of staying behind the scenes.* Defining the freedom you want. We explore why business goals should reflect the life you’re trying to build.One idea that stayed with me: listening to customers does more than improve your marketing. It can change what you offer, how you deliver it, and the opportunities you create for others.Join us for a candid conversation about building a trusted brand, learning from mistakes, and growing through service.Connect with Clayton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claytontomasino/Scorpion Protective Coatings: https://www.scorpioncoatings.com/Brand for Good LinksLearn more about my agency: prosperforpurpose.comGo behind the scenes on branding: Brand & Belief: lorraineschuchart.substack.comInterested in my personal essays? Find them here: lovelorraineschuchart.substack.com Get full access to Lorraine Schuchart at lorraineschuchart.substack.com/subscribe

For many entrepreneurs, growth becomes the ultimate measure of success. More revenue, more employees, more opportunities. But somewhere along the way, you can lose sight of why you started your business in the first place.In this episode of Brand for Good, I’m joined by John Moncrieff, CEO and Head of Community at Small Giants, an organization inspired by the belief that businesses can choose to be great instead of simply becoming big.John shares his own experience of chasing growth until he felt like he was feeding a monster he’d created. That experience eventually led him to the Small Giants community, where he found leaders building successful businesses around people, values, and purpose.We explore what it really means to be purpose-driven at a time when the word purpose has become so overused that it’s at risk of losing its meaning. As John points out, the real test of a company’s values isn’t what’s written on the wall. It’s what happens when business gets difficult, and those values are put to the test.We also discuss how leaders can use purpose as a decision-making filter, create cultures where people feel they matter, and recognize that building a great business doesn’t necessarily mean building a bigger one.In this episode, we explore:* Why growth for growth’s sake can take entrepreneurs further from their original vision.* The philosophy behind Small Giants and what it means to choose greatness over size.* Why purpose and values must be reflected in everyday decisions, especially difficult ones.* How aligning personal and organizational values creates stronger workplace cultures.* The importance of developing the next generation of leaders.* Why purpose isn’t a one-time branding exercise but an ongoing commitment.* How to create a decision-making filter that keeps your business aligned with what matters most.About John MoncrieffJohn Moncrieff is an entrepreneur, author of Finding Freedom, and CEO and Head of Community at Small Giants. Drawing on his own entrepreneurial experience and lessons from purpose-driven business leaders, John is helping expand a community dedicated to building great businesses that put people and values at the center of their success.Resources:Small Giants: smallgiants.orgBook: Finding Freedom by John MoncrieffAlso mentioned: Small Giants: Companies That Choose to Be Great Instead of Big by Bo BurlinghamA final thoughtOne of my favorite ideas from this conversation is that purpose should serve as your North Star. When you’re clear about what matters most, you have a way to evaluate opportunities, make difficult decisions, and recognize when growth is taking you in the wrong direction.Because the ultimate measure of a successful business isn’t necessarily how big it becomes. It’s whether you’re building something you believe in.Brand for Good LinksLearn more about my agency: prosperforpurpose.comGo behind the scenes on branding: Brand & Belief: lorraineschuchart.substack.comInterested in my personal essays? Find them here: lovelorraineschuchart.substack.com Get full access to Lorraine Schuchart at lorraineschuchart.substack.com/subscribe

Two years ago, I stopped offering media relations as a standalone service. That decision cost me about half my annual revenue, but it also gave me peace.As publications thinned and expectations for premium placements rose, I became increasingly uncomfortable offering a service whose outcomes I could influence but never guarantee. Eventually, I had to decide what staying aligned with my beliefs was worth.In this episode of Brand for Good, I share the story behind that decision and reflect on how my definition of success continues to change. Following “What Do You Stand For?”, this conversation explores what happens when our beliefs begin shaping our choices—and those choices have a cost.I explore:* Why communicating your values and making decisions based on them are different.* What I gave up when I stopped offering standalone media relations, and what I gained.* Why I have intentionally made my business smaller to create more room for writing and selective consulting.* How knowing what you stand for can change the way you measure success.This is where brand work becomes soul work: when we examine whether the business we are building supports the work we want to do and the life we want to live.A question to sit with: What would you give up for what you believe?In next week’s episode, I continue this conversation with John Moncrieff of Small Giants, exploring what it means to build a business around purpose, people, and a definition of success that extends beyond size.Brand for Good LinksLearn more about my agency: prosperforpurpose.comGo behind the scenes on branding: Brand & Belief: lorraineschuchart.substack.comInterested in my personal essays? Find them here: lovelorraineschuchart.substack.com Get full access to Lorraine Schuchart at lorraineschuchart.substack.com/subscribe

What do you stand for, and do the people who encounter your work actually know?That question has been on my mind since attending Called to Lead, an event hosted by Kelly Roach and Sandi Glandt. What struck me most was not simply that faith was present in the room, but that women with different beliefs were able to gather around a shared idea without requiring everyone to define it in exactly the same way.It made me think about branding, writing and leadership in a deeper way.We often talk about what makes us different in terms of expertise, experience, positioning or personality. But sometimes the most distinguishing thing about us is what we believe.In this episode of Brand for Good, I explore why what you stand for matters, and why the beliefs underneath your work may be one of the clearest signals of who you are.In this episode:* Why we sometimes soften our beliefs to avoid alienating people* How conviction can help distinguish your work without making it exclusionary* Why your brand is shaped by more than what you know* How belief influences your writing, decisions and leadership* What I mean when I say Brand Work is SoulWork* Why Brand & Belief reflects the deeper connection between identity, conviction and the work we put into the worldKnowing what you stand for gives your work a center of gravity.It helps people understand not only what you do, but what drives you to do it.And sometimes the better brand question is not, “What do I want to be known for?”It is, “What do I want to stand for?”Brand for Good LinksLearn more about my agency: prosperforpurpose.comGo behind the scenes on branding: Brand & Belief: lorraineschuchart.substack.comInterested in my personal essays? Find them here: lovelorraineschuchart.substack.com Get full access to Lorraine Schuchart at lorraineschuchart.substack.com/subscribe

Sales gets a bad reputation, especially among people who care deeply about doing business with integrity.But selling doesn’t have to mean persuading, pressuring, or performing.In this episode of Brand for Good, I explore the relationship between marketing and sales, and why stronger branding, trust and relationship-building make the sales process feel far more natural.I also share what ethical sales looks like in practice, whether you’re having a one-to-one conversation or making an offer through an email, workshop, podcast or launch. Along the way, I revisit my Relationship Flywheel and the idea that relationships—not simply leads—create sustainable growth.And finally, I talk about the part of sales we don’t discuss nearly enough: rejection.Recently, one of my offers resulted in 27 unsubscribes. That experience reminded me that making offers means giving people the opportunity to say yes or no—and that rejection isn’t always a verdict on the value of your work.In this episode, you’ll hear:* Why marketing and sales are two sides of the same coin* How branding and relationships reduce the pressure on the sales process* What ethical selling looks like one-to-one and one-to-many* Why relationships can be more valuable than constantly chasing new leads* What 27 unsubscribes taught me about rejection, resilience and continuing to make the askBrand for Good LinksLearn more about my agency: prosperforpurpose.comGo behind the scenes on branding: Brand & Belief: lorraineschuchart.substack.comInterested in my personal essays? Find them here: lovelorraineschuchart.substack.com Get full access to Lorraine Schuchart at lorraineschuchart.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Brand for Good, I’m sharing another Brand Breakthrough Live coaching session, this time with Seth Diamond, multimedia artist, tech expert, culinary storyteller and creator of Road Feast on Substack.Seth’s background is anything but conventional. His work has spanned technology, photography, video, music, culinary media and production, including experience with America’s Test Kitchen and PBS. Today, he brings those worlds together through Road Feast, where he writes about food, cars, travel and the human stories that connect them.We spend the first part of our conversation exploring Seth’s creative journey and what he’s trying to build on Substack.Then we move into coaching.Seth wants Road Feast to become more than a publication. He wants to turn it into a recognizable brand and a sustainable business. That means getting clearer about the idea that connects his work, defining what readers can consistently expect from him, and creating revenue opportunities beyond paid subscriptions.In this episode, we talk about:* Why a list of topics is not the same thing as a brand* How to identify the “golden thread” connecting seemingly different interests* Positioning Seth as a cinematic storyteller rather than simply a writer about cars and food* Why your publication bio should communicate a reader promise, not just your credentials* How recurring editorial series can create stronger content architecture* Why Substack should be part of a larger owned-media strategy* Building a diversified revenue model through sponsorships, brand storytelling, commissioned work, affiliate partnerships and experiences* How collaborations, podcasts and other relationships can help you “borrow authority”* Why clarity and consistency matter more than chasing visibility* The difference between creating content and building a business around your contentOne of the biggest ideas from our conversation is that differentiation rarely comes from finding one completely original thing.It comes from the particular combination of your experiences, expertise, worldview and interests.For Seth, that means moving beyond “cars and cuisine” and toward a larger editorial territory built around cinematic stories from the kitchen and the open road, exploring the people, places and passions that move us, feed us and connect us.And that shift changes everything.Read Seth Diamond Road Feast: https://substack.com/@foodbikerBrand for Good LinksLearn more about my agency: prosperforpurpose.comGo behind the scenes on branding: Brand & Belief: lorraineschuchart.substack.comInterested in my personal essays? Find them here: lovelorraineschuchart.substack.com Get full access to Lorraine Schuchart at lorraineschuchart.substack.com/subscribe

We often celebrate the independent creator, visionary founder, or entrepreneur who built something from nothing. What we talk about less often is how lonely that experience can be.In this episode of Brand for Good, I’m sharing what seven months on Substack helped me recognize about the difference between having an audience and belonging to a community. An audience may witness our work, but a community participates—offering ideas, encouragement, introductions, collaboration, and the reminder that we don’t have to figure everything out alone.I also explore why community requires more than gathering people in the same room, group, or digital space. It grows when we respond instead of merely broadcasting, move meaningful conversations beyond the feed, and contribute to relationships without calculating an immediate return.What You’ll Learn in This Episode* Why we can be surrounded by clients, followers, colleagues, and family and still feel alone in our work* The difference between building an audience and creating a genuine community* Three ways we can develop relationships that make our work stronger and more sustainableThis episode complements my Brand & Belief article, I Came to Substack to Leave a Legacy. I Found a Community (publishing Thursday), where I share more about the relationships I’ve found, what I hope to build next, and how paid annual subscribers can become a deeper part of the community.Brand for Good LinksLearn more about my agency: prosperforpurpose.comGo behind the scenes on branding: Brand & Belief: lorraineschuchart.substack.comInterested in my personal essays? Find them here: lovelorraineschuchart.substack.com Get full access to Lorraine Schuchart at lorraineschuchart.substack.com/subscribe

Brand for Good is turning the spotlight on creators and how they can use Substack to build a personal brand around the full range of who they are and what they create.In this episode, I’m sharing my second Brand Breakthrough Live with Monica A. Leyva, a true unicorn who brings together the intellectual and the creative. Monica writes about healthcare, systems and leadership alongside poetry, personal essays and her speculative fiction series, Sorrel Ashwick. As she prepares to approach agents and publishers, she wants to ensure her personal brand supports everything she writes without confusing her audience.We explore how Monica can organize her eclectic body of work, strengthen her identity as an author and use the expertise from her professional life as a differentiator in her fiction. We also discuss why writers need to build a brand around themselves rather than a single book—and why a website, an email list and copies of their work remain essential, even when Substack is their primary platform.Then Monica turns the tables on me. She asks why I created my Substack, Brand & Belief, how it became part of my legacy work and what inspired me to create Brand Breakthrough Live as a way to share what I’ve learned with more people.What We Talk About:* How to build an author brand by leveraging your unique perspectives, multiple interests and forms of writing* Why your professional experience can strengthen your creative identity rather than compete with it* How Brand & Belief and Brand Breakthrough Live grew from my desire to teach, serve and help others riseRead Monica A. Leyva: https://substack.com/@layersofshimmerBrand for Good LinksLearn more about my agency: prosperforpurpose.comGo behind the scenes on branding: Brand & Belief: lorraineschuchart.substack.comInterested in my personal essays? Find them here: lovelorraineschuchart.substack.com Get full access to Lorraine Schuchart at lorraineschuchart.substack.com/subscribe

If social media wasn’t essential to growing a successful business, would you still use it?In this episode of Brand for Good, I’m joined by Megan Espinal, founder of Social Reject, a social-media-free marketing agency. Megan believes social media has taken on an outsized role in business, turning what should be one distribution tactic into the foundation of many companies’ marketing strategies.We talk about what it means to build beyond the feed using assets you own, including your website and email list. We also explore the risks of relying on platforms you can’t control, why marketing should align with your strengths and values, and how to recognize when social media is costing you more than it contributes.But our conversation goes beyond social media. Megan and I discuss transparency, trust, AI, copyright, and the danger of experts who promise a single formula for success. This episode is an invitation to question the marketing rules you’ve been handed—and build a business that feels more ethical, sustainable, and aligned.In This Episode, We Talk About:* How to build your business around owned assets such as your website and email list* Why discernment, nuance, and alignment matter when choosing how to market* The ethical and copyright concerns surrounding AI-generated content* Why transparency and real expertise are essential to rebuilding trustConnect with Megan:Visit Social Reject and subscribe to Megan’s biweekly newsletter, The Rejection Letter, at socialreject.co/subscribeBrand for Good LinksLearn more about my agency: prosperforpurpose.comGo behind the scenes on branding: Brand & Belief: lorraineschuchart.substack.comInterested in my personal essays? Find them here: lovelorraineschuchart.substack.com Get full access to Lorraine Schuchart at lorraineschuchart.substack.com/subscribe