The Marketing Umbrella Podcast Itamar Shafir

Join the ranks of marketing mavens and startup enthusiasts as Sandro Okropiridze the mastermind behind STORI, unveils his entrepreneurial odyssey to becoming the CEO of an AI-powered branding revolution. In this episode of the Marketing Umbrella Podcast, Sandro shares the trials and triumphs encountered while transforming Stori from a straightforward no-code solution into a sophisticated social media storytelling powerhouse. His insights into customer-centric product evolution, the pivotal role of honest feedback, and the surprising truths about automation preferences will certainly encourage and enlighten anyone hungry to understand what truly powers innovation in today's fast-paced tech landscape.
Sandro Okropiridze, CEO of Stori, is a curious and visionary leader in the tech realm. He has transformed Stori from a no-code website development platform to a cutting-edge AI-powered brand automation platform. Sandro's expertise lies in the innovative application of AI in branding and marketing while advocating for the democratization of marketing tools. With Stori AI, he aims to revolutionize digital content creation.
Here are the key takeaways from the conversation:
Product interaction studies indicate that users favor a blend of automation and customization, challenging the assumption of a preference for fully automated solutions devoid of personalization or interaction.

AI's role in maintaining brand essence is to ensure that the content created aligns with a brand's DNA, demonstrating the potential of AI to automate yet personalize branding efforts.

Customer feedback, particularly from paying customers, plays a pivotal role in refining products, underscoring the necessity for businesses to actively engage with their customer base, listening attentively to their insights to guide product development effectively.

"Brand identity as a dynamic construct" emphasizes that a brand's identity evolves through interactions with customers and market changes, highlighting the importance of adaptability to audience perceptions and evolving trends.

Democratizing Marketing: A vision to make advanced tools accessible to all businesses, leveling the playing field and amplifying diverse voices.

As a closing thought, “mastering customer engagement involves the subtle art of balancing user desires with product scalability.”
Listen to the full conversation here:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR

 
Connect with Sandro:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrookropiridze

Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrookropiridze/

Stori AI: https://storiai.com/

 
Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts.
To learn more about Umbrella and to connect with CEO Itamar Shafir, go to ⁠https://umbrellaus.com

In today’s episode of The Marketing Umbrella Podcast, we grab a few minutes with Andrew Mounier, a true marketing guru who's journeyed from the hustle of agency life to leading the charge on user growth at Xembly, a cutting-edge AI company that's changing the game in marketing. We dive into how he's switched up the marketing game, moving from classic SEO tactics to using some cutting-edge AI tools that are making waves in the industry.
Andrew's been in the marketing world for over 15 years, doing everything from marketing at startups to being the marketing boss at companies pulling in as much as $500 million a year. Now at Xembly, as the head of user acquisition and growth, he's mixing his deep knowledge of what makes people tick with the power of storytelling to get people hooked. He's not just about the numbers; Andrew's all about sharing what he knows, popping up on larger sites like FastCompany and Forbes, and even hosting his podcast, 'AI Unboxed', and newsletter, 'Turing's TOFU', chatting tech, strategy, and scaling up.
Here are the key takeaways from this conversation:
Xembly isn’t just another AI tool. Xembly is a virtual assistant that streamlines tasks for professionals with AI-powered features that go beyond meeting facilitation. It helps knowledge workers with rewriting emails, learning communication styles, and freeing up time for strategic work.

Xembly's unique pricing strategy involves offering free trial signups which has revolutionized the user experience. 

Diverse teams bring significant benefits by offering a broader range of ideas, enhancing problem-solving efficiency, and preventing groupthink. They also foster a better understanding of customer needs, attract and retain talent, and contribute to global market competitiveness.

By implementing these strategies, businesses can more effectively attract and retain strategic enterprise clients, positioning themselves for sustainable growth in the AI-driven market:
Offer Trial Signups Without Cost Barriers: Free trial signups improved user experience for enterprise clients, reducing initial hesitation to try and appreciate the product's value.

Tailored Pricing Strategy: tailoring the costs to each client's needs ensures a personalized approach that fosters a sense of value and partnership.

Provide White-Glove Onboarding: Emphasize a white-glove onboarding process with a Customer Success representative to help clients integrate the product into their operations.

Focus on Larger Organizations: target larger organizations to maximize the compounding benefits of the platform. 

Closing Thought:  “It's finding what works for you in your organization and what you need to help take you to the next level.”
Where to find Andrew:
LinkedIn: ♜ Andrew Miller (Mounier)

Xembly

Turing’s TOFU Newsletter

To learn more about Umbrella and to connect with CEO Itamar Shafir, go to https://umbrellaus.com

Could a LinkedIn faux pas be the best thing to ever happen to your business? Braden Wallake, CEO of HyperSocial and OttoMatey, joins us to recount the viral sensation he never saw coming—a social media post that unexpectedly boosted his profile and taught him, and many others, invaluable lessons. 
Meet Braden Wallake, the CEO and founder of HyperSocial and OttoMatey. Despite being a 5x college dropout, he leads a team of marketing experts in creating personalized, effective B2B marketing campaigns. His responsibilities include managing the team, developing strategies, and working with clients to achieve their unique goals.
Braden unpacks the intersection of AI and marketing, spotlighting the potential and pitfalls of letting algorithms take the wheel in professional communications. Listen to this episode that's part business masterclass, part survival guide, and all about turning a leap of faith into a forward march.
Here are the key takeaways from this conversation:
Strategies how to reassure the team amidst media attention and uncertainty
Communicate openly and transparently with the team about the company's challenges, decisions, and the context behind the viral event and its consequences.

Address concerns about stability and employment directly.

Offering Support such as free consultations and LinkedIn profile optimizations

Focusing on Moving Forward by directing attention to future actions and growth

Handle the situation with grace and dignity. 

It is important to have open and honest conversations with individuals in order to maintain positive morale while still addressing areas that need improvement.

The Risk of relying on white-label services: Using white-label services without proper knowledge can harm your service quality, value, personalization, client engagement, and agency growth.

Leveraging Viral Attention for Good: Braden and his team chose not to take advantage of the viral moment for their own benefit. Instead, they used the attention to help others. They offered free consultations and LinkedIn profile optimizations to those who had lost their jobs

Enhancing personalization in LinkedIn marketing:
Use AI but add a unique human touch.

Craft original messages that stand out.

Lead with value instead of aggressive pitches.

Build relationships, not just sales agendas

Closing Thought:  “Owning your mistakes has the power to transform individuals and organizations. It strengthens leadership, trust, and continuous learning, and can turn blunders into strategic triumphs.”
Where to find Braden:
LinkedIn: Braden Wallake - HyperSocial

Instagram: Braden Wallake | Instagram

Website: HyperSocial

The Most Viral Post on Linkedin

To learn more about Umbrella and to connect with CEO Itamar Shafir, go to https://umbrellaus.com

If there's one thing that both sports and business have in common, it's the relentless pursuit of excellence. But how often do we connect the dots between the strategies that drive success on the field and those that propel victories in the business world? In this episode of The Marketing Umbrella Podcast, our guest, Andy Neary of Complete Game Consulting, draws these parallels and provides listeners with a masterclass in marketing strategies, influenced by the principles of athletic competition.
Andy Neary is a former Professional Baseball Player and two-time Iron Man finisher. He's the founder of Complete Game Consulting and helps business and insurance professionals succeed in their careers and lives. His programs help people cultivate off-field habits and mindsets that lead to all-star performances.
Here are the key takeaways from this conversation:
Turning athletic experience into business success: Sports mindset and strategies can benefit marketing and business by addressing imposter syndrome and performance pressure.

Identifying ideal clients: Knowing your target audience's demographics and psychographics is crucial for successful marketing and customer acquisition. The five questions that one needs to answer to get a clear picture of their ideal buyer are:
Who is my favorite client today?

Why are they my favorite client?

What is the one problem my company solves better than anybody else?

What is my process for solving that problem?

What does the result look like when we solve that problem?

Complete Game Marketing Playbook: This playbook outlines a sales process that includes clarity, content, capture, and conversion. It emphasizes the significance of marketing for client retention.
Clarity - Understanding who your audience is and what they truly need.

Content - Establishing credibility by creating and distributing valuable, relevant content that resonates with your audience.

Capture - Implement strategies to capture leads by encouraging potential clients to engage with your content and provide their contact information.

Convert - Converting those leads into clients through a systematic process that guides them from initial interest to the final sale, while providing value every step of the way

Closing Thought:  “The best thing that could ever happen with a good marketing strategy is you literally detract the people who you don't want to do business with.”
To Connect with Andy:
Website: Complete Game Consulting - Andy Neary - Speaker, Author, Consultant

LinkedIn: Andy Neary | LinkedIn

To learn more about Umbrella and to connect with CEO Itamar Shafir, go to https://umbrellaus.com

What is it like to trade the comforts of a corporate gig for the roller coaster ride of entrepreneurship? Join us as we welcome Aditya Varanasi, CEO of Awarity, to unlock the secrets of a successful transition from corporate stability to entrepreneurial success. From analyzing Cheetos at PepsiCo to spearheading a digital marketing agency, Aditya's story is full of insights on leveraging integrated marketing strategies and the courage to pursue passion over comfort.
Aditya Varanasi is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Awarity. He graduated with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University and started his career at PepsiCo in the R&D group.  Here he helped develop and launch new products like Lay’s Stax and Tostitos Scoops and earned multiple US Patents for his work.  It was during this time he had an opportunity to work alongside brand marketing teams and developed a passion for consumer marketing. 
Here are the key takeaways from this conversation:
Leverage Integrated Marketing Strategies: Using an orchestrated mix of TV ads, in-store promotions, and strategic pricing, as seen in PepsiCo's analysis of Cheetos, can create a compounding effect on consumer behavior.

Tailor Your Approach: Customize marketing strategies to suit different business sizes and types. Small businesses must focus on strategic market niches to compete effectively, and larger enterprises require a different approach.

The Power of Brand Awareness: Brand recognition and consumer recall are crucial for a business's success. It measures the familiarity of consumers with a brand and how well they associate it with the products or services offered.

Innovate to Differentiate: Awarity has made world-class marketing tools accessible and easy to use for small businesses by offering affordable minimums and real-time reporting without retainers.

The 4Ps of Product Marketing:
Product: This involves the development of the right product or service that meets the needs of the target customer. It includes the design, features, quality, branding, and variety of the product.

Price: This relates to the strategy around setting a price that is acceptable to consumers while still yielding a profit. Pricing strategies take into account costs, competition, market demand, and perceived value.

Place (Distribution): This concerns the channels through which the product or service is sold and how it is delivered to the consumer. It includes the selection of distribution channels, market coverage, locations, and logistics.

Promotion: This encompasses all the communication tactics used to inform, persuade, and remind customers about the product or service. It includes advertising, sales promotions, public relations, personal selling, and direct marketing.

Closing Thought:  “There's very little we can ultimately control. We can control our efforts. We can't always control the outcome.”
To Connect with Aditya Varanasi:
Website: https://www.awarity.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adityavaranasi/ 

To learn more about Umbrella and to connect with CEO Itamar Shafir, go to https://umbrellaus.com

In this episode of the Marketing Umbrella podcast, Kevin Prewett interviews Tim Calise, an entrepreneur who has had a diverse career. He started as a financial expert, then became a fitness enthusiast, and is now a tech entrepreneur and podcast host. Tim co-created ALAN, which is an AI-powered SaaS platform, with Alexi and Leila Hormozi. Within six months, the platform grew from zero to $20 million in annual recurring revenue. 
Listen to hear Tim's story, including the key decisions that shaped his journey. He talks about how he strategically closed his hedge fund just before the 2008 financial crisis, his foray into the fitness and tech industries, and what he learned from those experiences.
Here are the key takeaways from this conversation:
Living with intentionality: Success is more than just being busy or making money. It's about living intentionally, making choices that align with your values, and staying true to yourself.

The art of saying "no": saying "no" to certain opportunities can be as critical as seizing others, allowing for strategic focus and alignment with one's strengths.

Redefining success: Don't equate personal worth with professional accomplishments. Focus on relationships and presence over constant hustle.

Leveraging unique strengths and recurring revenue: To build a successful business, focus on opportunities that match your expertise and passion. Look for business models that include membership, subscription, and recurring revenue components.

Capitalize on what came easily to you, that which translated into significant value for others.

Seek out opportunities that are rooted in a relationship-based approach to the business.

If you're an entrepreneur, you are constantly seeing opportunities in front of you, and everything is like a challenge to figure out how to do it better, how to make it better, and how to improve the process.

Closing Thought:  “You don't need to just do more, you need to do it differently.”
To Connect with Tim Calise:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim.calise 

Website: https://timcalise.com 

Leveling The Field Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5cE6i6IpWBgZQUYl9ldYvU 

If you're feeling isolated or confused as an entrepreneur, Tim's got your back. Head over to his Instagram and DM the word "umbrella". That'll get you his super helpful product expansion formula framework.
To learn more about Umbrella and to connect with CEO Itamar Shafir, go to https://umbrellaus.com