Return on Reputation

Justin Obey
  • 5.0 (2)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

I'm Justin Obey, and this is Return on Reputation. Here's what I've learned building companies and helping founders scale: The game has changed. You don't need a bigger ad budget - you need a better media strategy. This show is about how founders are building authority and leverage in 2026: Podcasting that generates real clients, not just downloads AI tools that actually save you time instead of creating busy work Social media that builds relationships, not just follower counts Founder-led branding that positions you as the obvious choice I've built a 7-figure company, I run marketing for multiple 7 and 8-figure brands, and now I help B2B founders build the media engines that let them stop chasing and start attracting. If you're ready to play a different game, let's go.

  1. 5D AGO ·  VIDEO

    Show Up or Get Outspent | Programmatic Advertising, Personal Brand, and How B2B Deals Actually Close | Jessica Chase | Ep.8

    Most founders chase the next ad format, the next platform, the next growth hack. But what if the thing that was actually closing deals was just you, posting honestly on LinkedIn every week, even when it felt cringe?   In this episode of Return on Reputation, my guest is Jessica Chase, Co-Founder of Get Above the Fold, a programmatic advertising agency helping brands scale beyond Google Ads into streaming TV, podcasts, audio platforms, and beyond.   Jessica is one of those founders who figured out early that reputation is the real growth channel. She did not land clients by outspending competitors or running a perfect funnel. She built 19,000 followers on LinkedIn by posting authentically, sometimes uncomfortably, once a week for an entire year. And the deals followed.   With over 20 years in marketing, Jessica started at 1-800-CONTACTS at 18, moved through international agencies, and eventually asked herself a question most marketers are afraid to ask: why am I making other people millions of dollars instead of myself?   In this episode we cover: What programmatic advertising actually is and how it differs from Google Ads When founders should start investing in programmatic vs other ad formats How geo-fencing corporate offices and events can accelerate a B2B sales cycle Why last-click attribution is killing your marketing strategy How to build a personal brand on LinkedIn without feeling like you are performing Why posting when it feels cringe is actually the most powerful thing a founder can do   Keywords: programmatic advertising, personal brand for founders, B2B marketing strategy, LinkedIn personal branding, Google Ads vs programmatic, ABM strategy, founder marketing, Return on Reputation podcast   About Jessica Chase Co-Founder of Get Above the Fold, a programmatic advertising agency helping brands scale beyond Google Ads. 20+ years in marketing, former client and agency side, now building one of the few agencies fully specialized in programmatic advertising. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicachase-ba/   About Return on Reputation: Return on Reputation is the show for founder-led brands done flying under the radar. Host Justin Obey, founder of Obey Creative, sits down with experts, founders, and dealmakers to unpack how personal brand, trust, and authority compound into real business leverage. New episodes every week.   Connect with Justin Obey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinobey YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JustinObey Website: https://obeycreative.com   TIMESTAMPS:    01:26 What Get Above the Fold Does 02:28 Founder Mindset and Self Care 04:06 Meditation and Hypnotherapy 09:18 Why She Started the Agency 12:37 Programmatic Advertising Explained 14:24 When to Use Programmatic 18:13 ABM and Event Targeting 21:52 Connected TV and Ad Formats 24:14 Building Trust in a Technical Industry 27:15 Why Clicks Are Not the Whole Story 29:29 Personal Branding on LinkedIn 33:39 Why Founders Should Be the Face 35:50 Posting Through Fear and Haters 41:41 How Failure Builds Confidence 42:57 Rapid Fire and Wrap Up

    51 min

  2. APR 2 ·  VIDEO

    Reputation Raised This $10.5M Fund: The Visible Hands Fund Model | Justin Kang | Ep.7

    What does it actually take to raise a venture fund when no one would have hired you to run one? And how do you build the kind of reputation that convinces 80 people to bet their money on you before you have ever written a single check?   I sat down with Justin Kang, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Visible Hands, a pre-seed venture capital fund investing in underrepresented founders across Boston, New York, and the American South.I wanted to get him on the show because his story is one of the clearest examples I have ever seen of reputation functioning as actual currency.   Justin did not come up through Goldman Sachs or get recruited out of Stanford. He spent his twenties moving between politics, nonprofits, and civic organizations, building relationships without a master plan. Then in 2020, he and two co-founders launched a pre-seed fund from scratch with no institutional track record and no traditional pedigree. Just 15 years of trust, built one relationship at a time. Today, Visible Hands has made more than 100 investments, closed a first fund at 10.5 million dollars with 80 limited partners, and generates 3 million dollars annually through partnerships with cities, family offices, and foundations.   This conversation changed how I think about deal flow, founder evaluation, and what it really means to build authority before you need it.   What you will learn in this episode: Why micro venture capital funds statistically outperform large funds, and the business model problem that stops almost everyone from running one How Visible Hands generates 3 million dollars a year through city and foundation partnerships, giving a micro fund the resources of a much larger operation The three-part founder evaluation framework Justin uses before there is a product to judge: inspired insights, meaningful skill sets, and resource magnetism Why nine out of ten pre-seed companies pivot from their original idea, and what Justin actually bets on instead The three capital gaps blocking underrepresented founders: financial capital, social capital, and inspiration capital Why the best founders build businesses so that investors chase them, and how that changes everything about how you should approach a raise How Justin raised 10.5 million dollars without a traditional VC background, and what that proves about reputation as a substitutable form of credentialing What founders should be doing right now, a full year before they are ready to raise, to build the authority capital that makes investors pay attention   If you are a founder who thinks you do not fit the profile, or you are sitting on an idea waiting until everything is perfect before putting yourself out there, this episode is a direct answer to that hesitation. Reputation is not built on where you went to school. It is built on who showed up for you when you asked, and that only happens if you spent years showing up for them first.   About Justin Kang Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Visible Hands. Former VP of Economic Growth at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and early employee at MassChallenge. https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinjkang/    Timestamps: 0:00 — Justin Kang's non-traditional path to venture capital 4:30 — Why Visible Hands started in Summer 2020 8:00 — The "Visible Hands" name: a riff on Adam Smith's invisible hand 10:45 — How ecosystem-building generates deal flow AND $3M in annual revenue 15:30 — Pre-seed diligence: what Visible Hands looks for in a founder 21:00 — Resource magnetism, inspired insights, and why management consultants get a flag 26:00 — The danger of raising too much money too fast 31:00 — AI's impact on founder team size and check size 34:00 — How founder reputation plays into follow-on rounds from seed to Series A 38:30 — Financial capital, social capital, and inspiration capital: the three barriers to underrepresented founders 44:00 — How to build authority capital before you're ready to raise 49:00 — Rapid fire: warm vs. cold outreach, best book, and why LinkedIn wins 52:00 — Closing thoughts on entrepreneurship as privilege Connect with Justin Kang: Website:https://www.visiblehands.vc/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinkang   Connect with Justin Obey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinobey YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JustinObey Website: https://obeycreative.com

    52 min

  3. MAR 26 ·  VIDEO

    The Laws of Brand Storytelling: How to Build a Personal Brand That Compounds | Jessica Gioglio

    How do you build a personal brand that compounds over time? What does it actually take to go from invisible to authoritative, and what are the laws of brand storytelling that make it all work? Justin Obey sits down with Jessica Gioglio — bestselling author, keynote speaker, and founder of With Savvy Media & Marketing — to answer exactly that. Jess co-authored The Laws of Brand Storytelling and The Power of Visual Storytelling, has led award-winning marketing and PR programs for Dunkin' Donuts, TripAdvisor, and Sprinklr, and has spent two decades helping companies and founders tell the stories that actually move the needle. This conversation is personal. Jess helped Justin get his first press hits — including coverage in the Boston Globe — when he was building Social Boston Sports from scratch. Fast forward nearly 20 years, and she's one of the most credible voices in brand storytelling. This episode is about what compounded. They cover the Macro/Micro storytelling framework, why neutral brands are invisible brands, the CTFD Index Jess created at Dunkin', why AI is exposing weak strategy rather than replacing storytellers, and the exact playbook for founders who want to start building their personal brand today. What you'll learn in this episode: Why reputation compounds — and why most founders start too late The Macro vs. Micro stories framework from The Laws of Brand Storytelling Why brand pages are losing to personal brands on LinkedIn How to build an authenticity playbook so your brand never crosses the wrong line The CTFD Index — a crisis communications framework from inside Dunkin' Donuts Why AI is exposing weak strategy, not replacing great storytellers The human-AI-human sandwich approach to content creation The one platform, one format, and one habit every founder needs to start today Chapters: 00:00 — Introduction & Welcome 01:14 — The Comcast Sleeping Tech Story That Started It All 03:10 — The Savvy Bostonian Blog & Building a Personal Brand Before It Had a Name 05:14 — Was It Hard to Walk Away from Corporate? The Leap to With Savvy 07:00 — Using Side Projects as a Test Bed for Your Marketing Skillset 09:40 — Personal Brand as the New Career Security 12:00 — When Should a Founder Build a Personal Brand vs. Go Faceless? 13:05 — The Macro vs. Micro Stories Framework Explained 15:07 — The Dunkin' Pay-It-Forward Story (and What It Teaches About Brand Storytelling) 18:25 — Employee Advocacy: Why Employees Outperform Brand Pages 21:10 — Are Brand Pages Dead? The Shift to Founder and Executive Voices 23:00 — The Rise of B2B Influencers and Why It's Harder Than B2C 25:00 — The Laws of Brand Storytelling: Core Thesis Breakdown 28:48 — Why Neutral Brands Are Invisible Brands (The Switzerland Problem) 31:50 — The Neuroscience of Storytelling and Why Stories Beat Data 33:05 — How to Take a Brand Stand Without Crossing the Line 36:00 — The CTFD Index: Jess's Crisis Communications Framework from Dunkin' 37:50 — AI and Brand Storytelling: What Founders Need to Know Right Now 38:30 — What the CEO of Google DeepMind Told Jess About AI and Storytellers 42:25 — The Human-AI-Human Sandwich (Justin's Framework, Jess Approves) 43:45 — Why Companies Confuse a Growth Problem with a Branding Problem 46:35 — Rapid Fire Round  Connect with Jessica Gioglio: Website: https://jessicagioglio.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicagioglio Newsletter (The Marketer's Storybook): Available on LinkedIn and Substack The Laws of Brand Storytelling — available on Amazon The Power of Visual Storytelling — available on Amazon Connect with Justin Obey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinobey YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JustinObey Website: https://obeycreative.com About Return on Reputation: Return on Reputation is the show for founder-led brands done flying under the radar. Host Justin Obey, founder of Obey Creative, sits down with experts, founders, and dealmakers to unpack how personal brand, trust, and authority compound into real business leverage. New episodes every week. #PersonalBranding #BrandStorytelling #FounderBrand #ReturnOnReputation #JessicaGioglio #ContentMarketing #B2BMarketing #TheLawsOfBrandStorytelling #FounderVisibility #LinkedInMarketing #PodcastMarketing #OBEYCreative

    48 min

  4. MAR 19 ·  VIDEO

    What Investors Actually Look For in Founders - Andrew Nash on Reputation, Risk & Building Again | Ep. 5

    What separates founders who scale from the ones who stall? Andrew Nash has spent 40 years finding out. Serial founder, investor, and entrepreneur Andrew J. Nash has built and exited companies acquired by Apple, eBay, Deloitte, and Chowly. After selling Targetable in 2024, he moved back to Australia ready to step back - and then AI pulled him right back into the arena. Now he's building again: launching Austral Impact to strengthen the Australian startup ecosystem, developing Kemu (a vendor-agnostic AI orchestration platform), teaching as an Enterprise Professor at the University of Melbourne, and hosting his own podcast, Big Bets and Bad Calls. In this conversation, Justin and Andrew get honest about what a 40-year career of exits actually comes down to — and it's not the technology. It's the trust. What we cover: Why Andrew left retirement to build again — and what he saw in AI that others missed What Kemu is and why vendor-agnostic AI orchestration matters How Austral Impact is filling a critical gap in the Australian startup ecosystem What Andrew looks for in a founding team before writing a check Whether personal brand and reputation actually influence investment decisions The case for founder-led brands in B2B Big bets he's proud of — and bad calls he'll put on the record If you're a founder, investor, or operator building something that's meant to last — this one's for you. Episode Chapters: 00:00 — Introduction & How Justin and Andrew Met 01:00 — Andrew's 60-Second Career Pitch (The Forrest Gump Version) 03:00 — Why AI Pulled Him Out of Retirement 05:15 — Learn, Earn, Return: The Framework Behind Everything Andrew Does 08:00 — Austral Impact: Closing the Gap in the Australian Startup Ecosystem 09:30 — Why He Started Big Bets and Bad Calls (And What the Name Really Means) 20:30 — Kemu Deep Dive: Building the AI Orchestration Platform of the Future 34:00 — We're Only 1-2% Into the AI Revolution 40:30 — Is Reputation the Real Throughline Behind Andrew's Exits? 43:00 — Jockey Over Horse: How Andrew Evaluates Founders Before Investing 47:00 — Founder-Led Brand: Vanity Play or Business Necessity? 49:00 — The #1 Role of a Founder and What to Look for in a Team 52:00 — The Biggest Bet of His Life (Moving to the US in the 90s) 53:00 — Risk, Resilience, and Running Hard at It Connect with Andrew Nash: 🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/andrewjnash 🎙️ Big Bets and Bad Calls: [URL] 🌐 Austral Impact: [URL] 🤖 Kemu: [URL] Return on Reputation is hosted by Justin Obey, founder of OBEY Creative. New episodes every week at the intersection of reputation, visibility, and business growth. 🔗 LinkedIn: [URL] 🌐 OBEY Creative: [URL] 📩 The Authority Brief: [URL] #PersonalBrand #FounderStory #Entrepreneurship #ReturnOnReputation #AndrewNash #AIStartups #FounderLedBrand #B2BMarketing #StartupPodcast #Reputation

    55 min

  5. MAR 12 ·  VIDEO

    Ep. 4 | Burned at Age 8, Told He’d Never Compete Again — Now a Top 1% IRONMAN Athlete | Shay Eskew | Return on Reputation

    Join over 500 others and receive the Friday Briefing (free newsletter): https://get.obeycreative.com/newsletter   Download the Authority Media Engine Blueprint: https://get.obeycreative.com/authority-media-engine-blueprint How do you pick yourself up when your life changes forever in just three minutes? And more importantly, how do you transform your scars—both physical and emotional—into the foundation of an unbreakable reputation that inspires thousands? This episode is a deep dive into the heart of true resilience and the "competitor" identity.   I’m Justin Obey, and on Return on Reputation, we talk to leaders who understand that character isn’t built when things are easy; it’s forged when you decide not to quit during your darkest hours.   My guest today is Shay Eskew. Shay’s story is, quite simply, a miracle of willpower. At eight years old, a horrific accident left him with burns over 65% of his body and a medical prognosis that said he’d never compete in sports again.    Today, Shay is not only a highly successful sales executive and author, but a world-ranked Ironman triathlete in the top 1%. He has turned what many would see as a tragedy into his greatest asset: a personal brand built on radical authenticity and a refusal to be a victim. Shay breaks down why being "memorable" is far more powerful than being perfect, and how pain, when embraced with gratitude, becomes the fuel for a life without limits.   What we unpack in this conversation: Competitor vs. Finisher: Why Shay refuses to just "get through" a task and how the mentality of going all-in separates exceptional leaders from the average. The Vulnerability Advantage: How sharing your rawest failures—from grueling surgeries to forgetting your family’s passports—builds a level of trust with clients that traditional marketing can’t touch. Choose Your Hard: The powerful philosophy of understanding that life will be difficult regardless, so you might as well choose the "hard" that leads to growth and discipline. Reputation in the Boardroom: Shay’s secret to walking into a room and being the person everyone remembers, using his unique story to break through the noise and close multi-million dollar deals. The Legacy of Grit: How to balance the ambition of an Ironman with being the father and husband your family deserves, ensuring that success at the top isn't a lonely finish line.   If you’re a founder going through a season of loss, or if you feel like your "scars" are holding you back, Shay is here to remind you that you are uniquely adapted to handle adversity.   Because at the end of the day, your reputation isn’t about what happened to you—it’s about who you chose to become because of it. Greatness isn't given; it’s earned in the fire.   About Shay Eskew: Shay Eskew is a world-ranked Ironman triathlete, a highly successful sales executive, and a burn survivor who has turned unimaginable adversity into a blueprint for peak performance. After an accident at age eight left him with burns over 65% of his body and 40+ surgeries to follow, Shay defied medical odds to become a top 1% Ironman competitor and a sought-after motivational speaker. With a career built on the mantra that "anything worth doing is worth overdoing," Shay has mastered the art of Authentic Resilience. He leverages his unique story to build deep trust in the boardroom, proving that vulnerability and grit are a leader's most valuable assets. He is the author of the bestseller What the Fire Ignited, where he teaches others how to stop being victims of their circumstances and start being competitors in their lives. About Return on Reputation: Return on Reputation is the show for founder-led brands that are done flying under the radar. Every episode, host Justin Obey, founder of Obey Creative, sits down with experts, founders, and dealmakers to unpack how personal brand, trust, and authority compound into real business leverage. We talk strategy over shortcuts, substance over viral moments, and real frameworks for turning your reputation into revenue. Connect with Shay Eskew: Website: https://www.shayeskew.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayeskew/ Instagram: @mr_shay_sq   Connect with Justin Obey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinobey/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JustinObey   CHAPTERS: 01:15 Choose Your Hard 03:11 The Burn Accident 05:47 Surgeries And Identity 09:11 Gratitude And Defiance 12:31 Never Quit Mindset 17:23 Triathlon Disaster Day 22:56 Daily Routine And Prayer 24:42 Family First Priorities 27:29 All In Competitor 29:01 All In Training Mindset 30:55 Bear Trapping Adventures 33:00 Athlete Identity In Business 34:20 Be Memorable In Sales 36:26 Authentic LinkedIn Branding 38:52 Vulnerability Builds Trust 41:45 Epic Passport Failure Story 45:02 Book Lessons From Hardship 48:48 Luck Faith And Timing 50:34 Write The Damn Book 53:58 Reputation And Identity 55:42 Seek Discomfort Oggi 57:35 Where To Find Shay

    1 hr

  6. MAR 6 ·  VIDEO

    Ep. 3 | How to Use AI to Build Your Personal Brand (Without Losing Your Voice)

    Join over 500 others and receive the Friday Briefing (free newsletter): https://get.obeycreative.com/newsletter   Download the Authority Media Engine Blueprint: https://get.obeycreative.com/authority-media-engine-blueprint   How do you move from being an invisible founder to the definitive face of an industry? And more importantly, how do you use AI to scale that presence without ending up with a feed full of "AI slop"? This episode is all about the art of solid communication.   I’m Justin Obey, and on Return on Reputation, we talk to leaders who understand that in business, there is no gray area: you either protect your reputation or you lose your leverage.   My guest today is Jason Erkes. Jason has one of the most fascinating career pivots I’ve seen. Moving from running massive sports leagues to becoming the national spokesperson for the cannabis industry at Cresco Labs. He’s lived the challenge of professionalizing a "taboo" industry and is now teaching agencies how to master the next big shift: the intersection of PR and Generative AI.   Jason breaks down why the "Sell me this pen" mentality is still the foundation of business, and how he’s helping firms train the AI on the agency, not just training the staff on the tools.   What we unpack in this conversation:   The Human-AI Sandwich: Why the best content starts with a human, uses AI for the 80% of heavy lifting, and always finishes with a human touch for total accuracy. From Volleyball to Weed: The reputation blueprint Jason used to take cannabis from "garage grows" to sterile, white-lab-coat medical facilities through radical transparency. Don't Be a Stranger to your AI: Why asking a generic GPT to write for you is like handing your laptop to a stranger on the street—and how to fix it by hooking AI into your own client files. The Power of Three Points: Jason’s "no-script" secret for coming off natural on camera and building an authoritative personal brand without the fluff. Breaking the Noise: How to use "Newsjacking" and custom GPT roles—like the PR Writer and Creative Analyst—to give a 5-person team the bandwidth of a 50-person agency.   If you’re a founder who feels like you don't have the time to be "visible," or if you're worried that AI will make your brand feel "feral" and robotic, Jason is here to show you a better way.   Because at the end of the day, building a brand isn't an extra task, it is the business. And the loudest microphone only wins if the message is authentic.   About Jason Erkes: Jason Erkes is a seasoned PR strategist, Emmy-winning journalist, and the former Chief Communications Officer at Cresco Labs, where he played a pivotal role in professionalizing and normalizing the cannabis industry on a national stage. With a career spanning from sports and social clubs to highly regulated industries, Jason has mastered the art of "Strategic Reputation"—turning transparency and clear messaging into massive business growth. Today, he is the founder of Prompted Comms, a consultancy at the intersection of PR and technology, where he helps agencies and leaders integrate custom AI frameworks to amplify their brand authority without losing their human essence. About Return on Reputation: Return on Reputation is the show for founder-led brands that are done flying under the radar. Every episode, host Justin Obey, founder of Obey Creative, sits down with experts, founders, and dealmakers to unpack how personal brand, trust, and authority compound into real business leverage. We talk strategy over shortcuts, substance over viral moments, and real frameworks for turning your reputation into revenue. Connect with Jason Erkes: Prompted Comms: https://www.promptedcomms.ai/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonerkes/ Instagram: @jasonerkes Connect with Justin Obey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinobey/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JustinObey   Chapters: 00:48 Communication as a Business Skill 02:40 AI Writing Slop vs Strategy 03:51 Custom GPTs for PR Workflows 06:30 From Sports to Cannabis PR 08:15 Rebranding Cannabis Through Transparency 09:42 Becoming the Industry Spokesperson 12:25 Personal Brand in the Media Era 15:25 Authenticity on Social Media 17:13 On-Camera Tips and Documenting 20:38 Launching Prompted Comms 21:45 Masterclass to Productized AI Training 23:23 AI Services Overview 24:00 PR Agency Accelerator Suite 24:26 Customizing Tools and Data Connectors 25:26 Privacy and Enterprise Safeguards 26:48 Safe Use and Anonymizing Clients 28:02 Small Agencies Scaling with AI 29:39 AI vs Humans in PR Work 31:27 Breaking Through Marketing Noise 32:35 Brand Strategy for Founders 34:26 Newsjacking for Relevance 36:01 Personal Brand Consistency 38:32 Reputation and Crisis Lessons 40:29 Rapid Fire and Wrap Up

    44 min

  7. FEB 26 ·  VIDEO

    Ep. 2 | How Founders Lead Through Growth, Change & Imposter Syndrome | Return on Reputation

    Join Friday Briefing (free newsletter): https://get.obeycreative.com/newsletter   Download the Authority Media Engine Blueprint: https://get.obeycreative.com/authority-media-engine-blueprint   How do founders lead through rapid growth without losing themselves - or their team? That's exactly what we unpack in this episode. I'm Justin Obey, founder of Obey Creative, and Return on Reputation is the show for founders who want to turn leadership credibility into real business leverage. In this episode, I sit down with Linda Coughlin, an executive advisor who has spent decades helping founders and leadership teams navigate growth, organizational change, and the moments when a business starts to outgrow how it's been operating. Linda introduces what she calls Change at the Core - the kind of deep, identity-level change that goes far beyond new strategies or surface-level fixes. We cover: Why so many change initiatives stall and what leaders consistently miss How loyalty can quietly hold a company back and why the people who built the business aren't always the right people to scale it Imposter syndrome in leadership and why it hits even the most confident founders How the fear of being "found out" keeps founders from stepping into bigger opportunities If you're in a season of growth, feeling the pressure of leadership, and wondering what the next version of you needs to look like - this conversation is for you. Because at some point, growing the business stops being about better strategy. It's about becoming the leader the next stage actually requires. CHAPTERS: 0:00 Welcome & Introduction 0:04 What Is "Change at the Core"? 1:40 The Steps of the Change at Core Process 3:00 BHAG vs. Purpose-Driven Future State 4:40 Why Transformative Change Requires a Team 5:47 How to Execute Deep Change Without Disrupting Operations 7:00 What Actually Motivates High-Potential Leaders 8:25 Why Great Leaders Hire People Better Than Themselves 9:19 Professional Humility and Strategic Vulnerability 10:15 Transparency With Your Team — How Much Is Too Much? 12:07 Why "Protecting" Your Team From Bad News Backfires 14:15 Real Case Study: $100M Company Hitting a Growth Ceiling 15:59 When Loyal Leaders Aren't Right for the Next Stage 16:15 How to Assess Whether Your Leaders Can Scale With You 19:16 Imposter Syndrome — Is It Real or Overhyped? 21:39 Three Tactics to Overcome Imposter Syndrome 23:44 Why Personal Branding Triggers the Same Fear as Imposter Syndrome 25:30 What Makes a Great Change Maker 26:40 Why Celebrating Small Wins Is a Leadership Superpower 28:05 Internal Brand vs. External Brand 29:25 What Culture Actually Means (It's Not a Ping Pong Table) 32:42 How Toxic Cultures Form and How to Fight Them 35:19 AI and the Future of Leadership 36:55 AI as Thought Partner, Not Replacement 39:50 Rapid Fire: Best Advice for Founders 40:25 Rapid Fire: Worst Advice Online for Founders 42:15 Rapid Fire: What Would Linda Do If Not This? 44:05 Closing

    46 min

  8. FEB 19 ·  VIDEO

    Ep. 1 | Why Visibility Is the Key to Leadership and Career Growth | Laurie Schloff | Return on Reputation

    📩 Join the Friday Briefing (free newsletter): https://get.obeycreative.com/newsletter 🎙️ Free Podcast Planner GPT: https://get.obeycreative.com/podcastplanner Most founders are more capable than they are visible. And that gap is costing them. In the very first episode of Return on Reputation, I sit down with Laurie Schloff - founder of Partners in Communication, author of Smart Speaking, and one of the most respected executive communication coaches in the country - to talk about the one thing holding smart, qualified founders back from growing their authority: the fear of being seen. Laurie has coached executives at Fidelity Investments, State Street, Allstate, Michelin, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She's appeared on Oprah and The Today Show. And she's spent decades helping leaders close the gap between how good they actually are and how they come across in the room, on camera, and in the market. This conversation is for every founder who knows they have something valuable to say but hesitates anyway. What We Cover in This Episode: Why being great at your job isn't enough to get ahead — and what actually moves the needle in leadership The data behind effective communication: how executive speaking skills impact stock prices, shareholder returns, and promotions Laurie's Presence 26 Method — the four pillars of powerful, authentic communication The fear of being seen, heard, and judged — and why it silently holds capable people back Why perfectionism is one of the biggest visibility killers for founders How to run better, more engaging meetings (and when to just send an email) The role of listening in leadership — and why great leaders actually want pushback Practical tips for founders who are terrified to hit record on their first piece of content About Laurie Schloff: Laurie Schloff is the founder of Partners in Communication and the author of Smart Speaking, widely recognized as one of the best books ever written on the subject. She has coached founders, executives, and public figures across some of the world's most respected organizations and has spent her career helping leaders turn communication into a competitive advantage. She also runs a 20-hour Presence 26 Certificate Program for trainers, coaches, and learning & development professionals who want to bring these frameworks into their own organizations. Stats Mentioned in This Episode: A Stanford study found that effective executive communication can increase stock prices by 2.5% Organizations with highly effective communication practices generate 47% higher total shareholder returns Executives who excel in presentation skills are 50% more likely to be promoted About Return on Reputation: Return on Reputation is the show for founder-led brands that are done flying under the radar. Every episode, host Justin Obey, founder of Obey Creative, sits down with experts, founders, and dealmakers to unpack how personal brand, trust, and authority compound into real business leverage. We talk strategy over shortcuts, substance over viral moments, and real frameworks for turning your reputation into revenue. Connect with Laurie Schloff: Partners in Communication: https://www.partnersincommunicationinc.com/ Smart Speaking on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0f99qvCr Connect with Justin Obey: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinobey/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JustinObey Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction & Welcome 01:37 – How Laurie Got Into Executive Communication 02:10 – The Speech Improvement Company & Partners in Communication 03:00 – Why Communication Is a Competitive Advantage for Founders 04:08 – The Data Behind Effective Communication (Stanford Study & Key Stats) 05:06 – Being Good at Your Job Isn't Enough — What Separates Leaders 06:40 – The 4 Pillars of Presence: Messaging, Oral Image, Nonverbal & Interaction 07:55 – Style Words: Defining How You Want to Come Across 11:25 – The Real Cost of Staying Silent as a Founder 13:53 – Why Great Leaders Want Pushback (Not Yes Men) 14:20 – How to Run Better, More Engaging Meetings 16:00 – Is It Ego or Lack of Training? What's Really Holding Leaders Back 17:25 – Listening vs. Speaking: What Leadership Actually Requires 19:11 – Perfectionism Is the Enemy of Visibility 20:00 – The Mindset Shift That Separates Visible Founders From Those Who Stay Hidden 22:15 – The Fear of Being Judged by Peers (and Why It's Overblown) 24:35 – First Impressions & Making Virtual Meetings Count 26:31 – The Presence 26 Method Explained 28:50 – Vocal Variety: The Secret to Keeping Your Audience Engaged 29:25 – Practical Tips for Founders Terrified to Hit Record 30:48 – Rapid Fire Q&A 32:17 – Where to Find Laurie & Final Thoughts Keywords: personal brand for founders, executive communication, visibility strategy, leadership presence, fear of public speaking, founder brand building, how to show up on camera, communication coaching, Laurie Schloff, Presence 26 Method, Return on Reputation podcast, Obey Creative, business authority, executive presence

    35 min
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5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

I'm Justin Obey, and this is Return on Reputation. Here's what I've learned building companies and helping founders scale: The game has changed. You don't need a bigger ad budget - you need a better media strategy. This show is about how founders are building authority and leverage in 2026: Podcasting that generates real clients, not just downloads AI tools that actually save you time instead of creating busy work Social media that builds relationships, not just follower counts Founder-led branding that positions you as the obvious choice I've built a 7-figure company, I run marketing for multiple 7 and 8-figure brands, and now I help B2B founders build the media engines that let them stop chasing and start attracting. If you're ready to play a different game, let's go.

Information

  • Creator
    Justin Obey
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
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