Marketing Expedition Podcast with Rhea Allen, Peppershock Media

Connie Miller is a veteran executive known for her strong leadership, exceptional communication, and ability to build healthy, results-driven cultures that maximize performance. She leads with integrity, takes the high road, cuts through drama, and focuses on inspiring others to courageously reach their highest potential.Before retiring in 2021, Connie served as President and CEO of Icon Credit Union and later as Regional President of Horizon Credit Union. Today, she is the CEO of Credible Advantage, a leadership and board development consulting firm. A published author, Connie shares her expertise in her book Don’t Sabotage Your Career, offering practical guidance on becoming a top professional and avoiding common, unintentional missteps that can hold careers—and personal brands—back.00:00 - 00:19 "There is so much correlation to business and poker. If you play every hand, if you try to serve every customer, if you try to do everything you're going to lose. You have limited resources, limited chips, and you need to be smart about how you spend those chips and when you're going to gamble with them and when you're not.” — Connie Miller00:20 - 00:38 Welcome to Peppershock Media’s Marketing Expedition Podcast00:39 - 01:46 Connie’s Background01:47 - 17:02 Marketing Essentials Moment: Personal Branding for Business Owners and Professionals17:03 - 20:29 Welcome to the show, Connie!20:30 - 22:50 Understanding Personal Branding22:51 - 25:39 Common Self-Sabotaging Behaviors25:40 - 27:09 Curiosity in Leadership27:10 - 31:25 Real-Life Examples of Career Sabotage31:26 - 32:59 Emotional Intelligence in Leadership33:00 - 35:42 Marketing Through Relationships35:43 - 39:43 Creating a No Drama Zone39:44 - 42:45 Establishing a No Pairing Zone42:46 - 44:58 Building a Positive Workplace Culture44:59 - 49:57 Word-of-Mouth Marketing49:58 - 54:17 Sharing Expertise54:18 - 54:54 Poderific, baby! Whether you’re looking for a podcast studio to rent or need help with the entire production and distribution of your podcast, we gotcha covered.54:55 – 1:02:58 Women in Poker1:02:59 – 1:08:53 Mastermind Groups1:08:54 – 1:12:11 Creating Supportive Networks1:12:12 – 1:13:00 Reach out to Connie1:13:01 – 1:16:50 Don’t Sabotage Your Career Book on Amazon 1:16:51 – 1:17:15 Thank you so much, Connie! Share this podcast, give us a review, and enjoy your marketing journey!1:17:16 – 1:18:02 Join the Marketing Expedition Community today!Like what you hear, but need more information?Meet with Rhea Allen#Leadership #PersonalBranding #MarketingEssentialsMoment #Community #ProfessionalDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #PositiveWorkplaceCulture #CompanyCulture #WordofMouthMarketing #MastermindGroups #SupportiveNetworks

Jen Dalton is the Founder and CEO of BrandMirror, an award-winning personal branding and reputation strategy firm based in Fairfax, Virginia. With over 20 years of experience in brand and business strategy, Jen empowers executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals to clarify and amplify their unique value, increase visibility, and build thought leadership in their industries. Jen is currently operating as Chief Marketing Officer for Madilyn James.00:00 - 00:15 "Personal branding is not personal bragging, right? What I want people to think about is you've had experiences that you can share that help other people. And so how do we give a face to a business? People follow leaders, not logos.” — Jen Dalton00:16 - 00:33 Welcome to Peppershock Media’s Marketing Expedition Podcast00:34 - 02:15 Jen’s Background02:16 - 10:16 Marketing Essentials Moment: The Power of Color in Branding10:17 - 12:56 Welcome to the show, Jen!12:57 - 17:49 Becoming an Author17:50 - 23:06 Success Stories from Clients23:07 - 25:22 Launching a New Brand25:23 - 27:37 Leveraging Creativity27:38 - 28:13 Poderific, baby! Whether you’re looking for a podcast studio to rent or need help with the entire production and distribution of your podcast, we gotcha covered. 28:14 - 31:47 Identifying the Ideal Client31:48 - 33:53 The Importance of Personal Branding33:54 - 39:00 Challenges and Opportunities in Marketing39:01 - 40:14 Building Meaningful Relationships40:15 - 41:22 Nostalgia Economy41:23 - 45:55 Recommended Tools for Marketers45:56 - 51:27 The Role of AI in Content Creation51:28 - 52:27 Reach out to Jen Dalton (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifervdalton/)52:28 - 53:14 Thank you so much, Jen! Share this podcast, give us a review, and enjoy your marketing journey!53:15 - 54:00 Join the Marketing Expedition Community today! Like what you hear, but need more information?Meet with Rhea Allen#PersonalBranding #CompanyBranding #MarketingEssentialsMoment # PowerofColor #GenuineConnections #Leadership #MeaningfulRelationships #FreshMarketingStrategy #MarketingTips #AITools #AIGeneratedContent

Danny Kirk is a bootstrapped serial founder transforming how brands leverage Reddit for organic growth, AI search optimization, and strategic growth hacking that delivers real results. Danny is the founder of ReddiReach, a marketing agency that specializes in getting your brand recommended by AI using Reddit and GEO.00:00 - 00:16 "So right now, fewer than 5% of brands are actually doing anything about AI search or Reddit. And that gap is the biggest opportunity I have seen in a decade, maybe even longer than that. So it's just a huge opportunity right now. This is like SEO 25 years ago.” — Danny Kirk00:17 - 00:35 Welcome to Peppershock Media’s Marketing Expedition Podcast00:36 - 01:08 About Danny01:09 - 07:15 Marketing Essentials Moment: Change Orders07:16 - 09:29 Danny, welcome to the show!09:30 - 11:16 Reddit Marketing Tactics11:17 - 13:12 Success Story: Protein Bar Brand13:13 - 17:12 Authenticity in Comments17:13 - 19:35 Human Intervention in AI19:36 - 23:39 Reddit User Demographics23:40 - 25:42 Ideal Brands for Reddit Marketing25:43 - 26:47 Reddit Advertising Insights26:48 - 27:25 Join us on January 15th, 2026 for our annual interactive workshop, New Marketing Trends for the New Year, hosted by Peppershock Media! 27:26 - 31:22 Budgeting for Reddit Strategy31:23 - 36:50 The Future of E-commerce and AI36:51 - 39:09 Average Reddit Users39:10 - 41:00 Reddit Contents and Resources41:01 - 41:50 Reach out to Danny - https://www.linkedin.com/company/reddireach/41:51 - 42:51 Thank you so much, Danny! Share this podcast, give us a review, and enjoy your marketing journey!42:52 - 43:38 Join the Marketing Expedition Community today!Like what you hear, but need more information?Meet with Rhea Allen#RedditMarketing #OrganicGrowth #Ecommerce #CaseStudies #Authenticity #MarketingEssentialsMoment #ChangeOrders #FreshMarketingStrategy #MarketingTips #AITools #AITrends

Anna Tran is a Strategic PR Consultant, co-founder and the public face of the PR division at Level Up with Anna.She helps coaches, consultants, financial professionals, and corporate brands get featured in top-tier outlets like Forbes, USA Today, and Business Insider. Known for her strategy-first approach, Anna turns media exposure into lasting authority and real business relations.With a strong track record in high-impact storytelling, she builds campaigns that not only earn press—but convert it into visibility, trust, and lifetime clients.00:00 - 00:15 "Building a relationship with your audience is crucial because it helps them understand who you are, what your values are, and what the solution you want to provide or the value you want to provide for the audience.” — Anna Tran00:16 - 00:33 Welcome to Peppershock Media’s Marketing Expedition Podcast00:34 - 01:02 Anna’s Background01:03 - 04:27 Marketing Essentials Moment: Micro Moments in Marketing04:28 - 06:13 Welcome to the show, Anna!06:14 - 08:20 The Importance of Storytelling in PR08:21 - 10:08 Case Study: Helping a Leader Build Trust10:09 - 12:24 Door-to-Door Sales: Building Connections12:25 - 15:30 Creating Thought Leadership and Authority15:31 - 18:52 Current Trends: Leveraging AI in Marketing18:53 - 19:28 Join us on January 15th, 2026 for our annual interactive workshop, New Marketing Trends for the New Year, hosted by Peppershock Media! 19:29 - 22:11 Mentorship and Inspiration in Anna's Journey22:00 - 24:23 Challenges in the Evolving Media Landscape24:24 - 26:00 Marketing Dreams26:01 - 29:13 Qualifying Leads: The Funnel Process29:14 - 31:20 Reach out to Anna at Level up with Anna PR (https://levelupwithanna.com/)31:21 - 34:14 Building Relationships34:15 - 37:16 Handling Spam and Fake Leads37:17 - 39:10 Thank you so much, Anna! Share this podcast, give us a review, and enjoy your marketing journey!39:11 - 39:56 Join the Marketing Expedition Community today! Like what you hear, but need more information?Meet with Rhea Allen#BrandBuilding #PR #PublicRelation #MarketingEssentialsMoment #MicroMoments #FreshMarketingStrategy #MarketingTips #AITools #AITrends #Storytelling #Authenticity

Sara Nay is the CEO of Duct Tape Marketing, where she helps small businesses turn marketing strategy into scalable systems their teams can actually execute. Since 2010, she’s worked with thousands of business owners and fractional CMOs, blending big-picture strategy with scalable operations. A passionate trainer at heart, Sara’s mission is to empower others to lead from their zone of genius and build marketing teams that can actually get the work done.Sara is also the author of Unchained: Breaking Free of Broken Marketing Models, with the mission to help small businesses take back ownership of their marketing, instead of renting it.00:00 - 00:27 "AI is an incredible tool. It's still just a tool in my mind. It's an incredible tool if brought in correctly and strategically, and then if trained properly once brought in. And so for small businesses that are bringing in these AI solutions without thinking through those things or even knowing how to think through those things, they're ending up just creating more noise with stuff that they're doing in AI versus actually making that impact.” — Sara Nay00:28 - 00:45 Welcome to Peppershock Media’s Marketing Expedition Podcast00:46 - 01:48 About Sara01:49 - 07:10 Marketing Essentials Moment: Building Trust in a Skeptical World07:11 - 09:25 Welcome to the show, Sara!09:26 - 10:59 Overview of Duct Tape Marketing's Services11:00 - 12:57 Helping Agencies Transition to Strategy12:58 - 14:25 The Impact of AI on Marketing14:26 - 16:35 Success Stories from the Certification Program16:36 - 18:48 The Origin of Duct Tape Marketing18:49 - 20:50 John Jantsch's Legacy and Podcast20:51 - 22:54 Sarah's Book: Unchained, Breaking Free from Broken Marketing Models22:55 - 25:29 AI's Role in Marketing25:30 - 26:05 Join us on January 15th, 2026 for our annual interactive workshop, New Marketing Trends for the New Year, hosted by Peppershock Media! 26:06 - 29:31 Promoting the Book Launch29:32 - 31:17 Current Needs and Future Goals31:18 - 34:50 Recommendations34:51 - 36:40 Helpful Resources36:41 - 37:08 Reach out to Sara - https://www.linkedin.com/in/saranay/37:09 - 37:51 Final Thoughts37:52 - 38:21 Thank you so much! Share this podcast, give us a review, and enjoy your marketing journey!38:22 - 39:08 Join the Marketing Expedition Community today! Like what you hear, but need more information?Meet with Rhea Allen#DuctTapeMarketing #Unchained#BookLaunch #MarketingEssentialsMoment #Skepticism #Storytelling #CaseStudies #Testimonials #MarketingModels #MarketingTips #AITools #AITrends

A rebel with a cause and creative force who transforms both brands and leaders–Amy Vaughan brings 15+ years of enterprise creative leadership to purpose-driven innovation. As an award-winning Creative Director, she's created campaigns for global brands including Ford, P&G, Walmart, and Humana, consistently pushing boundaries while delivering measurable impact. Today, Amy serves multiple missions: As CEO of Together Digital, she leads a platform that empowers 500+ women in digital and tech through strategic networking and community building. As an executive coach, Amy guides creative leaders and entrepreneurs to lead with authenticity, helping them navigate the intersection of innovation, purpose, and operational excellence.00:00 - 00:22 "When it comes to networking, it feels like a chore. I say the word and it feels dirty. Like in my body, I feel the word networking and I don't like it. But at the end of the day, when I change it to relationship building, I get the warm fuzzies. So, it's a little bit of a mindset shift. It's really looking at it as a form of connecting, and connecting is a form of self-care, which is something we all need to be doing.” — Amy Vaughan00:23 - 00:41 Welcome to Peppershock Media’s Marketing Expedition Podcast00:42 - 01:45 About Amy01:46 - 08:45 Marketing Essentials Moment: The Power of User-Generated Content08:46 - 11:57 Welcome to the show, Amy!11:58 - 14:04 Career Pivots: Moving to England and Freelancing14:05 - 19:05 The Birth of Together Digital: Empowering Women in Tech (https://www.togetherindigital.com/)19:06 - 23:00 The Marketer Collaborative: A New Creative Space23:01 - 25:01 Fostering Collaboration Over Competition25:02 - 26:41 The Importance of Networking and Referrals26:42 - 27:17 Don't Get Left Behind! Join us Thursday, January 15th, 2026, for our annual interactive workshop, New Marketing Trends for the New Year, hosted by Peppershock Media!27:18 - 30:17 Building Trust and Support Among Women30:18 - 32:04 Engaging Events: Masterclasses and Peer Groups32:05 - 38:09 The Power of Asking for Help38:10 - 42:14 The Role of Coaching in Employee Development42:15 - 44:10 Future Aspirations: Creating Inclusive Spaces44:11 - 46:46 Reflecting on Personal Growth and Community Impact46:47 - 47:31 Reach out to Amy Vaughan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amypvaughan/)47:32 - 48:08 Thank you so much, Amy! Share this podcast, give us a review, and enjoy your marketing journey!48:09 - 48:55 Join the Marketing Expedition Community today!  Like what you hear, but need more information?Meet with Rhea Allen#BuildingRelationships #CommunityMarketing #MarketingEssentialsMoment #UserGeneratedContent #Networking #EmpoweringWomen #TogetherDigital #Collaboration #Referrals #MindsetShift #SupportingWomen

Wilson Zehr is an accomplished entrepreneur, academic, and thought leader in the fields of marketing, innovation, and business strategy. With over 25 years of experience in the technology and telecommunications industries, he has founded or participated in 6 large-scale technology startups, raising over $60 million in venture capital funding in his career. 00:00 - 00:36 "I had a friend who used to, who was oddly enough, he was the VP of marketing at the U.S. Postal Service. And his dad, his dad owned a hardware store in a rural city. And his dad was trying to advertise to, you know, build his business. And he said, my friend said, you know, dad, you should really use the mail. I'm at the U.S. Postal Service. You know, it'd be good for us. Mail works. It would be good for you. The stats on mail, by the way, for those who aren't familiar Direct Marketing Association says it returns on average $13 for every dollar invested. So that's one of the highest among advertising mediums, if you can properly target people.” — Wilson Zehr00:37 - 00:54 Welcome to Peppershock Media’s Marketing Expedition Podcast00:55 - 02:23 Wilson’s Background02:24 - 10:13 Marketing Essentials Moment: Brand Consistency10:14 - 12:02 Welcome to the show, Wilson!12:03 - 14:50 Transition from Auto Mechanic to Marketing14:51 - 17:31 Personal Interests and Hobbies17:32 - 23:46 Overview of Product Management and Marketing Strategy23:47 - 27:32 Pricing Strategies and Brand Perception27:33 - 28:09 Poderific, baby! Whether you’re looking for a podcast studio to rent or need help with the entire production and distribution of your podcast, we gotcha covered.28:10 - 35:45 Detailed Product Launch Process35:46 - 39:09 Current Projects: Cendix and Zairmail (https://www.cendix.com/more-direct-mail-for-less-time-and-money/)39:10 - 45:13 Benefits of Using Zairmail45:14 - 51:26 Customization Options for Direct Mail51:27 - 53:16 Finding the Right Tools for the Right Job53:17 - 53:56 Thank you so much, Carl! Share this podcast, give us a review, and enjoy your marketing journey!53:57 - 54:43 Join the Marketing Expedition Community today! Like what you hear, but need more information?Meet with Rhea AllenSubscribe to the Marketing Expedition Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts! #TraditionalMail #DigitalTactics #DirectMail #MarketingEssentialsMoment #BrandConsistency #HolisticBrandGrowth #Branding #ProductManagement #FreshMarketingStrategy #MarketingTips #DirectMailTools

Shellee Howard is the Founder and CEO of College Ready and CR Future Now, a Certified Independent College Strategist, and a best-selling author. A member of HECA and SOFA, she helps students gain admission to their best-fit colleges—often debt-free. As a mother of four, Shellee has firsthand experience with college success. Her son graduated debt-free from Harvard, earned his MD from UCSD, and is now an Orthopedic Surgery Resident at UCLA. Her daughter earned her BSN debt-free and became an RN in 2021. A sought-after speaker and consultant, Shellee has guided hundreds of students worldwide to top universities, ensuring they graduate debt-free and land jobs they love.00:00 - 00:35 "I think really what I love parents to understand is think about marketing in a business. If you open a business and you just start marketing, marketing, marketing, but you don't have a business plan, you're either going to run out of money or ideas. And that's with a student, when you start them in middle school and you help them figure out their gifts, their talents, their core values, and you start to look at your financials as a family, that gives you a runway of how are we going to build our plan. And that's what it's all about. It's all about the plan.” — Shellee Howard00:36 - 00:55 Welcome to Peppershock Media’s Marketing Expedition Podcast00:56 - 02:13 Shellee’s Bio02:14 - 08:46 Marketing Essentials Moment: Clickbait and Switch08:47 - 12:45 Welcome to the show, Shellee!12:46 - 16:12 Starting College Planning Early16:13 - 17:25 The Role of High School Counselors in College Planning17:26 - 18:59 Addressing the Fear of Student Debt19:00 - 23:41 Tips for First-Generation College Students23:42 - 24:17 Poderific, baby! Whether you’re looking for a podcast studio to rent or need help with the entire production and distribution of your podcast, we gotcha covered. 24:18 - 27:22 Finding Legitimate Scholarship Resources27:23 - 30:14 Differentiating Yourself in College Applications30:15 - 31:17 The Value of an Outside Perspective31:00 - 32:40 Resources from Shellee (https://collegereadyplan.com/)32:41 - 33:11 College-Ready Plan (https://www.amazon.com/College-Admissions-PLAN-Simplified-P-L/dp/B0DQ48NLLV)33:12 - 33:41 Thank you so much, Shellee! Share this podcast, give us a review, and enjoy your marketing journey!33:42 - 34:28 Join the Marketing Expedition Community today! Like what you hear, but need more information?Meet with Rhea Allen#CollegeReady #CollegeStrategist #PersonalizedMarketingStrategy #MarketingEssentialsMoment #Clickbait #Switch #CommunityService #MarketingYourself #DebtFreeCollege #FreshMarketingStrategy #ScholarshipTips #ParentingTips