Episode Overview

Podcast: Win With Paid Ads
Host: Ashley Brock
Episode: #82 – From Boring To Branded With The Iconic Co-Founders
Guests: Charla (Brand Strategist/Business Coach), Emily (Creative Director/Lead Stylist, TV Host, Former Rockette)
Date: August 21, 2025

In this vibrant, candid episode, host Ashley Brock sits down with the co-founders of Iconic—Charla and Emily—for a deep dive into the transformational power of branding, image, confidence, and their intersections with paid ads. Drawing on Ashley’s personal style journey and real-world strategies, they unpack how to close trust gaps with your audience, embody your brand, and speed up business growth by matching expert advertising with irresistible personal branding.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction & The Meeting of Minds (00:00–03:09)

• Ashley introduces Charla and Emily—her stylists and the creative minds behind Iconic.
• The guests share their passion: helping clients’ exteriors match their inner competence and capability.
• Flashback to their first encounter as speakers at the same event. Charla immediately noticed Ashley’s intelligence and client results, but saw room for elevating her image (01:16).

The Power of First Impressions & Brand Alignment (03:09–06:29)

• Emily recalls thinking Ashley looked like “the sweetest kindergarten teacher” and how that visual didn’t match her powerhouse business reputation (01:53).
• Ashley reflects on noticing palpable audience trust when Charla spoke, highlighting how polished image and communication create immediate authority (02:23).
• The group discusses the two-sided nature of brand: style/appearance and inner confidence. They explain how initial discomfort grows into authentic brand identity.

Trust, Advertising, and Brand Consistency (06:29–09:20)

• Ashley explains “micro breaks in trust” – if your ad draws people but your brand doesn’t match, or vice versa, you lose momentum (06:29).
• Emily: “It collapses that time to that trust.” (07:17)
• Collaboration among experts in ads, branding, and style helps create a cohesive, trust-building presence.
• The group underscores that even top earners often overlook brand, slowing their business growth.

Voice, Tone, and Nonverbal Communication (09:20–11:44)

• Charla works with clients on vocal authority alongside image. “We think we’re born with the voice we have, but you can train it to be more trustworthy and magnetic.” (08:44)
• Ashley describes how working on her tone helped her trust herself more.
• Emily: “My presence introduces me. My fabulous outfit, I walk in a room and people go, ‘Who is that?’ … They come to me.” (10:02)

The Journey of Transformation & The Psychology of Style (11:44–14:46)

• Ashley shares her ongoing struggle with feeling comfortable in elevated looks, likening the change to building a new habit (11:08).
• Emily: “Then you’ll become obsessed...what you’re attracted to changes as you evolve.” (11:44)
• The guests discuss fashion as self-care and its power to shape opportunities, clients, and self-perception (14:36).
• Emily: “Fashion is not frivolous...You would be bringing in so much more business and the type of clients you actually want if you step into the authoritative version of yourself.” (14:16)

Strategic Styling: Business Results from Image (15:05–17:36)

• Charla recounts a pivotal Zoom call where a last-minute outfit tweak (“the one shoulder top, big hoops”) transformed Ashley’s confidence and impact on a training call (15:08).
• Styling directs audience attention just as effective ads do (16:00).
• Ashley: “If you want to work with executives and you do not look like you are an executive, there’s going to be some dissonance.” (16:52)
• The Iconic process includes style, voice, and mindset for “collapsing the time to trust.”

Iconic Experience & Visual Storytelling (17:36–20:26)

• The Iconic Brand Shoot: a glamorous, curated photoshoot designed to capture the client’s essence and produce scroll-stopping content (18:28).
• Transformation isn’t about changing who you are; it’s about highlighting your authority, confidence, and individuality via image, communication, and story.

Confidence, Authenticity, and Not Imitating Others (20:26–25:43)

• Key lesson from Alex Hormozi: “You will never beat me by being me. You will beat me by being you, always.” (12:24)
• Emily stresses: confidence isn’t about the clothes; it’s about how you carry yourself.
• “Fashion can signal quiet authority as well as bold charisma. It’s about authenticity.” (13:44)
• Addressing body insecurities and procrastination: Style and image help you become visible and impactful BEFORE you feel “perfect.”

The Role of Coaching and Being Coachable (22:35–25:43)

• The group emphasizes the need for coachability and “being unoffendable” to make real progress.
• Ashley: “The most successful people...will be receptive to feedback.” (22:36)
• Confidence becomes unshakable when you know who you are as a business, a brand, and a person (23:14).

The Intersection—Image & Paid Ads: The Ultimate Trust Accelerator (25:53–29:41)

• Good ads without the right image or brand can’t compensate (“ads shine a spotlight and amplify what’s already working; they don’t fix what’s broken” (42:16), but together they massively accelerate trust and results.
• Planning your visual image, styling, and ad content in advance lets you focus your energy on your “lane of genius,” leveraging collaboration with experts for maximal impact (26:49).

Personal Brand: Clarity, Non-Negotiables, and Values (29:41–33:09)

• Charla: “Get crystal clear on what you stand for and stand against. This draws in dream clients and makes you a magnet for the right people.” (31:10)
• Emily: “If you are a ‘scared kitten,’ you’re not ready for Iconic. Do the deep work first!” (32:16)
• Deep work and outside perspective are essential. “You can’t see the label from inside the jar.” (37:04)

Future Vision & Stepping into Your Next Level (33:09–36:45)

• Ashley: “Act as the brand you want to be in the future, not as the person you are today based on your past revenue.” (34:11)
• Charla and Emily share their approach as visionaries who help clients step into higher versions of themselves, holding that vision when clients doubt.
• “We lose sleep over getting our clients’ brands right. No one cares about your brand as much as we do—until now.” (35:43)

From Imposter Syndrome to Unshakable Confidence (36:45–41:45)

• Stepping into new brand paradigms shifts your self-perception and others’ perception.
• “Once you’ve seen what’s possible, you can’t un-see it, and you want to bring everything up to that level.” (36:02)
• Branding and paid ads don’t just coexist—they multiply each other’s effectiveness when thoughtfully executed.

Final Advice, Inclusivity, and “Room at the Top” (41:02–43:47)

• The internet offers infinite room for everyone—there are clients who need exactly what you bring.
• The Iconic team (and Ashley) only work with those genuinely ready—no “turning up the music on a bad song.”
• Upcoming: More behind-the-scenes (BTS) content and a live Win With Paid Ads Challenge for listeners looking to take the next step.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "You being the best kept secret helps no one… Because you being the best kept secret helps no one. Right?"
  —Ashley (00:00)

• “She looks like the sweetest kindergarten teacher… But you work with seven- and eight-figure businesses. It needed to be aligned.”
  —Emily (01:53)

• “It collapses that time to that trust. It doesn’t take nearly as long…”
  —Charla (07:17)

• “We think we’re born with the voice we have, but that voice has just been established over time. You can hone it and make your message more powerful.”
  —Charla (08:44)

• “My presence introduces me. My fabulous outfit… I walk in a room and people go, ‘Who is that? Is that girl a celebrity?’”
  —Emily (10:02)

• “Fashion is not frivolous… it is a piece of self-care. It is part of the business strategy.”
  —Emily (14:16)

• “If you want to work with executives and you do not look like you are an executive, there’s going to be some dissonance…”
  —Ashley (16:52)

• “You will never beat me by being me. You will beat me by being you, always.”
  —(Quote cited by Ashley, from Alex Hormozi) (12:24)

• “The most successful people... they will take feedback and be receptive. You can’t hurt my feelings; I’m super coachable.”
  —Ashley (22:36)

• “Ads shine a spotlight and amplify what’s already working. They don’t fix what’s broken.”
  —Charla (42:16)

• “Get crystal clear on what you stand for and what you stand against. That draws in dream clients—it’s a magnet.”
  —Charla (31:10)

• “If you are a scared kitten in the world, Iconic is not for you.”
  —Emily (32:16)

• “Act as the brand you want to be in the future, not act as the person today based on your past revenue.”
  —Ashley (34:11)

• “We lose sleep over your brand because we want to get it right.”
  —Charla & Emily (35:43)

• “Once you’ve seen what’s possible, you can’t un-see it. You want to level everything up.”
  —Charla (36:02)

• “There’s room at the top.”
  —Charla (41:45)

• “Turning up the music on a song that already sounds terrible…it’s just going to be louder.” —Ashley (41:46)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Introduction, guest intros, how Ashley met Charla and Emily | | 01:16 | First impressions & branding misalignments | | 03:09 | Ashley’s style journey—external misalignment, stubbornness | | 05:04 | Building trust, expert roles in brand, ads, and style | | 06:29 | Micro breaks in trust, importance of brand & ads synergy | | 08:07 | Vocal coaching and its impact on authority | | 10:02 | “Presence introduces me”—on confidence and visual magnetism | | 11:08 | Discomfort with new looks, evolving into the brand identity | | 14:16 | “Fashion is not frivolous”—style as self-care and strategy | | 15:05 | Zoom call anecdote: rapid image transformation | | 16:00 | Styling focal points for on-screen and stage presence | | 17:36 | Iconic brand photoshoot experience | | 20:26 | Individuality over imitation, confidence as the true attractor | | 22:35 | Unoffendability and coachability: keys to growth | | 24:51 | Addressing insecurities, real transformation stories | | 26:49 | Preparation and the value of outsourcing expertise | | 29:41 | Brand non-negotiables, standing out with clarity | | 34:11 | Visionary mindset: act as your future brand | | 36:02 | Leveling up, paradigm shifts | | 41:45 | Room for everyone—abundance mentality | | 42:16 | Amplifying strengths—not fixing weaknesses—with ads |

Takeaways for Listeners

• Inner and outer alignment changes everything. Your audience trusts you fastest when your look, voice, and message are congruent with your expertise.
• Expertise and collaboration fast-track results. Invest in coaching, branding, and guidance outside your comfort zone to close trust gaps and work in your genius zone.
• Confidence is magnetic (and transferable). Authentic style and presence don’t just empower you—they energize everyone who sees you.
• Branding and advertising go hand-in-hand. One without the other can slow growth or create dissonance. Together, they build authority, trust, and attention much faster.
• Be coachable, unoffendable, and honest about your vision. The most successful entrepreneurs actively seek feedback, stand in their values, and move boldly toward future goals.
• There's room for everyone at the top. The key is to be uniquely, unapologetically yourself—“beat competitors by being you, not by copying them.”

For more:

• Check upcoming episodes for behind-the-scenes insights from Ashley, Charla, and Emily.
• Information to join the Iconic Brand Experience or the Win With Paid Ads Challenge is linked in the episode notes.

(Summary compiled in the energetic and empowering spirit of the episode's conversation. All attributions and direct quotes/timecodes are faithful to the speakers’ original words.)