Podcast
The Branding Laboratory
Hosted by Deevo Tindall · EN
Are you a CEO, entrepreneur, or solopreneur with a drive to build a distinctive brand that resonates with your audience? Are you an industry influencer who understands the importance of authenticity and compelling storytelling in shaping your digital footprint? The Business Branding Laboratory is the podcast for you!
Every episode of The Branding Laboratory offers a blend of theory and practice, making complex branding strategies accessible and actionable. We delve into the essence of innovative leadership—unpacking how successful leaders integrate their personal values with their professional objectives to create compelling, authentic brands. Our discussions center around the vital role of creativity in leadership and the transformative power of genuine human connections.
Think you'd be a great guest on the show? Apply at https://thebrandstoryteller.com/podcast-applyhere/
28episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Modern Dating Code: Values, Attachment, and the Art of Choosing Right | Chelsko Thompson
1w ago01:00:50Tap to summarizeWhat actually makes someone worth choosing in the modern dating landscape? In this episode of The Brand Laboratory, host Deevo sits down with Chelsko Thompson — known to her community as Chelsko — a relationship coach who helps men understand women, attraction, and themselves.Chelsko pulls zero punches.From unpacking attachment theory to explaining why leading with desperation repels the very people you want to attract, she lays out a clear-eyed framework for what it takes to show up grounded, clear on your values, and genuinely ready for a healthy partnership.Topics covered in this episode:1: How Chelsko built her coaching practice from personal heartbreak and abuse recovery2: The difference between anxious and avoidant attachment — and how to stop the cycle3: Why asking the hard questions early isn't scary; it's efficient4: The five values Chelsko looks for before she'll go on a first date5: What men and women each need to do before they're actually ready to date6: How social media is conditioning both sexes to chase the wrong signals7: The masculine-feminine dynamic — what it looks like when it works.Whether you're re-entering the dating world or trying to figure out why the same patterns keep showing up, this conversation will give you language for things you've been feeling but couldn't name.Guest Bio:Chelsko Thompson, known online as Chelsko, is a relationship coach, musician, and actor who built her practice the hard way: through two abusive relationships, years of self-work, and the realization that the best thing she could do with what she'd learned was stop giving it away for free. She specializes in helping men understand attraction, dating, and healthy relationship dynamics, and has built a community known for honest, direct conversation about modern dating. Her upcoming course, Unshakeable, guides men through the inner work of becoming the kind of person a high-quality partner is drawn to.LISTEN / WATCH YouTube + all major podcast platforms.Instagram: @chelskocoachingWebsite: https://chirp.me/chelskonellieHost: thebrandstoryteller.comIf this episode hit you, like it, subscribe, and leave a review. It helps the right people find this show.
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How Emotional Intelligence Unlocks the Power Corporate Women Already Have
2w ago00:46:17Tap to summarizeCamilla Calberg flew in from Copenhagen to join Deevo on The Brand Lab — and she did not come to play small. A former BP and IBM executive turned emotional intelligence coach, Camilla helps high-performing women in the C-suite break through the internal glass ceiling that no amount of talent or grinding can dismantle on its own. In this episode, they unpack her origin story (a four-year divorce battle and courtroom nervous breakdown that changed everything), her 3-step Identity-Inspire-Influence framework, and the commercial challenge of packaging personal healing as a measurable business advantage. If you've ever felt like you were doing everything right but still not getting the seat at the table you deserve, this one is for you.Episode SummaryDeevo sits down with Camilla Calberg, a Copenhagen-based emotional intelligence and leadership coach, to explore why so many high-achieving women in the corporate world still feel invisible, overlooked, and stuck — and what to do about it.What You'll LearnHow childhood wounds quietly shape adult behavior in the boardroomWhy playing small is a learned behavior — and how to unlearn itThe real difference between surviving and thriving after traumaHow to position emotional intelligence as a strategic business toolCamilla's Identity → Inspire → Influence framework in actionKey TakeawaysThe glass ceiling is both external (systemic) and internal (self-limiting belief). You have to address both.Most high-performing women Camilla works with are in their mid-50s, have been headhunted, and still wonder why the CEO calls the EA instead of them.The source code of playing small often traces back to childhood — specifically, not receiving enough unconditional love from a parent.Camilla's 3-step program: Identity (limiting beliefs), Inspire (bold leadership behaviors), and Influence/Innovate (leading others from authenticity).Lived experience is a legitimate credential — but it must be translated into client language, not just personal narrative.Guest BioCamilla Calberg is a Copenhagen-based emotional intelligence and leadership development coach who helps high-performing women in the C-suite break through the internal glass ceiling holding them back. Drawing on 20 years in top-tier corporations including BP and IBM, and a deeply personal journey through a high-conflict divorce and court proceedings, Camilla developed a body-based, identity-first coaching approach that helps women leaders stop playing small and start claiming the influence they have already earned. Her clients are typically senior executives in their mid-50s who have achieved everything on paper — but know there's another level waiting.Connect with CamillaWebsite: camillacalberg.com
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He's 3 Years Sober, 21 Years in Alcohol — And He Helps Founders Face What They've Been Avoiding
3w ago00:32:20Tap to summarizeThis conversation between host and Nate Fochtman cuts straight to the intersection of personal transformation and professional leadership. Nate — a 17-year solopreneur in the adult beverage space, 3 years sober, and the founder of Free Mind Group — shares how his lived experience (rock bottom, sobriety, two divorces) became the operating system for how he coaches founders today.The episode explores why culture problems almost always start at the top, how to actually diagnose them through a qualitative culture audit, and why the era of leadership masks is over. It's raw, honest, and practically useful for anyone leading a team or scaling a business.Key Topics CoveredThe 'onion model' of founder coaching — how deep Nate goes based on client needWhy Nate's 17-year business is still intentionally one-on-one, with no buffers between him and the clientThe culture audit process: 10–15 spontaneous probing questions, employees first, founder lastThe C-suite client who discovered mid-sessions he was only there for the paycheckNate's personal journey: 21 years in alcohol, addictive personality, three years of sobrietyWhy recovery taught him more about leadership than any academic programThe 'founders assume everyone is as passionate as them' problem — and how it dehumanizes teamsThe death of the corporate mask: same person at work, at home, everywhereHow Nate's unfiltered LinkedIn newsletters went from dormant to 40K+ monthly organic viewsThe masculine/feminine energy balance conversation — and why men are confused about how to show upGuest Bio:Nate Fochtman is the founder of Free Mind Group, a one-on-one founder coaching and brand strategy consultancy serving the adult beverage space and beyond. With 17 years as a solopreneur — and a personal journey through addiction, sobriety, and rebuilding — Nate helps founders, operators, and executives face what they've been avoiding: culture gaps, identity drift, and the human cost of growth. No textbooks. No checklists. Just real, situational leadership coaching rooted in lived experience.Find Nate at fmgstrategy.com and @FreeMinNate on social media.
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Stop Living Against Your Design: Stefanie Carlstedt on Human Design, Burnout, and Building a Business That Feels Like You | EP 87
Apr 2200:42:29Tap to summarizeWhat if your burnout isn't a productivity problem — it's a design problem?In Episode 87 of The Branding Laboratory, we sit down with Stefanie Carlstedt, a human design business coach and manifesting generator who spent years following every marketing tip, guru strategy, and morning routine she could find — only to lose herself completely in the process. She built a big business. Then she burned it down. Not because of failure, but because it was profoundly misaligned with who she is.Now Stefanie helps entrepreneurs infuse their unique Human Design into their business strategy — their marketing, their messaging, their offers, and how they lead. The results? Clients who walk away with a completely different business model than the one they came in with — and one that actually works for them.In this episode, we explore:What Human Design actually is — and how it differs from Enneagram, Myers-Briggs, or strengths findersThe five energy types (generator, manifesting generator, projector, manifester, reflector) and what each means for how you workAuthority: how you're designed to make decisions — and why leading with your mind is costing you clarityHow Human Design acts as a GPS to your highest potential — not a box that limits youWhy the burnout epidemic among entrepreneurs is a sign of design misalignment, not time management failureHow to use your design to shape your marketing voice, business model, and team leadershipThe Chiron return, energy centers, and what makes two people born in the same place at the same time differentWhether you're a skeptic or already obsessed with Human Design, this episode will make you rethink how you're showing up — and why the most productive thing you can do might be to stop working the way everyone else does.About The Guest Stefanie Carlstedt is a human design business coach who helps entrepreneurs align their business strategy with their unique energetic design — so they can stop copying someone else's success and start building one that actually feels like them. Free Report: stefcarlstedt.com/hdreportGet your free Human Design report + 10-part audio: stefcarlstedt.com/hdreport🔗 Connect with Stefanie Carlstedt:Website: stefcarlstedt.comFree Report: stefcarlstedt.com/hdreport
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The Pressure That Broke Me Made Me a Mental Performance Coach | Alex Bolowich
Apr 1500:28:54Tap to summarizeWhat if the pressure you're running from is actually the thing that's supposed to build you? Alex Bolowich — elite mental performance coach and son of a legendary college soccer coach — spent four years at Creighton playing through injuries, online harassment, and a nervous system that shut down under pressure. That experience became his life's work.Key Topics CoveredWhy mental performance isn't therapy — it's a trainable skill with real science behind itThe performance identity trap that breaks athletes and entrepreneurs alikeThe 4 core mental skills: strength, flexibility, agility, and enduranceHow long real mental transformation takes: 90 days to feel it, 1 year to become itThe car-and-driver analogy: why upgrading your team won't fix a broken driverAlex Bolowich is an elite mental performance coach and founder of the Mental Edge program, helping high-performers build the mental foundation that no tactic can replace.Follow the show so you never miss an episode.
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The 4 Questions Every Founder Should Ask Before Spending on Marketing
Apr 1100:36:20Tap to summarizeYou're putting in the work — the content, the social posts, the funnel. So why does marketing still feel like pushing a boulder uphill? In this episode, Deevo sits down with Kelly Schuknecht (Two Mile High Marketing) to get honest about what's really going on when marketing stops feeling light.Topics CoveredThe 4-question framework for annual marketing reflectionWhy messaging confusion is the root cause most founders missThe marketing ≠ sales ≠ branding equation every founder needs to understandPositioning strategy: how to become the go-to expert in your spaceReal founder lessons: cashflow, team building, and hiring carefullyKelly Schuknecht is the founder of Two Mile High Marketing, specializing in helping business owners and thought leaders find their authority X factor and build a marketing strategy that fits.Follow the show so you never miss an episode.
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How Authentic Leadership Builds a Strong Business | Scott Hogan
Apr 1000:41:45Tap to summarizeWhat does it really take to build a business rooted in who you are — not just what you sell?In this episode, host Deevo, Chief Experience Officer and Brand Storyteller, sits down with Scott Hogan, Founder of SaltWrap Company and author of Built from Broken, for a raw and reflective conversation that goes far beyond business strategy.Scott opens up about the early injuries and personal struggles that shaped his path — and how his mother's approach to natural healing planted the seeds for a company built around therapeutic sports nutrition and long-term physical health. But this episode isn't just about building a brand. It's about building yourself first.Together, Deevo and Scott explore what authentic leadership actually looks like in the day-to-day grind of running and scaling a company — how to protect your culture as you grow, how to stay anchored to your values when the pressure mounts, and why self-leadership is the foundation everything else is built on.They also dive into fatherhood, personal growth, and the role that genuine communication and customer trust play in creating a brand that truly means something.If you're a founder, a leader, or simply someone trying to build a life and business that reflects who you really are — this one is for you.
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From Silicon Valley to Canned Water: A Serial Founder’s Bet on Maine
Apr 800:59:19Tap to summarizeWhat does it take to build a brand from nothing—no inherited network, no industry experience, no AI buzzword on your pitch deck? Jennifer Millard, five-time founder and Maine Entrepreneur of the Year, chose to bet on water. Canned, local, and rooted in one of America’s most beloved states. This episode is a masterclass in conviction.Key TopicsThe Rising Tides thesis and how Maine Love revives idle breweriesRaising $2.2M without AI on the pitch—and why capital clarity mattersTitles vs. real power: how Jennifer builds agile, agency-driven teamsThe 95 corridor growth strategy and the water economy thesisExit optionality: ESOP, priced round, or cashflow dividend businessJennifer Millard is the founder of Maine Love, a fast-growing canned water brand expanding down the East Coast. She has exited four previous companies, including a sale to MasterCard, and was named Maine Entrepreneur of the Year by Maine Business Magazine.Follow the show so you never miss an episode.
Transcribe →To Scale a Business, You Need a 40,000-Foot Perspective with Charlie Sells
Feb 2800:34:40Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Branding Laboratory, host Deevo, Chief Experience Officer of The Brand Storyteller and Fusion Creative Brands, sits down with Charlie Sells, Founder of Clarity Over Everything, to explore the core principles of business growth and brand momentum. From understanding your unique identity to cutting through complexity, Charlie shares actionable strategies for entrepreneurs who want to scale their business effectively. They discuss why a 40,000-foot perspective is essential for clarity, how to focus on what’s already working, and the difference between growing and scaling your business. Charlie also reveals his approach to workshops, diagnostics, and authority-building strategies that help brands get unstuck and communicate clearly. Whether you’re a small business owner or a solo entrepreneur, this conversation provides valuable insights into positioning your brand, refining your message, and building momentum that lasts. Tune in to gain expert guidance from two leaders passionate about redefining how businesses grow.
Transcribe →The Surprising Truth About Marketing Weakness Nobody Tells You with Aleksandra Ceho
Feb 2000:35:02Tap to summarizeIn this thought-provoking episode of The Branding Laboratory, host Deevo, Chief Experience Officer of Brand Storyteller and Fusion Creative Brands, sits down with Aleksandra Ceho, Founder and Principal Astrologer of Astrologer Royale, for a powerful conversation on identity, timing, and courageous reinvention. Aleksandra shares the bold story of walking away from her career as a kinesiologist in January 2010 with no backup plan—calling it the best leap of her life. What followed was the rise of a globally recognized astrology practice serving entrepreneurs across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Together, Deevo and Aleksandra explore the philosophy that identity is the engine behind how we lead, build, and show up in business. The discussion reframes astrology from pop-culture mysticism into a strategic decision-making tool—one historically used by royalty, military leaders, and statesmen. Aleksandra explains how natal chart analysis and planetary forecasting help founders optimize visibility, marketing, partnerships, and executive timing.
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