Ashley Smith: From Big City Hustle to Southern Charm Marketing

Picture the scene: the sun setting over Charleston's cobblestone streets, where history meets a thriving creative pulse. It's exactly this allure that captured the heart of Ashley Smith, founder of GSD Advisory, who joins us on the Charleston Marketing Podcast to discuss her voyage from big city life to the charm of the South. Weaving tales of her past in the bustle of LA and NYC into the fabric of Charleston's vibrant scene, Ashley offers up a treasure trove of insights that bridge the worlds of music industry madness and cutting-edge marketing strategy.

Crisis management, a term that often conjures images of frenzied PR teams and last-minute saves, gets the spotlight treatment as we exchange war stories worthy of a Motley Crue afterparty. With a nod to the finesse of figures like Dave Portnoy, we lay bare the blueprint for navigating the treacherous waters of public opinion, crafting a masterclass for both rookies and seasoned professionals. Through a lens of humor and hard-won wisdom, we dissect the art of turning negative reviews into positive momentum, while also sharing our own anecdotes about the unique challenges that Charleston businesses face when the court of public opinion comes knocking.

But why stop at crisis management when the realm of relationship building and business growth beckons? Relationships are the lifeblood of any venture, and we're pulling back the curtain on how to establish boundaries that spell success. We cover the importance of clear contracts and the strategic role of professionals like accountants and attorneys in navigating choppy waters. Punctuated with laughs and a peek into our forthcoming side project exploring Charleston's nightlife through Jake's escapades, we wrap up with a look at how generational shifts in social media are rewriting the rules of engagement. Whether you're a marketing guru or just a fan of savvy business talk infused with southern charm, this episode promises insights and anecdotes that you won't want to miss.

Presenting Sponsor: Charleston Radio Group

Title Sponsor: Charleston American Marketing Association

Cohosts: Stephanie Barrow, Mike Compton, Darius Kelly, Kim Russo

Produced and edited: rūmbo Advertising

Photographer: Kelli Morse

Art Director: Taylor Ion

Outreach: Lauren Ellis

CAMA President: Margaret Stypa
Score by: The Strawberry Entrée; Jerry Feels Good, CURRYSAUCE, DBLCRWN, DJ DollaMenu
Voiceover by: Ellison Karesh
Studio Engineer: Brian Cleary

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Welcome to the Charleston Marketing Podcast, powered by the Charleston American Marketing Association, broadcasting from our home base at Charleston Radio Group. Thanks to CRG, we're able to talk to the movers and shakers of Charleston, from economy to art, from hospitality to tech and everything in between. These leaders have made a home here in the Low Country. They live here, they work here, they make change here. Why? Let's talk about it.

Speaker 2: 0:32

Hello and welcome to the Charleston Marketing Podcast powered by the Charleston Marketing Association. We're recording in the Charleston Radio Group Studios while cause films behind the camera both supporters of Kamma. Now, let's not forget, jerry feels good with the beat of the front and end of the show. Thank you to all of our supporters. Hey guys, I'm Stephanie Barrow, your Kamma past president. If that are Stephanie Barrow, consulting a digital strategy agency located here in Charleston, I'm joined here with my guest co-host, jake Cosmore. What's up, jake?

Speaker 3: 1:01

Hey, stephanie, good to be in front of the camera this time.

Speaker 2: 1:04

I like this dynamic. This feels good.

Speaker 3: 1:07

I know it definitely feels a little bit weird. As you don't know, I'm Jake Cosmore. I'm a cinematographer and DP who specializes in corporate marketing as well as commercials. I'm in front of the camera today with Ashley Smith from GSD Advisory. Stephanie, would you like to introduce Ashley?

Speaker 2: 1:26

Yes, ashley is my good friend and I'm excited to have her here with me today. So I'm going to do the awkward thing of telling her her long bio and all her great accomplishments right in front of her. So are we ready to make this happen? Let's do it. Ashley Smith is the founder of GSD Advisory, a marketing advising strategy company based in Charleston, south Carolina. Gsd Advisory leverages Smith's passions and 25 years of experience in connecting consumers and brands across music, sports and entertainment. Prior to launching GSD Advisory, smith was the vice president of brand marketing at Madison Square Garden, which is very impressive, while overseeing marketing digital content, customer experience for the MSG portfolio of venues, including the Garden, beacon Theater, radio City Music Hall and Chicago Theater. Smith was the senior director of sports management and creative works for ESPN and responsible for leading sponsorship programs across SEC Network, college Football Playoff and special music projects. Smith developed the Nissan Heisman House, numerous movie studios, integrations across the ESPN Networks and spearheaded the first live client integration in the NBA Finals and partner Samsung. Wow, she-.

Speaker 4: 2:34

Yeah it's amazing I've done all that and I'm only 25.

Speaker 2: 2:38

I was getting ready to say like she has a very extensive bio. I could keep going on and on. But yeah, we're in great company today, friends. We're a great company.

Speaker 3: 2:50

So how about you and Ashley and me?

Speaker 2: 2:52

So I got very lucky because I've been living in Charleston for a while now and I hadn't met many people who also had a passion for working in the music industry. And Ashley ended up coming to one of the AMA coffee talks, which was on personal branding, and yeah that's we became fast friends.

Speaker 4: 3:10

Yeah, I think Stephanie and I just kind of realized we've both lived in Los Angeles, new York. She lived in Nashville, I lived in Atlanta and we both worked. I think so much of I call it the University of R&C, but it's Roger Zinkhallen which is one of the most iconic celebrity and film and actor or musician PR firms and Stephanie worked there, I worked there and I think so much foundation, at least for me. You probably feel the same way that I'm still applied today in my marketing efforts. I learned at R&C.

Speaker 3: 3:45

It's awesome.

Speaker 2: 3:46

Yeah, managing a big brand like a celebrity there's no difference between that and then crisis control for a small local business. I definitely applied all my years of working in PR and entertainment and marketing to make cool content now, which is yes, Lynn.

Speaker 4: 4:01

Yes, it's very fun. So yes, I think all kindred spirits that moved to Charleston kind of somehow serendipously, that version of it, yeah, I agree with that.

Speaker 2: 4:12

Yeah, I feel like it's like a melting pot of people from everywhere else. It's one of the reasons I love Charleston so much. Now, with all of this extensive background in marketing and living, like you said, all over the world, how in the world did you end up here in Charleston?

Speaker 4: 4:27

That it's-. I get that question a lot. So I am originally from the South. I grew up in Virginia yes, and you did another Virginia. I went to school at the University of Alabama.

Speaker 4: 4:37

I'm a roll tide and I wanted to, I think, give back to the Southern environment. I wanted to be close to the water because I love fishing. It's probably my second most favorite hobby, so I love fishing. Nice, we'll talk about that. And I liked the energy of the creative culture in Charleston. I liked that there's a couple of big magazines based here. I liked that there's some decent, good music venues and you can see live music. And then, lastly, I liked how that had an active downtown. I still I miss that from New York as far as just the energy of being able to walk and do things. So that's what part of and I mean I guess the last last thing is just to open up a business with the financial responsibilities in New York, which is it was just not an option that I wanted to explore. So while I think a lot of folks think Charleston's expensive, it was much cheaper for me.

Speaker 2: 5:36

We also went to Drift Lights to New York, to Nashville. Now we have some to LA, Sin City.

Speaker 4: 5:43

So I loved it. I think it's such a vibrant city. I think the marketing communities very well connected. I think you guys have done such a great job with the AMA chapter here. Thank you, and and so I. I. I've loved it five years in and I don't see myself leaving anytime soon.

Speaker 2: 6:00

Please don't leave. I would be very hard-working if you left. Now tell us a little bit about GSD advisory. Tell us a little bit about the name and all the things.

Speaker 4: 6:13

So mom earmuffs. But I think in in all my years in corporate America, you know you have to go in for the annual reviews, right, I'm not going to be honest. I kind of think those are BS. But we'll park that. And one of the pieces of feedback that I would always get is oh, ashley's fantastic. You know she gets shit done, but she kind of, you know, sometimes can rub people their own way.

Speaker 4: 6:37

And, as I thought about, if any of my own company I was like you know I'm going to lean into that Right, as I do get stuff done, shit whatever. And thus it's GSD. So I will say, if it's someone, I'm not quite sure what they'll think I say I'm a big fan of German Shepherd dogs and that's what it is Okay. But anyway, I think what I wanted to do in opening GSD was two, two specific things. One was work with talent. So whether that was broadcasting talent folks that do mostly sports broadcasting or working with companies to help them develop their brand strategy, marketing tactics, how to help them org their marketing departments, and you know, again, five years and not going well, so I've enjoyed it. I like the diversity what both of those bring to the table and I, you know it's never easy owning your own company, as you know, as you know, and you know, you're constantly self promoting and but it's absolutely worse. By the way, it's awkward because I think inherently we're marketers, but to market yourself is Jake, is pretty good at outside.

Speaker 3: 7:55

You know I because I don't try to do traditional marketing routes I think the peer to peer and just talking to people I think the best marketing. And you know I like to be friends with my clients. I don't want to work with a stranger, I want to work with someone I know. My business and I guess all ours is being able to tell a story and by getting to know the client we're able to better understand their story and better explain it and tell it visually or one totally yeah, you're 100% right.

Speaker 4: 8:31

Authenticity is at the heart of marketing. It is Whether you're introducing a new consumer products, goods or promoting a cinematography business. Authenticity matters and people, I think, especially now, consumers and clients alike kind of see right through that. Me too.

Speaker 2: 8:53

Now we're talking about authenticity. Is that how you aligned with things that you love for your business? You aligned with sports and music. I did.

Speaker 4: 9:02

It was important to me. I think at this stage in my career I want to work on projects that I'm invested in Sure, and I think especially to my broadcasters. I work with Marcus Spears and Ryan Clark on ESPN. I've invested in where they want to take their brands and how they want to present themselves out to the viewers and the fans, and I've enjoyed that. And this goes back to the RNC days. Working with musicians kind of taught me so much about how to present a personality or lead singer, a band as a brand and I think that is so important and I will have to fall in love with each and every member of the band and brand, just like they would a band.

Speaker 2: 9:57

Yes, I think that is a hard task to do, but it's fun to tell that story.

Speaker 4: 10:02

It is, and I think Jake's point is spot on. It is all about storytelling. Yes, it's helping them to define what their marketing pillars are, how they're going to lean into that and anything that they put out on social media or talk about in a PR interview or reference at an event. It should all always correlate back to one of those pillars and if you're doing that, hopefully you're having success.

Speaker 2: 10:29

Yes, absolutely, and you have, like, a wealth of music industry experience.

Speaker 4: 10:34

I was very fortunate. My internship, my senior year in college, was with the promoters in Birmingham, alabama. It's called New Era Management, and from there they managed an artist named Brother Kane. Brother Kane got an opening slot for a small little rot man you'll might have heard called Van Halen Nice, and this pearl wearing sorority girl was allowed to go out on tour and it was just magical. I loved the energy of it. Sounds obvious, but when those lights go down and it's interesting, the lights go down your artists on stage. That's really when you're working with artists. You have the opportunity to actually do work, decompress, kind of figure things out. From there I moved out to Los Angeles, was able to work with just a variety of artists, but the one that I think really look back on Fond Lane people always laugh when they hear this is I was Molly Cruz publicist for several years.

Speaker 4: 11:41

And I have some story and I do. But and I also say very quickly after that, I learned enormous volumes about brand marketing from Nicky Six. Ok, he knows what a brand is. He knows the brand of Motley Crew. He knows when to flip that switch and turn it on Right. He also knows when to go into dad mode, go into husband. Who's Nicky Six?

Speaker 2: 12:07

Oh my God, One more time. How is Wodey for this.

Speaker 4: 12:11

Oh my God, Jane, all right, nicky Six is the primary songwriter and bass player of Motley Crew. Ok, arguably, I mean top 10 notorious bands of all time. Yes, dave Soul.

Speaker 3: 12:25

No, you do go on. I don't. I kickstart on my heart on my playlist, ok.

Speaker 4: 12:29

All right, so too, I just got the bad memories Plain story. Look this up. Kickstart my Heart is about Nicky Six Oding from heroin and the ER doctor bringing him back to life. True, wow, I mean, that's in his book, that's in the movie the Dirt, their book, the Dirt I'm In, which is my claim to fame. It was an incident where there was some arguing and while I read the book I have my version of that night and they, all four of them, have their version of that night. But yeah, nicky Six definitely, especially for what you do. He's a photographer and he's just, I think, a storyteller at his core and he so impressed upon me. Details matter, right, and I talk about this a lot, and this was gosh.

Speaker 4: 13:19

At this point, probably like 97, 98, when this happened, we were doing an event. It was a retail event. I frankly probably did have immediate responsibility to participate in it, but I was on the road with them as the tour publicist and it didn't go well. The guy that's in charge of retail had them slicing a guitar. Well, that was cheesy and Nicky recognized it was cheesy. What were you slicing a guitar with? I was chainsaw Like literally. So they get back on the bus and Nicky just rips me a new one about and, by the way, rightfully so.

Speaker 4: 13:55

I want to make it perfectly clear he was 100% right and from that moment on I've been so conscientious of if I'm doing anything with a client, even if it's not my area of direct responsibility. Right, I am so in the weeds on details Because I want to ensure, when they roll up and do this event, their takeaway is a positive. But yeah, people love all the time, because even now, when people are like you are touring with Motley Crue and I'm like, yes, yes, I was, that was a highlight of my 20s. I bet you saw a lot of people come and go on that tour bus, let's just say that, yes, there is a lot of stories Sex, drugs or rock and roll.

Speaker 2: 14:38

I mean, you know what I love about talking about these kind of incidents because it reminds me of, like PR and crisis management and how, back in the day, we were having a discussion in the green room, or whatever you call it, here, the Charleston radio group. We are talking about some of our former clients who are currently like you all drop names that are like making headlines right now for being at a PR crisis, really, yeah. So you and I have a lot of background in the PR crisis, yeah, industry and I'm sure you've dealt with that a lot with big bands like this, yes, and I'm very grateful that my time in working with those artists was pre-social media.

Speaker 4: 15:17

Oh amen. Even now, with some of my clients, they're heated. A guy maybe smacks talk and argues with their point of view about a game or a player, and your human instinct is to defend yourself, sure, and you have to remember, on that big of a platform and that size audience, sometimes you defending yourself is going to just lead to a whole negative hot mess, and that's part of what are about our jobs. That's hard Right, I think. If they do get themselves in a mess, I think that's where your experience is so important to help them dig out of a crisis. Dig out of, maybe, something they said and then went to bed and they wake up to being a social media shitstorm and I will say I don't know if there's a right and wrong to deal with crisis management. I will say it's dealing with it immediately and figuring out a plan, and then everybody has to kind of buy it.

Speaker 3: 16:23

I think the biggest crisis management is. I really look up today Portnoy at Barstool Sports, absolutely yeah. However, he has an issue, he addresses it head on. He makes a press conference, puts out press release. It's immediate, it's direct and it's not scurrying around.

Speaker 4: 16:39

Well and I think Portnoy is a great example he is allowed to do that his way, that way, because he owns the company, right, and I unfortunately not everyone owns the company that they work for, and so they find themselves in those predicaments and that's where you tend to get the, I think, standard apology, mea culpa. I'm going to rehab.

Speaker 2: 17:06

Right.

Speaker 4: 17:09

And whereas I 100% agree with you, I think Portnoy cracks me up on many levels. I'm not going to lie, but especially in crisis comms, there was the incident I guess it was like six or seven months ago with one of his employees. They had to fire him before it went to end still in Barstool and again he came on he said look guys, this isn't my choice. Penn owns the company now and we have to let him go, but he leads right into it head on, which nips the story in the bud, and that, I think, is a good strategy for all it really is. If you can lean in, own it and get out.

Speaker 2: 17:47

That's typically the best way to get big Right. So on this topic, since a lot of people are listening, or probably Charleston based small businesses or entrepreneurs, just to make it a little more relevant, because we all have all the time Big brand experience. So say, for instance, a company gets a bad Google review, we all know that those are very hurtful to small industries. As a PR crisis manager, what would you suggest they do? Given that search, would they let it lie? But what would you?

Speaker 4: 18:16

do, I think the first thing, especially in those public forums Google, Yelp, et cetera, I think for the general manager, the owner, to respond publicly. You know, hey Bob, I'm sorry you had this experience. There's like a cricket. We'll stop remember.

Speaker 3: 18:35

Yeah, let's take a pause. All right, sorry folks, we have a little bit of some technical difficulties over here.

Speaker 2: 18:41

Yeah, we're talking about PR crisis and then everything just kind of fell apart. That's just.

Speaker 4: 18:45

I mean it really was we had a little bit of a crisis for ourselves. It went hard for the course, so excellent example of how you deal with the crisis. You adjust, you move forward.

Speaker 2: 18:56

Yes, so and PS. Jake, you have some advice on backing up?

Speaker 3: 19:00

Yeah, I mean, as a videographer, one of the things that I really care about is making multiple copies of stuff and having redundancies. So we are recording at the Charleston Radio Group phenomenal job. They a battery went out during set. Could not have been predicted, but you know, as a backup we had an extra microphone on the camera. So there's gonna be a little bit difference in audio quality. We should be now rolling-.

Speaker 2: 19:26

We're rolling with people, we're rolling with them.

Speaker 3: 19:28

It's radio station audio.

Speaker 2: 19:30

So let's just look like let's go back to talking a little bit more about crisis management.

Speaker 4: 19:33

Yes, so your question to me before the segue was if a small business here in Charleston, you get a bad review on Google or Yelp and kind of how I would recommend they deal with that, I think, out of the gate, you really do need the owner or someone with the general manager title to respond publicly. I think you lean in and you're like hey, bob, sorry you had a bad experience. That's not the type of service or culture that we typically provide. Here is my direct cell or phone email. Whatever he's comfortable or he or she is comfortable giving Cause, then you, you as the owner, you're taking responsibility, whether you agree with it or not, right? You also, then, are giving them a method to reach out to you personally and help. You kind of help them kind of solve the issue. Now. With that said, I think we, everybody in Charleston, is probably familiar. Now I'm going to space. What are the guys that have the amazing phrase there? Oh, I was really thinking about that?

Speaker 3: 20:40

I was thinking about that I was thinking about that.

Speaker 4: 20:42

I was thinking about that.

Speaker 3: 20:43

I think what he does is fantastic. Oh, me too. Yes, yes, he takes it. I mean, I've seen the stuff he posts on Instagram. It's very him, it's very like, but blunt and it's like no apologizing. It's a long funny rant.

Speaker 2: 21:00

Yes, about his inner working of his mind. We talking about something. All his free Britney Spears posts had me in stitches.

Speaker 4: 21:07

Well, and it's just how I think how he addresses if somebody gives a bad review of co-op is somebody comes in and says hey, I ordered my latte, I had to wait 15 minutes, wtf. He then to your like he basically then has fun with it and he references it, yeah, and like directly, yeah. And he's like hey, jane, it takes 15 minutes to make a latte, and blah, blah, blah. So again, though, he has the permission to do that because he owns the franchise.

Speaker 2: 21:34

Yes, and it's just his branding and personality style.

Speaker 4: 21:37

Similar to what we talked about with Dave Portnoy, I think it you really have to lean into what your brand pillar is Right and it's just comfortable enough saying you know what, if that, if Jane never comes back after her latte was it made in two minutes as opposed to 15 minutes? It'll be it, so be it. That's five bucks I lost. I don't care, I'd rather have fun with it. On social he gets the earned media because everybody shares it, because it's the funniest shit, and he moves on. So that's different. You have to kind of decide. You know, I think restaurants especially in Charleston, I think are hyper sensitive to their reviews and you somewhat have to decide how you're going to handle it.

Speaker 3: 22:21

I also want to say like, like business owners, like ourselves, like who do B2B, we can't handle a situation like that and can't call out a company and be like you Exactly, and then you could never.

Speaker 4: 22:31

You know, you just can't. You have to, unfortunately. You have to give a vent about it with friends at martinis at halls, as opposed to calling them out publicly, except me at four in the morning and red I get his phone calls.

Speaker 4: 22:44

yes, but that's all. That's all I would handle it. And my last suggestion on that matter think about how you want to handle it before it happens. Yeah, absolutely, because I think, especially as a business owner, you do have to be prepared for that. Not everyone is going to have an amazing install with your plumbing equipment or, you know, meal at your restaurant. How do you want to handle a negative review? So then you kind of have your preparedness that happens.

Speaker 2: 23:12

It's interesting to me, I'm sure, like for you, when you come from bigger markets and then you come here and then you see something blow up. So there's a big big thing happening right now in Mount Pleasant where there's a place of business I won't call it any names where the HVAC system has been like broken for like a long time. Okay, and people are buying tickets to attend this place and they're like sweating bullets, like in the news If you go on the Mount Pleasant like local business Facebook groups or like hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people just complaining about this business. For a good reason, right, cause they're not handling it. So the other day I was just curious, so I went to their Google page and, goodness gracious, if you look at their reviews, they are just tortures and they're not addressing any of them.

Speaker 4: 24:00

See now, all right here's and this right. I'm curious cause I know you have an HVAC client.

Speaker 2: 24:07

Oh no, what they're not. The problem is not HVAC. I have a client and I contacted them like you need to call this business and you need to help them out, but they're a huge corporation and got it. So the local business owner probably doesn't have the wearer wall to move forward because it has to go off the chain to fix it. But in the meantime, the PR that is getting from this crisis in this small community the weekend that Barbie was out is huge for a city like Mel Posit, where it's like we got nothing else to talk about. We're gonna talk about this business over and over and over again and we're gonna leave hundreds of reviews. Oh well, it's sad, cause you just you don't know what the best course of action is other than just shutting the doors temporarily until this issue has been fixed.

Speaker 4: 24:58

That's funny. I need to go and read this afterwards. I haven't read this.

Speaker 2: 25:01

They're all on the live five news, all of the news. Sweet, my sweet husband Matthew will send me one and be like see, I switted bullets in Barbie for no reason. I bought the only one nice.

Speaker 3: 25:12

So what do you see? Your business in five years?

Speaker 4: 25:14

Great question. You know, I think ideally I would. I think the one thing I feel like I'm missing right now is an active music client. I really wanna get back into the storytelling that you can do with musicians and artists, and so I'd hoped in five years perhaps I've kind of gotten one of those back. I can sing, Ashley, you saw the karaoke day. Yes, I mean, if you'd like to give a rendition right now of Skinner, just give me three steps.

Speaker 4: 25:46

I can play some videos for epic podcast parties, but I think ultimately, in five years too, I wanna have some continued success with my broadcasters that I work with. I think that's fun. And then, lastly, I really like looking for opportunities for different companies and brands and connecting them, and then I get to kind of walk away. Yeah, you're a really good relationship facilitator. I enjoy that aspect of you know, at this stage in my career. I've been blessed to have met and interacted with a lot of different people and I think if I can help somebody make a connection to move forward with an opportunity, that works for me. I also I'm on the board of the University of Alabama's Communication School and that it's something that's hyper critical to me. That students, especially here now is relationships matter.

Speaker 2: 26:43

Absolutely.

Speaker 4: 26:43

That 100% and it's so you know whether it's a friend of your parents or somebody you sit next to on a plane, or you know somebody you meet just walking down the street. You never know where that introduction is going to lead you. And the last thing I'll say on reach out to people with relationships when you don't need something Absolutely, because then when you do. You know an example a CMO of a very big brand that I go way back. I made a point to send her an email about a month ago about her, the new campaign they had rolled out. Just a hey, how hope you're doing well. Saw the new campaign looks awesome, peace out right now. You know, six months from now, if I want to get back and you know it, she wrote back. We had a great back and forth. That's seeding their relationship, that's cultivating my community, and then I can go back hopefully and then pitch some of my artists to work for brand.

Speaker 3: 27:40

I totally agree with you and I think one of the reasons I'm 23 years old. I just graduated college this past May.

Speaker 4: 27:45

That's why you don't know, that's now it gets back. Oh, I musically educate them.

Speaker 3: 27:50

I think one of the reasons is that you know I was able to help grow my business so fast is just because of the relationships. I will talk to a brick wall for hours. I don't mind talking to a stranger going up to them and I also don't mind asking them like hey, you know, like, can you introduce me to so and so? Like I know your friends with so and so and they feel so good about that because it's something so easy for them to do and it's like you know they feel like they're helping you out and it's a favorite for you.

Speaker 4: 28:19

Well, and I think I think that you, it's the connection point and understanding how to use those connections, and it sounds horrible to say use the connections, but it is what it is. I don't. It's not a negative, it's networking is a part of being a local business center, for sure. And yeah, I think certain people, certain personalities, I eat. The three of us were chattie cabbie.

Speaker 2: 28:44

So I feel like good people just bring about other good people. Yes, so at the end of the day, as a consultant that are all consultants you want to work with people that you like, that you trust and you know their character. I think being you know that's a big part of it.

Speaker 3: 28:59

Yes, so I know we talked about building relationships and all that. There are some relationships where, like, I've had to cut off and as business owners, you can tell the clients who want the most out of you will want to pay the least, and they think everything that you do is the like. You know, the absolute world, world, and there's some. I'm like, look, you know, for the budget that you've given me for this project. It's not easy to pull right and it's you know. They keep asking.

Speaker 2: 29:28

you know for more and more and more, and there's some contracts are important as a small business owner, setting the expectations, sending out hard estimates, having contracts and just saying per our contract. That way it's just very black and white. You take the emotion out of it Like I don't know how you feel, like as being a woman business owner.

Speaker 4: 29:46

I will tell you one of the what I I two things. Stephanie's absolutely right Having an agreement that you can reference back to is this is what I agreed to do. This is what you agreed to do for the mutual benefit of the partnership. Yes, key, key, key. The other thing I've personally found that helps me is I've brought in an accountant and an attorney. So when some of those awkward conversations need to happen as far as like hey, it's a couple of months you haven't paid your bills, or hey, you know this is living up to the agreement. If I don't have to be the bad cop, necessarily as the business owner, there's a hard right and and so you kind of, you kind of, can play it that way. I do think that is a heart. One of the harder things about being a business, especially in marketing, when you do want to sunset a client and they perhaps want to continue with you and you're like no, we're good, we've had excellent partnerships.

Speaker 2: 30:48

I've been awkward. I've had a couple of incidents of that since I've started my consulting business a couple of years ago where they looked at me like family because I'm I am very good at cultivating relationships and it's not. It's authentic for me, like I love everyone I work with, that I didn't enjoy them as humans I would not work with them. But sometimes, like the ROI you're looking at or like it's just for the amount of communication, it's just not necessarily worth what I'm bringing home Exactly, and it's been hard to say goodbye to those people. But, like you said, I'm still fans of them. I'm still fans of them as their businesses and as as humans, and so I reach out to them and say happy birthday. You know how are things going, do you know? Please remember me if you need anything that kind of thing. But it's, it's putting a straight line to protect yourself.

Speaker 4: 31:32

It's very important. You have to and it you know, I think it is it goes back to it is it's business, it is business and and at the end of, at the end of the day, you have to, you do have to maintain that.

Speaker 2: 31:44

Oh, I'm a bleeding heart If a nonprofit calls me and they say I need X, Y and Z odds are. I want to be up at 2am doing something for free for someone, but over time and you just get to the point where you're like there's only one of me.

Speaker 4: 32:00

Yeah one. There's just only some of your favors you can. You can give out Exactly.

Speaker 2: 32:04

I think there's importance building the relationship, but it's also okay to protect yourself.

Speaker 3: 32:09

Absolutely Don't let people take advantage of you. Right, and as a college kid, that was something very hard for me to do, and he's got a baby face.

Speaker 2: 32:15

For people who are just listening to this. He looks like he's about a 19 year old, so I can see how I tell the balance. I'm 16 and they don't.

Speaker 3: 32:22

I can see why we can see that, oh, the point is like, as a college kid, it's like starting my business. You know I've been taking I don't see taking advantage of but I have to do stuff for a lot less money that I would normally do. Right, and I'd say yes to a lot of things but, a smile on my face, do a lot of stuff I didn't want to to help grow and fill my business.

Speaker 4: 32:42

Yeah, and that's you. You have to look at that as an investment. Well now, now I'm like even what I'm starting about in my 40s doing my own business.

Speaker 2: 32:51

What I'm charging now is not what I charged two years ago 100%. My rates have gone up and my, my workload is like okay, we have to do X amount of hours. You're not gonna. I'm not gonna do it for $400 for social media, like we're gonna do all inclusive, like I'm acting CMO, or it's just not worth the time.

Speaker 1: 33:10

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 33:11

And I think that that it's. It's nice to, to, to grow with your business and pivot over time. And then that's the same thing with apps, you know, for listeners who are small business owners. You know, look at your services, look at your list of what you're offering people, the economy, as everything is going up. You know everything is going up, so people, services to go up as well.

Speaker 4: 33:32

You have to constantly understand what your value is. Yes, and ensuring that you're charging the right amount for that service, for that offering Right. And you know, I think, especially as local business owners, it's, it isn't it's important.

Speaker 3: 33:50

And then to communicate that out and not not be embarrassed about it, no, it's as well as also investing very strong marketing so you can justify and when that customer is loyal to me, where they would be able to come back and willing to spend the money Right. You know, like Taylor Swift, for example, I know you're, you're big in the artist Like, look at, look at the marketing that she's done for herself and the, the image and the brand and the Taylor Swift story that she's created, where fans will fly all over the country, all over the world, to go see her play.

Speaker 2: 34:23

And I was looking at tickets yesterday for her Miami. How is there a dollar? What 1200 a ticket? My daughter really wants to go see Taylor and it's so funny.

Speaker 4: 34:33

So I'm not and I don't come at me in the comments. I am not a Swiftie. I respect fondly what she does from a marketing perspective that I have been fascinated how much money people are spending to go see her live because, in my opinion, like I would go pay that much to see Stevie Nicks because BS Stevie's getting ready to you know there's bucket list, so to me there's, that's. The distinction for me is like I can go see Taylor Swift for the next 20 years, right, um, and I'll perhaps go see her when it's a little bit more cost effective.

Speaker 2: 35:06

I saw her years ago was not crazy like this and.

Speaker 4: 35:09

But whereas I just got I recently just got tickets for Aries, smith and um, and you know, that to me is because I knew Steven Tyler and Joe Perry are going to be playing together much more and I want to see, you know, see that before they fully retire or get back to rehab.

Speaker 2: 35:27

Never there you go. So what do you have coming up now?

Speaker 4: 35:32

Now you're talking and I, so we're recording this in the fall, okay, and so I think this will come out in the spring. So right now for me, uh, very active with football sponsorships for some of my, some of my talent. So uh, marcus uh has an amazing partnership celebrating his love of cooking with Louisiana Fish Fry, love it Uh, and he is the chief fry officer, which has just been a super fun campaign and lean into him. Uh, ryan just launched his new series, uh, inside the NFL kind of the legendary NFL film series on C on CW Network, nice and uh, so really it's just um, specifically with those two. It's it's focused on the sponsorships that we do for the season, focused on kind of already looking ahead to the Super Bowl, super Bowls in Vegas this year, what opportunities might exist on site there, and and that's really that's kind of the focus right now.

Speaker 2: 36:31

So you get to go and experience all the things and be like I am in.

Speaker 4: 36:35

I have been very blessed to go and experience all the things I. It's the one. There are two events I've yet to go to and I have kind of made that a goal for the next two years the Derby, which the whole time I worked at ESPN never went to the Derby, which I'm not quite sure how and why I didn't do that. And then the Masters. I also don't know if I could go to the Masters because I'm not a quiet person and the whole thing. You know you have to be like quiet as well and I would definitely be the person laughing and like I'm, you know what about live?

Speaker 4: 37:08

As far as going to a live event like what do you mean?

Speaker 3: 37:11

You know, like the live golf.

Speaker 4: 37:15

Oh, like no, I haven't been to a live golf event. No, I'm like live. Well, no, it was funny because I was like live, tyler, steven, $1?. Where I was like where are you going with it?

Speaker 3: 37:25

So I mean, I like live golf. Personally, I cannot stand the Masters because how strict it is. I think I forget who it was I want to say it's Bubba Watson but walked out. They played a Travis Scott song, hit a hole in one in the entire, like T-Box, just went wild, and that makes me want to go drive and would make me want to go to.

Speaker 4: 37:46

I think what you're going to find, though, you're like you said, you're 23. I think your demo, what's your generation called, are y'all Zers, are you? Okay, that's a real research of Apafundus episodes, but for this podcast post, we'll research that. I think, though, your generation is going to get introduced to golf through live, which is good for the sport. Right. Then you're going to transition into loving the Masters, and because the Masters is iconic, it is nostalgia, it is the pinnacle of the sport. You won't be there. The after We'll discuss in 10 years. We'll discuss in 10 years, but that is my prediction.

Speaker 2: 38:31

Now have you. You haven't dropped your Instagram handle yet, because I like watching your Instagram handle populate a live feed, because she's always with like she looks. She's a tall. You're a tall woman, yes, but she's around these men that look like being golfers, like oh I'm sweet, and like like teddy bears, and it's just really fun to see all of your happenings.

Speaker 4: 38:54

My Instagram handle is GSD advisory and, yes, usually it's a fun mix. I do enjoy going, doing some flashbacks, but I have had, you know, some awesome opportunities and been at fun events. Historically. I posted a picture the other day of me and Chris Berman for years, yeah and so many people were like, oh my gosh, you knew Berman. And I said, yes, he was not happy that I asked him to take that photo, but it's an iconic memory for me. That's awesome. So, yeah, definitely join, follow along, and it's I think it's important to to kind of build your, extend your community, and that's what Instagram and all social media is for.

Speaker 2: 39:34

So yeah, and she's awesome. You should connect with her on LinkedIn because she's one of the funnest people in the city and a lot, a lot's going on so well, thank you.

Speaker 4: 39:42

I think you're pretty fun too.

Speaker 1: 39:44

And then Jake I think it's fun too.

Speaker 4: 39:46

My, my objective is I'm going to do a side podcast with Jake and just break down his activities in downtown Charleston, the downtown going out scene. Yes, I'm going to call it downtown.

Speaker 2: 39:59

one Jake's mother sometimes like at these like long, like 16 paragraphs, and I'm looking at them going. You find the love. This is life tonight. This is great news and by the time I could go to bed he's like I'm just so upset. I'm like, oh God, my son, I got a job.

Speaker 1: 40:14

I got a job.

Speaker 2: 40:14

I got a job to rescue him from such who knows what. So it's it's pretty funny to you know. You should definitely do your own series about you know you got, you got the Crosmore adventures.

Speaker 4: 40:25

I don't see your reality TV, I think. I don't know I have my own issues with reality TV, but no, I think, just very hyper focused on, on, on you.

Speaker 3: 40:36

Well, so I don't go out a lot, but when I go out like I go out to go out.

Speaker 2: 40:40

When I, when do you go to bed? I get to hear from him. So it's kind of like a wellness check.

Speaker 4: 40:43

Oh sorry, I'm so glad I will say I am grateful that and I get to be a business owner now, because there was not social media when I was 23, because heaven forbid if there have been cameras and constant capturing of my shenanigans at 23. It's not, it's not, it's not me, who's?

Speaker 3: 41:04

you know going out on Charles and it's not me who's going out and you know having a couple drinks, right, right, it's, it's everyone. And so I think with social media nowadays it really took away sort of the stigma and has like I don't want to say the country or the culture has it's gotten less strict. It's very less. What's the word? Judgmental, judgmental and very you know. Yeah, that's true, taking some of that away, it's like very common, you know.

Speaker 2: 41:34

It's wild because you know I don't want to age myself.

Speaker 3: 41:36

It's not as conservative as it was.

Speaker 2: 41:38

When I was going out, like having in Los Angeles, like it was the days of like Paris Hilton dancing on tables and, like you know, kim Kori actually falling behind her, like you know, like her assistant, and then you know it was a really fun time. But looking back on that now it was just such a problem like paparazzi. I was like I guess social media does kind of take some of the element of that away where you don't have to worry about the you know the it's but think but bring it then, but then you're at least the paparazzi.

Speaker 4: 42:08

For 99%, the time was stopped at the door. And now what happens is, if you are someone of note, do people know you? You go into a restaurant, bar, you are wanting to have a good time with your friends and there's always that bud in the corner filming you 100% and that's an invasion of privacy. That it's just. There's always going to be news outlets that buy that, so it's always going to be valuable, which is unfortunate. But I think to me that's been the difference and and I think from a you know, I always remind my guys if they're going to a, if they're going to an event, and just being conscientious of someone's always recording 100% and just being aware of that and what that.

Speaker 3: 42:55

I feel like a lot of people in my generation. They get in trouble not because of other people recording, because they're recording themselves. And I always tell everyone I ever met don't take a picture of it, don't record it If you don't want to go live on Instagram after being out three in the morning.

Speaker 2: 43:10

So slobberies have done it, gone live in the middle of the time and they got funny and then they woke up and then they're all over all the media.

Speaker 3: 43:17

Well, like I, I just call you instead.

Speaker 2: 43:20

I don't mind. It's cute Actually I went to a?

Speaker 4: 43:24

a I went to a whiskey tasting here locally a couple of weeks ago and I got home and I had so much fun with TikToks and went to bed. I woke up the next morning to so many texts from friends going what were you doing, by the way, I, I. But I went back and watched and I was like I didn't do anything in a program I had DS with penguins.

Speaker 2: 43:47

I didn't get out, so you need to follow her on TikTok. What's your TikTok handle?

Speaker 4: 43:52

Oh well, I you can follow GSD advisory on TikTok. I have my you know personal burner accounts that I liked.

Speaker 3: 44:01

I like to public, I love it. No.

Speaker 4: 44:03

I'm not, trust me. You see my TikToks, you'll know I'm not.

Speaker 3: 44:10

I feel like a lot of the older generation you may be listening to podcasts is not too familiar with TikTok. Whenever, I try to avoid TikTok as much as I can.

Speaker 2: 44:18

I live on TikTok cause. My clients are on TikTok.

Speaker 3: 44:20

Yeah, I feel like you like some of the stuff that you post on there. Like I see posted on there. I'm like you know, like even five years ago that would not be acceptable post on any other social media platform. No, I definitely think TikTok is the like, less like, the least conservative out of all the social media. I think I feel like you can?

Speaker 2: 44:40

I'm going to Snapchat as the one that I feel like Snapchat's more personal.

Speaker 3: 44:43

I feel like businesses don't really use Snapchat. I feel like I feel like I use Snapchat to communicate to my friends and stuff like that, but I don't you know, advertise cost films on Sure.

Speaker 4: 44:53

Sure, I think TikTok, because it really. I think certainly a generation of folks were using TikTok before COVID, but during COVID, when so many people were stuck at their houses, tiktok gave you a creative platform, even as a gen Xer or millennial on the older side of millennials, and really allowed people just to have fun to your point and be silly. It's like lip-sync to a song that you used to love. Dance was penguin. Yeah, you know, do silly. Like who? Who should I kiss, like what? You know, it's just, it's, it's a fun platform and I think people when social media started it was fun and then it's gone through an evolution of politicalness and serious and angry and and I think TikTok has brought us full circle back to fun and I I think that's a good thing, I think it's a good silliness.

Speaker 3: 45:48

I think it's great too. I think it's great for marketing. You know, I see a business post. Like you know, we'll post something that will go viral and it does. It does them wonders, and it's silly, it's very relaxed, not conservative, and it's, they're true, authentic.

Speaker 2: 46:03

So building the relationship. So, as a consumer, you're watching this. You feel like you know this person. Yes, they're showing the special side of them, especially in COVID. We're all at home or huddled up by ourselves. We're feeling connected to the world by posting all of these videos, which is very cool.

Speaker 4: 46:18

I'll tell you a brand that I've started recently, following on TikTok, that I think does a brilliant job of marketing, is the Estee Lauder Company. Now you hear that and you think huge brand lipsticks, you know perp, fancy perfumes, very high end. What they've done is they're using their TikTok channel to feature employees, right, and they're humanizing the people behind the Estee Lauder brand, right, and I think they've done a brilliant storytelling job. They they gave the IT team the camera for the day. It was hysterical, like and again, I don't know these people right, but it has definitely influenced me on why perceive of Estee Lauder All right.

Speaker 2: 46:55

So GSD advisory yes. Instagram.

Speaker 4: 46:57

Yes, and TikTok and whatever we're calling Elon's platform these days. Twitter X, I don't know. This airs in January. You might have a new name for it.

Speaker 2: 47:07

Well, we definitely covered a lot here today. Brand, I am from.

Speaker 1: 47:11

Europe.

Speaker 2: 47:11

Process and branding, and social media. And trends.

Speaker 4: 47:15

I'm kind of excited that we educated Jake on who Nikki Six says. That's the highlight of me.

Speaker 2: 47:20

We're going to just start sending him YouTube videos to further education. They're going down on King Street.

Speaker 3: 47:25

I was already enough for me. I don't need to be consumed in the rock and roll culture we're just going to make you cool by that, that's all right.

Speaker 4: 47:34

Awesome. Thank you guys for having me. I, as I said earlier, I think the AMA group here in Charleston is one of the best ones up in the Philly. Thank you.

Speaker 2: 47:42

I'm excited to dance with you at the Spark Awards.

Speaker 1: 47:44

Nice.

Speaker 2: 47:44

Before we leave, we need to also thank our sponsor, the Charleston radio group, cosfilms Jerry feels good and, of course, the American Marketing Association.

Speaker 3: 47:55

And if you want to sponsor or be a guest for our show, please reach out the podcast at CharlestonAMAorg and we'll get right back to you.

Speaker 2: 48:02

Yes, we will Thank you for being with us today, until next time Charleston. Bye.