Happy Marketer Connection Ep. 26: April Martini of Forthright People on “Personal Branding”

Who are you? How are you different? Why would others want you to be a part of their organization?

Do you have the answers to these questions? If so, you’ve got a good start toward defining your personal brand. April Martini, the CoFounder of Forthright People, believes it is critical to develop and cultivate your personal brand so that others don’t define it for you, or worse, you don’t end up being overlooked or forgotten. This episode of Happy Marketer Connection focuses on how to develop a compelling and authentic personal brand that will reflect – and sell – your true self to the world.

Happy Marketer Connection Episode 26
April Martini, CoFounder of Forthright People
Theme “Personal Branding”

Hear the key essentials for building your personal brand and steps to get started, ways to balance the focus on your personal brand vs. the company brand, how to approach finding the right business partner, moving projects forward without delays, and the benefits of working with small businesses.

To listen on Apple Podcasts click here.
To listen on Spotify click here.

Episode Highlights

• Intro
• [0:16] Sue Frech, Happy Marketer Connection, Vesta
• [1:08] April Martini, Co-Founder of Forthright People
• Sue Frech interviewing April Martini on PERSONAL BRANDING
• [2:01] Personal Branding
• [2:13] How did April become a marketing and branding consultant?
• [2:28] Graphic Design, DAAP at UC (University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning)
• [2:43] MBA in Marketing
• [3:24] Consumers, Brand
• [3:29] Product Innovation, Advertising Campaigns, Social Media
• [4:07] Anne Candido on Happy Marketer Connection
• [4:18] How do April and Anne work together?
• [4:36] P&G (Procter & Gamble), Agency-side vs. Client-side
• [5:57] How is Forthright People different from other companies?
• [6:43] Digital Marketing
• [7:23] The 80-20 Rule
• [8:01] Fortune 500, Startups
• [8:25] Who is the ideal client for Forthright People?
• [8:30] Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs), Entrepreneurs
• [9:07] CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods)
• [9:25] Data
• [10:04] Consulting
• [10:08] What are the pros and cons of having a business partner?
• [12:10] Taurus
• [13:52] What is personal branding?
• [14:28] The 3 Questions to Ask your Brand: Who am I? How am I different? Why would you want me?
• [15:08] Brand Character
• [15:22] The 4 Elements of your Personal Brand: Characteristics, Appearance, Behaviors & Actions
• [17:11] How do you improve your personal brand on digital?
• [17:22] Zoom
• [17:40] COVID-19
• [18:25] Personal Brand Logo
• [18:45] Community powered marketing delivers a new world of sales growth. Learn more at Vesta-Go.com
• [19:03] CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
• [19:12] How much should you focus on your personal brand vs. company brand?
• [20:18] Company Culture
• [21:04] Who should have a personal brand?
• [21:25] Wallflower
• [21:40] Introvert vs. Extrovert
• [22:57] How has April built her personal brand?
• [24:31] Feedback Loop
• [25:45] What positive story does April have to share?
• [26:12] Servant Leadership
• [26:51] FedEx
• [27:57] Pharmaceutical Sales
• [28:41] What final thoughts does April have?
• [29:52] Can someone change from introvert to extrovert and vice versa?
• Outro
• [31:21] Connect with April at Forthright-People.com and on LinkedIn
• [32:11] Thank you for listening! Subscribe to Happy Marketing Connection on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more
• [32:20] Connect with Sue on LinkedIn or Twitter at @SueFrech, and Vesta-Go.com
• Theme Song: Hello (Extended Version) – Paul Werner – provided by Jamendo

Get Connected
Connect with April at Forthright-People.com and on LinkedIn.

Get More Happy Marketer Connection
Interested in hearing more about Personal Branding? We recommend checking out Episode 21 with Pia Marquez, the Digital Marketing Senior Manager on “Building Your Personal Brand.” And access all of the Happy Marketer Connection on Apple Podcasts:

About the Happy Marketer Connection Podcast
Welcome to Happy Marketer Connection. Marketers know it’s the connections we make – between ideas, people, and brands –  that make all the difference. Each week, Happy Marketer Connection invites you to connect with our Co-Founder and CEO Sue Frech, Martech pioneer, and unfailing optimist, as she and her fellow passionate marketers explore engaging and inventive marketing strategies and toast brands making impactful consumer connections.