Who Is Emily? "Most Important Entrepreneur of The Decade" - Inc Magazine Emily is a true branding expert. She's helped to build brands like Allbirds, Casper & Boxed from the ground up & paved a new path for entrepreneurs building in the direct-to-consumer (D2C) space. Win A Free Book We're giving away 5 free copies of Emily's new book: Obsessed: Building a Brand People Love From Day One Sign up here for details: https://bit.ly/2Xxh58X What You’ll Learn The approach Emily and her team use to create brands that people love from day one. Real-world examples from brands like: Apple, Nike, Warby Parker, TOMS, Allbirds, SoulCycle, Everlane, Thinx, and more. You’ll learn: 3 pillars of brand strategy: mindset, key problem, brand idea what you can learn about brand storytelling from stand up comedy getting to the consumer need & “the why test” knowing when you’ve got to the “core brand idea” the difference between functional vs emotional brand storytelling the best way to get customer feedback how consumer expectations are being redefined why brand consistency is no longer the only approach to take in 2020 how subtle language can make a huge difference in the tone of your brand communication Time Stamps: 00:00 intro 1:24 who is emily? 2:00 equity vs agency fee 3:09 branding book 4:15 what is the importance of brand? 5:05 defining brand 9:08 3 parts to brand strategy 14:40 customer interviews 20:33 beyond functional benefits 22:51 casper + core brand idea 25:30 airbnb + the why test 29:50 evaluating brand idea 30:30 boxed + comparing to competition 32:30 allbirds examples 37:40 nike + laddering up value 38:10 apple + green text 41:35 soulcycle brand juxtaposition 42:50 breaking the rule of consistency 44:30 thinx 47:40 non-profits + cause 50:50 toms shoe 53:10 warby parker 53:37 bombas 54:55 everlane 59:40 cancel culture + consumer expectations

Dearest Free Timers: I can’t believe it, but this marks the 100th episode of this show since launching on March 21, 2021! Today I've given myself the tricky task of trying to pair down the top ten lessons learned this last year and a half. I wish I could’ve pulled an excerpt from every single guest, but alas! These are the lessons that stuck most, sparking new insights and ahas. 🌟 If you enjoy this round-up, I’d be so grateful for you to share in a review for Free Time: What insights have stood out to you most these last 100 episodes?🔗 Super bonus? Please also share this episode with a friend! Visit pod.link/freetime to easily send the link to this episode or any other favorites, with handy buttons to open in your recipient’s favorite podcast player.✨ Top Ten Lessons from 💯 Episodes ✨#1: See yourself as a star performer, and challenge yourself to delegate ever-more of the rest. [01:54] 006: Going Pro on Podcasting with Jordan Harbinger 011: Pitching Shark Tank with Sarah Apgar 019: Most Valuable Activities with Dave Crenshaw #2: Focus on building process, not reactive replies, to reduce incoming noise. [04:39]002: Eliminate Email with Cal Newport#3: An abundance mindset is bigger than money; remember, we are “Funded by Source.” [07:27]029: Funded By Source with Ksenia Avdulova#4: Zoom out to see brand as an investment, not a cost. [09:53] 005: Brand Obsessed with Emily Heyward 045: Behind the Free Time Brand with Adam Chaloeicheep 093: How to Sell Your Online Business with Alexis Grant #5: Build redundancy by stepping back from being the bottleneck; if you’re running a “body shop” find ways to leverage your IP to create greater scale and reach. [14:24] 057: You vs. You 2.0 with MBS 061: Scaling Boutique Businesses with Greg Alexander #6: Say no to people-pleasing and invitations that don’t spark joy. [19:57] 003: Liberate Your Life Force with Christine Arylo 035: The Long Game with Dorie Clark 071: Cues - On Charisma with Vanessa Van Edwards #7: Go beyond a launch project (after which energy inevitably fizzles) to create a more sustainable sales system. [24:59]012: Generating Personal MBA Momentum with Josh Kaufman#8: Buyer’s remorse is inevitable; create a strategic plan and supporting processes to address it. [26:43]083: Breaking through Buyer’s Remorse—Never Lose a Customer Again with Joey Coleman#9: You’re doing extra work if you’re not creating evergreen email sequences! Save your best newsletters as part of an ongoing welcome series for new subscribers. [29:45]069: Epic Evergreen Email Sequences with Allan Dib#10: When it comes to taking risks and taking on new projects, don’t worry about competition: ask what’s safe to try, and remember that there is room for you. [33:05] 081: DAOing and Prioritizing Progress over Perfection with Aaron Dignan 089: Is the Podcast Market Too Saturated? Featuring Megan Dougherty of One Stone Creative 📝 Permission: To keep hitting publish on your projects and ongoing public original thinking, no matter how awkward or imperfect. 📘 Books Mentioned: Free Time: Lose The Busywork, Love Your Business, Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One 💻 Access Free Time episode transcripts on Podscribe » ❤️ Enjoying the show? The best way to thank us is by leaving a rating or review. Consider becoming a podcast BFF and you’ll get access to a monthly Q&A call with Jenny, a private feed, and access to a community forum with fellow Heart-Based Business Owners.💌 Subscribe to the Time Well Spent newsletter: http://itsfreetime.com/join🛠 Get instant access to the Free Time Toolkit: http://itsfreetime.com/tools💬 I’d love to hear what’s on your mind! Take the Free Time listener survey🗣 Submit a voice question or comment for future episodes: http://itsfreetime.com/ask🎧 Make sure you’re subscribed wherever you listen to podcasts📝 Check out full show notes and links from this episode and share it with a friend! https://itsfreetime.com/episodes/100 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emily Heyward, Co-Founder of Red Antler and author of 'Obsessed', shares insights on building beloved brands like Allbirds and Casper. She provides valuable advice for retailers, brand owners, and founders looking to make a mark in the industry. The conversation delves into the importance of emotional connections with consumers, crafting unique experiences, and blending brand and performance marketing strategies in a competitive market.