A Line from Greenline

Let's be honest, we all influence people. From brunch recommendations to business tips, our words have weight. Social media has turned CEOs and employees into industry influencers, shaping how people see companies. It's all about building a brand called you. Whether you're a startup founder or a seasoned exec, how you present yourself digitally can take your business to new heights. And this isn't just a hunch; real companies have gone viral thanks to founders and employees creating killer content.

People often ask me how I came up with our leave coverage service, or how it started. And honestly, it was sort of a happy accident. When I started Greenline in 2019, I put the word out to a few friends and colleagues. Before I knew it, a friend - who also had her own marketing business at the time - asked if I’d be willing to take on her client load so she “could actually have a maternity leave.” She was having her third and wanted to be able to soak in those sweet baby snuggles. We discussed what it’d look like for both of us in terms of communication and responsibilities, pay structures, and client needs, and I decided to go for it! I appreciated that she trusted me and was happy to have a set of ‘clients’ (so to speak) right out of the gate.

Networking is a familiar term to every professional. Today, the true beauty of networking is often lost in translation. Networking isn't just shaking hands and handing out business cards, it’s about building relationships. We like to think of it as professional friendship building. Building a powerful network and meaningful connections are not all that different. The best networkers don’t only focus on building professional relationships when they need something. They are always actively investing in (and seeking out) connections with everyone they cross paths with.

Thought leadership is not a new concept. Thought leaders are unafraid to climb to new heights and turn ideas into reality. From Confucius to Mahatma Gandhi, to Brene Brown, all of the big change-makers in history are examples of influential thought leaders and visionaries. These go-to industry experts are the big movers and shakers that shaped the world as we know it. Inbound is all about creating value for your audience in an authentic way. Thought leaders embrace the beauty of inbound by doing just that. They influence innovation and inspire people to look at the world from a new perspective through their expertise.  

Perfection is so last year. These days everyone is more concerned with what’s real, rather than perfect. Things are much more fun that way, so we’re all for authenticity! Authentic marketing is being on the same page as your audience. 86% of consumers say authenticity is a critical factor in deciding which companies they like and support. After all, customers are much more interested in supporting companies that share their values and show their true colors.

Podcasts are an amazing way to expand your knowledge on an endless variety of topics. Podcasts have become a popular form of entertainment for many consumers as it’s an easy and affordable method. There are currently 2 million podcasts in the world and over 48 million episodes. As the popularity of podcasts continues to grow, so does the scope of topics that are spoken on. Most platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts have different genres of podcasts you can choose from. Within the business category, there is a large sum of marketing podcasts, specifically. We’ve compiled a list of our top 10 favorite marketing and creative podcasts, complete with specific episode recommendations to get you started - and inspired!