Ep. 073 – An Interview with Brian Walker, Part 3: C-Suite Relationships and the Trouble with Hype

SIB-Blog-1As the founder of the Chicago-based AE Marketing Group founder, Brian Walker, knows a thing or two about building a sustainable brand. Surprisingly, hype-generating advertising and marketing isn’t always the best answer. In fact, Brian claims it can be a distraction from the important business of building the brand narrative.

In part three of this five-part interview, host Tom Ryan and co-host Jason Pyles talk with Brian about building C-Suite relationships, big mistakes young brands make, the problem with the MVP approach, and much more. Continue reading

Ep. 072 – An Interview with Brian Walker, Part 2: The Value of A Sales & Marketing Background

Brian Walker

Brian Walker

How valuable is a sales and marketing background for entrepreneurs? For AE Marketing Group founder Brian Walker, it can mean the difference between a slow burning startup and one that hits the ground running.

In part two of this five-part interview, host Tom Ryan and co-host Jason Pyles talk with Brian about sales as a tool for business development, branding as a core business value, and much more. Continue reading

Ep. 071 – An Interview with Brian Walker, Part 1: “Whitewater Growth” and Startup Priorities

Brian Walker

Brian Walker

After spending over a decade working at marketing and advertising agencies, Brian Walker had an epiphany. “Everyone is expendable.” In that moment, Brian decided that making others wealthy without even the promise of security wasn’t a sustainable life. In the middle of one of the worst economic climates in modern history, Brian struck out on his own, launching his own marketing firm from a walk-in closet turned office.

He’s done pretty well for himself. As the founder of the Chicago-based AE Marketing Group, Brian has overseen 18 straight quarters of profitability, and 200% growth. He’s also a Graduate of Goldman Sachs Small Business 10K Program. In this episode, host Tom Ryan and co-host Jason Pyles talk with Brian about his background, his company, and his mission. Continue reading