Empowering Success with EOS

Empowering Success with EOS

In the ever-evolving landscape of business, finding the right system to fuel growth, maintain focus, and drive success is like discovering a hidden treasure. For me, that treasure is the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). In this blog post, I'll share why I run my Fractional CMO firm, Authentic, on EOS and how it has been a driving force behind our journey. My relationship with EOS began 15 years ago, and today, I can't imagine running my business without it. Entrepreneurial Operating System® 1. Authentic Success with EOS 🚀 I'm excited to share why I run my Fractional CMO firm on…
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A Founder’s Five-Year Reflection

A Founder’s Five-Year Reflection

On November 7, 2017, I sat at my kitchen table and filed “Authentic LLC” with the State of Minnesota, and then held my breath when I pushed the button on our first pre-revenue business expense: $2,000 to buy our .com domain name.  Following a recent painful job loss, and having no individual income and three children (then ages 7, 11, and 13) - that domain purchase felt extra significant. And it was. That purchase was the first bet I placed on myself. On my dream. It was an act of love toward myself and toward the team I hoped to…
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An open letter in recognition of a deserving leader. Meg Van Sloun promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Authentic.

An open letter in recognition of a deserving leader. Meg Van Sloun promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Authentic.

Meg Van Sloun (L), Authentic COO, with Jennifer Zick (R), Authentic CEO MINNEAPOLIS, MN – June 10, 2021 I had planned to craft a formal press release to announce Meg Van Sloun's promotion to Chief Operating Officer for Authentic. But before I drafted the public announcement, I first shared a letter with our internal team. And then I realized that I want to share with all of YOU just how truly grateful I am for Meg, and how excited I am for her and for our community. (more…)
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How to Harness Trust to Build Brand Equity and Grow Your Business

How to Harness Trust to Build Brand Equity and Grow Your Business

There is nothing more valuable to a business, its relationships, and its brand than the trust it creates and maintains with its stakeholders. Trust is your most valuable brand currency, one that builds on itself over time to increase your brand equity, the brand’s worth in and of itself. Companies with higher brand equity experience all types of financial benefits: greater profit margin and better customer acquisition and retention. Building brand equity through trust can be an overwhelming effort for company founders and CEOs. But as a business leader, you don’t need to strive to achieve the brand equity of…
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How Business Leaders Can Build a Personal Brand

How Business Leaders Can Build a Personal Brand

Your personal brand is how you show up in the world personally and professionally. It extends beyond what you do for work to encompass deeper and more personal attributes, including your hobbies, passions, values, and beliefs. But too often, business leaders stop short of developing and sharing their authentic personal brand. Instead, they tie their personal brand exclusively to their employer’s brand, limiting it to what they do for work, who they work for, and the organization’s values. The trouble with this approach is that your brand isn’t really your personal brand; it’s simply how you relate to your employer’s…
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Worlds Collide: Getting “Perfessional” on Live Video

Worlds Collide: Getting “Perfessional” on Live Video

What do you get when you cross three girlfriends, an inspiring mom-focused startup brand, and an up-and-coming livestream technology platform? Apparently you get the intersection of all facets of my life. And the chance for me to share my perfessional (yes, personal + professional) story on livestream video. (more…)
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My Goal: Grace

My Goal: Grace

This post is not about B2B marketing, brand, content, data, or digital. This is just about me, being authentic with you. Because that's my brand, after all. And I'd like for you to know me. And my journey toward embracing grace. While I was still working as a corporate marketing leader, earlier this year, a younger female colleague approached me with a sincere question: "What are your big personal goals this year? What is driving you?" (more…)
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