Brandidly Speaking
Brandidly Speaking is a podcast for marketers, brand builders, and communicators where modern marketing gets real. Hosted by Cris Gordon, Head of Beauty at MMC, each episode features candid conversations with founders, executives, creators, and cultural tastemakers reshaping their industries. Together, they break down what it really takes to build brands today: cutting through buzzwords to explore earned-first strategy, storytelling, community, influence, and growth. From the ROI of community to the transition from founder to CEO and navigating the creator economy, Brandidly Speaking offers a strategic roadmap for leaders to unlock your edge and shape what's next. Because today’s mark...
Beauty Editor-at-Large Heather Muir on the Unwritten Rules of Media
What actually makes a brand stand out to editors today?
In this episode of Brandidly Speaking, Cris Gordon is joined by Heather Muir, Beauty Editor at Large at People Inc., for a conversation about what truly gets an editor’s attention in an increasingly crowded market. With nearly two decades of experience across publications like Cosmopolitan, Allure, and Real Simple, Heather has witnessed the evolution of media firsthand, from print-first coverage to today’s multi-platform landscape where relationships, storytelling, and authenticity matter more than ever.
Cris and Heather unpack how editors evaluate brands today, why relati...
She Acquired Her First 10K App Members with $0 in Ads: Sam Cutler on the Modern Marketing Mind
The smartest brands are building community before anything else.
In this episode of Brandidly Speaking, we sit down with Sam Cutler, founder of Mindfull, a wellness platform focused on replacing calorie counting with nutrition intelligence. Sam used her online community of half a million women to convert her first 10k members with NO ad spend. In this conversation, we discuss what it really takes to turn a lived experience into a technology platform. From her experience, Sam shares how to listen to your community first, validate that demand, and build with purpose.
If you’re inte...
The Power of Originality: Why Your Unique Perspective is Your Best Business Asset with Jo Baker
Building a brand is hard, but staying true to your vision is even harder. Today, celebrity makeup artist, Jo Baker, joins Cris to discuss the raw reality of the beauty industry and how she leverages her years as a celebrity artist to prioritize product integrity over marketing hype. By solving for the user’s experience (whether it’s through her product or her service as a makeup artist) rather than following a standard playbook, Jo has proven that trusting your own 'feeling-first' philosophy is the key to creating a category of your own. Tune in to hear how honoring your...
Visual Equity: Celebrity Stylist Lo Von Rumpf on the ROI of Personal Branding
On this week’s episode, Cris sits down with celebrity stylist and host of The Lo Life, Lo Von Rumpf, to deconstruct the tactical evolution of building a strong personal brand. Lo takes us from his early days navigating the industry’s most exclusive rooms to the high-stakes strategy behind red-carpet brand placement. Whether you’re scaling a brand’s visibility or curious about the psychological mechanics of shaping a celebrity’s image through fashion, this episode is essential for anyone who is ready to hone in on their brand’s narrative.
New podcast episodes drop every Wednesday, ho...
How to Create a Beauty PR Launch That Lasts with Sara Tan
The beauty landscape is more vibrant than ever, and standing out requires more than just a big budget. It takes heart and strategy. This week, Cris sits down with a true industry authority: Sara Tan. As a seasoned beauty editor and co-host of the Gloss Angeles podcast, Sara shares her "sixth sense" for what makes a brand truly unforgettable. We explore how to build authentic connections that resonate, the magic found in the tiny details, and how brands of any size can win the hearts of the world’s top editors.
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Building Icons: Olga Fleming & Cris Gordon on the Future of Branding
What does it take to cut through the noise today? We’re joined by the CEO of MMC, Olga Fleming, and Head of MMC Beauty Cris Gordon. From the evolution of iconic campaigns to the secrets of running an award-winning agency, Olga and Cris share the strategic moves that define today’s industry leaders. Whether you’re building a brand or a business, this episode is a masterclass in standing out.
New podcast episodes drop every Wednesday, hosted by Cris Gordon, Head of Beauty at MMC.
🎙️ Subscribe on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube
👍 Follow @Brandidly_Speakin...
Loyal Audience to Scalable Empire: Jaclyn Johnson Tells All
For our debut episode, we are chatting all about the industry’s favorite buzzword. But let’s be brandid for a second here: Community is not something you can fake. You must cultivate it. That’s why we have none other than Jaclyn Johnson the founder of Create & Cultivate as our debut guest on Brandidly Speaking.
New podcast episodes drop every Wednesday, hosted by Cris Gordon, Head of Beauty at MMC.
🎙️ Subscribe on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube
👍 Follow @Brandidly_Speaking on Instagr...
What Most Brands Get Wrong About Community (Jaclyn Johnson Tells All)
Sneak Peak: Founder of Create & Cultivate, Jaclyn Johnson and What it Takes to Build Community
Community isn’t a strategy—it’s a commitment.
In this sneak peek of Brandidly Speaking, Jaclyn Johnson, founder of Create & Cultivate, joins Cris Gordon to unpack what brands consistently get wrong about community and what actually builds loyalty, trust, and staying power. The full episode is coming soon.
Why Brandidly Speaking Exists: Cutting Through the Noise in Modern Marketing
In this kickoff solo episode of Brandidly Speaking, host Cris Gordon, Head of Beauty at MMC, introduces herself and shares the why behind launching the podcast. Drawing from her experience as a founder, in-house brand leader, and agency executive, Cris offers candid commentary and early hot takes on what’s broken in modern marketing and what’s actually working. This episode sets the tone for the conversations ahead: earned-first thinking, real access, community over transactions, and building brands with clarity, conviction, and credibility. Consider this your invitation to pull up a seat at the table.
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Brandidly Speaking Trailer
Brandidly Speaking is a podcast for marketers, brand builders, and communicators where modern marketing gets real.
Hosted by Cris Gordon, Head of Beauty at MMC, each episode features candid conversations with founders, executives, creators, and cultural tastemakers reshaping their industries. Together, they break down what it really takes to build brands today: cutting through buzzwords to explore earned-first strategy, storytelling, community, influence, and growth. From the ROI of community to the transition from founder to CEO and navigating the creator economy, Brandidly Speaking offers a strategic roadmap for leaders to unlock your edge and shape what's next.
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