Her Business Playbook

For the first time in a decade, a McKinsey & Company Women in the Workplace 2025 Report reflects a shift in leadership sentiment: women are expressing less interest in being promoted than men. This is not due to a lack of capability, but rather a reaction to high levels of burnout (60% for senior-level women) and a perceived lack of support. 
The same struggles women faced yesterday in growing their personal brands as leaders are still holding us back today. In this episode of Her Business Playbook, we sit down with Barb Smoot, CEO, and Deepa Keller, COO, to explore how Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD) is moving the needle by helping women grow their personal brands as leaders by creating real pathways for influence, growth, and opportunity through chapters spread across 16 states.
You’ll discover:
- How WELD is helping women break through barriers through a power network that includes male advocates, corporate partners, volunteers, and paid staff
- Strategies to grow leadership and influence while juggling it all
- Insights into how Barb and Deepa balance leading a mission-driven organization with self-care
WELD isn’t just about networking. It’s about collective action, intentional development, and creating measurable impact for women leaders.
Connect with our guests:
Learn more about WELD: www.weldus.org
Follow Barb Smoot: Barbara Smoot | LinkedIn 
Follow Deepa Keller: Deepa Kellar | LinkedIn
 
The Her Business Play Podcast shares strategies from female-founded and led brands. New episodes drop on Tuesdays. Presented by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce.
Weekly Newsletter: Learn more and join our email list for bonus episodes and more tips from Game Changers here: https://www.herbusinessplaybook.com/ 
Watch episodes on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@HerBusinessPlaybookPodcast 
Listen on Apple Podcasts here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/her-business-playbook/id1871984872 
Follow on social
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/herbusinessplaybook/?viewAsMember=true 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herbusinessplaybook/
 

Most brand marketing leaders focus on the customer. The best ones start with their team.
In this episode of the Her Business Playbook podcast, Lori Abshire, AVP of Brand & Content Strategy at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, shares what it really takes to lead high-performing teams while stewarding a complex, mission-driven brand.
Lori unpacks 1) Why the voices of staff matter just as much as the voices of customers 2) How psychological safety fuels better ideas and stronger outcomes 3) The art of timing when delivering feedback and 4) The influence of her mother on her work ethic and resilience.
If you care about building cultures where people and brands thrive together, this conversation is worth your time.
[00:00] – Introduction to Lori Abshire Introduction of the guest and an overview of her background in brand strategy and leadership development.
[03:15] – Defining Brand Leadership Lori explains why "brand" starts from the inside out. She discusses the misconception that branding is purely visual and emphasizes that leadership behavior dictates brand perception.
[08:45] – The Internal Culture Connection A deep dive into how employee engagement directly impacts customer experience. Lori shares why a disconnected team is the biggest threat to a company’s reputation.
[14:30] – Hiring for Brand Alignment Strategies for identifying talent that fits your brand’s core values. Lori discusses looking beyond technical skills to find "culture adds" rather than just "culture fits."
[21:10] – Building Trust and Ownership How leaders can step back to let their teams lead. Lori talks about the "ownership mindset" and how to empower employees to make decisions that reflect the brand's promise.
[28:40] – Navigating Growth and Scaling The challenges of maintaining a cohesive brand identity as a company grows. Lori provides tips on keeping the "soul" of the business intact during rapid expansion.
[35:20] – Common Leadership Pitfalls Lori highlights the most frequent mistakes leaders make when trying to build a brand, including lack of transparency and "top-down" communication failures.
[42:15] – Actionable Steps for Today Lori provides three immediate actions leaders can take to improve team alignment and strengthen their brand leadership today.
[48:00] – Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Lori Final takeaways from the episode and information on how to connect with Lori Abshire and her work.
 
The Her Business Play Podcast shares strategies from female-founded and led brands. New episodes drop on Tuesdays. Presented by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce.
Weekly Newsletter: Learn more and join our email list for bonus episodes and more tips from Game Changers here: https://www.herbusinessplaybook.com/ 
Watch episodes on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@HerBusinessPlaybookPodcast 
Listen on Apple Podcasts here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/her-business-playbook/id1871984872 
Follow on social:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/herbusinessplaybook/?viewAsMember=true 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herbusinessplaybook/ 

Community First: Data-driven, not data-bound.
In this new Her Business Playbook interview, Lisa Gutierrez, CEO of Dos Hermanos, teaches how the strongest brands grow by pairing insight with instinct, and by staying deeply rooted in the communities they serve.
Lisa breaks down how Dos Hermanos has become one of the fastest growing inner city-based businesses in the U.S.by 1) Letting data guide the what 2) Letting values guide the how and 3) Investing deeply in community as a place to gather, connect, and belong.
The strongest brands don’t just serve customers, they serve people.
Episode Topic Markers:
[00:44] Introduction of Lisa Gutierrez
[01:46] Early Influences and Personal Branding
[04:47] The Founding Leap of Faith
[08:04] The Turning Point (Service vs. Profit)
[11:21] Brand Persona and "Growing with Soul" [16:44] Modern Marketing and Digital Presence.
[20:56] Team Dynamics and Leadership:
[25:13] Being Data-Driven but Not Data-Bound
[30:46] Fumbles and Recoveries:
[33:57] Future Outlook and Legacy
The Her Business Play Podcast shares strategies from female-founded and led brands. New episodes drop on Tuesdays. Presented by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce.
Weekly Newsletter: Learn more and join our email list for bonus episodes and more tips from Game Changers here: https://www.herbusinessplaybook.com/ 
Watch episodes on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@HerBusinessPlaybookPodcast 
Listen on Apple Podcasts here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/her-business-playbook/id1871984872 
Follow on social
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/herbusinessplaybook/?viewAsMember=true 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herbusinessplaybook/

Lisa Ingram, CEO & Board Chair of White Castle, the world’s first fast food hamburger chain, provides a “masterclass” on how to create memorable moments to scale a brand with impact. She emphasizes the importance of getting on the same page with your CEO, using a checklist to test and evaluate unique ideas, and getting loyal customers involved in the process. This episode is perfect for: Founders, corporate leaders, and brand builders looking to scale smart. Listeners will hear Lisa discuss: How to scale a business without losing brand authenticity; The role of memorable brand moments in driving loyalty and growth; Leading with values in a multi-generational, family-owned organization; Navigating leadership as a woman at the helm of a nationally recognized brand; and Insights into Lisa's morning routine and biggest pet peeves.
Watch the episode on YouTube here
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New episodes of Her Business Playbook drops each Tuesday. Be sure to follow us so you never miss an episode!
Presenting sponsor: Columbus [Ohio] Chamber of Commerce
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Her Business Playbook shares strategies for growing winning brands.
Guest interviews showcase Game Changers, entrepreneurs, corporate leaders and coaches, who discuss career journeys, the X's and O's of brand marketing and leadership tips to help you make bold moves with purpose, creativity and consistency. Each episode covers the wins, the losses, the pivots, the fumbles and the recoveries that make brand marketing both challenging and worth it. If you're growing or reinventing a personal or enterprise brand, this is your place to get connected, informed and inspired!
Listen and watch the full episodes now by visiting Her Business Playbook on YouTube.
Listen to the Her Business Playbook on Apple Podcasts https://lnkd.in/gjyzTW4Q
Visit herbusinessplaybook.com to view episodes and learn more about the Playbook.
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