UNF*DGE Your Marketing
The podcast where we talk about what really happens when marketing doesn’t go according to plan.
Browse episodes:
Type of Interview
Simplifying Sales and Marketing – Real Talk on Process, Mindset, and Results
Episode 80
In this episode, Kristi Mitchell switches roles and becomes the guest while sales expert Brian McDonald leads the conversation. They openly discuss the challenges and lessons that come with balancing marketing and sales as a business owner. Key themes include overcoming the fear of rejection in sales, the importance of having a clear and actionable sales process, and why simply doing more isn’t always better. Listeners will get valuable insights on how to simplify both marketing and sales, create structure around follow-ups, and the power of guiding prospects toward decisions without relying on high-pressure tactics or automation.
Authentication & Deliverability: Why Your Emails Aren’t Reaching Inboxes & How to Fix It
Episode 79
Marketing strategist Kristi Mitchell talks with email marketing expert Karen Grill about the costly mistakes business owners make with email marketing, especially around email authentication and deliverability. They unpack the critical changes made by Gmail and Yahoo, discuss best practices for maintaining a clean email list, and give actionable tips for avoiding the spam folder while building trust and engagement with your subscribers. If your business relies on email for marketing or sales, this conversation is packed with must-know insights.
2026 Marketing Checklist – Four Essentials for Sustainable Growth
Episode 78
Kick off your 2026 marketing with a strategic checklist designed to help you grow sustainably and stand out in a noisy market. Allyssa shares the most common marketing pitfalls from the past year, including the dangers of generic content, the need for authentic messaging, and the importance of grounding your efforts in strategy. You’ll learn why email marketing is still essential and how to avoid burnout by phasing in new tactics instead of taking on too much at once. Perfect for business owners who want to start strong and avoid overwhelm, this episode is packed with actionable tips to help you unfudge your marketing plan for the new year.
Finding Focus: How to Simplify Your Marketing and Get Results
Episode 77
Kristi Mitchell chats with Susan Harper, founder of Sharper Creative, about the realities of building a marketing strategy for service providers who have grown through referrals and relationships. Key themes include learning from marketing missteps, navigating the overwhelm of choosing platforms like LinkedIn, rebranding challenges, the value of repurposing content, and experimenting with creative outreach such as direct mail. Listeners will hear candid lessons about focusing on the right audience, managing bandwidth, building sustainable systems, and finding ways to stand out in a crowded attention economy.
Master the Marketing Basics, Then Find the Right Execution Partner
Episode 76
Join Kristi Mitchell as she chats with Barbara and Elisa of Homemade Events about their marketing journey, sharing the real struggles and lessons they faced while scaling their event planning business. This episode highlights the importance of understanding your own marketing strategy before outsourcing, how investing in your own education pays off, and the value of building trust with partners and yourself. If you’ve ever wondered whether you should hire out your marketing or learn the ropes yourself, this candid conversation is packed with practical takeaways to help you grow your business.
From Zero Clients to Consistent Sales: The Power of Patience
Episode 75
In this episode of UnF*dge Your Marketing, Kristi Mitchell sits down with Scarlett Stanhope, the “Biz Hippie” and money and abundance coach, to talk about early business struggles, launching mistakes, and the lessons learned along the way. Scarlett shares her journey from launching her first program with zero sales to eventually building a successful business rooted in clarity, audience-building, and self-confidence. Key themes include the importance of consistent marketing, building a solid organic foundation before running paid ads, staying patient with your growth, and making small, strategic tweaks instead of constant overhauls. Listeners will find actionable advice on investing in themselves, growing their audience, and owning their value as business owners.
Email Marketing Mistakes Holding You Back and How to Fix Them
Episode 74
Discover candid conversations around common email marketing mistakes, finding your authentic voice, and overcoming the fear of vulnerability with Kristi Mitchell and Joanne Homestead. They explore the importance of alignment in your marketing, share strategies for balancing how much you reveal about yourself, and explain why true connection with your audience starts with what feels right for you. Packed with practical tips on nurturing your email list, building trust, and making marketing less daunting, this episode uncovers actionable lessons for soulful business owners and coaches looking to make a genuine impact.
Creating Your Unique Signal: Standing Out in an AI-Powered World
Episode 73
On this episode of UnF*dge Your Marketing, Steven Larmer joins Kristi Mitchell to talk about how business owners and coaches can avoid common mistakes when using AI in their branding and marketing. They explore why alignment and authenticity matter in building a memorable brand, and discuss the dangers of relying too heavily on AI-generated content without infusing personal perspective and truth. The conversation highlights lessons learned from real-world marketing experiments, the importance of genuine connections, and practical advice for creating content that truly reflects your brand’s unique voice.
Small Groups, Big Impact - How Personal Outreach Fuels Marketing Success
Episode 72
Join Kristi Mitchell and Kerry Dobson in Episode 72 of UnF*dge Your Marketing as they discuss the common marketing misstep of relying on passive market research through email newsletters, instead of direct outreach for feedback. Hear lessons about the power of personalized conversations, the importance of clarity in your ask, and how to cultivate genuine relationships for successful group programs. This episode highlights the value of quality, actionable insights over sheer numbers, and encourages transparency, vulnerability, and setting parameters when gathering feedback to fuel real growth.
Contracted for Results, Delivered Disappointment: Navigating Provider Expectations
Episode 71
On this episode of UnF*dge Your Marketing, Kristi Mitchell sits down with mindset coach Suzanne Longstreet to uncover the real-life challenges entrepreneurs face when hiring marketing support. Suzanne opens up about her personal experience navigating a health crisis while trusting a marketing professional who ultimately failed to deliver. Together, Kristi and Suzanne explore the importance of clear expectations, aligning on deliverables versus outcomes, and learning from setbacks. The conversation covers communication pitfalls, the value of measurable results, and how letting go of perfectionism can empower business growth—essential insights for any business owner seeking better marketing partnerships.
Why Marketing Pros Need Outside Help Too - Lessons from the Field
Episode 70
In this episode of UnF*dge Your Marketing, Kristi Mitchell chats with Anne Gillespie about the common marketing mistakes business owners make, especially around strategy and execution. Anne shares valuable lessons from her years running Fix and Form and 10 to Launch, emphasizing why even marketing professionals should hire external help for their own marketing and branding. The conversation highlights the importance of solid strategy before jumping into execution, the differences between graphic and copy-focused social media management, and using AI tools to streamline workflows without losing the human touch. Listeners will pick up practical tips on hiring, leveraging strengths, and building stronger brands.
Strengths-Based Business & Marketing: Amplify What Makes You Shine
Episode 69
Heather Kay joins host Kristi Mitchell to share her marketing journey, focusing on lessons learned from hiring a marketing consultant and navigating clear deliverables. Topics include the importance of setting strong expectations, effective communication, and the value of identifying your strengths to make a bigger impact. Heather and Kristi discuss strategies for leveraging personal talents, the power of networking, and avoiding common pitfalls when outsourcing marketing tasks. This episode is packed with practical advice for service-based business owners who want to avoid marketing mishaps and create collaborative partnerships that drive results.
Why Clear Agreements Matter: Learning from a Misaligned Partnership
Episode 68
On this episode of UnF*dge Your Marketing, Kristi Mitchell sits down with video expert Dan Bennett to unpack a tough lesson from a misaligned agency partnership. Dan shares his experience with hiring too soon, the pitfalls of in-kind service trades, and what happens when communication and boundaries aren’t clear. Together, they discuss the importance of setting milestones, holding vendors accountable, and learning to give yourself grace when things go sideways. If you want real stories and practical advice for avoiding marketing mishaps, tune in for candid conversation and actionable takeaways.
How Real Stories (Not Bots) Build Trust and Business Growth
Episode 67
Renee Frojo joins Kristi Mitchell to share a candid story about a social media outsourcing mishap that threatened her brand’s reputation. They discuss the risks of outsourcing engagement, especially when using low-cost services or AI tools, and why authentic, personal interaction is key for building trust online. The conversation offers practical advice on what marketing activities to keep in-house, how to shift your mindset to enjoy marketing, and the importance of telling your own story to connect with your audience. Listeners will walk away with actionable tips for creating genuine engagement and avoiding common marketing pitfalls.
Staying True to Yourself in Marketing - Lessons from the Stage
Episode 66
In this episode of UnF*dge Your Marketing, host Kristi Mitchell chats with Ely Delaney, the "People Whisperer" and creator of the Follow Up Rockstar system. Ely shares a powerful story about a public speaking setback that pushed him to embrace his unique style instead of following advice that didn’t feel authentic. Themes covered include the importance of staying true to your core values in marketing, recognizing the difference between discomfort and misalignment, and why authenticity attracts the right clients. Listeners will gain valuable insights on learning from marketing missteps and how to show up as themselves to make a genuine impact.
Burned by Bad Marketing? Tips for Choosing Partners Who Deliver
Episode 65
Kristi Mitchell welcomes marketing expert Ben Albert for a candid conversation about common marketing mistakes business owners face, especially those who've been burned by flashy but ineffective marketing providers. Together, they unpack the dangers of one-size-fits-all solutions, the importance of trust and hands-on, tailored marketing strategies, and how to spot red flags when hiring a marketing partner. You’ll also hear practical advice on evaluating potential marketing vendors, questions to ask during discovery calls, and ways to build genuine value before making a hiring decision. This episode is all about helping business owners avoid marketing missteps and find approaches that truly align with their unique needs.
When “Handing It Off” Fails: How to Take Back Your Marketing
Episode 64
Join host Kristi Mitchell as she chats with growth expert Mara Whitener about the often-overlooked pitfalls of outsourcing marketing and the importance of operational clarity for CEOs. Mara shares hard-earned lessons from her own journey, including the challenges of finding the right marketing support, the consequences of vague messaging, and the value of customizing solutions to fit your unique business. Discover why you can't just “hand off” your marketing, how to get your content to sound like you, and actionable advice on building systems that let you grow your business on your own terms. Perfect for entrepreneurs ready to move beyond word-of-mouth growth and take control of their marketing.
Patience, Persistence, and Picking What Works: An Interior Designer's Journey
Episode 63
Award-winning interior designer Cristiana Crin joins host Kristi Mitchell to share her candid experiences navigating the challenges of marketing her business, Perpetuum Designs. From learning hard lessons about costly website and SEO mistakes to the importance of self-advocacy and patience, Cristiana reflects on the realities entrepreneurs face when hiring marketing providers. Key themes include the need for due diligence with vendors, aligning marketing tactics to your business model, and building resilience in the face of setbacks. This episode is a valuable listen for business owners seeking practical lessons and inspiration on overcoming marketing pitfalls.
5 Marketing F*dges to Fix Before Year-End: Evolving Your Marketing Plan Over Time - Don’t Set It & Forget It
Episode 62
Learn why a “set it and forget it” approach to marketing can stall your growth, and discover the importance of treating your marketing strategy as a living, evolving process. Christy Mitchell wraps up her 5-part Q4 Kickstart series with actionable advice on how to regularly review, refresh, and optimize your marketing efforts—whether that’s quarterly, twice a year, or annually. Get inspired by real client stories, practical tips for setting review cadences, and ways to keep your messaging and tactics aligned with changing market trends and audience needs. Perfect for mission-driven service providers who want to finish the year strong and set themselves up for a successful future.
5 Marketing F*dges to Fix Before Year-End: Avoiding Costly Marketing Mistakes - Fixing Your Funnel Before Fueling Your Fire
Episode 61
Kristi Mitchell unpacks the "Magic Bullet Fudge," a common marketing mistake where business owners treat tactics like paid advertising or lead generation services as quick fixes for deeper marketing issues. She highlights the importance of building a strong organic marketing foundation—focusing on your website, email marketing, and social media—before investing in ads. Kristi shares real-world examples and actionable advice on how a solid, strategy-first approach is essential for sustainable business growth, urging listeners to move beyond shortcuts and invest in a holistic marketing plan.