Brand isn’t just a logo or a marketing line item—it’s the foundation of your business. In this episode of Beyond the Billboard, host Greg Wise sits down with Bill Kenney, CEO and partner at Focus Lab, to unpack what it really means to build a brand that sticks. Drawing from 15+ years leading a B2B branding agency, Bill explains why brand is not a marketing expense, but a business pillar. He outlines how performance-only thinking creates a short-term hamster wheel, and how companies can break free by investing in identity, culture, and long-term affinity. From Series B tech startups to M&A transformations, Bill shares what signals show a company is ready for a rebrand—and what red flags say otherwise. For marketers trying to earn executive trust, this conversation is a roadmap to internal alignment and sustainable growth.

👤 Guest Bio

Bill Kenney is the CEO and partner at Focus Lab, a B2B brand agency helping high-growth startups and venture-backed companies define and express their boldest, most original selves. He brings more than 15 years of experience evolving businesses from generic design shops into strategic branding partners. Bill is also the author of Conquer Your Rebrand, which outlines Focus Lab’s full branding process for CMOs and CEOs.

👉 Connect with Bill on LinkedIn

📌 What We Cover

• Why performance marketing alone creates a rat race of short-term returns
• The evolution from creative-led marketing to finance-driven metrics—and back again
• How brand drives recruitment, internal alignment, and long-term customer affinity
• What brand really means beyond the website—"it's literally everything"
• Focus Lab’s analogy of branding as building a house, not just decorating one
• Key pain points that signal it’s time for a rebrand (e.g., M&A, growth-stage gaps)
• What happens when internal teams don’t have the time or alignment for brand work
• Real client stories from Totango, TrustedSec, and Marketo
• Why Bill thinks of LinkedIn as his own out-of-home billboard

🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Scrappy ABM Podcast
• Conquer Your Rebrand by Bill Kenney
• Focus Lab

Independent agencies are thriving in a tough economy—but not for the reasons you might expect. Hosts Charlie Riley and Greg Wise sit down with Daniel Weiner from "You Should Talk To" to explore why nimbleness and speed give smaller agencies a real edge. Daniel shares sharp insights into what brands often misunderstand about agency relationships and the specific challenges marketers face when trying to communicate value to executives. This episode dives into the tension between full-service solutions and specialization, the return to brand storytelling, and why not every marketing effort needs to be a win to be worth it.

Daniel Weiner is the founder of "You Should Talk To," a service helping brands pair with agencies that match their specific needs. He focuses on connecting marketers with independent agencies based on relationship quality and expertise, not just reputation or size. Daniel brings deep knowledge from both the agency and brand sides, giving him a unique lens into what makes these partnerships work. LinkedIn

• The current landscape for independent agencies in today’s economy
• Why nimbleness and speed are key advantages of independents
• The tension between specialization and full-service offerings
• Common misconceptions brands have about agencies
• What challenges brands face in today’s marketing landscape
• The shift back toward brand marketing and storytelling
• Accepting that not all agency work will succeed, and why that’s normal
• How marketers struggle to explain marketing realities to executives

In this episode of Beyond the Billboard, hosts Charlie Riley and Greg Wise welcome Chantelle Rapport, CMO and EVP of Growth at Upstart, to discuss the evolving landscape of brand and performance marketing. They explore how brand extends beyond marketing campaigns to encompass every customer touchpoint, why the separation between brand and performance is artificial, and strategies for measuring long-term brand investments.

Best Moments:

• (00:50) Introduction to Upstart, an AI marketplace connecting borrowers with lenders
• (02:28) Chantelle’s belief that brand and performance marketing are interrelated, not separate
• (04:50) Internal marketing’s role in brand building across the entire organization
• (07:44) Navigating conversations with CFOs about investing in brand marketing
• (12:48) The scrutiny marketers face compared to other business functions
• (16:42) How consumer behavior is changing, leading to digital marketing fatigue
• (20:40) The impact of AI on search and consumer research behaviors
• (23:44) The resurgence of creativity in marketing and its importance in brand building
• (25:09) How AI and data will enhance traditional creative marketing approaches

Guest Bio

Chantelle Rapport is the Chief Marketing Officer and EVP of Growth at Upstart, an AI-powered lending platform that uses over 1,500 variables in its underwriting process to expand access to credit. With a self-described “nontraditional” marketing background that gives her a more analytical perspective, Chantelle oversees brand marketing, performance marketing, creative, and growth product at Upstart. She believes in taking a holistic approach to brand building that spans every customer touchpoint and experience.