Carey Balogh (Founder & CEO) and Lauren Genest (Partner & President) of Brand Groupies join Chris for a high-energy conversation about the power of branding, PR, and storytelling. Celebrating 10 years in business, the duo shares how they’ve grown their agency, what they’ve learned about building strong teams, and how their passion for music (including Carey’s band Mama Drama) influences their approach to business and life.

You’ll hear how they’ve embraced change in a fast-moving industry, why podcasts and PR tours are game changers, and why “Sally in accounting” should never run your company’s social media.

Brand Groupies: https://www.brandgroupies.com

Follow Brand Groupies on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandgroupies

Connect with Carey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/careybalogh

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-genest-11437982/

Mama Drama (Band): https://mamadramaband.com

Topics we covered:

• Carey and Lauren’s origin stories and how Brand Groupies was born
• The meaning behind the name “Brand Groupies” and celebrating 10 years in business
• Lessons from music and Carey’s band Mama Drama that shape how they run their agency
• Navigating massive industry changes in PR, social media, and marketing
• The evolution of podcasts as a PR and business growth tool
• Finding the right team members and maintaining strong company culture
• Why social media strategy deserves more than just a “recent grad” or “Sally from accounting”
• The power of energy, clear roles, and collaboration in running a successful business
• Carey and Lauren’s favorite Mama Drama songs and the band’s recent trip to Nashville
• What they wish more clients understood about branding and social media