It's The "Finale" for The LinkedIn Branding Show - The Backstory + Even A Few Branding Tips

Speaker A: Welcome to the LinkedIn Branding show by Michelle Squared, the podcast empowering entrepreneurs, experts and small business owners to rise up and stand out as they build their personal and business brands on LinkedIn. Welcome back everybody to another episode. I'm one of your co hosts, Michelle B. Griffin.

Speaker B: And I'm, um, the other half of Michelle Squared, Michelle J. Raymond and Michelle Griffin. I've got a question this week which kind of makes me a little sad, kind of a little proud, kind of a little happy of everything that we've done together. But recently I've been kind of looking at everything that I've been doing, where I'm going, where the business is going, watching you grow and own your space. And what came into my mind was, should the LinkedIn branding show continue in its current form? Or, or are we just doing it, uh, because we don't want to let each other down and we will miss having catch ups and all of the people that have supported us. But I think we need to have a chat about the podcast and its future. Is that a fair kind of call on my behalf?

Speaker A: I'm glad you said it. You know, here to the listeners, you broached the, well, I think even a year ago you said, hey, maybe we should do ads. You know, just trying to think something different and maybe monetize. Cause we've been doing that at that point three years. And then in April we, our last March you brought it up. And then if listeners, you realize we went to every two weeks and we said, let's just see how it goes. And Michelle, WhatsApp made the other day because we're recording today and I said, let's talk about it. Here we are, and we're being transparent and honest. And I agree, we have both evolved and grown in the last four years, plus that we've been doing this. Isn't that nuts? And here's a lesson for listeners. You can't just keep, keep doing the status quo. You gotta grow and you gotta even talk about it and realize how far you grow. So let's get into it because it's a perfect lesson for us and our listeners.

Speaker B: It really is. And I can't believe how much we've changed. Our, uh, businesses have changed, the world has changed, LinkedIn has changed, AI has changed. Like in four years, it has just been absolutely crazy. And if you remember back in the beginning, we were like, do you think we'll have anything to talk about after a few episodes? Like, are, uh, there going to be enough changes with LinkedIn and branding for us to Keep a show going. I don't think either of us ever thought that over 200 episodes and four years later, we would still be talking about this stuff. I know I didn't.

Speaker A: Thanks to LinkedIn kind of being a, uh, you know what show. It has been perfect fodder. And of course, what I'm most proud to is the LinkedIn branding book. We updated it in 2025, and it is an evergreen branding book and guide, plus our workbook. But. And we've referenced that, but there's been so many changes. It's almost come m full circle with AI. We can talk about that latest update today in a minute, but I just think we've got to be proud and just keep growing and owning our space. Just owning it. Like you did five years ago with company pages. And now you're really getting tighter. I'm doing things, building apps and all these things and just growing my platform things, too, too. So it's kind of bittersweet, but it's not goodbye. Is that how you'd say it?

Speaker B: Oh, my God. As if the power of Michelle squared could ever say goodbye. That is not happening. Um, we are too good of friends that have gone through so much stuff to grow our businesses, grow our podcasts, grow as people. And the book is such an amazing tool that I still want everybody to go out there and grab it, because that is something that will help anyone getting started on LinkedIn, no matter what changes happen. And I think what's really important out of this conversation is to understand that whether we're talking about LinkedIn, whether we're talking about podcasting, newsletters, you name it, the foundations of building a brand, which is what the LinkedIn branding book talks about, have never gone out of fashion. They will always be what you need to come back to. And that's what I've been doing. It started. Do you remember a few episodes ago, I promised that I was going to go and update my LinkedIn profile because I hadn't been doing it? Well, this kind of started from there because I realized that was out of date. It reflected who I was, I'm gonna guess probably a couple of years ago. Like, it certainly wasn't where I was going. It was certainly confusing to people who landed there. And I had a conversation not that long ago with someone that said, what do you do, Michelle?

Speaker A: And I was like, really?

Speaker B: Oh, my God, this person.

Speaker A: Really? Wow.

Speaker B: This person has been connected with me. You know, we're not super close, but connected for, I reckon, three or four years. Like, so not a Short amount of time, not a new person.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: And that kind of flicked it for me. And I went, uh, oh, I've got to move that up my priority list. I have to go and update this. And then that started a whole bunch of, who am I? What do I want to be? What is B2B Growth Co? And Lil and I had conversations around that, around, like, what should our brand be? Who are we targeting? And a lot of questions that we hadn't stopped to ask in our own business because I was so busy asking it in everybody else's business.

Speaker A: Usually how it goes, a couple of

Speaker B: kids with no shoes or whatever that saying is. Uh, and so that's where it began. And just bit by bit, I was like, oh, I'm so off track with everything that's out there. I don't want to confuse people. And I even have my shirt on today, which.

Speaker A: Yes, that's your tagline. You confuse them, you lose them. Um, yeah.

Speaker B: So I had to. I wore it today because I was like, this is the message that I have to give myself.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: Just as much as people that listen to us.

Speaker A: I think also, too, not just that, but also, what lights you up. That's one of the number one things you'll hear me say, even with my clients, for me, just because you can do it, does it light you up? We've both done this and realized there have been lots of times in our businesses, maybe certain services or whatever, it didn't light us up. And it's not that this podcast doesn't light us up. I think we both realize, because our personalities and our ability to sometimes want to do too many things, we've got a laser focus ahead because we both have a big vision of where we want to go. And to go down to one podcast each would be, at least for me, tremendous. So I can really put a lot of effort into that. But I'm shocked, Michelle, that someone was confused on what you did. Like, I thought it was pretty clear, but maybe I know you so well and we talk, but, uh, you just never know. Isn't that the point?

Speaker B: And this is the importance of going back and, you know, getting other people to look at what you've got out there, because sometimes you're just so close to it, and you assume that because you're really active on LinkedIn, that people will always see that kind of stuff. And I might be active, but they may not be. And so this is the thing that you've got to keep in mind, listeners, if, you know there's a Lesson in here is we get sick of repeating the same thing over and over because we think it will upset people. They'll want to unsubscribe or unfollow from us. And actually the thing is they probably haven't even taken any notice that. And we have to keep repeating the same thing over and over again to the point where we're like, I don't think I should say this one more time. Yes, you should. You should keep going probably another hundred, 200 times. And that's an awkward feeling. And that's something that, yeah, I guess just refreshed it, you know, because the honest thing is, Michelle, like. And um, we've, we've spoken about this.

Speaker A: Mhm.

Speaker B: Towards the end of last year, I wanted to throw this all away.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: Like I had had enough. The algorithm was annoying me. I felt like it was stealing everything. Created this amazing self doubt, I think is what it was at the end of the day. And yeah, people are probably surprised going, but Michelle, like, really, you, you're always so happy, you're always this. And I was like, yeah, but even I am human.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: And it was hard. And you know, that's why I've done this soul searching to get things back on track in a way that works for me. And I know you've been through periods like that yourself.

Speaker A: Yeah, absolutely. And just having to deal with some other things in the business that kind of got stolen from underneath me. I won't go into details, you know what I'm talking about. And it's frustrating as hell. Stuff that you've built and I know you know, in certain ways, but you know, to your point, when you wanted to throw it away, and if listeners feel that way too, it could be a time to like I say, is it still lighting you up or is your branding so basic and generic? You've. You've gotten so broad that no one can get it. Going back to square one, to foundation and really doing those deep dives, deep talks, that really gives you the lift you need because I recently did that and I just feel so reinvigorated and knowing that North Star. And then I cut some things too. I'm like, I'm cutting this, I'm cutting that. I'm not doing this and just be laser focused. And to me that is the most refreshing thing. So that's the thing. You just have to take the time to stop, reassess, check in with yourself internally and then externally how you're messaging. And I know this comes full circle to the podcast and um, you know, maybe three months ago, I'd be like, no, we can't do it. But as we said, and that's another thing, when you have an idea, don't cut it. Right. Sometimes doing a knee jerk reaction is not the best thing. Give it a little tester or just a little like maybe in 90 days or whatever, test it out. And that's what we did 90 days ago. We went twice a month from weekly, and now 90 days later, I feel okay with it. Michelle, four years, 208 episodes or whatever this is. That's a lot. Most people don't even get past 10, they say on most podcasts.

Speaker B: Right, exactly. And the thing is, like, people might think, oh, we just get on here and have a chat for 15 minutes and it's all magic. But you know, the amount of effort that goes into the editing. So we have to give Lil a shout out. She does all the editing on our side when it's our turn and has been the one that's kept us so organized and on track, uh, because neither you or I possess that skill. So couldn't, uh, have done it with without Lil. So shout out to Lil, who's in the background. But very much has kept us going for a lot longer than probably you and I would have went by ourselves. So I just want to shout that out. But Michelle, the thing is, people won't miss us in podcasting. So if you love this podcast, the good news is we have two other podcasts that you can listen to. So you don't. You may miss out on Michelle Squared, but the power is still out there. Can you tell people about your podcast? Who's it aimed at? What do you talk about? And you know, what's the name of it so they can find it. And um, of course details are in the show notes.

Speaker A: I started my podcast in June 2021, I think yours shortly thereafter. So it is start being seen. And it's really the podcast aimed at women experts, authors, subject matter experts who are so ready to put themselves out there. I teach you all about personal branding, even LinkedIn, AI visibility, all the things that teach you. And my proprietary frameworks, of course, to all the things I have solo episodes, guest episodes. You know, Michelle, I didn't stay consistent. I'll be honest, after the first year, so there I should be farther along. But it's 115, 20 episodes, so there's a lot people tell me all the time. I love eliciting some of the back episodes because they're just so good and what I'm doing this is for my she's visible movement. I will be interviewing more women's stories because I think Michelle and you know this from your stuff, content is a commodity. We need the activation, the transfer information, the connection. So I'll have episodes that are short and actionable and then also interviewing women experts like how they did it because to me, I eat that stuff up, right? I can get content anywhere but just to hear from the words of someone how they did it. So that's what I have start being seen. I'll put the link in the show notes and uh, check it out because it's same old me, just without Michelle squared. But here's one thing we won't get rid of. Michellesquared.com Our book, it lives on there. Our book is still on Amazon. You can grab it. And who knows, maybe we'll show up here and there on another pop up episode. Right?

Speaker B: I reckon. So like we definitely can't say goodbye and the episodes won't be taken down like not at all. Because they help so many people. They always have. Um, I want to share about my podcast. So if you want to come and find my podcast, it's called social media for B2B growth. LinkedIn strategies for B2B marketing. So who should be listening to that? Anybody that's responsible for marketing within an organization. So marketing managers, social media managers, sometimes the CEO is responsible for it, you know, and essentially we're looking at how do you use LinkedIn to grow your business? And it's minus any of those silly bro hacks and stupid stuff that just infuriates me with people that are giving businesses the wrong advice. And so it's very practical. Still very much similar to the theme along our podcast together. Michelle, I believe that you should be better off after you've listened to it. You should be able to actually implement something that you've learned and it's something you come back for more. And like you sometimes solo episodes, sometimes guests. So I've been having some fun with, you know, global social media managers and CMOs that are actually doing the work and really highlighting that it's not so easy on LinkedIn. And this is the thing that I want people to understand. I don't care who you are in the world. LinkedIn isn't as easy as flicking a switch as much as people would have you believe that. And I've been doing it, what, 11 years or something now, and even I still have my dummy spit. So if you're out there wondering, it happens so social media for B2B growth is out there again. The details will be in the show notes. So we are still available. And of course, connect with us on LinkedIn if you're not already in a listener. Which back to the listeners, Michelle, that is why we have done this.

Speaker A: Yes.

Speaker B: For however long. As much as you and I love a good chat, this has always been about helping people around, um, the world.

Speaker A: Yeah.

Speaker B: And I think we can sit back with an immense amount of pride and say we have ticked that box and then some. Um, how amazing are our listeners? Like that part will probably. I'll probably start having a tear or something in a minute because I'm just, I'm a big softy when it comes to this. But saying there have been some people out there that have supported us from the beginning that are still here now that do things like post, they send us messages, they refer people to listen to us. I'm too scared to name them in case I miss somebody, but you know who you are.

Speaker A: You know you are. We immensely thank you. We couldn't have done it without you and we do it all for you. And yeah, the pride and joy of hearing people say, your podcast helps so much. And this and that, that is why we do it. And we have always said to win on LinkedIn and whatever winning means, everyone has their own definition. Right. But the backlog is still there. It's still evergreen. Michelle, we can learn so much. And even today there was an update on LinkedIn about the whole AI slot notification. Did you see that?

Speaker B: Yes, I sure did. Thank God. I actually thought it was fake. So there's a new feature where you can tag a post and say it's AI slop. So I thought that someone had invented that, thinking that it was just something that.

Speaker A: A joke.

Speaker B: Yeah, it would be fun.

Speaker A: Then I saw 50 episodes on that.

Speaker B: I think I've got it. I think I've got it on my account. And I was like, oh, it's real.

Speaker A: Uh, I don't have it yet, surprisingly. But I'm scared because it'll be used in the wrong hands. But we shall see. But, uh, anyway, but what I'm saying is we have a lot of evergreen. I mean, I think very few are just focused on like that latest update du jour, which there have been a lot in four years, but I would say a good 90 something percent of these episodes, maybe 95, are all just evergreen stuff you can take. I don't care if you listen to it four years ago or today. And actually some of the ones. And for fun, I might go back and listen to one of the early ones and just see what. That's incredible. I think we're. We've evolved a lot, both of us, and just. But I. I know our heart is always still there then and throughout it. And now, you know, it's truly why we care and what we do, what we do.

Speaker B: So we could talk for hours about this, and in some ways, I don't want to wrap this episode up, uh, because, you know, there's a kind of sadness that comes and a happiness like it is bittersweet. Like you said. I think we should wrap this up. Michelle, what is the thing you're most proud of with the LinkedIn branding show?

Speaker A: I think no matter what, we brought 200. I don't know, almost 10 episodes with the heart and spirit and soul of helping people find the good in LinkedIn, the human connection. You know, AI wasn't even here when we started. It came later that year, the ChatGPT. And I think our truly, our gift of just bringing out the best humanity and bringing people together, and that's still what a thread of LinkedIn can be. It's still there. It's what you make it, but just. It's the people, you know, the people we touched, we wrote the book for. We did the podcast too thick and thin and the days when we were, like, so stressed out. But I'm most proud of that, and I always will be. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for saying yes to this back in the day, first as an LinkedIn audio and then into the podcast and then the book. So thank you for saying yes to all three.

Speaker B: Oh, my God, it was just crazy thinking, like, I don't even listen to podcasts. I didn't even know what a podcast was back when we first started. Um, it is absolutely hilarious that I have two podcasts going for four years of someone that still doesn't really listen to them, but now understands the value. Because I realize now the loyalty that podcast listeners bring, the fact that they learn so much and they implement it, that they're real learners of the world, I think. And so, for me, I think what I love most is it's always been us. And we've been through some good times, bad times, in between times, times when we've had dummy spits, you know, for different reasons. Um, with the world or with our business or with our brand. With LinkedIn, like, we've had times when it's just been flying high. We've. I've gone Through Operation Rebrand. I don't know, it feels like a million times. And just the fact that we've done it, uh, as you said, with everybody else in mind and made a difference in the world, which is what we wanted to do. So I think we can tick that box well and truly. If you are listening to this episode and you have been a listener for a long time, do me a favor, uh, connect with us on LinkedIn and let us know what the podcast meant to you, because that would be a gift to us and I think that would be just amazing. So that's my actionable tip this week. Michelle, please send us a message and let us know if this podcast helped you. So I don't know if you have one, but yeah. What's your final actionable tip for now?

Speaker A: I think it's going to be what I've said for the last four years on this podcast and on mine, I sign out. You've got to keep putting yourself out there. You have brilliance and a contribution that makes a dent and has a perspective like no other. Especially with all the AI slop out there. Hearing you like no other is what the world needs. The people you're here for need. So keep putting yourself out there. That is going to be my battle cry and I'll do it officially to sign out in a minute, but that's, that's what I know for sure. I've seen it happen. And you've got brilliance the world needs. There you go.

Speaker B: Couldn't agree more. So on that note, Michelle, time to wrap up this episode for now. Like I said, I never say never that we won't be back to record every now and then. But, um, it's time. One last time.

Speaker A: For now, I'll take us home. All right, everybody, that's it for another episode. Until then, keep putting yourself out there. You have a brand to build, a business to grow, and people to impact. We'll catch you next time. Take care. Uh, thanks for tuning in today. More people like you need to be out there on LinkedIn building their personal and business brands. So we would be so honored if you could leave us a five star rating and review so we can create more impact with the Power of two. That's it for this week. Till next time. Connect with us on LinkedIn and keep putting yourself out there.