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“If you deleted your logo, your fonts, you colors tomorrow would anyone still be able to explain what you do and why you do it and if not you don't have a brand yet. You have a look.”
On this episode of Startups in Stilettos, Carlyn Bushman and Ingrid Zapata-Read sit down with Emily Dean, founder of Bolt & Bloom, to talk about the evolution of a brand, the transition from corporate marketing to entrepreneurship, and why great branding goes far beyond logos, fonts, and colors.
After more than 15 years working in entertainment and corporate marketing—including campaigns for brands and properties like RuPaul’s Drag Race, Yellowstone, the MTV VMAs, and Fortune 500 companies—Emily made the leap into entrepreneurship. She shares what it was like to leave behind a corporate identity, redefine success on her own terms, and ultimately realize that her previous experience wasn’t something she needed to leave behind—it was part of what made her uniquely qualified to serve women founders.
What We Talked About:
05:24 Building a New Founder Identity [5:24]
12:52 Infusing Personality into Your Brand [12:52]
22:54 Refresh or Rebrand? [22:54]
28:29 Brand Diagnostic and Reset [28:29]
31:15 One Action to Strengthen Your Brand [31:15]
Connect with Emily:
@mledean on Instagram
Emily Dean on LinkedIn
Connect with Ingrid:
@itsingridsworld on Instagram
Ingrid Zapata-Read on Linkedin
Connect with Carlyn:
@carlynbushmanconsulting on Instagram
Carlyn Bushman on LinkedIn
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Guests
Emily Dean
Hosts
Carlyn Bushman
Carlyn Bushman is a seasoned business consultant, entrepreneur, and advocate for female founders. She founded POP Business Academy to empower women entrepreneurs with tools for building sustainable, profitable businesses. As CEO of Carlyn Bushman Consulting, she specializes in helping product- and service-based business owners navigate financials, marketing, and growth strategies. With extensive corporate experience, Carlyn, a mom in a blended family and lifelong learner, has been featured on Good Morning America and in Times Square. She's here to help you make money and stay in business.
Ingrid Zapata Read
Grow With Community
Ingrid Zapata Read is a community strategist and founder of Grow With Community. She helps businesses get closer to the people they serve and build stronger, more intentional relationships around their mission.
After building a global community for moms of over 200,000 members, and through her experience in sales, startups, and customer experience, Ingrid brings a people-first perspective to growth across industries. She’s known for her thoughtful, practical approach and believes community building should be a part of every business strategy.
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