This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who wants to build a marketing plan that actually walks the walk through every stage of the buyer’s journey.

In part 2 of our conversation, I chat with Stephanie Roland and Michael Ray, lead strategists at Accelity, to map out what it really takes to create marketing that works from first impression to closed deal, and beyond.

We dig into what marketers need to consider at each phase of the buyer journey—from building awareness campaigns that actually resonate (spoiler: it starts with empathy, not asks), to guiding your audience through the consideration stage with smart, targeted strategies. They explore how trust and proof points play a critical role in influencing decisions, how to tailor your approach to emotional versus tactical buyers, and how to create low-lift but high-impact conversion moments.

From aligning with sales to crafting transparent demos, this episode is packed with ideas you can use to start building a marketing plan that connects—and converts.

Michael is the Strategic Marketing Director at Accelity, where he's spent almost four years helping companies build interconnected marketing and advertising strategies that build brands and deliver leads. With more than fifteen years of strategy and advertising experience, he works to build innovative and creative, data-driven strategies for clients and also specializes in tracking, reporting, and optimization of their campaigns.

Stephanie is the Brand and Marketing Director at Accelity, specializing in brand strategy. She’s partnered with clients across non‑profit, B2C, and B2B sectors, and most of her B2B work—until recently—focused on B2B SaaS. Her core focuses include brand strategy, content strategy and advertising strategy, ensuring every campaign tells a compelling story and delivers results.

Website

LinkedIn – Michael

LinkedIn – Stephanie

• Podcast: Crafting a strategic marketing blueprint w/ Michael Ray and Stephanie Roland, lead strategists at Accelity (Pt. 1)
• Podcast: The step-by-step process of a successful rebrand w/ Abby Bruckner & Michelle Breen, lead creatives at Accelity (Pt.2)
• Podcast: Why most marketing programs fail

💡 Submit your topics for the podcast: https://www.jackiehermes.com/connect

👋 Learn more about the podcast: ​​www.jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please consider leaving a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts!

💛 Production support is provided by Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

✉️ Hit me up!

This episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship is for anyone who’s tired of throwing spaghetti at the wall with their marketing—and wants it to finally stick.

My guests are Michael Ray and Stephanie Roland, lead strategists at Accelity, who approach marketing from two different but equally valuable angles—performance and brand. We dig into what it really means to build a marketing plan from the ground up, how to align with your sales team, and why brand is the foundation every business needs before launching anything new.

We also cover what to do when you’re the whole marketing department (hi, solopreneurs), how to handle unrealistic expectations from the C-suite, and why investing in a plan now saves you from scrambling later.

P.S. Check out Part 2 next week for a refreshingly honest convo about marketing that balances art with science!

Michael is the Strategic Marketing Director at Accelity, where he's spent almost four years helping companies build interconnected marketing and advertising strategies that build brands and deliver leads. With more than fifteen years of strategy and advertising experience, he works to build innovative and creative, data-driven strategies for clients and also specializes in tracking, reporting, and optimization of their campaigns.

Stephanie is the Brand and Marketing Director at Accelity, specializing in brand strategy. She’s partnered with clients across non‑profit, B2C, and B2B sectors, and most of her B2B work—until recently—focused on B2B SaaS. Her core focuses include brand strategy, content strategy and advertising strategy, ensuring every campaign tells a compelling story and delivers results.

Website

LinkedIn – Michael

LinkedIn – Stephanie

• Podcast: What if we launched a buzz-worthy campaign? w/ Michael Ray, Strategic Marketing Director at Accelity
• Podcast: Rewriting the relationships between sales, marketing and buyers w/ Chris Heard, CEO of Olive
• Podcast: Can marketing replace sales?

💡 Submit your topics for the podcast: https://www.jackiehermes.com/connect

👋 Learn more about the podcast: ​​www.jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please consider leaving a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts!

💛 Production support is provided by Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

✉️ Hit me up!

LinkedIn

Instagram

Want to show up more confidently and make your voice heard in business? This episode’s for you.

In this episode of The Art of Entrepreneurship, I’m talking about how your voice is something you build over time through observation, preparation, and asking the right questions.

Whether you're early in your career, quiet in meetings, or just figuring out how to contribute in a room full of big shots, we all start somewhere. I share what it was like to navigate finding my own voice when I first entered the consulting world working with high-powered execs, and how I learned that speaking up isn’t always the first step—it’s listening with intention.

Tune in to hear why asking smart questions can be more powerful than having all the answers, and how being prepared and curious is the first step toward making your voice heard.

Shout out to my son Arri for editing this episode. 💛

• Podcast: Succeed at work by embracing your identity & power w/ Tricia Montalvo Timm, business leader, author and speaker
• Podcast: Genuine connection & straight talk w/ Amy Volas, Founder & CEO, Avenue Talent Partners
• Podcast: How do I overcome imposter syndrome?

💡 Submit your topics for the podcast: https://www.jackiehermes.com/connect

👋 Learn more about the podcast: ​​www.jackiehermes.com/podcast

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please consider leaving a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts!

💛 Production support is provided by Accelity, a full-service marketing agency for bold people growing bold companies.

✉️ Hit me up!

LinkedIn

Instagram

TikTok

Website