Making the Brand
Joel Mathew, Founder and CEO of Chicago-based digital marketing firm, Fortress Consulting, sits down with clients to talk about how they got their start, and what led them to where they are today. You will learn all about entrepreneurship, sales, advertising, branding, and more.
Episodes
15 episodes
Soccer, Service, and Storytelling ft. Andy McDermott
In this episode of Making the Brand, Andy McDermott shares his remarkable journey from professional soccer player to law enforcement officer, full-time actor, and now a leader in youth sports and community development. He discusses his passion ...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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47:08
Why Do Most Businesses Fail? ft. Joel Mathew
In our first episode of Making the Brand featuring Chad Swieca as a full co-host, he and Joel go way back to not only the roots of Fortress Consulting Group, but also Joel's life roots and the influences that led to the agency as we know it tod...
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31:05
Building Soccer Skills & Strengthening Community, ft. Chad Swieca
Meet Chad. Chad Swieca is the owner of River Light FC, a new USL soccer club that's based in Aurora, Illinois. He is a former collegiate and international professional soccer player who has turned that love of the game into an entrepreneurship ...
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25:40
From Hip-Hop to Financial Empowerment, ft. Carl West
Listen to a new episode of Making the Brand as we sit down with the visionary entrepreneur, Carl West. Carl, a prominent figure in media and leadership development, is the mastermind behind Chicago's first and only hip-hop awards, a groundbreak...
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22:23
Chasing Dreams and Chasing Storms, a Meteorologist's Journey, ft. Cheryl Scott
For this special episode of Making the Brand, we welcomed Cheryl Scott, meteorologist for ABC7 in Chicago and friend of Fortress. While you may know Cheryl's face from the TV as she forecasts the ever-unpredictable Chicago weather, now is your ...
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17:28
Keep the Faith: How the Holy Post Podcast is Reshaping Modern Christian Discourse, ft. Jon Houghton
For this special episode of Making the Brand, host Joel Mathew was joined by friend of Fortress and CEO of The Holy Post. Joel and Jon talk about the big vision for the Holy Post to become a media conglomerate that is unafraid to think Christia...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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21:23
Master Your Money: Insights From a Financial Trailblazer, ft. Terry Savage
Author, nationally-syndicated host, and financial trailblazer, Terry Savage, has been on a quest to demystify personal finance for decades. Now, she’s in the giving back stage, looking for ways to help anyone get on track to reach their fina...
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29:11
All Gas, No Brakes: Lessons on Leadership and Life, ft. Bill Watkins
Looking for motivation? You won't want to miss this one. Making the Brand is back with a continuation of last week's conversation with our friends at Give'r. This time however, it is less about the brand itself and more about big picture life l...
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26:32
Give'r Your All: An Inside Look at an Outside Brand, ft. Bubba Albrecht
Give'r and Fortress have built a strong relationship over the past year or mutual motivation. With countless hours of strategy and execution, all tailored toward the goal of solidifying their brand identity and increasing their sales, it ...
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23:59
Startup to Success: How a Female-Led Software Company Made Their Name, ft. Jill Cotton
Jill Cotton is the President of IROL, a software company specializing in Fire Prevention and Risk Reduction Services. We sat down with Jill to ask her a few questions about building her business and then making a name for it, something that's a...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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18:50
The Journey of Self-Improvement, ft. Exec. Coach Marlene McCallum
Marlene McCallum is a skilled executive coach who works with Fortress CEO Joel Mathew. The two sat down together to discuss life’s most important lessons; among these are that humans are not fixed and can evolve and change to become better l...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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19:17
How to Maximize Positivity in Business, ft. Aleksandar Zafirovski
In episode four of Making the Brand, Joel sat down with Aleksandar Zafirovski of Northwestern Medicine. He is an entrepreneurial mind within the healthcare industry, making him the perfect Fortress partner. Over the past several years, Fortress...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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25:15
Trust the Marketing Process, ft. David Adam
The marketing journey is never a straight line. David Adam, friend and client of Fortress and leader at MidAmerica Orthopaedics, sat down with Joel to talk about their philosophies on marketing after having worked together for multiple years. T...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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22:31
How to Run a Successful Law Firm, ft. Jon Walner
Jon Walner is an energetic and passionate lawyer who channels this spirit into achieving justice for his clients. Fortress has developed a strong relationship with his firm, Walner Law, having worked on their website, branding, and many many...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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47:02
13th Bridge: Branding, Community, and Video Games
Summary:Guest Ryan Weldon is all about community and culture. In other words, he’s the kind of guy to wear sneakers to his own wedding. In this first episode of Making the Brand, Joel Mathew sits down with his good friend and busi...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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1:00:23