Two Rockstars, One Podcast: L. Michelle Smith talks to Ted Rubin

Ian Truscott | Rockstar CMO

his month two of our favorite Rockstar CMOs got together, as L. Michelle Smithwelcomed Ted Rubin to The Culture Soup podcast to talk personal branding. Here we share why we’re shouting for an encore.

L. Michelle Smith – who recently sat down with me for a Backstage Q&A – has launched a podcast, and it’s definitely worth a listen. As diverse as The Cultural Soup title suggests, each episode takes you on a new journey, whether it’s exploring the world of marketing tech start-ups,  standing in respect at Aretha Franklin’s funeral or taking a seat in the salon chair to hear about the pioneers of black hair care.

In this episode, Michelle invites Ted Rubin to her show. Listening to and then watching them was a joy (you can view the uncut version on Youtube), these guys clearly practice what they preach. Ted’s passion for relationships shines through, while Michelle’s wonderfully positive interpretation of the Internet – a place that has been so derided and misused recently – as ‘The Cultural Soup’ a place to bring these diverse relationships together, is refreshing.

The title is ‘Personal Branding’, but having worked with Ted I can personally vouch for the fact you always get more than you bargained for, and this podcast is no different. I wrote two pages of notes preparing for this article and I tip my hat to Michelle for the editing job she did to squeeze this into the podcast format.

Sharing those notes would be a massive spoiler, so instead I’ll quickly summarize and encourage you to watch the whole uncut version. While personal branding is the subject of the day, the conversation takes many twists and turns, including colorful insights and personal examples of using social media, the notion of being ‘not fit for LinkedIn’, how social media is the ultimate permission marketing, the true definition of ‘influencers’ and plenty, plenty more.

And of course, Ted tells it straight. He doesn’t pussyfoot around the topic. To him, personal branding is a must, but not just for all the normal reasons you’ll hear, such as raising your profile externally, in your own company or to whomever you are trying to impress. Ted’s main point is that above all these, the most important area you need to raise your profile in, is your own head.

Michelle’s advice is to grab a cocktail before watching this, so do that, be inspired and then join us in demanding an encore!

Originally posted to and more at RockStarCMO.com