100. How do you celebrate 100 podcast episodes?
Do you celebrate milestones? 🎉 On Brand Therapy, we sure do! Hosts Phil and Lauren celebrate 100 episodes of their podcast with a secret guest and a secret topic. This ep is a fun one full of familiar voices, and you’re invited to our party.
Episode transcription
Erika
There is a man that was brought to our attention. His name is Phil Pallen. And he has a podcast named Brand Therapy with Lauren Moore. And it is, it is a God send.
Joe
I just want to congratulate Phil and Lauren on their 100th episode. I can't believe it's been 100 already. I was one of the first guests. You guys are both rock stars, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for you both.
Reagan
Hi, Phil and Lauren. I just want to congratulate you guys on your 100th episode. You two are such a force to be reckoned with and so admirable to all marketers out there. Keep up the incredible work. We really appreciate you for it.
Tamiko
Phil and Lauren, it's Tamiko, congratulations on 100 episodes. That is massively huge. But I do have to say, I will take this moment to make it about me really quickly because I was the first one. And I'm so excited to like, launch what you guys were doing. You guys are so amazing. So congratulations.
Louise
I just wanted to send you a message to say congratulations on your hundredth podcast episode. They have been really good. I always get something out of it. So I can't wait for the next hundred. Keep going guys.
Phil
Keep going is what we're gonna do. Oh my gosh, welcome to Brand Therapy, also known as a humongous celebration. Of course I am Phil.
Lauren
And I am Lauren.
Phil
And Lauren, you haven't heard that clip yet, that was a surprise. I kept it as a surprise for you. How did you feel hearing that?
Lauren
I mean, honored. shocked. Excited. The words could keep going. At first I felt a little uncomfortable because it's me. And I was like, wow, there are a lot of compliments. But then it made me feel really, really good to know that we stuck with something for so long and helped people. Fantastic.
Phil
That's what we've done. How do we celebrate 100 episodes? That's the topic we're tackling today. Obviously, already today sounds a little bit more, you know, different than every other episode we make, because we're having a little party. We have, okay, there's a few surprises. Should we get to surprise number one because she's eagerly waiting in the wings?
Lauren
Yeah, I need surprise number one to start talking soon.
Phil
Okay, surprise number one. Lauren, tell us what surprise number one is.
Lauren
Okay. Before I get into it, I think some backstory is necessary.
Phil
Me too.
Lauren
So Phil, and I were thinking about how to celebrate episode number 100. The longest either of us has ever stuck with anything, let's be honest and true. And I came up with a concept where I was like, Okay, how about we each get to choose our favorite guest expert guest from past episodes, and we can watch episode 99. And we can bring them both together and have a four person roundtable and Phil said Okay, great, because Phil always says yes to my ideas. He's always game. And then we talked about our choices and our choices were the same. So one guest today got double votes.
Phil
Kylie Hodges, welcome. You're our special co host today. You're gonna be hanging out with us over the half hour of celebrations. Yeah, we both chose you.
Kylie
I am honored. But also does that mean I have to dialogue with myself to make this a four person round table still? Again, as a fourth seat if you couldn't talk much.
Phil
We would love We would love that. No, I mean, today has a little less structure than let's say when you were on in the episode. I can't remember what number one that was. It was Episode Two. Remember? Lauren?
Kylie
It was Episode 87.
Lauren
Yeah, yeah, probably 85. Very good. This is why we need you to well round out the conversation. You remember the little details.
Kylie
Guys. I'm so honored to be here and to be both of your picks. I mean, I'm going to need that in writing and then maybe like frame it on my wall or something.
Phil
I'll explain to you why you are my choice because we have had amazing guests. In fact, you heard some of them sending in really kind notes at the beginning of this episode that we started with. But I chose you for a few reasons. One, we love chatting with you and I got so much out of our chat with you about networking and about growing your business and being positive about all of those things. But I also chose you because I know that you've listened to the podcast. If I would go back in the early days, I think you were one of the first people to message me after we started doing this being like, I listened and it was awesome. And it's crazy, because you don't realize it. Maybe people don't or listeners don't realize, I mean, we know the numbers. There's a good number of people that listen to this every single week. But when someone stops and actually says something nice, like, I loved your episode on this, or listen to it this week, and I really enjoyed it. We hear that we remember it. And so that's why we were my pay. Yes, it does. It makes a huge difference. It's like, I don't know, there's something special about a podcast when someone compliments it, because we do work hard to make it. Yeah. So those are the two things working together that contributed to my choice.
Kylie
I love that. I'm so glad that it meant something to you. I remember listening early on before I was sliding into your DMs Phil, and being like, Oh, I wonder if someday I could get on here and get brand therapy. And now here I am.
Phil
Now here you are, twice.
Kylie
Twice!
Lauren
Twice. Double time. Amazing. So for this very special episode, we wanted to really celebrate the fact that we've done this many episodes and we thought who better to talk about celebrating this little thing called life then Kylie. So for this episode, we're thinking we can have a little chat about living your best life because that's a term that's tossed around. But I imagine Kylie, you seem like a really happy person who has it all together.
Kylie
Yeah, I'm just kidding. I love that. It's very Oprah Have you. In fact, I think she's the lady that started us all saying live your best life. I could be wrong. Yes. Truly, there will never be another Oprah. And I'm like, I would like to say a very chipper, person. But whenever I have a favorite celebrity, I'm like, God, I hope they live forever. I don't want to live to see the day that Oprah passes, you know?
Lauren
Life has ups and downs.
Phil
I want to know, how we each define living your best life?
Kylie
Oh, Well, I have like a three part map that I would recommend.
Phil
Oh my god, I love Kylie maps.
Kylie
But I was thinking about this topic, because it wasn't actually a surprise to me, that we were going to talk about it. And so I was thinking about, like, what are the three things that I would say, to navigate someone to be on the path of their best life? And so I have an idea. So maybe, if you guys want to answer what you think it would be? I mean, I guess there's no wrong answer, but then I can share tips.
Lauren
Okay, great, that sounds good. Because yours is a bit more well thought out than I think ours is. So I'll go first. To me, living your best life really comes down to being yourself, being happy, and doing the things that you want to do. But with success, like obviously, if I want to just to dance in the street all day, that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm going to be happy. So therefore, it's not necessarily my best life. I think here needs to be, you need to be doing the things that you love. But they also need to be sort of bringing you some success so that you can live your life authentically and comfortably. And I just came up with that off the top of my head. So I know that it's probably going to be the worst, the worst response out of the three of us, because Phil's had some time. But thank you can go Phil.
Phil
No, I don't think it's about having a better answer than another. I kind of like that we didn't plan answers to this. So we have to just come up with whatever comes off the top of our head. So here's my answer based on what we're doing right now, this is the first thing that comes to mind. My answer today is living your best life is reaping the benefits of doing something and sticking with something. I feel passionately about that right now. Just this morning, I was chatting with a friend about how since January, I posted a YouTube video every single week. And trust me there now it's two videos a week. But there are weeks when I don't feel like it. There are weeks when I would love to just take a breather. But when he typed my name into YouTube, my top videos came up and they had lots of views. Now he's not looking at the videos that have like less than 100 views. There are lots of failures and we don't always see every step of it. Sometimes we just see the wins on the outside when people post you know, post perfect Instagram photos and we only see a curated version of that. I think what we're doing right now is celebrating, and enjoying reaping the benefits, the fruits of our labor of doing something. But sticking with it, people put so much brain power and energy into ideas and starting ideas and being excited about it, but then not following through or stopping. And I think it's a good reminder that you can iterate, you can evolve, you can change, but keep doing what you set out to do. So much of business and success and happiness is just following through and staying and persevering. There's your ‘Philosophy’ today.
Lauren
Great. Well done.
Kylie
That was good. I need to hear that consistency.
Phil
We all need to hear it, I need to tell myself that because I'm looking at videos, and I'm going, Oh, my God, I spent four hours writing this script and 33 people have watched it. But you know, it's that video or that podcast episode, that was almost an afterthought, that you end up reaping the benefits when you least expect it.
Kylie
Yeah, and one of those 33 viewers could end up being like a massive client later on, because they found value in that video.
Phil
Yes, absolutely. We are starting to help our own clients with YouTube, for example, and the only way we'd be able to do that is by doing it ourselves. And so there's all these other kinds of opportunities that exist simply by doing I think we forget we try to be fully aware of all of those things, but sometimes you can't be.
Kylie
Yeah, I thought that was really great Phil. Also very on brand for Phil because it's action oriented. And then Lauren, I just want to remind you that there's no wrong answer because it's living your best life not living Kylie's best life, or Phil's best life.
Lauren
Thank you, Kylie.
Kylie
Just a friendly reminder.
Phil
And a disclaimer that half of my action oriented ideas at least half come from Lauren anyways.
Lauren
No, that's not true. But Phil brings it over the finish line. I don't like to finish things I like to start.
Kylie
Phil's definitely putting the energy the gas behind the idea. Yes. That's what makes you guys so complimentary.
Lauren
Yeah. And from the reviews of the podcast I've heard there's great chemistry to do.
Phil
That is one of the reviews. One of them said that we have great chemistry.
Lauren
Yes. Can't even not we can't even reply.
Phil
That's the thing. We need to get to Kylie's map. But I want to wait, I just, I said something a second ago. And I don't want to forget this train of thought, this idea of evolution. Do you remember how this podcast started?
Lauren
Me?
Phil
Yeah, you?
Lauren
Oh.
Phil
It was nothing like how it sounds.
Lauren
You mean no filter right?
Phil
Oh, well, that was the podcast before we don't even count that it was me alone. I didn't keep up with that very well. But when this podcast started, we had a different theme song. We had a different angle of how we did it, we would have an anonymous guest on.
Lauren
It was like answering branding questions, which I think because when we created this, we didn't want it to be like every other podcast where like, let me interview an expert bla bla bla bla bla. So I think that we needed to go through that exercise of giving advice first before and gain confidence in our podcasting angle, before getting experts like Kylie.
Phil
And there was nothing wrong with it.
Lauren
No.
Phil
Those episodes are still great. And people can go back and get a sense of how they might be able to solve a problem themselves. But this idea of evolution is something you should welcome.
Lauren
And taking inventory.
Phil
And taking inventory. Exactly. I just had to add that because people might listen to this episode and go wow, you know, they're having fun. They know what they're doing. Phil reads the same intro every single. How does he remember that? You know what I'm saying 100 times. But if you go back and listen to our early episodes, or look at someone's early YouTube videos, or their early blog posts. I love when our client Juli Bauer Roth has been on the podcast, she talks about her first recipe video being a disaster, and it's hilarious.
Lauren
Yeah. Or like the photos.
Phil
Totally. Yeah, it's hilarious. And so you can laugh at it now, right? As soon as it happens, we can laugh about it and I think persevere and all those things I mentioned before are relevant. Kylie, we need to get to your maps.
Kylie
That was beautiful. I feel like I'm sitting in I'm like, you know, I want like vitamin C's graduation song playing in the background and you two are having a retreat and there's like a lot of hugging and crying and signing year books and I'm just like watching all this.
Phil
I don't think that your wish is going to come true in this instance, just a daydream.
Kylie
Yeah, well, a girl can dream. So the beautiful thing about this question of like how to live your best life is there is no wrong answer, because, I mean, we already saw it with you to like Phil's answer and Lauren's answers are going to be so different because they're different people and their lives are going to take different trajectories. And this is actually something that I play into a lot and working with my clients. And I know that when I was on the podcast before, I talked a lot about networking and the business side of things. But my philosophy is, you have to have a CEO, improving themselves and living their best life in order to create a better business.
So in the early days of working with me, there is a lot of like living in the land of dreaming and all this like juicy life coaching stuff. So I was thinking about, if I were to summarize a couple of points, what does living your best life look like? And looking at it through the lens of bouncing back and forth from macro to micro at all times. So like, before I even go into point one, you always want to be looking at it from, at the end of my life, what do I want to say for myself? And also, how can I start presenting that in my life today? Tomorrow? What does that look like on a day by day basis?
So this sort of molds into Phil's point of consistency, but I see it as micro habits are micro changes, so that you're living every day closer to being the life that you want. And thus giving yourself days that you love and months that you love and years that you love.
So first, if there were steps, step one would be just as simple as setting annual goals for yourself. And it doesn't have to just be business like I must earn x, you know, it doesn't have to be action oriented, because that's a really good way to overwhelm yourself, it can be something as simple as like writing, giving a compliment to myself in the morning, small things that will make a big difference. And when you think of those annual goals, you can think about do those play into this massive life picture that I've imagined and distilling it down to the micro, what does today look like to get me closer to the annual goal. So that's step one is just setting goals.
Step two, then is like, take your life and compartmentalize it and assess each compartment. So from the physical space you're in, to your relationships, to work, to your personal growth, money, rate all of those categories. You can make up a scale could be a scale of 1 to 10, and then decide, okay, if on a scale of 1 to 10, I'm rating my relationships that have 5, cool, well, so what do I want it to be? If I only want it to be a five, then that's great. Probably not going to happen, though. You might want it out of 10. So then what do you need to do to make it a 10. And then finally, the third step would be get clear on the things that you value and want to embody in your life and double check that the goals you've set for yourself, and the assessment you may have on the compartments of your life, are honoring those values. So if I had to guess, I think maybe a value of Phil’s would be something about achievement, accomplishment, because you seem like you're a doer from what I gather, and you guys are brand strategists. So you bring a lot of beauty to people's brands. So maybe there's something about accomplishment and also beauty, are values in your life. So making sure that those goals you've set and you know how to get a 10 out of 10 in my career, how am I honoring those goals by making sure that I'm beautifying it and making sure beauty is showing up in my everyday life.
Those are what I would say is getting closer to your best life and the last all of that when you do that brings you so much more awareness to everything going on in your days so that even when something super small happens like you get a really nice compliment on iTunes about your podcast, you can cherish it and feel it so much more because you're aware that it's fulfilling you in the way you want to be fulfilled.
Lauren
Wow, you're so smart.
Phil
What I liked I liked a lot of things about that, but what I liked is that it we can get caught up in the rat race every single day our to do list and all the things we haven't done, that compounds Yeah, pretty quickly, to the point where every day and I fall into this, I mean Lauren does as well because we're just. Can you guys hear the horn in the background?
Lauren
This is a party.
Phil
Yeah, we get caught up in our immediate to do list that we don't actually take those little sanction moments of celebration or appreciation. And that's the way that you framed it is really good. A good reminder to do that.
Kylie
Yeah. And making time for the wins is so crucial. Like the fact that you're dedicating an episode to a win is really great. If you just breezed through, you could and people do. But would you take the time to then see how impactful the podcast has been for your lives? Your career? Your chemistry? I love that, by the way. It's so true.
Lauren
Thank you. I also feel like, at least for someone with a brain like Phil and me, we're always thinking about, the next thing. It's never just good enough. If we have a good month, it's never, it's always like, okay, well, how can we be better next month, always, the new record becomes the new norm. And I don't know if that's exactly healthy behavior. But that's how we're how we're wired. And I think what I love about your grading system, Kylie is that it's forcing you to think about things beyond the numbers, and also forcing you to reflect on not necessarily like the achievements that are on paper. But more importantly, like how you feel about those achievements, which I think is great.
Kylie
Yeah, I mean, you can be a fortune 500 CEO raking in the millions. But if you actually didn't care about the company you're working for or the money you make or how you do it, then you're probably not going to feel like you're living your best life. But somebody else who wants your exact spot, might think you've quote, unquote, made it. Yeah, it kind of goes into the whole, like, highlight reel, comparison trap thing that we all fall into.
Lauren
Yeah. And it's interesting, too, because I think about how, when someone is living their best life, or like, when you think about the concept of someone living their best life, I have a feeling that a lot of people will be thinking about possessions or the money that they have, and it's more related or the respect they have at work. But I just I'm glad that you brought up things that maybe aren't necessarily related to achievements, per se, because I do think that those add up to living your best life. Someone could be making a reasonable salary, not going to be the next Steve Jobs or anything, but they could be living their best life, too, as long as they're making choices based on their values.
Kylie
Totally. I've done this exercise with people who have like broken down in tears, because they've realized that they actually don't give a shit at all about what they felt they cared about, you know, because if you can present people a question in a certain way that will just make them like, open their eyes of like, oh, what do I really, really want? A lot of people don't spend much deep thinking on that question. You know, they realize, oh, I've been spending all this effort, focusing on revenue, but I actually care about making more time so I can spend with my kids. So that might mean maybe not growing revenue in the way that in the trajectory that they had planned, but reassessing their business so that they're working less so that they can spend more time with the kids. It's really powerful.
Lauren
Right, like growing in efficiency for example.
Phil
Yeah, it doesn't always come down to dollars and cents. And maybe even if you take a pause moment now, then you come back with clarity, and efficiency and all of those things that help you much longer in the longer run.
Kylie
Yeah, perspective, too.
Lauren
I have a group question. Has anyone and this zoom chat this meeting this podcast episode, well, actually, sorry, it's a two part question. Do you set new year resolutions? And if so, have you ever kept them?
Phil
Yes.
Lauren
Really?
Phil
Yeah, one of my new year's resolutions this year was to post on YouTube. So I have kept that. But then I also have to give credit to those people around me that helped. That actually happens if it was just up to me, it would not happen. I would take holidays. I would take vacations. I would find some kind of excuse. Okay, one more thing. I wanted to work out more and I have definitely worked out more this year than previous years. So I enthusiastically answer your question. Yes.
Lauren
And now that you've done that, are you happier?
Phil
Yes. I have much more balance. Even though I'm slouched in my chair right now because the table is short. I generally have better posture and things like this. I'm happier.
Kylie
Phil, why were those two things on your resolutions list?
Phil
Because they were things I simply didn't make time for prior or prioritize.
Kylie
Mm hmm. And what did you know would become of you if you did prioritize them?
Phil
Well, they're both different. So working out would obviously be better health and prioritizing myself my own health. And then YouTube would be increasing my discoverability online in a way that complements how I like to create content, which is video.
Kylie
Did you ever experience something last year that made you realize you must prioritize those things like something that's really driving the desire to follow through with these resolutions?
Phil
I'm probably just really a really bad track record on both.
Lauren
That's not true. That's not true. Has nothing to do with your track record. You surrounded yourself with other tools, systems or people that would help you achieve those goals, I think. You got an Apple Watch. That's the difference between more fitness and now than before I think.
Phil
Maybe.
Lauren
It is, when you get your Apple watch?
Phil
I don't know sometime last year.
Lauren
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know when you got one. And it wasn't sometime last year was actually the year before?
Kylie
Did you give him the Apple Watch. How do you know when he got it?
Phil
She got one and I wanted it.
Lauren
Every time I get something that's uniquely mine, Phil will also buy one.
Kylie
That's flattery.
Lauren
Yeah, I mean, I've done it. I did it with the IKEA sofa too. I guess it goes both ways.
Phil
We have a lot of the same things!
Kylie
The reason I asked you that is because when it comes to goals and Lauren you asked have you guys set resolutions and actually follow through with them? So many people set them and don't follow through with them because they're not a lot of times we put things on our resolutions lists that are more like to dos and not things that we really deeply want or understand why we want them. It sounds like Phil you understood at some cellular level that the way you wanted your life to move involved making these two changes. And so you made it and you knew you wanted to see those come true. So you implemented systems to make it fail proof. Getting an apple watch or I don't know if you hire an editor for your videos or whatever but making sure that it's possible.
Phil
Interesting, though. Good reflection.
Kylie
And like that's the thing is you probably had no full awareness that you were doing it that way it was just natural to you because you are an achiever.
Lauren
Yeah, he is a Strengths Finder. I think Phil achiever is one of your top five. I think woo is number one for Phil. I remember.
Kylie
I'm woo too!
Phil
This is why we get along.
Lauren
That is why you get along.
Phil
What does woo mean is that when I meet someone, I want to woo them or win them over and make them my friend.
Kylie
I believe you're right. It's you're like a cheerleader at all times you like you've got that charisma and you just want to like connect with people from a very positive place.
Phil
Yeah, that's me.
Lauren
I believe your strength is kind of unlocking the people around you and developing connections with people. I think what makes woo really interesting is that your skill is also in connecting with a big quantity of people. It's not like deep relationships with just a few select people. It's just the relator but woo is like anyone you meet you want to crack and go over.
Phil
That's so me. Yeah, Kylie, it's you too.
Kylie
Yeah. Woo is my number one. A lot of this makes sense right now why we're all here on this channel. Lauren, what are you?
Lauren
A futurist was my number one.
Kylie
Oh my god. That's why you two are a power couple. With lots of chemistry.
Lauren
Yes. Like you could cut it with a knife. Yeah. Because I guess my strength is like thinking well into the future and envisioning a world with whatever. I can just sort of like see possibilities and see sort of the path. And then Phil's great because he's an achiever and Whoo. So he wins people over and then, makes it happen. Yeah. Just great.
Kylie
You're the dreamer. You create the path. And Phil just blazes it.
Lauren
Yeah. Yeah.
Phil
That is actually how we work.
Lauren
It is. That's why brand audits are my favorite thing to do. Because I get to think of a world for that client. And I think about what I want them to look like five years from now, what their path is and like what impact they're having and what colors and typography would suit that. It's the best. But anything related to like people, all those skills are in the bottom for me, Kylie, bottom of the barrel.
Kylie
Lauren, if you just re listen to Episode 85 of Brand Therapy, you might be able to bump some of those skills up a little bit.
Phil
We were blown away by that episode. I mean, really, we left that recording saying Lauren and I both said that was one of our favorite episodes ever.
Kylie
I'm honored. I loved it. I love talking with you guys. You're very smart. And you're not messing around when it comes to delivering a podcast that delivers. It was fun to be on.
Phil
Thank you. Thank you for those kind words. We started the episode out with some kind words and we'll finish the episode out with some kind words. Any final kind words from the two of you or maybe wisdom on living your best life?
Kylie
I've given all of my wisdom, but it's been such a treat to be here. I'm so honored, that I was both your picks to be here.
Phil
That's that's award worthy, because it's 99 episodes.
Kylie
Yes, I feel so honored. And I really can't wait to see what the next 100 episodes are. So congrats to you, too.
Phil
Thank you. Any final words Lauren Moore?
Lauren
My final words are perhaps actually going to be a call to action for the listener to go back and listen to Kylie's episode. It was amazing.
Phil
Episode 85. With Kylie, we also for this week have created I mentioned this in the pre roll of the episode, we've created an amazing PDF that summarizes every single one of our episodes one through 100, so people can actually look at this. And just have a quick reference for all the different types of conversations we've had from branding, color, typography, websites, Instagram, networking, you name it, we've covered a lot. So you'll love this digital download. It's awesome. The link is on our website, go check it out. And enjoy. And ‘thank you’ is our final message to all of you who listen and enjoy. And we appreciate you. This episode we made for you as a thank you for celebrating with us. You're the best. We appreciate you 100 episodes of Brand Therapy. Thank you, Kylie for being our special guest this week.
Kylie
Thank you for having me. Honored to be here.
Phil
Thank you, Lauren Moore for putting up with me at least once a week.
Lauren
Thank you for helping me stick through.
Phil
And thank you listeners for being here with us every single week. We appreciate you right here on Brand Therapy.
Dia
Congratulations to Phil and Lauren. I'm so proud of you. I just wanted to say thank you so much for all the insight and information that you've given over these last 100 episodes. And cheers to 100 more relevant amazing information. I'm so proud of you guys and love you so much.
Catherine
I wanted to congratulate you on your hundred episodes. Wow. I can't wait to listen to the next hundred.
Patricia
Phil and Lauren, congratulations on 100 episodes! You two are seriously the best and I feel like I can see my brand growing into something just so beautiful. Because I'm able to engage with my audience, keep up with trends, and all while being my authentic self. Seriously, the first 100 episodes were amazing and I just can't wait for the next 100 You two are always super helpful and you're just providing the best therapy there is for my brand and I'm just so excited.
Simon
Guys. It's amazing. You guys went for 100 episodes. I'm so proud of you. Congrats Phil and Lauren. Also you are a great, great, great brand strategists. Keep doing what you're doing. We love you from up north Montreal.
Patrick
Congratulations on 100 episodes of Brand Therapy. That's absolutely incredible. You two are absolute geniuses at what you do. And I'm so proud to have been a small part of the wonderful and inspiring work that you create together. Here's your next 100 I'm cheering you on. And I'm sending both of you so much love.
