Have you ever looked at your customer experience metrics and thought, something feels off, but you can’t quite put your finger on why?
Or maybe you’re trying to hire and compete for talent, and it feels like other companies just have more pull, even when you know your company offers something special.
Here’s the hard truth: Your employer brand isn’t what you say it is. It’s what your employees prove it is, every single day.
And if there’s a gap between the promise and the proof? Your customers feel it.
Today’s conversation is about real decisions leaders make every day — during growth, during change, and especially during uncertainty. Culture isn’t a “soft” thing or a nice-to-have, it’s a core part of your brand and it’s a business driver.
My guest, award-winning CMO Jamie Gier, has seen firsthand how culture and brand either accelerate growth, or quietly erode it. We talk about why your employees are actually your most credible marketers, how to spot culture breakdowns before they show up in your numbers, and what it really takes to build a brand that attracts and retains the right people, even if you're not the biggest name in your market.
Jamie Gier is a growth-focused marketing executive with extensive experience igniting go-to-market engines for some of the world’s leading and emerging brands—from VC- and PE-backed companies to Fortune 500 enterprises—with a focus on healthcare and education. Her expertise spans brand strategy, demand generation, corporate communications, and customer advocacy, and she is known for repositioning brands to increase equity and loyalty. Most recently, she served as Chief Marketing Officer at DexCare, and previously held executive marketing leadership roles at GE Healthcare, Microsoft Health Solutions Group, Ceros, and DreamBox Learning. She is also a founding member of CMO Huddles, a peer group of senior marketing leaders.
Listen to the full episode to hear:
- Why external brand messaging and internal company culture need to be in alignment for successful growth
- The customer metrics that indicate an employer brand and culture that are out of sync
- How to start building an intentional culture that has buy-in and support from all areas of a company
- The importance of emotional equity and clear communication during periods of change
- How a strong employer brand and mission make smaller companies more competitive against industry giants
- Why every executive needs to take ownership of culture, not just HR or the CEO
Learn More About Jamie Gier:
Learn More About Heather Smith:
What is Culture By Design?
Meet business owners and executives who recognize that employee culture is too important to be left to chance. Each week, we dive into how companies like yours transform accidental norms into purposeful strategies that accelerate growth while enabling employees to thrive. If you're eager to turn culture into a competitive advantage for your small or mid-sized business, Heather Smith, CEO of Talent Elevated, will give you practical strategies for designing culture with intention and unlocking employee potential. Find the clarity, focus, and actionable insights to build a workplace where your team is invested in their work, their colleagues, and the company mission—even when business priorities feel overwhelming.