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Toucan Talks is a podcast for Wilmington-area business owners and entrepreneurs who are eager to learn from those on a similar journey. Each week, we talk with an area business owner about their successes, challenges, and experiences in business. Don’t worry – we keep it fun as we bounce from topic to topic.
40 Episodes
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Feeling the pressure of year-end marketing goals while watching ad costs climb? You're not alone. The holiday season brings opportunities but also challenges as advertising platforms become increasingly competitive and expensive. In this return of our "Kickstart Your Week" series, we're tackling Q4 marketing strategies that won't deplete your budget. Digital advertising costs, especially on platforms like Meta, see significant increases as brands compete for consumer attention around Black F...
Video marketing has evolved beyond trends to become an essential business tool, with specific approaches that capture audience attention and drive meaningful engagement in today's digital landscape. • Short-form content remains dominant, requiring hooks that capture attention in the first 3-5 seconds • Effective videos combine compelling visuals, catchy music, and on-screen text – the "three-headed monster" approach • Authentic slow-paced content offers viewers a break from high-energy video...
Marketing never stands still, and as we move through 2025, several key trends are already reshaping how successful brands connect with their audiences. In this episode of Toucan Talks, we unpack the strategies that are delivering real results right now. Short-form video leads the charge, with platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok continuing to offer exceptional reach potential. We break down what makes these videos work - from capturing attention in those crucial first three seconds to d...
Season 3 is here! We’re kicking off the new season of Toucan Talks with one of our favorite topics—Super Bowl ads! In this episode, we break down the biggest marketing moments from the 2025 Super Bowl, sharing which ads we loved, which ones missed the mark, and a few that left us scratching our heads. Super Bowl Ads We Loved: ✅ Uber Eats – A Century of Cravings: Star power featuring Matthew McConaughey and a clever script made this a standout. ✅ Doritos – Abduction Commercial: A mix of humor ...
Tune into this week's episode of Toucan Talks as Luke and Joshua Break Down Mess Hall's Good Burger Ad. Ever wondered how a dollop of humor and a dash of nostalgia can turbocharge a marketing campaign? Get the inside scoop on how we transformed the essence of "Good Burger" into a feast for the funny bone that not only entertained but struck a chord with viewers. Our discussion peels back the layers of the conceptualization process, illuminates the hurdles of crafting comedy that clicks, and d...
Tune into Toucan Talks this week as we chat with Will Hardison of Creative Outdoor Solutions. Once a cover band member and DJ, he started a successful marketing agency and worked with an innovative e-commerce business selling meats online. Now he is working on a new venture called Creative Outdoor Solutions to help keep you home safe with storm shutters. As we chat, we peel back the layers of this entrepreneurial venture, examining the essentials of targeting the right customer base. Will h...
Jacob Tippett joins us on this week's episode of Toucan Talks to unravel his journey as a serial entrepreneur. With ventures ranging from e-learning platforms like Production Online to the innovative Sticky Notes, Jacob imparts a masterclass in steering businesses through the tides of time zones and the subtleties of product design. Get ready to immerse yourself in the entrepreneurial ethos as we explore the intricacies of crafting business strategies and attainable objectives. We delve int...
Join us as we breakdown some of our favorite Super Bowl ads from this year. This episode pulls back the curtain on big-brand maneuvers, revealing how they can be scaled for small and medium-sized businesses. From the importance of generating pre-launch buzz to the clever use of witty humor, this episode can help you with creating content that's not just seen but felt. We dive deep into some of the common themes from this year's big game, covering everything from big celebrities to dark humor ...
Have you ever wondered how the bond of family can weave its way into the fabric of entrepreneurship? Tune into Toucan Talks this week for an intimate conversation with Sherry and Carmin Black, the mother-daughter powerhouse whose stories will inspire you. Sherry, an interior design maven with years of wisdom, alongside Carmin, whose fresh take on the fashion industry following her shift from Half United to her own brand, open up about the highs and lows of their business ventures, including t...
Tune into Toucan Talks this week with Laura and Alyssa from Kickstart Collective. In this minisode, we break down the freshest marketing trends of the new year. We play marketing "Ins and Outs" for 2024 and discuss how a strategic approach to digital content is key to resonating with the modern consumer. We also talk about why SEO is now cozying up with AI and voice searches. With a spotlight on conversational, long-tail keywords, we're navigating the new SEO landscape so you can optimize you...
Explore the world of franchising with industry expert Wes Barefoot, owner of Path of Freedom. Wes is a passionate entrepreneur with extensive experience in franchising, who now helps other entrepreneurs with proven franchise consulting processes. From Wes's experiences at 101 Mobility to leading ShelfGenie with his wife, learn about the process of franchise ownership and how to craft a vision for your business. His journey in franchising has significantly impacted his life and hi...
Welcome to Season 2 of Toucan Talks! We are excited to be back and are looking forward to bringing you more insights from business owners in the Wilmington area. Season 2 is going to be all about business strategies to help you start 2024 off on the right path. In this episode, we're thrilled to have Coach Reggie, owner and business coach at Business Growers, share his advice and experience on helping businesses growing. He shares about his journey from the Marine Corps to the dynamic world ...
If your marketing ends at “closed won,” you’re leaving growth on the table. We turn the funnel into a flywheel and show how small changes to attract, engage, and delight can lower acquisition costs, increase retention, and make every customer add force to the next one. We start by reframing the goal of content: not just traffic, but momentum. You’ll hear how to find the posts worth scaling, package them into lead magnets, and build clear next steps that convert attention into owned audiences...
Vanity metrics look shiny—but they don’t pay the bills. In this episode, we break down the difference between numbers that look good (followers, likes, views) and the metrics that actually move your business forward. You’ll hear how we think about CAC, LTV, conversion rate, retention, and engagement quality, plus how to stitch reporting together across ads, website, and CRM so you can make smarter decisions—faster. In this episode, you’ll learn Vanity vs. value: Why engagement metrics matter ...
Tired of chasing algorithms just to have 5% of your followers see your content? You’re not alone. This week, we’re breaking down why email, yes, email, is having a major comeback, and why it’s outperforming social media across nearly every metric that matters. We start with the obvious question: if organic reach on social is at an all-time low, where are people actually paying attention? Turns out, it’s the inbox. With email, there’s no algorithm deciding who sees your message. It’s a direct ...
In this episode, we look at two of the year’s biggest marketing moments: Cracker Barrel’s quick “un-rebrand” and Duolingo’s “Duo is dead” campaign. Both sparked huge reactions for opposite reasons, and we break down what worked, what didn’t, and what you can learn for your own brand. We start with Cracker Barrel’s redesign that went too far—modern logo, white walls, and minimalism that erased the comfort customers loved. Thousands spoke up, and the brand reversed course. We discuss how to bal...
What if the most effective marketing you’ll run this quarter isn’t an ad at all? We make the case that customer experience is your strongest growth channel, and we break down exactly how to design it so referrals, reviews, and repeat purchases happen on purpose. In this episode, we start by defining customer experience as every interaction across your website, social, chat, store, and support. Then we connect the dots: fast replies, a clear return policy, and an easy booking or checkout flow...
The future of marketing is rapidly evolving, and this week's conversation dives into the trends shaping 2026's digital landscape. Did you know videos under 90 seconds achieve 50% higher retention rates? This statistic sets the stage for our discussion on why short-form content continues to dominate—not as a replacement for comprehensive messaging, but as a strategic gateway driving audiences toward deeper engagement. Email marketing emerges as a powerful counterpoint to algorithm-depen...
Timing is everything in holiday marketing, and waiting until November might be your biggest mistake this season. Our latest Kickstart Your Week episode dives into why October is the critical month for launching your holiday campaigns and how this simple strategy shift can dramatically improve your results. Ad costs skyrocket during the Black Friday to Christmas window as competition intensifies across all platforms. Companies that rarely advertise suddenly appear, while regular advertisers i...
Ever feel like content creation never ends, or it's too overwhelming to even begin? You're not alone. In this practical conversation with our videographer and podcast producer Joshua, we unlock the secrets to making your video content work harder for your business. Creating high-quality video is an investment, whether that's time, money, or both. As a business owner, you need to understand how to extract maximum value from every minute of footage. In this episode, we break down exactly...
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