writers & contributors

Learn how you can boost brand awareness, engage audiences in hyper-local markets, and increase CPG sales with Hummingbirds platform and creative partnerships.

Emily Steele interviews Alyzeh Rizvi, founder of Peepal People, a South Asian pantry brand bringing authentic flavors to your kitchen. Alyzeh shares her journey of creating a modern brand that honors her Pakistani heritage while appealing to a broader American market. We dive into Peepal People’s recent rebranding, their focus on healthy formulations with lower sodium and zero sugar, and their expansion plans into retail stores.

Emily Steele chats with Laurel Rundle, founder of AHA Marketing. Laurel explains their unique approach of partnering with professionals like doctors, doulas, and gym owners to distribute product samples. We chat about sampling strategies, from custom programs to shared-cost opportunities for smaller brands, and also touch on key factors to consider when building out your own sampling program.

Emily Steele interviews Caroline Grace, founder and CEO of Product and Prosper, to chat through building successful CPG brands in retail. Caroline shares insights to help emerging brands navigate retail complexities. She emphasizes the importance of proper positioning, packaging, and pricing, using the example of PAKTLI Foods to illustrate how refining a brand's story can lead to retail success.

Emily Steele interviews Candace Molatore, a creative director, photographer, model, and branding consultant from Portland, Oregon. Candace drops by to share insights into her career as a content creator and influencer, discussing the importance of building relationships with brands, the value of creative freedom in partnerships, and the realities of being a creator beyond the glamorous facade.

Meet Hummingbirds’ network of Austin content creators and learn how they can help your business introduce its brands and products to consumers in Texas.

Meet Hummingbirds’ network of Detroit content creators and learn how they can help your business introduce its brands and products to consumers in Michigan.

Meet Hummingbirds’ network of Chicago content creators and learn how they can help your business introduce its brands and products to consumers in Illinois.

Emily Steele interviews Morgan Lerner, Chief Creative Officer at GoNanas, the fastest growing baking mix company, using bananas to make indulgent, vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-friendly baked goods. Morgan joins to share how GoNanas has grown from a college dorm room to ecommerce to now sold in over 4000 retailers. We discuss key strategies for growth and staying authentic on social media.

Emily Steele interviews Holly Chapman, Head of Brand at Papier, a stationery and personalized products company. Holly shares her journey from the communication industry to becoming Head of Brand at Papier. We dive deep into Papier’s US expansion and all the strategies employed to make for a truly omnipresent brand splash across the market.

Emily Steele interviews Umaimah Sharwani, founder of Paro, a food brand specializing in South Asian flavors. Umaimah shares her journey of creating Paro out of homesickness for her mother's cooking and her experience scaling digitally native brands. We cover various aspects of building a food brand, including the importance of being retail-ready.

Emily Steele interviews Leslie Bailey, co-founder and CEO of Indy Maven and Maven Space. Leslie shares her entrepreneurial journey, discussing the challenges and rewards of starting both a digital media brand and a coworking space. We dive into the importance of finding community and support outside one's immediate circle and being willing to make mistakes and pivot when necessary.

Emily Steele interviews Alisha Espey, the Program & Events Director at the Downtown Davenport Partnership. We dove into one of the area’s biggest festivals, Alternating Currents and all the details that go into drawing big crowds and executing on powerful partnerships across the city. Alisha discusses how she and her team create awareness and leverage local expertise for community-driven events.

Emily Steele chats with Casey Harrison, CEO and founder of Polished Strategic Communications located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Casey shares her journey to founding her own communications agency and touches on the incredible clients she’s gotten a chance to work with like Women's Equity Brunch, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, Business Equity for Indy and Indy Crew.

Emily Steele chats with Erica Jacobs, the marketing director at Nightingale, a thriving ice cream sandwich company based in Richmond, Virginia, with a growing national presence. They delve deep into the unique aspects of marketing a frozen product with seasonal fluctuations and explore the innovative partnerships Nightingale has forged with influencers and other brands.

In this week’s Local Marketing School episode, Emily Steele interviews Jennifer Magley, a dynamic speaker, author, and Chief Brand Officer at The Basketball League and Basketball Super League. Jennifer shares insights from her experiences as an emcee and host, emphasizing the value of surprising and delighting audiences.

Emily chats with Kelly Bennett, brand strategist and advisor at With Kelly Bennett and host of the Emerging Brands Podcast. Kelly Bennett is a brand strategist and advisor launching CPG food & beverage brands. We chat through ways to position your brand for success in terms of packaging and branding as well as how to prioritize storytelling and the purpose when marketing your brand.

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Brandon Puszkiewicz, a program manager for the Indiana Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Scott Soltys-Curry, creator of the Indianapolis Coffee Guide. Brandon and Scott share insights on the power of community, the importance of being connected to your collaboration, and how small ideas can lead to large-scale positive change.

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Sara Croft, the Co-Founder and CEO of Five Four, a growth agency for early-stage founders and founder-led businesses. Sara offers insights on experimentation, community-led growth, and preparing clients for fundraising, product launches, and revenue growth.