Advertise on podcast: Make the Invisible Visible: Build Your Brand with Cheryl McCants, Your Marketing Momma

A whole lot of online activity doesn't necessarily add up to a whole latte of visibility that matters. Can the right customers find your business, recognize its value, and trust what they discover? In this episode of Build Your Brand with Cheryl McCants, we're spilling the tea on digital visibility, AI-powered search, and how entrepreneurs and business owners can turn an online presence into meaningful relationships and business opportunities. From websites and social media to YouTube, Google, and generative AI, your digital presence influences how potential customers discover and evaluate your business. But visibility alone isn't the goal. What matters is reaching the right audience, establishing credibility, and inspiring action. This week's Data Drop: Gartner's 2026 research reveals that B2B buyers consult an average of seven information sources before making a purchase, while 45% use generative AI to research vendors and products. This week's Success Story: MediaCo, home to HOT 97, WBLS, and EstrellaTV, reported that digital channels accounted for 47% of its advertising revenue in the second quarter of 2026, alongside 9% total revenue growth. Cheryl explores what these findings mean for your digital marketing strategy, brand credibility, customer engagement, and business growth. Plus, get a preview of what's coming in 2027 as Build Your Brand expands opportunities for entrepreneurs and business owners to share their expertise, address real marketing communications challenges, and increase their visibility. Corporate partners are invited to join the initiative. The question isn't simply whether people can see your business. It's whether the right people recognize its value. Connect with Cheryl McCants on LinkedIn to join the conversation and learn more about participating in 2027. We Make the Invisible Visible®. #MakeTheInvisibleVisible #MakeAnImpact #BeImpactful

How to Start a Healthy Business: Planning, Market Research, and Mentorship for Growth Under May’s theme of Blooming Business, CherylMcCants shares how entrepreneurs can lay the groundwork for a healthy business before it blooms. Using gardening as a business analogy, this episode exploresthree essentials for sustainable growth: a clear business plan, strong market research, and guidance from the right advisor. Cheryl also highlights Canva co-founder Melanie Perkins as a success story in testing ideas, learning the market, and building with intention. If you’re starting or strengthening a business, this episodewill help you prepare the ground for growth. #MakeTheInvisibleVisible

Why Business Owners Need a Quarterly Review, Goal Check, and Strategy Refresh In this episode of Build Your Brand with Cheryl McCants: Make the Invisible Visible™, Cheryl explores why the start of a new quarter creates the perfect reason for reset.  Under April’s Spring Cleaning theme, this conversation looks at what business owners need to review, realign, and refresh before small issues turn into larger ones. Cheryl breaks down the value of checking performance honestly, adjusting goals to match current realities, and refining strategy so your business can move forward with sharper focus.  This week’s Data Drop highlights how easily small business owners can mistake motion for progress when they stay buried in the day-to-day. This week’s Success Story looks at Ayesha Curry’s Sweet July and how thoughtful growth requires ongoing review, refinement, and intentional resets.  If your business needs more clarity, better alignment, and a stronger strategy for the quarter ahead, this episode will help you make the invisible visible.  #MakeTheInvisibleVisible

How Brands Build Trust Through New Perspectives and Authentic Storytelling  In this episode of Build Your Brand with Cheryl McCants: Make the Invisible Visible™, Cheryl explores why cultivating fresh voices strengthens marketing, deepens trust, and helps brands connect more authentically with the people they serve.  Under April’s Spring Cleaning theme, this conversation looks at how businesses can make room for new perspectives through social media, guest takeovers, and mentorship. This week’s Data Drop highlights why consumers often trust creators more than brands, and this week’s Success Story examines how Adobe’s Diverse Voices initiative helped underrepresented creators gain visibility, support, and opportunity.  If you want your content, campaigns, and storytelling to feel more relevant, more human, and more impactful, this episode will help you make the invisible visible.  #MakeTheInvisibleVisible

Eco-Friendly Business Tips and Authentic ESGCommunication April is Earth Month, and it is the perfect time to take afresh look at how your business operates. In this episode of Build Your Brand with Cheryl McCants:Make the Invisible Visible™, Cheryl explores three practical ways to make your business more eco-conscious and communicate that work with credibility: reduce waste, use plain language, and show your progress. This week’s Data Drop highlights the environmental impact ofdigital activity, including emissions and water-intensive data-center cooling. The Success Story turns inward, featuring Impact Consulting Enterprises’ own sustainability journey — from completing AstraZeneca’s Lead in Sustainabilityprogram to receiving the Inclusion Award for its Action Plan and pursuing EcoVadis certification. If you want to align sustainability, visibility, and trustin a more authentic way, this episode will help you do it. #MakeTheInvisibleVisible

Smart Tax Planning Tips for Business Owners Tax season does not have to catch you off guard. In this episode of Build Your Brand with Cheryl McCants:Make the Invisible Visible™, Cheryl shares three practical ways businessowners can approach tax conversations with more clarity and less stress: thinkquarterly, understand the basics, and stay transparent. You’ll also hear this week’s Data Drop on how much timesmall businesses spend managing federal taxes, along with a Success Story thatshows how the right CPA relationship can support long-term growth. If you want to move through tax season with more confidenceand better preparation, this episode offers timely guidance. #MakeTheInvisibleVisible

Success Isn’t Luck: How Strategy, Access, and Relationships Drive Real Business Growth  In this episode of Build Your Brand with Cheryl McCants: Make the Invisible Visible™, Cheryl sits down with business owner Alan Jackson of Archview to challenge one of the most common myths in business—success as “luck.”  Too often, the hard work behind growth is overlooked. In this candid conversation, Alan shares real-world insights on how access, intentional strategy, and strong relationships shape business outcomes far more than chance.  From navigating challenges to creating opportunities, this episode unpacks what it truly takes to move beyond survival mode and build sustainable success.  You’ll learn:  Why success is rarely accidental—and what actually drives it   How access to the right resources can accelerate growth   The role of strategic decision-making in building momentum   Why relationships remain one of the most powerful business assets   If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, or leader looking to grow with intention, this conversation offers practical insight you can apply immediately.  #MakeTheInvisibleVisible

Building a Soulful Business: Authentic Branding, Alignment, and Sustainable Growth A soulful business doesn’t rely on luck. It builds from alignment. In this episode, Cheryl McCants explores how authenticity, lived experience, and strategic clarity shape brands that feel alive. She breaks down why alignment between vision, mission, and core values drives customer trust and long-termgrowth. This week’s Data Drop references the 2023 Stackla Consumer Content Report, The State of Authenticity, showing that nearly 90% of consumers prioritize authentic brands. The Success Story of Ghetto Gastro, founded in the Bronx, New York, illustrates how cultural identity and strategic alignment create influence and scale. If your brand feels polished but not powerful, this episode will help you examine the gap. #MakeTheInvisibleVisible

Owning the Conversation: The Strategy Behind Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign Successful marketing campaigns don’t happen by accident. They begin with insight. In this episode, Cheryl McCants unpacks the strategy behind Unilever’s Dove Campaign for Real Beauty and explains how research-driven authenticity reshaped a global conversation about women and girls’ perceptions of beauty. This week’s Data Drop explores findings from the 2004 “Real Truth About Beauty” study conducted with Edelman, revealing that only 2% of women described themselves asbeautiful. The Success Story highlights how conversation ownership, cultural alignment, and community engagement — including the Girl Scouts of Nassau County’s contribution to the campaign — transformed a brand. This episode demonstrates how owning a conversation builds long-term equity. #MakeTheInvisibleVisible

The Work Behind the Breakthrough: Why Overnight Success in Business is a Myth March invites conversations about luck. But “overnight success” rarely happens overnight. In this episode, Cheryl McCants challenges the myth of instant success and unpacks the discipline, recalibration, and patience required to build a sustainable business. Drawing on 36 years of entrepreneurial experience, she speaksdirectly to fellow founders navigating economic shifts and political transitions. This week’s Data Drop, supported by Harvard Business Review research, reveals how long true business breakthroughs actually take. The Success Story of Peloton, founded by John Foley, Hisao Kushi, and Yony Feng, reinforces how infrastructure and persistence precede visibility. Success doesn’t erase the grind. It reflects it. #MakeTheInvisibleVisible

It’s Never Just Luck: Strategic Networking and How to Meet the Right People in Business March often celebrates luck. But in business, opportunity rarely happens by chance. In this episode, Cheryl McCants explores how strategic networking, digital positioning, and intentional room selection create the conditions for growth. From optimizing your LinkedIn presence to preparing for high-impact industry events like the WBEC Metro NY Women MEAN Business Summit, this conversation reframes “luck” as preparation meeting proximity. This week’s Data Drop highlights research from Harvard Business Review on the power of networking, and the Success Story of SheaMoisture demonstrates how disciplined relationship-building builds long-term credibility and acquisition-level value. If you want meaningful connections that accelerate growth, this episode offers a clear roadmap. #MakeTheInvisibleVisible

How Entrepreneurs Prevent Burnout and Build Sustainable Success Burnout doesn’t build great businesses—intentionalleadership does. In this week’s episode, I share practical guidance on howprotecting your energy becomes a business strategy. We’ll talk about redefining high performance, systemizing what repeats, and setting boundaries that supportlong-term growth. You’ll hear this week’s data drop on founder burnout,followed by a success story from Tiffany Aliche, The Budgetnista, and how she built a multi-million-dollar brand without glorifying burnout. If you want sustainable success without sacrificing yourselfin the process, this episode closes out February with clarity and care.#MakeTheInvisibleVisible

How Resilient Leaders Learn From Business Failure Every business experiences setbacks. What matters is how you respond. In this week’s episode, I talk candidly about moving frombusiness heartbreak to breakthrough. I share three key takeaways that help leaders recover and grow: building resilience, treating failure as data, andshortening the recovery window. You’ll also hear a breakthrough success story from Foo-boo(FUBU) and how Daymond John turned early failures into a global brand by learning fast and staying in motion. If you’re navigating a setback—or reflecting on one—thisepisode offers grounded perspective and forward momentum. #MakeTheInvisibleVisible

Why Checking In With Your Team Builds Trust and Business Success When was the last time you had a real check-in with someoneon your team? This week’s episode focuses on why consistentheart-to-hearts aren’t just good leadership—they’re good business. I walk you through how regular check-ins build trust, reduce burnout, and strengthen teamperformance. You’ll hear a Gallup-based data drop on the impact ofcoaching-style leadership, followed by a success story from Chobani that shows what happens when team dignity and listening become part of the business model. If you lead people in any capacity, this conversationmatters.#MakeTheInvisibleVisible

How Emotionally Stirring Campaigns Build Trust and Drive Action What makes a campaign truly resonate? In this week’s episode, I break down what emotionallystirring campaigns do differently—and why they outperform transactional marketing. You’ll hear a clear framework for building trust through truth-based, people-centric, and participatory storytelling. I also share a powerful data drop on why user-generatedcontent outperforms traditional ads, followed by a success story on air BNB’s Belong Anywhere campaign and how emotional clarity helped repositionthe brand globally. If you want your audience to feel seen—and take action—thisepisode gives you a practical place to start.#MakeTheInvisibleVisible