The Digital Hoofprint Podcast is a space for leaders to explore how brand and culture shape the way we lead, grow, and create impact. Hosted by Abriana Johnson, founder of Black Unicorn Creative, this show invites you to think critically about the systems, stories, and structures behind your business. Each episode offers reflections and strategies that connect the dots between vision and execution, culture and communication, values and decision-making. Whether you're shaping a new brand, evolving your team, building creative capacity or navigating change, this is a space to explore alignment as a strategic practice and competitive advantage. This is your digital hoofprint. Make it matter.
Listen to episodes
22 recent
January 26, 202428 min
Finding Breadcrumbs
Your digital hoofprint is more than just a website and social media presence; it describes your digital reach and your online impact. Crafting a digital hoofprint involves the integration of technology into your entire business process, ensuring authentic communication and a consistent client experience. In this episode, I share how discovering breadcrumbs in my grandfather's meticulously documented photo albums was a transformative experience. In the digital space, breadcrumbs serve as aids for online navigation, guiding users back to where they started. Breadcrumbs of inspiration, purpose, and cause can aid in the validation of an idea and the discovery process of a brand. Join my email list here --> https://blackunicorncreative.com/dhpodsignup
September 3, 2025Episode 2024 min
Ep. 20 | 3 Perspective Shifts Impacting How I Build Black Unicorn Creative this Year
I’m back on the mic with a sharper focus: helping leaders align brand and culture so teams actually deliver on the promises we make. In this solo episode, I share three perspective shifts guiding my work—treating brand as a management approach, aligning brand and culture for performance, and leading with values that inform everyday decisions. My path from veterinary medicine to brand leadership shaped a practical, people-first lens for building resilient organizations. I also preview Your Personal BrandOS , my upcoming training for leaders who want influence that shows up in team culture and outcomes, not just visibility. If you lead a team, a function, or a company and want your brand and culture pulling in the same direction, this episode is for you. Register for the Your Personal BrandOS Training at https://blackunicorncreative.com/personal-brand-os Key Topics What I learned about “brand-as-business” (a management style, not marketing) What I’ve seen when culture can’t keep up with brand promises Practical benefits of brand–culture alignment: focus, efficiency, authenticity, advantage How I use values as a decision-making operating system A preview of my Personal Brand OS framework for leaders An invitation to the Your Personal BrandOS webinar Timestamps 00:00 – Back on the mic + why this matters now 01:46 – From vet med to brand leadership lessons 03:39 – Where leadership programs fall short 05:33 – Brand as Business (management style) 08:58 – The brand–culture–leadership connection 12:20 – Values → behaviors → consistent experiences 15:29 – Authenticity as a competitive advantage through alignment 16:41 – Values-based leadership as an OS 21:01 – Introducing Your Personal Brand OS If this sparked ideas for your team, please subscribe , rate , and review the show—and share it with a leader who “gives a damn about being different.”
September 21, 2021Episode 1029 min
Ep. 10 | Life Work Balance and how to time audit
It’s almost the end September and I’m getting back on track. What’s wild is, I spent most of month actually LIVING what I plan on discussing in this email. Last month, I decided to do something a little different with The Stampede and talk about work/life balance. As I began to write and brainstorm about what the key things I wanted to discuss would be, I came to a mental block. Why? I sat at my desk from 7am to 5pm every day, then from 7pm to 10, 11, 12pm I worked from my bed. I worked on client projects and only client projects. No additional revenue-generating activities for me I let imposter syndrome get in the way of my planner production. In this absence, I developed a new content series/email challenge called Life/Work Balance (LWB). There will be a series of live recordings, podcast episodes and YT videos discussing this concept in depth over the next two weeks. If you want to participate in the email challenge CLICK HERE . (If you don't want to participate don't worry! I'm only sending it to those who opt-in.) “ But it’s WORK-life balance! ” Is it though? Internalizing that nuance as an equine professional means that work always comes before living. That just doesn’t sit right with me. With this email challenge, I will be walking through how to assess your WLB, how to prevent it, and providing resources to prep you for Q4 aka crazy time. Challenge members also have the opportunity to attend a Q4 planning meeting with me on October 2nd! (Forgot to click? Here's the link again .) On the podcast this week I’m talking about how to audit your LWB right before Q4/the holidays. This is a special time for many, but also a time that puts additional stress on horse business owners. LINKS TO RESOURCES Toggl Time Tracker --> www.toggl.com Equipreneur Planner --> www.blackunicorncreative.com/planner LWB Email Challenge --> www.blackunicorncreative.com/lwb How to track screen time on your devices --> https://www.guidingtech.com/check-screen-time-different-devices/
June 2, 2021Episode 822 min
Ep. 8 | How to Attract New Clients (Customer Journey Pt. 1)
Understanding the journey our clients go through from discovery to purchase is instrumental in simplifying our marketing strategies and achieving our ultimate goals. In this episode, I discuss the 3 types of customers: 1. Unaware 2. Aware w/ barriers 3. Brand champions and you need to market to each of them separately. Tune in to part 1 of this customer journey series and join The Stampede at www.blackunicorncreative.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Want tips, resources, and motivation delivered to your inbox weekly? Join my weekly email blast at http://bit.ly/jointhestampede ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I have a few free resources already on the interweb, but click here to download "33 Ways to Establish Your Digital Hoofprint" at http://bit.ly/33waysdownload ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Let's Connect on Socials! Instagram: @blackunicorncreative & @theabrianaj Facebook: @blackunicorncreative & @theabrianaj Twitter: @theabrianaj ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Want to work with me? Visit my website www.blackunicorncreative.com
February 1, 2021Episode 321 min
Ep. 3 | What is Branding with Pittsburgh Foundry
It's February 2021 and you know what that means! It's "Fall In Love with Your Brand" Month at Black Unicorn Creative. I'm super excited to share a series of podcast episodes that talk about the aspects of branding, how you can implement your brand, and lastly, how to make people fall in love with it! In this episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Sarah from Pittsburgh Foundry about the significance of brands in the livestock industry and how many are created today. Check out my latest Youtube video that dives deeper into branding for horse businesses, the components, and how to make your brand work for you! LATEST YOUTUBE VIDEO ---> https://youtu.be/CcLj87yeuec Learn more about Pittsburgh Foundry at https://www.pittsburgfoundry.com/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Want tips, resources, and motivation delivered to your inbox weekly? Join my weekly email blast at http://bit.ly/jointhestampede ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I have a few free resources already on the interweb, but click here to download "33 Ways to Establish Your Digital Hoofprint" at http://bit.ly/33waysdownload ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Let's Connect on Socials! Instagram: @blackunicorncreative & @theabrianaj Facebook: @blackunicorncreative & @theabrianaj Twitter: @theabrianaj ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Want to work with me? Visit my website www.blackunicorncreative.com
March 2, 2021Episode 530 min
Ep. 5. | Finding your Stride Online
Finding your stride in the online space is much more than posting every day. It's about finding what works for you, is unique for your business, and encourages your audience to take action. Your stride online is the strategy you use to share your unique area of expertise so you can make an impact by providing value, being consistent, and connecting with your audience. One of the major components is creating content that invokes a response from your audience whether it is just sharing your post, tagging a friend, or going to visit your website. Learn how to make content that SPURS your audience into action by downloading my free workbook at blackunicorncreative.com/spurs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Want tips, resources, and motivation delivered to your inbox weekly? Join my weekly email blast at http://bit.ly/jointhestampede ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I have a few free resources already on the interweb, but click here to download "33 Ways to Establish Your Digital Hoofprint" at http://bit.ly/33waysdownload ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Let's Connect on Socials! Instagram: @blackunicorncreative & @theabrianaj Facebook: @blackunicorncreative & @theabrianaj Twitter: @theabrianaj ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Want to work with me? Visit my website www.blackunicorncreative.com
September 3, 2025Episode 2126 min
EP. 21 | Behind-the-Scenes of Smartpak’s Rebrand to Smart Equine with John Barry, CEO
Join me as I sit down with John Barry, the CEO of Smart Equine (formerly Smartpak) to unpack the strategy, intention, and cultural alignment behind their recent rebrand. This conversation reveals how Smartpak evolved into Smart Equine, not as a cosmetic refresh, but as a reflection of deeper organizational clarity and a renewed commitment to horse health. From data-driven insights to team-led decisions, Smart Equine’s transition offers a blueprint for brands navigating identity shifts without losing soul or substance. Register for the Your Personal BrandOS Training at https://blackunicorncreative.com/personal-brand-os Key Topics : Why Smartpak became Smart Equine How internal culture drove external brand change The role of customer feedback and frontline employees in rebranding Balancing innovation with legacy Reimagining customer experience in equine wellness Expanding access through omni-channel strategy Timestamps : 00:00 – Introduction to the podcast and today’s guest 16:00 – Why Smartpak rebranded to Smart Equine 18:00 – The internal culture and data that shaped the shift 21:00 – Aligning rebrand efforts with core mission, not market pressure 23:00 – Broadening brand reach while honoring legacy 26:00 – Lessons from employee and customer feedback 28:00 – How customer care evolved with the rebrand 33:00 – Measuring alignment between brand and culture 36:00 – The operations behind omnichannel expansion 38:00 – Final reflections on leading with purpose, science, and soul Mentioned in This Episode : Smart Equine Website Dover Saddlery Valley Vet Guest Bio : Today’s guest is John Barry, the CEO of SmartEquine—formerly known as SmartPak—and a seasoned leader in equine wellness and consumer goods strategy. Since stepping into the helm in January 2023, John has guided the rebrand from SmartPak to SmartEquine with a resounding purpose: honoring the company’s legacy of science-backed innovation while deeply listening to the equestrian community’s needs. Subscribe to the Digital Hoofprint Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify or your favorite podcast player. Leave a review and share this episode with brand leaders or entrepreneurs in your life.
February 24, 2021Episode 428 min
Ep. 4 | What I Have Learned From 6 Months of Entrepreneurship
Today is more of a personal episode. This month, I celebrated 6 months of entrepreneurship after 6 years at my corporate animal hospital job, and boy are there some lessons I've learned in such a small amount of time. What are some major entrepreneurship lessons you learned very quickly? Head over to Facebook or Instagram and let me know! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Want tips, resources, and motivation delivered to your inbox weekly? Join my weekly email blast at http://bit.ly/jointhestampede ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I have a few free resources already on the interweb, but click here to download "33 Ways to Establish Your Digital Hoofprint" at http://bit.ly/33waysdownload ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Let's Connect on Socials! Instagram: @blackunicorncreative & @theabrianaj Facebook: @blackunicorncreative & @theabrianaj Twitter: @theabrianaj ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Want to work with me? Visit my website www.blackunicorncreative.com
September 9, 2025Episode 2228 min
Ep. 22 | Why Most Rebrands Fail… And How to Avoid It
Why do so many rebrands fall flat? Why doesn't a new logo or website usually solve all of our business problems? I share real-world examples (the wins and the flops) and walk you through the seven biggest reasons rebrands don’t land the way we hope. More importantly, I introduce the “Seven Pillars of Brand Alignment,” a framework I use with clients to uncover root issues and build real, sustainable brand change. Whether you’re mid-pivot, considering a rebrand, or just feeling misaligned inside your organization, this episode will help you think more clearly and lead more confidently. You can register for the Your Personal BrandOS webinar at blackunicorncreative.com/personal-brand-os . What I Cover: Why rebrands flop (with real-world examples) When a rebrand is the right move The hidden motivations behind rebranding 7 reasons most rebrands don’t stick How to lead change that feels real (not cosmetic) My “Seven Pillars of Brand Alignment” framework How your leadership impacts brand trust An invitation to the Your Personal BrandOS training Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome + episode intro 01:07 – Examples of successful vs. failed rebrands 02:08 – When rebranding is actually a good idea 05:42 – What makes rebrands fail (start of 7 mistakes) 08:10 – Mistake #1: Cosmetic changes only 11:24 – Mistake #2: Solving the wrong problem 13:35 – Mistake #3: Branding as just a marketing function 14:36 – Mistake #4: Operational inconsistencies 16:30 – Mistake #5: Mixed messaging 18:19 – Mistake #6: Failing to engage employees 19:28 – Mistake #7: Leadership misalignment 21:19 – The Seven Pillars of Brand Alignment (overview) 26:03 – Announcing the “Your Personal Brand O.S.” webinar 27:33 – Final thoughts + call to action Don’t forget to subscribe , leave a review , and share this episode with someone shaping a meaningful brand.
January 12, 2022Episode 1725 min
Ep. 17 | 2022 Trends for the Horse Industry
So much has changed over the last 2 years and the horse industry is no exception. In this episode, I share the top 4 trends for 2022 and how you can utilize them in your horse business. _____________________________ Enjoy this episode? Don't forget to subscribe and share it with a friend. Wondering what strategies you can use to grow your business online? TAKE THE QUIZ and find out today! Got questions? Let's connect on Instagram and Facebook @theabrianaj or @blackunicorncreative
Is this your show?
Claim this listing to keep it up to date, reach guests who want to pitch you, and manage bookings with Guestify.
