IAM342- Founder Elevates Companies That Have a Positive Impact on Our World

Sacha is the founder of Grassfed Media, a strategic communications “un-agency” that is committed to supporting and elevating conscious companies and organizations that have a positive impact on our world.

Her clients have included The Partnership for a Healthier American, The American Kidney Fund, National Geographic, Equinox Restaurant, and many others. She advises them on communications, branding, social media, and PR strategy. Her clients have been featured in NPR, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Bloomberg Radio and more.

Prior to Grassfed Media, Sacha worked with many well-known for-profit and non-profit organizations as a senior-level strategic communications and online marketing professional. She was also a long-time writer and editor and has been published in The Washington Post, New York Magazine, Washingtonian, Kiplinger.com, USA Today and more.

• CEO Hack: Mind, body, spirit interaction through a morning routine, meditating and having a great breakfast
• CEO Nugget: Don't compare yourself to anyone else
• CEO Defined: Having a vision, being true to yourself and living with kindness

Website: https://grassfedmediadc.com/

IG- @GrassfedMedia
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachacohen/

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Transcription

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Intro 0:02

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless 0:29

Hello, hello, hello, this is Gresh from the I AM CEO podcast and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Sacha Cohen of Grass Fed Media. Sacha, it's awesome to have you on the show.

Sacha Cohen 0:40

Hi, Gresham. It's great to be here. Thanks so much for having me.

Gresham Harkless 0:43

No problem I appreciate having you on and what I want to do is just read a little bit more about Sacha so you can hear about all the awesome things that she's doing. And Sacha is the founder of Grassfed Media, a strategic communications “un-agency” that is committed to supporting and elevating conscious companies and organizations that have a positive impact on our world. Her clients have included The Partnership for a Healthier American, The American Kidney Fund, National Geographic, Equinox Restaurant, and many others.

She advises them on communications, branding, social media, and PR strategy. Her clients have been featured in NPR, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Bloomberg Radio, and more. Prior to Grassfed Media, Sacha worked with many well-known for-profit and non-profit organizations as a senior-level strategic communications and online marketing professional. She was also a long-time writer and editor and has been published in The Washington Post, New York Magazine, Washingtonian, Kiplinger.com, USA Today, and more. Sacha, are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO Community?

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Sacha Cohen 1:46

I am ready. Thanks so much for that great introduction. I really appreciate it.

Gresham Harkless 1:51

No problem, you're doing awesome things. So I'm super excited to have you. I wanted to kick everything off to hear a little bit more about what I call your CEO story. Well, that you start your business.

Sacha Cohen 2:02

Absolutely. So I started Grass Fed Media in 2013, because I had been in the working world for almost 20 years at that point, or 15-20, don't want to age myself too much. And I knew that I was good at certain things, I wanted to be able to work with the clients that really got me out of bed in the morning and I felt a connection to the clients that I was invested in our mission. And that encompasses what many people term conscious companies. So I work with conscious companies and nonprofits, to do all kinds of communications, marketing, and PR work for them to really help them elevate their brand, reach the right audiences, and reach in some cases, the right customers effect if they're for profit.

And so, I've been working for six years, and I work with a really interesting mixture of clients. I have clients that are in the hospitality and restaurant space. And, for example, my client and connect restaurant is really sort of a forerunner in so many things from plant-based foods to currently, they're really focused on reducing food waste. So I'm very proud of the work that we do together. I've worked with natural beauty companies, helping them get the word out about the benefits of using products that don't have toxic chemicals in them and are better for the environment. And in some cases of vegan, that are cruelty-free of all these great things.

And so what I bring to the table is really helping them formulate their messaging and their story so that they can just focus on their business and not have to worry so much about the marketing and communications piece. I also am currently expanding into a new arena, which is the cannabis industry. So I have a couple of CBD clients. And I'm really excited to grow that part of the business as well. I definitely have a little peek into my business.

Gresham Harkless 4:16

Nice. Well, I definitely appreciate that. And I wanted to hear a little bit more about how you're serving clients. And I know you touched on it more because you drill a little bit deeper. And also what would you consider how if somebody is listening, would they consider themselves to be a conscious company? Is there a kind of a way or a measure that you use for that?

Sacha Cohen 4:36

Yeah, I mean conscious companies are focused on people and the planet over profit. So essentially, the idea is that you are not doing any harm. You're doing good in the world. You're either supporting environmental initiatives, you are helping people and that could be anything from building homes for Habitat for kids. Humanity to help children overcome health issues or obesity, the obesity crisis. I mean that's a pretty wide spectrum. But, conscious companies, to me mean anything that aligned with my values and help really bring joy and love and happiness into the world. So it can encompass a lot of different things.

And the way I feel that I help companies is that I bring a really holistic communications perspective to the table. So because I've been a communicator for my entire career, but in different ways, that allow me to look at the big picture. So for example, I started out as an editor many years ago, and I was an editor and a writer. And so I really understand how to tell stories and how and what editors are looking for what writers and what the media are looking for. And then I was a very early adopter of online writing and online digital. And so I have a real comfort level and expertise in the digital world.

And the same goes for social media, again, I was very early on, involved in social media really, back to what it meant in the first iterations of social media, and it was about connecting with each other, and having a social connection and being able to tap into the collective good from a digital perspective. And then beyond that, just bringing all those pieces together, the strategy, the marketing strategy, the communication strategy, the content creation, all of those elements come together and bring a full picture of a brand. So you have to have all of those different pieces together so that you can have the full expression of a brand and reach the right audiences. So that those audiences are able to message resonates with those audiences.

Gresham Harkless 7:08

Yeah, that makes perfect sense. And I think especially in this day and age, having the background that you have is definitely key for those brands, and those businesses and organizations that want to express themselves and showcase their stories because just like you touched on if they're conscious companies, they probably have a really strong mission and vision because you're trying to make a great impact on the world and do really phenomenal things.

But sometimes, even if you are and your desire is to do that, if you don't communicate that and you don't showcase that and different aspects of your brand, sometimes it may not get to the people that it needs to get to. So I appreciate you for definitely doing that. And helping people do that. Because even consumers take in content and information and brand messaging is so many different ways that you have to have that holistic approach to your communications.

Sacha Cohen 8:00

Yeah, absolutely. And a lot of times, companies, smaller companies, especially small businesses, don't have an in-house marketing or PR team. So as you said, they have a really strong mission or a great product, they have a lot to offer. But if there's no one there to help them, get it out into the world then it just sort of sits there on the table and never really able to have lift off.

So that's oftentimes when I get pulled in is when companies are looking for a partner, who's really invested in their mission, and their product, or their service, or what they're trying to do. And I always feel like I have the luxury in some respects of being able to choose who I work with because I run my own company. And so that, to me, is really a wonderful thing, because I can have a much stronger investment in my clients than I would if I were working for someone else.

And I was being told, okay, well, you're going to work on this account. And one thing I did want to say is that I have never worked in a PR agency. So I don't really even know what that looks like I was always on the client side, working with PR and marketing agencies. And so when I started Grass Fed Media, I was coming at it from a very different perspective. And I do things a little bit differently because I've never been inside a traditional agency model.

So I come at it more from the client side and more from the consumer side. So I understand what is going to be authentic and resonate with the audiences that my clients are trying to reach without the old-school constructs of the older PR models. And I think that brings a little bit of a fresh approach to what I do.

Gresham Harkless 9:55

Absolutely, and I think that's definitely necessary as many different ways that people can take in the content and so many things that are asking and pulling for our attention that you have to break through the noise. And often a way to break through the noise is to be part of what the noise is.

So I think those fresh eyes and fresh perspective that trailblazing mentality often creates great ways to communicate and great ways that you've been reached through so that you've been able to feature and have your clients, featured in a lot of different media sites and publications.

So I think a lot of that is just because you do have that client-focused idea in that perspective, and that resonates with those media publications as well. And I wanted to switch gears a little bit. And I want to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. And this might be an app, a book, or a habit that you have, but something more effective and efficient.

Sacha Cohen 10:50

This is an area that I absolutely love talking about, I am very committed and passionate about the whole mind-body-spirit interaction. And so that comes into play for me every day, there are things that I do every day, that make me a better person. And that translates into my business. So first things first, I mean, a lot of people talk about their morning routine. And I like to think I have a pretty strong morning routine, I get up, I meditate, I have really great breakfast, and I take my dog out on a walk. And then I'm kind of ready. And my head's clear and ready to work.

Gresham Harkless 11:31

It's great to hear that. And now I want to ask you for what I call a CEO nugget. And this is a word or a piece of advice. Or if you can happen to be a time machine, what would you tell your younger self?

Sacha Cohen 11:46

I think the biggest piece of advice I would probably give to my younger self and others is to try not to compare yourself to anyone else. You are your own unique story. And comparing yourself to others and feeling that you're less than others or you're not as successful as it is, it's not going to help you and it can really take away from your self-esteem. So really try to stay away from comparisons. Now that's not to say that it's not good to have aspirational people in your lives, in your life or a mentor, someone you look up to or are inspired by, but comparing yourself to others is not a good way to operate.

And I would just say chart your own course. Keep your eyes focused on your goals and don't listen to the naysayers. Those are my biggest words of advice for people who are entrepreneurs or getting into the entrepreneurial space.

Gresham Harkless 12:52

Absolutely. The saying goes comparison is the thief of joy. So a lot of times, you do that, you aren't really like I say, if you run your own race, you can't lose because you run your race, you don't run anybody else's race. Because if you do that, then that's when you lose because you're comparing somebody else, chapter five, maybe to your chapter one. And when you do that, that kind of sets you back and you get frustrated and things like that. But you're really right where you should be just important to remember that because a lot of times that can seep in.

Sacha Cohen 13:29

Exactly. And there are so many remarkable people and people who have really been tremendous, tremendous successes. If they had spent the time comparing themselves to other people at that time or in that industry, they wouldn't be who they are or knew who they became. So you just have to, as you said, chart your own course, run your own race, whatever you want to call it. That's the recipe for success.

Gresham Harkless 13:57

Exactly. So now I wanted to ask you my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. And we're hoping to have different quote unquote, CEOs on the show. So Sacha, what does being a CEO mean to you?

Sacha Cohen 14:14

Being a CEO to me means having a vision, being true to yourself, and leading with kindness, those are the things that matter to me and are truly the embodiment of what it means to be a CEO. And I think that the kindness piece is something that I would love to see so many more people embrace and have it be a more important aspect of our work life and the work that we do. It's undervalued in our society, and I hope that changes

Gresham Harkless 14:54

I do as well. Being kind is cool, so make sure you be cool and be kind so You're with you 1,000% on that. So Sacha, I appreciate your time, what I want to do is pass you the mic so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional, you can let our readers and listeners know. And then of course, how best they can get a hold of you and find out about all the awesome things you're doing.

Sacha Cohen 15:15

Absolutely. Well, I love connecting with people. One of the things I didn't say earlier is, that one of the things that brings me a lot of joy is connecting people and bringing people together and putting together partnerships. And so I'm always happy to hear from people and would be thankful to hear from your audience. So if you want to reach me, you can visit my website, which is grassfedmediaad.com, or follow me on Instagram at Sacha Cohen, DC, or at Grass Fed Media.

Gresham Harkless 15:50

Awesome, awesome, awesome. And we'll have those links in the show notes as well. So thank you again, Sacha. And I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.

Sacha Cohen 15:58

Thank you so much for having me on your show. Have a wonderful day.

Outro 16:02

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.

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