In this episode of The Corporate Dropout, Rachael sits down with Roger Phelps, former Corporate Communications Manager at STIHL Inc. and current CEO of Roger Phelps Consulting, LLC. With a career spanning the Navy, corporate leadership, brand strategy, and consulting, Roger shares the experiences that shaped his approach to storytelling, leadership, and customer connection.
Roger reflects on helping grow STIHL’s marketing presence during the early days of social media and explains why strong brands are built through relationships, emotional connection, and consistency, not just trends or visibility. He and Rachael discuss the importance of understanding your audience, defining a clear brand voice, and creating marketing that actually resonates with people instead of simply adding to the noise online.
The conversation also dives into leadership, mentorship, and the moments that changed Roger’s perspective throughout his career. From lessons learned in the Navy to building trust within teams and empowering employees to lead creatively, Roger shares thoughtful insight on what it means to lead with empathy, curiosity, and purpose.
In today’s episode you’ll learn:
- Why storytelling is one of the most powerful tools in marketing
- How STIHL built customer loyalty through authentic brand connection
- The importance of defining your brand voice and values
- Why understanding people matters more than chasing trends
- Leadership lessons Roger learned during his time in the Navy
- How empowering employees can lead to stronger creative work
- The role relationships play in long-term business success
& SO MUCH MORE!
Follow Roger Phelps on LinkedIn!
Interested in working with Roger or learning more? Contact him at: rphelps@rogerphelpsconsulting.com
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