Founder's Story - Pauline Malcolm: AI Innovation for Creators & Brands with BrandStory Architech | S2 Ep. 181

Episode Date: March 5, 2025

In this episode of Founder's Story, we sit down with Pauline Malcolm—the visionary CEO of Brand Story Architech and former executive from Essence. With over 25 years of experience in digital tech, media, and marketing, Pauline shares her journey from Silicon Alley to pioneering innovative branding strategies. She explains how AI and data-driven insights are transforming the creator economy and empowering brands to forge authentic connections.Topics We Cover:• The impact of AI on brand storytelling and digital marketing• How data-driven insights can authentically match creators with brands• Strategies for building a strong personal brand beyond logos and visuals• Navigating the creator economy as a mini media company• The future of marketing in an increasingly digital landscapeKey Takeaways:💡 AI tools like social listening and content analytics are revolutionizing brand communication.💡 Authentic storytelling is about expressing a core identity, not just design elements.💡 Creators should view themselves as mini media companies to build sustainable brands.💡 Strategic partnerships and community-building are essential for long-term success.💡 Embracing digital innovation empowers both brands and creators to thrive.Resources & Mentions:• Brand Story Architech – Innovative branding and marketing solutions• Pauline Malcolm’s website – paulinemalcolm.com• AI & digital marketing tools – Enhancing storytelling and audience engagementConnect with Pauline Malcolm:📢 Website: paulinemalcolm.com📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandstoryarchitech/Our Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out CoinFlip and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://coinflip.tech* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY* Check out Kinsta: https://kinsta.com* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Between juggling client meetings, managing your website, and keeping up with everyday tasks, who has time to stress about website security? With Kinsta, they take care of the technical stuff, so you can focus on what you do best. Kinsta provides managed hosting for WordPress, offering lightning fast load times, top tier security, and unmatched human-only customer support. Whether you're a business owner, web developer, running a digital agency, Kinsta gives you complete peace of mind by keeping your site online, secure, and performing at its best. They even have a user friendly dashboard called MyKinsta that simplifies

the site management with tools for cache control, debugging, redirects, and CDN setup. And thanks to their unlimited free expert-led migrations, you won't experience any downtime when switching to Kinsta. Plus, their 24-7, 365, human-only support is available in multiple languages to help with any inquiries no matter how complex. Ready to experience Kinsta's hosting for yourself? Get your first month free when you sign up at Kinsta.com today. It's the perfect opportunity to see why Kinsta is trusted by thousands of businesses worldwide

to power their website. Visit Kinsta.com to get this limited time offer for new customers on Select Plans. Don't miss out. Get started for free today. You just realized your business needed to hire someone yesterday. How can you find amazing candidates fast? Easy! Just use Indeed. Stop struggling to get your job post seen on other job sites. With Indeed Sponsored Jobs, your post jumps to the top of the page for your

relevant candidates, so you can reach the people you want faster. According to Indeed data worldwide, sponsored jobs posted directly on Indeed have 45% more applications than non-sponsored jobs. There's no need to wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed. And listeners of this show will get a $100 sponsored job credit to get your job's more visibility at indeed.com slash podkatzca. Just go to indeed.com slash podkatzca right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Hiring? Indeed is all you need.

Hey everyone, welcome back to Founder's Story. Today we have Pauline Malcolm and Pauline, you are the CEO of BrandStory Architect. And I'm excited to dive into all things tech, AI, I mean these are huge topics that everyone is talking about and the impacts on your business, the good things, the bad things and we're gonna dive into all that. The future, what do you see in the future? Before we do that though, Pauline, what was the inspiration behind wanting to start this company?

Thank you for that, Dan, and thank you for having me. So I've been in the digital tech and media landscape for close to 25 years. I'm dating myself from Silicon Alley, starting my career in New York to Silicon Valley, and also spent some time in Silicon Beach as well. So kind of did all coasts and really, through my experiences at companies like the Walt Disney Company to being the chief revenue officer most recently at Essence

and tripling their revenue, I was always fascinated by brand storytelling as well as working with top-notch creators and influencers. And I saw a lot of white space in the creator economy and thought that through the work that I've done in helping brands build multi-million to multi-billion dollar companies through my marketing and sales efforts,

wanted to do that for creators and also leverage AI in a way that can help them build their media empires as well as high impact campaigns and partnerships for brands, all sort of powered by AI and data-driven technology. So that sort of was the inspiration for Brand Story Architect. Even within the name, it's all about crafting compelling stories and connecting brands with culture, leveraging technology.

Hence the reason why our brand is architect instead of architect, because it's all kind of powered by AI. There's a lot of articles I've been reading recently around does a creator brand mean it's going to be more successful because they have an audience and they they give the examples of the ones that were super successful but then also the ones that were not successful and what do you And what do you think gives the people

the ability to be successful compared to not? Because many of these people that they gave an example, they have two people successful, not successful. They both have millions and millions of following on different platforms. What do you think separates the two? Such a great question. So it all comes down to authenticity, right?

So what we do, by leveraging AI, we're able to provide social listening as well as kind of drive or tell if there is a brand affinity with that talent's audience, with the brand. So for instance, if Target comes to us, we can use our technology and pretty much identify talent that has spoken very, that are lovers of the brand, that have a high affinity, that have shopped at Target and that have spoken about Target in a really positive way. Rather than just because someone has tens of millions of followers or even hundreds of thousands of followers,

it doesn't necessarily mean that that person is going to be a good ambassador for your brand or that there is resonance with their audience. So by leveraging AI, we can match, essentially, the right creator with the right brand and ensure also that that story, that video or content that they're creating on behalf of the brand is authentic. And that's what makes the best partnerships when there really is that synergy between what the talent is really passionate about, as well as the brand allowing the talent creative freedom as well.

Brands are often so focused or very familiar with making commercials, but not necessarily leveraging content creators. So the affinity is definitely one thing, but also allowing creative freedom where that talent can create content that they know their audience likes. And really the brand is more authentically weaved into that as opposed to creating a commercial where their audience will sniff that out right away and say, wait a minute,

that looks like a commercial. That tends to cause either friction or the worst partnerships versus like when it's authentic and also there's creative freedom, which tends to create the best partnerships where it just looks like it's a harmonious fit for both the brand and the talent. The days of throwing spaghetti against the wall maybe are over.

Hopefully, you're going to help solve this. Because I think there is a lot of friction, like you're saying, between the two. If it doesn't resonate with the audience, the audience gets turned away. And then it might even impact the brand negatively, depending on who the creator is. Since you were an executive before Essence

and you've been in the media space, how do you see AI and creators transforming the media landscape? Oh my gosh, and in many different ways, you know, again, sort of like that data-driven insights that, you know, AI can provide is just gonna help provide a lot more precision, right? And so, and also what I hear from a lot of partners to this day is that there's no standardized way of really tracking performance. Like, likes, views, and shares don't really tell you the full story. They don't tell you the full funnel marketing story. So I think what you're gonna start to see with AI

and what we're working on from a technology standpoint is to provide both guaranteed outcomes. So guaranteeing impressions is one thing, but also ensuring that you know how many people actually took action after they saw a piece of content. So following or being able to provide full funnel metrics from awareness to engagement, which I think there's a lot of tools out there that provide that, but more bottom funnel metrics as well.

So you get the full story, like what was the sales lift? How many people took action? Did this really drive some sort of reaction from my consumer? I think AI is going to help really transform that and make things more predictive, where, you know, it will be more formulaic in terms of, if I make, you know, 10 pieces of content on a monthly basis, I know I'm gonna get X sort of reaction

or X lift from my consumers. So I think it will also help with like recency frequency of when content should be made, as well as what type of actions, predicting the types of actions that consumers might take from that content. I really enjoy watching comedic content and I like when they integrate an ad and I don't even know it's an ad I just think it's another funny video and then I realized that they're that they're advertising I'm like, that's very creative content. Very clever. Mm-hmm. I love how a brand allows a creator I think you can tell when the brand allows a creator flexibility to how you know They're doing it their way versus like the brand wanting it

to be their way. How do you see AI just transforming content creation, transforming brands going forward in the future knowing that it's just been, I mean, it's going at a pace that should, I don't think we could even keep up. Like our brains can't even keep up just how fast AI has been moving.

Even over the last only few years, where do you see this going? Yeah, I mean, that's a great question. Like I'm seeing some really interesting sort of content creation like models happening, which, you know, like for instance, a trend that I've been seeing is like virtual creators that are all AI driven, which kind of freaks some people out.

But I think that that's an opportunity for real life creators to leverage sort of like a hybrid model where, you know, they create content where it stars themselves, but also maybe a virtual character, which could be really interesting where you're almost like an animated, like, avatar. Just kind of creating dimensions and having some fun and innovation with the content that you're creating. So I think that, like, the virtual characters is a really interesting model that I've been seeing, like even brands testing, like I saw Prada did like a collaboration

with like a virtual influencer. And again, I think that there's a way that real life creators can add more excitement to their content by adding virtual or AI driven characters. content by adding virtual or AI driven characters. I think that AI is also going to help with automation and just being able from a creator standpoint, be more efficient on how you're pushing content out where it's a lot more automated.

There are some really good tools out there like HootSuite and others that are all AI-powered, that allows you to automate your content creation. And then just some of the innovations that I'm seeing even with video creation. Again, I think that this is all good for creators. I know a lot of people are scared and they think that that may eliminate their role as a creator but I think that that human connectivity is so important and that people still want that and that AI is just a way again to be more innovative and really allow you to supercharge your creativity. I never thought about the use of like you're saying creating a virtual

version of yourself or, or somebody else or something where you integrate that. Cause I think we're all focused on replacement. You know, what if a brain can just create their own creators can build their own things that's like their own assets, would they even use humans? But I like the idea that you said, I've never even thought about that of, of having somebody combined. My fear is, of course, the replacement side. Why would they need somebody?

Do you have any fears around AI? Yeah, I mean, I think AI is generative AI, especially. It's like it's still sort of like a somewhat average intelligence human. And I think at the height, it's like it's still sort of like a somewhat average intelligence human. And I think at the height, it's going to be like the most genius amongst us, right? So there is definitely, I know, fear around replacement, but I do truly believe that AI will be a tool that will help us be smarter, more efficient, and that will actually even allow more creativity

because it's kind of taking, eliminating the mundanity of a lot of the work that we do, which will then open up our brains to be even more creative and accelerate things that have never been done before. Because with the large language models, it's kind of like working off of data plants or things that have already been done. So I think that there's still room for creativity and new ways of thinking because we're leveraging sort of AI to kind of take the mundanity out of our everyday

and allow for new opportunities or new innovation to transpire. I think I use AI tools like ChatGBT and others, maybe even more than I use Google nowadays. I never thought I'd use, six months ago, if you told me that, I'd say that you're wrong, but I think I do. I search more research, I mean, it's pretty, the tools are pretty amazing. I mean, it's insane.

I really liked the idea that it's going to open up the creativity, but it's also taking previous stuff. So there's still room for us to be the people that are creative are going to maybe even accelerate past those that are not creative. So I'm, if there's a thousand creators right now who are sitting here listening and they are like, wow, I, you know, I, I need this, I need, you know, brand sponsorships. I want to make generate more money. I want to expand my income. Do you have any advice for them maybe before they even come to talk to you? Is there something that they should be doing or looking at or something that you're even finding what drives a brand to even want to work with a creator? Is there any tips or strategies that they can do? Absolutely. So you know what I recommend to all the creators that we work with and this is a model that we apply to all of our sort of like client

partners we call them is really thinking about yourself like a media company and almost like a network, a mini network, right? So especially for micro creators or creators that are trying to take their content to the next level, think about your content like a TV network where there's consistency with your content like a TV network where there's consistency with your content.

So if you have a format, maybe it's sketch comedy, right? Every Wednesday, make sure that you're posting a new episode or Monday, Wednesday and Friday, you know that you can come to your channel and find fresh new content. What that's doing, it's creating sort of like consistent and repeatable behavior with your audience and you know, and engagement as well, right?

But what it's also signaling to brands is that you're becoming or you are a professional content creator, right? And you're developing formats that you know resonate well with your audience because, and then you also have a consistent pattern. If you're uploading content three days a week, four days a week, and people know to tune in, you're acting like a mini TV network, which is what I think modern day creators

are. They are the new TV networks. And you're creating sort of like a consistent sort of audience that's tuning in and you're getting 500,000 views or whatever it is. And that's something that I can take to a brand and say, X talent, they're repeatable, or they have this format three times a week and they have a consistent audience. This is what you can expect organically. And then if we run it through paid media,

then you can expect X amount of outcome, but we know this is what this brand or this is what this talent is getting on an organic basis. So that's like one of the, like start considering yourself as a mini brand, so to speak, and acting like a TV channel, and being consistent with your content and the formats that you create.

I took a lot of things away, and I really like that you're creating your own media brand, and part of that is it's basically your own TV channel. It gets me thinking that many creators, at least people go into it, they want to just create something. They want to dance, they want to make comedy, whatever they want to do, and then it starts to build upon something. But I don't think a lot of them fully understand what they're building,

that it could be something big, because they just want to... it's like a doctor goes into being a doctor because they want to help people but they're not always great at business right so it's just thinking about it like okay i need i'm not just somebody dancing on tiktok i love learning a few words before traveling it's opened up doors to new friends and unforgettable experiences all thanks to risotto stone this isn't just any language tool, it's the leading program on desktop and mobile immersing you naturally in your chosen language with an intuitive design you learn like you learned your first

language through real conversations without endless memorization. One standout feature is the true accent speech recognition. It's like having a personal language coach in your pocket, refining your accent and boosting your confidence. Whether you're gearing up for a dream job, a trip abroad, or simply personal growth, Rosetta Stone's 30 years of expertise and 25 languages ensures you are in great company. Don't wait. Unlock your language learning potential now. Founder Story listeners can grab Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership for 50% off. That's unlimited access to 25 language courses for life. Visit RosettaStone.com backslash today

to get started and claim your 50% off today. Don't miss out. Go to RosettaStone.com backslash today and start learning today. I remember a time when a last-minute project threatened to derail our schedule because we didn't have the right people. When it comes to hiring Indeed is all you need. Stop struggling to get your job posting at other job sites. Indeed's sponsored jobs help you stand out and hire fast. With sponsored jobs, your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates so you can reach the people you want faster. And it makes a huge difference. According to Indeed data, sponsored jobs posted directly on Indeed have 45% more

applications than non-sponsored jobs. One of the things I love about Indeed is that it makes hiring so fast because when I was looking to fill a role, the process was overwhelming and slow. I wish I had Indeed back then. Indeed sponsored jobs are no monthly subscriptions, no long term contracts, and you only pay for results. How fast is Indeed? In the minute I've been talking to you, 23 hires were made on Indeed according to Indeed

data worldwide. There's no need to wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed and listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at indeed.com slash founders story. Just go to indeed.com slash founders story right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.com slash founders story. Terms and conditions apply.

Hiring Indeed is all you need. Have you ever ended a long day tossing and turning wishing for a night of truly restorative sleep? Did you know that we spend a nearly third of our lives in bed? It's no wonder March sleep awareness month reminds us that every night counts. I'm Daniel and I believe that a better night's sleep can change your life. That's why I trust Avocado Green Mattress. And you know I've talked about this before.

Sleep is so important. We've had so many guests on to talk about just how important it is and it's something I'm so passionate about because of my own sleepless nights. Then I discovered Avocado with mattresses crafted from certified organic latex, wool, and cotton. Avocado offers unmatched comfort and support, catering to every sleep style. Not only does it help me wake up refreshed, but its naturally temperature regulating materials promote overall wellness. And as someone who cares deeply about the planet, I appreciate the avocado sustainable practices, keeping our environment in mind too. Head to AvocadoMatress.com today and save up to 10% on certified organic

mattresses. Dream of better. That this is a brand in itself. This is a business. I want longevity. I'm going to make a career out of this. I need to think differently. I think that's going to this is going to help a lot of people thinking differently even from the start or as you're going versus trying to change things and stuff when you've kind of hit some sort of peak level. But Pauline, if you want to get in touch with you, they want to find out more information, how can they do so? Absolutely. So if you want to learn more, there's a couple of ways to get in contact with me. I'm on the app intro where you can book time and learn more tips on AI as well as marketing.

Also visit our website, grandstoryarchitect.com or paulinemalcom.com. So that's three different ways to get in contact with me. If you want to have one-on-one advice or if you wanna work with us and become a client of Brand Story Architect, visit us at BrandStoryArchitect.com. Brand Story Architect, Pauline Malcolm. I love Intro, by the way.

It's really, I've made some amazing connections on Intro. It's a really great place, but I'm really excited about the things that you said today. It's totally making me rethink what I'm doing and for myself in my mind, I'm already thinking like, what can I do? Definitely happen, I changed things because many people obviously wanna get brand deals.

They wanna turn it into a career, but they have no idea what to do with what's next. So PaulineMalcolm.com. Thank you so much Pauline for sharing everything today. All the success, everything that you're doing, it's very inspirational. And I can't wait to have you back here on Founder's Story. Thank you so much, Dan, for having me.

It's been a pleasure. You just realized your business needed to hire someone yesterday. How can you find amazing candidates fast? Easy! Just use Indeed. Stop struggling to get your job post seen on other job sites. With Indeed-sponsored jobs, your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates, so you can reach the people you want faster. According to Indeed data

worldwide, sponsored jobs posted directly on Indeed have 45% more applications than non-sponsored jobs. There's no need to wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed, and listeners of this show will get a $100 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at indeed.com slash PODKATZCA. Just go to indeed.com slash PODKATZCA right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need. You just realized your business needed to hire someone yesterday. How can you find amazing candidates fast?

Easy, just use Indeed. Stop struggling to get your job posts seen on other job sites. With Indeed sponsored jobs, your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates so you can reach the people you want faster. According to Indeed data worldwide, sponsored jobs posted directly on Indeed have 45% more applications than non-sponsored jobs. There's no need to wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed,

and listeners of this show will get a $100 sponsored job credit to get your job's more visibility at Indeed.com slash podkatzca. Just go to Indeed.com slash podkatzca right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need.