Building brands that advance humanity forward w/ Willow Hill

In episode 168, Erik and Kerel talk with Willow Hill, the Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Scout Lab, a creative communications agency specializing in branding, communications, and campaigns that guide brands who are at their inflection points toward a future we want to live in, bringing together purpose and profit. Willow gives so much credit to the inspiration she gained from her mother, who had her at sixteen years old, and the impact her father had on her, leaving her with philosophies of American Indians, and how these experiences shaped her worldview in life and business.

Willow shares her perspective on the importance of being purpose-driven, why she feels a responsibility as a woman in tech, and a part of the 1% of women-owned agencies, to shape how the culture shows up and help direct the collective imagination, and how she uses two Native American philosophies for her creativity and the impact she wants to leave. She shares her unique ideas on work-life balance, how she manages her time, what it truly takes to be a leader, tips on how to create an award-winning campaign (Scout Lab won the 2023 Digiday Award for Best B2B Branding Campaign), and more.

Timestamps

0:34: Willow Hill, Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Scout Lab explains what Scout Lab does, what’s going on there currently, and what motivated them to invest in this opportunity

2:31: What has changed in the brands landscape since Scout Lab came about, focusing on being purpose driven

3:44: The journey Willow has taken being a woman in tech, a part of the 1% of women owned agencies, and her responsibility to continue showing up and shift the landscape

5:31: Willow shares where she grew up, why her mom is her inspiration and role model for determination, her dad being a civil rights activist for the American Indian Movement, and what those roots have taught her

7:32: Expanding on Native American philosophies, using the modality of the medicine wheel, the idea of seventh generation and how she uses them in life and in business

9:18: What it’s like to be a founder and a new mother, seeing life out of a different lens, and how it has changed her perspectives

11:19: Erik asks Willow to share a profound philosophy and perspective she has around the idea of work-life balance, the “six day weekend” and ways to rethink the way we use our time

14:32: Willow’s secret to managing her time, the catch to it, and the two keys to leadership that she thinks are really important

17:00: A few tips for brands on how to create an award winning campaign, such as Scout Lab’s campaign that won the 2023 Digiday Award for Best B2B Branding Campaign

20:09: Where Willow draws inspiration from including travel and how it opens her eyes to different cultures and values

22:13: A motivating and empowering piece of advice for women who are thinking about starting an agency, and what Willow would tell herself when she was first starting out in her career

24:14: Willow shares what a good day looks like for her, how she feels on those days, and who she spends time with

24:55: The music in Willow’s rotation right now and the songs on repeat

24:54: How to connect with Willow and Scout Lab

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