Frictionless Growth Marketing
Sonia Thompson | Inclusive Growth & Customer Experience Strategist
Brand growth today depends on removing friction from your marketing and customer experience to attract and retain more of the people you want to serve.
Frictionless Growth Marketing is the podcast for marketers, business leaders, and founders who want to grow by eliminating the messaging, experience, and strategy gaps that quietly push customers away every single day.
Hosted by Sonia Thompson, Inclusive Growth and Customer Experience Strategist, the show breaks down how modern brands drive sustainable growth by designing frictionless customer journeys, building trust with identity-rich growth communities, and adapting to changing consumer expectations with clarity and confidence.
Each week, you’ll hear practical insights, real brand examples, and candid conversations with marketing leaders and subject-matter experts on:
Brand strategy that fuels long-term business growth in the age of modern marketing
Customer acquisition, retention, and loyalty in today’s market
How friction shows up across the customer journey — and how to remove it
Identity-driven marketing, cultural relevance, and belonging
What’s actually working now with today’s values-driven consumers
If you want to reach more of the people you’re meant to serve — and convert more of them — without relying on outdated formulas or brute-force tactics, Frictionless Growth Marketing will show you the new rules of modern marketing and growth.
Because when you remove friction, you remove barriers to growth — for your customers and for your business.
Frictionless Growth Marketing is the podcast for marketers, business leaders, and founders who want to grow by eliminating the messaging, experience, and strategy gaps that quietly push customers away every single day.
Hosted by Sonia Thompson, Inclusive Growth and Customer Experience Strategist, the show breaks down how modern brands drive sustainable growth by designing frictionless customer journeys, building trust with identity-rich growth communities, and adapting to changing consumer expectations with clarity and confidence.
Each week, you’ll hear practical insights, real brand examples, and candid conversations with marketing leaders and subject-matter experts on:
Brand strategy that fuels long-term business growth in the age of modern marketing
Customer acquisition, retention, and loyalty in today’s market
How friction shows up across the customer journey — and how to remove it
Identity-driven marketing, cultural relevance, and belonging
What’s actually working now with today’s values-driven consumers
If you want to reach more of the people you’re meant to serve — and convert more of them — without relying on outdated formulas or brute-force tactics, Frictionless Growth Marketing will show you the new rules of modern marketing and growth.
Because when you remove friction, you remove barriers to growth — for your customers and for your business.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 1, 2023 • 31min
61. How to deal with resistance to inclusion
There is resistance to inclusion and inclusive marketing, and that resistance is causing some marketers to hesitate and rethink their approach.That’s a mistake.Resistance to inclusion isn't new. We've been here before as a society, and there's already been much written on the topic. In this episode I explore the resistance, and how to deal with it so you can continue to embrace the future of marketing: inclusive marketing.Get the transcript of the episode hereInclusive Marketing Lessons from Bud Light's Dylan Mulvaney FumbleMLK's 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' Audio/Video version of MLK's 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' The Five Heartbeats - "You Sure You Want to Hang with Old Eddie Kane?"What Inclusive Brand Type Are You?Inclusive Brand Type Quiz ----Join the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
May 25, 2023 • 40min
60. Designing inclusive experiences for neurodivergent consumers
Data shows one in five people are neurodivergent. That means it is very likely that a number of your customers fall within that spectrum. As a result, it is important to understand more about this community and ways in which your brand can show them they belong with you. In this episode, I chat with neurodiversity experts Ludmila Praslova, Aviva Legatt, and Caroline Stokes -- who share their expertise as well as their own lived experience on this topic.Get the transcript of the episode hereJoin the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
May 18, 2023 • 37min
59. How to create an accessible brand for people with disabilities with Erin Perkins
Globally, 15 percent of the world's population has some form of disability. And as we think about building a business that includes more people, baking accessibility into what you offer is a smart way to do so. To help you with that, Erin Perkins, founder of MabelyQ is on the show today. She's an accessibility educator, and she's got very practical tips to help you start being more accessible with your brand today.Access the transcript of the episode hereErin's Links:Successible PlatformSocial media Accessibility ChecklistInstagramWebsiteGet the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
May 11, 2023 • 41min
58. How to build an LGBTQ+ inclusive brand with Hank Paul
An LGBTQ+ inclusive brand is intentional about showing people from this community that they belong. That goes beyond just showing up during PRIDE month. In this episode I talk with Hank Paul, a Queer Inclusion Strategist, about practical ways you can build a brand that makes the LGBTQ+ community feel seen, safe, and supported.Access the transcript hereThe Business Allyship RoadmapHank on InstagramJoin the Inclusion & Marketing Newsletter
May 4, 2023 • 41min
57. Neurodiversity at work: How to create a culture where everyone thrives
Twenty percent of the world’s population is neurodivergent. That’s 1 in 5 people – who are diagnosed with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, and autism.It is very likely that we work with, have colleagues, and people in our networks who are neurodivergent – so it is important to understand more about it, so we know how to make them feel like they belong with us and our businesses.In this episode I chat with three experts on neurodiversity at work, so you can be equipped with how to better serve your team members who's brains work differently.Get the transcript of this episode hereJoin the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
Apr 27, 2023 • 12min
56. Inclusive marketing lessons from Bud Light's Dylan Mulvaney fumble
Inclusive marketing can grow your bottom line. But inclusive marketing done right can’t just be about getting people from underrepresented and underserved communities to buy your stuff. That’s extraction marketing, and it can actually do more harm to communities. No good.Here are a few lessons every brand should take from Bud Light’s mistakes from an inclusive marketing standpoint.Access the transcript of this episode hereJoin the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
Apr 20, 2023 • 36min
55. Incorporating inclusion into conversion rate optimization with Talia Wolf
Engaging in conversion rate optimization is a smart way to ensure you're marketing works harder for you. But is there a way to do this with inclusion in mind? To answer this question, I immediately knew I needed to chat with Talia Wolf, founder of GetUplift, a conversion rate optimization agency trusted by high growth brands like Teamwork, Bitly, Sprout Social, Thinkific, Mercedes, and Dario. Talia's thoughts and recommendations on this topic may surprise you.Get the transcript of the episode hereTalia's 'We Optimize' Facebook group Talia on TwitterGet UpliftWhat inclusive brand type are you? Take this quick quiz to find out howJoin the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
Apr 13, 2023 • 32min
54. Creating inclusive influencer marketing campaigns with Tinashe Chaponda
These days more brands are leaning into influencer marketing campaigns. The good news is that inclusion is starting to become a bigger part of the conversation in this area. However there are still a few challenges that exist that need to be tackled to do inclusive influencer marketing the right way.To help you navigate how to build inclusive influencer marketing campaigns the right way, I sat down with Tinashe Chaponda, an influencer marketing expert and Sosani Studios agency owner.Get the transcript of the episode hereSosani Studios Tinashe on LinkedIn Tinashe on Instagram Join the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
Apr 6, 2023 • 30min
53. The inclusive marketing framework big brands are using with Jerry Daykin
There's a lot of moving parts to inclusive marketing. Thankfully, increasingly there are more marketers in many industries and working with brands of all sizes that are coming together to give guidance on how others can engage in inclusive marketing.In this episode, I chatted with Jerry Daykin, a global marketing leader with senior roles at brands including Beam Suntory, GSK Consumer Healthcare, Diageo, and Mondelez, and author of the new book Inclusive Marketing.Based in London, UK, he is a WFA (World Federation of Advertisers) Diversity Ambassador and co-chair of its Diversity Task Force, where he created its framework for representation and inclusion. He also sits on the diversity and inclusion boards at the Advertising Association and ISBA and at the Conscious Advertising Network and Outvertising. A regular conference speaker, he has written for The Drum, AdWeek, Campaign, Marketing Week, and The Guardian.Get the transcript of the episode hereGet Jerry's book, Inclusive Marketing from the publisherGet Jerry's book Inclusive Marketing from AmazonGet the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
Mar 30, 2023 • 34min
52. Diversity and inclusion data: How to capture and use It to achieve your business goals
Are you capturing and using your own diversity and inclusion data to help you reach your business goals? Many companies do not, and its one of the reasons why so many brands struggle to make real progress with diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Data can help you build an inclusive culture where everyone on your team feels like they belong. And that inclusive culture with a diverse and representative team will enable you to attract and retain the a more diverse customer base that feels like they belong with you.This episode features my chat with Mandy Price, CEO and co-founder of Kanarys – a technology company focused on providing the tools organizations need to create long-term systemic change around challenges associated with diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.Get the transcript of the episode hereKanarysMore about Mandy's story and KanarysIf you want to see more of Mandy's story, watch her episode of the HubSpot for Startups and LinkedIn documentary series "Spiraling Up: The Journey to Become a Unicorn." It's streaming now:Join the Inclusion & Marketing Newsletter
