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If you want to reach more of the people you’re meant to serve — and convert more of them — without relying on outdated formulas or brute-force tactics, Frictionless Growth Marketing will show you the new rules of modern marketing and growth.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
Nov 3, 2022 • 20min
21. Cultural appropriation and inappropriate use of a culture not your own: Let's talk about it
Cultural appropriation happens more often than in should. And inappropriate use of a culture not your own happens even more often. Both of these practices are harmful, and in this episode I'm walking you through clear examples of both, and giving you practical guidance on how not to engage in them. In addition, you'll walk away with practical guidance on how you as an individual and consumer can play a role in shutting down these practices as well.Get the episode transcript hereHere are the links mentioned in the episode:
Hailey Beiber make trend rant - Shantal Smith
The cultural appropriation of yoga - Blair Imani
The Maasai People Take Back Their Brand
Dia de los Muertos Barbie Walks a Fine Line Between Cultural Appropriation and Appreciation
Kim Kardashian West's Kimono underwear meets Japanese backlash
How Disney redeemed itself with 'Coco' after the Dia de Muertos trademark fiasco
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May 24, 2022 • 12min
20. Why more brands are embracing advocacy
All over the world, but specifically in the United States, there has been a lot going on in the past few years. From the Black Lives Matter movement that gained momentum in the wake of George Floyd's murder just two years ago, to the surge of Asian hate during the pandemic, and now another hate crime in Buffalo. And to be frank, I am disappointed in the responses to this event, or lack thereof from many businesses.With this uptick in interest in social justice matters, it is more important than ever for businesses to stand for what they believe in.In the season finale of the Inclusion and Marketing Podcast, I share:
The importance of brands expressing their beliefs and taking action around important social and political issues affecting the current climate
How to get started on brand advocacy
How to be authentic when shaping your brand advocacy
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May 17, 2022 • 54min
19. The critical link between equity and customer success with Deborah Pickett
Today we’re going to explore the critical link between equity and customer success with a very special guest! My sister Deborah Pickett, a middle school math instructional trainer and coach, will share her valuable words of wisdom for those who are ready to embark on the lifelong process of being dedicated to equity.Our conversation will cover:
What is the difference between equity and equality?
From a business standpoint, what happens when equity isn’t prioritized?
How to start using data to analyze potential equity issues in your business?
What is the link between equity and access? What do equitable practices look like?
What does it mean to say that justice is in the details?
What is the relationship between equity, empathy, and compassion?
What is the water vs the fish principle, and what are some real world examples of this way of thinking?
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May 3, 2022 • 38min
18. Planning a marketing mix that works for more of your customers with Bianca Blake
Why should business leaders consider text communication as part of their digital marketing strategy? In this episode, we’ll have an enlightening discussion with Bianca Blake, co-founder of Klickrr, about best practices for text marketing, and how text messaging can help brands develop a deeper degree of intimacy with the people they want to serve.We also cover:
What are the advantages of text marketing?
The relationship between inclusive marketing and customer experience
The importance of taking your audience’s preferences into account when developing brand communication strategies
Realizing that inclusion isn't always about demographics--sometimes it's about giving people the option to engage with your brand according to their personal preferences
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Apr 26, 2022 • 29min
17. What anti-racism looks like in business with Dr. Nicole Charles
What does it mean to be antiracist?Today we’re going to cover what antiracism is, what it looks like in business, and how you can work to embody antiracist principles on a daily basis. To help us with this, I brought in an expert on the topic, Dr. Nicole Charles. Nicole is a wellness entrepreneur as well as an intersectional feminist and antiracist educator, author, researcher and professor of women and gender studies.We’ll talk about:
The concept of antiracism as a whole, and specifically in the business world
Examples of racist practices that permeate business that are more common than you might think
The importance of investing in and learning from Black, Indigenous People of Color
After making the commitment to antiracism, where do people commonly get tripped up?
The challenges that arise when society and businesses lean towards centering only the most privileged identities
Recommended resources for further reading and learning
Nicole’s delicious recipes at healmedelicious.com (Check out the pumpkin spice cake donuts!)
Nicole's Embodying Equity Course
It’s important to really think about your values and how they can guide your business decisions. As you work on applying what Nicole and I covered today in your own life and business, take the time to think about a specific scenario in your life where you could decenter the predominant narrative.Get the episode transcript hereGet the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter here
Apr 19, 2022 • 21min
16. Navigating the complex world of identity
Business is about belonging, and identity is a critical aspect of belonging. As you work to build an inclusive brand, it’s essential to think carefully about identity and what types of categorizations are necessary. As we dive into this complex topic, I’ll go over challenges, real-world examples and strategies to help you approach your customer’s various identities.Identity matters. Don't take shortcuts with it! The people you serve will reward you when you take the time to get it right.This episode will also cover:
Common questions including the difference between ethnicity and race
The various challenges that can arise when categorizing groups of consumers
How categorizations and the data associated with them can help companies identify equity concerns and gaps
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Apr 12, 2022 • 33min
15. Getting Started with Inclusive Language for Your Brand with Nailah King
Words matter! They have the power to uplift and include, as well as tear down and exclude.In your quest to make your audience feel like they belong with you, it’s essential to use inclusive language. But how do you start creating written content that creates a culture of belonging?Nailah King, founder of The Content Witches, shares insights into how conscious business leaders can learn to craft messaging that helps foster transformative change and create a sense belonging within their communities.My conversation with Nailah also covers:
What is inclusive language and what is its connection to belonging?
Idioms, binaries, appropriation and other examples of language that can be harmful
How can you determine if your content isn’t inclusive or needs an update? How can you maintain transparency throughout the process?
How to use tools like etymonline.com
Essential forms of content governance including inclusive language policies and brand style guides
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Apr 6, 2022 • 19min
14. Are you taking more than you give?
Today we're going to talk about a common type of toxic relationship between brands and underrepresented communities: Extraction.True inclusive marketing is about sharing power and creating belonging. Belonging cannot exist when one party is constantly extracting value from the other. As we dive deeper into the concept of extraction, I will share examples from today’s business world with the hope that by bringing these harmful practices to light, we can all start to do better.This episode will also cover:
The concept of co-creation and the different forms it can take
Best practices for engaging with communities you want to learn from and the dangers of traditional market research
Lessons learned from a popular Disney film
How to start adding value instead of extracting it, so everyone wins
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Mar 29, 2022 • 40min
13. How representative is your brand, really? A conversation with Gradient
We know that inclusive marketing is the future of marketing. As we move towards this future, more and more cutting-edge tools are becoming available to help brands assess their progress.How inclusive is your brand’s visual communication? In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Raquelle Zuzarte, Founder and CMO of Equity Project for All, and Frederico Salvitti, Tech & AI Specialist. Their AI platform, Gradient, shows brands where they stand on diversity and inclusion through comprehensive data-driven analysis of their visual imagery.Our conversation will cover:
What is the current state of representation and marketing from a diversity and inclusion standpoint?
What are examples of major brands or industries that have been making strides in these categories?
How to build customer intimacy through listening and observation
The importance of authentically and sincerely expressing your brand’s core purpose
How brands can start building stories around people who have traditionally been underrepresented and underserved
How the Implicit Association Test can help you recognize and address your blind spots
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Mar 22, 2022 • 15min
12. We are not the same, so don’t treat us the same
Equality is essential in certain aspects of society. But in some situations, unapologetically treating people differently will help you win the attention, adoration and loyalty of more consumers, especially people that brands often ignore.As a business leader, how can you decide when it's appropriate to treat everyone equally, and when you should treat certain groups of people differently? In this episode, I will go through my 3-step process for identifying these situations, so you can do a better job of consistently making life better for the people you serve while also making them feel like they belong with you and your brand.Get the episode transcript hereGet the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter here
