Kriston Sellier, id8, on Branding That Customers Remember (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 912)
On this edition of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray welcomes Kriston Sellier, Founder and President of id8. Kriston discusses how real differentiation, rather than generic claims like quality and caring, builds enduring brands. She walks through id8’s discovery process, where small but true details become the hook that customers remember, such as a packaging story that began with an overlooked import detail and turned into a premium signal buyers could trust. She also explains why many founders struggle to see their own “orange umbrella” and how an outside team helps surface it.
Kriston lays out practical shifts leaders can make right now: deepen impact before you chase scale, retain customers longer with promises that matter, and commit to consistent messaging long enough to change minds. She tells revenue and retention stories that show what happens when a brand gets clarified, activated, and consistently expressed across touchpoints, from the website to the side of a truck. This conversation serves as a valuable guide for owners seeking a brand that generates sales without their presence.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, and is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
Key Takeaways from This Episode
- Differentiation lives in specific, true details customers can picture, not vague claims like “innovative” or “quality.”
- Consistency wins: it can take 18 months of steady messaging to change how a market thinks, then another 18 months to see behavior shift.
- Prioritize deepening impact: enhance customer lifetime value through meaningful promises and utilize the brand to retain, not just acquire.
- Rebrands pay off when they’re activated everywhere, especially where buyers actually see you, from vehicles to proposals to the site.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:33 Guest Introduction: Kriston Sellier, id8
02:33 Kriston’s Journey and Passion for Branding
04:20 Branding Success Stories
09:14 Deepening Impact Over Scaling Up
14:55 Overcoming Hidden Barriers to Growth
21:35 Introduction to Idea Eight
21:53 Identifying Symptoms of Brand Issues
23:35 Challenges in Mergers and Acquisitions
25:34 Kriston’s Passion for Manufacturing
27:45 The Sales Process at Idea Eight
29:36 Kriston’s Journey in Sales
32:51 Reflective Apparel Success Story
36:11 Contact Information and Closing Remarks
37:02 Final Thanks
Kriston Sellier, Founder & President, id8
Kriston Sellier is the Founder and President of id8, an award-winning branding agency headquartered in Marietta, Georgia. She launched the firm in 2000 after building her design and strategy expertise at IBM, where she gained experience in brand development and e-business innovation with clients including The New York Times, Kodak, and the U.S.V.I. Department of Tourism.
Her philosophy centers on uncovering the heart of a brand through research, collaboration, and strategy. Kriston leads id8 with the goal of helping businesses grow their brand value by identifying what truly differentiates them in the market. She emphasizes creativity built on data and design thinking, cultivating a culture at id8 that encourages curiosity, innovation, and authenticity in client relationships.
Over the past two decades, Kriston has guided id8 to become one of the top creative agencies in the Southeast, earning multiple national design awards and recognition from the Cobb Chamber as one of the Top 25 Small Businesses of the Year. She has partnered with companies across industries—from manufacturing to retail—helping them clarify messaging, strengthen identity, and build revenue-generating brand platforms.
A graduate of Illinois State University with a degree in Graphic Design, Kriston also completed masters work at University of Cincinnati, entrepreneurship training at Dartmouth College through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council and Babson College through the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. She remains active in the Georgia business community, mentoring young designers and speaking on topics such as branding, leadership, and business growth through authenticity.
id8
id8 is an award-winning branding and marketing agency based in Marietta, Georgia, specializing in helping small and mid-sized businesses unlock growth through research-driven creative solutions. The team goes beyond just making things look good; they dig into market research and strategic insights before launching any brand transformation or marketing effort. This means every logo, website refresh, or marketing campaign is built to solve real business challenges and deliver measurable results.
What really sets id8 apart from competitors is the hands-on approach of senior leadership, nimbleness, and the agency’s commitment to proactive communication. Clients work directly with an experienced strategist (not just a junior team), enjoy flexibility for changing needs, and always know where their project stands. The agency’s reputation for blending corporate branding, marketing, package and digital design with straightforward, client-focused partnership makes them a go-to for VPs of Marketing, Sales, and CEOs who want a partner that gets business, not just branding.
id8’s work has made an impact for the Georgia Department of Labor, the City of Marietta/Visit Marietta, Atlanta North School, the City of Atlanta Jazz Festival, Kistler, and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Notable accomplishments include rebranding Marietta Square and Atlanta North School, winning multiple Davey Awards and GDUSA recognitions, and earning distinction as a Cobb Chamber Top 25 Small Business of the Year.
At id8, building brands isn’t about trendy templates or chasing awards; it’s about helping organizations stand apart, communicate clearly, and create lasting value in the communities they serve.
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Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio
Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, with over $17 billion in assets and more than 180 banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services offices throughout the region. All of Renasant’s success stems from each banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way to better understand the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.
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Beyond Computer Solutions supports North Fulton Business Radio
Whether you’re a law firm, medical practice, or manufacturer, there’s one headline you don’t want to make: “Local Business Pays Thousands in Ransom After Cyberattack.” That’s where Beyond Computer Solutions comes in. They help organizations like yours stay out of the news and in business with managed IT and cybersecurity services designed for industries where compliance and reputation matter most.
Whether they serve as your complete IT department or simply support your internal team, they are well-versed in HIPAA, secure document access, written security policies, and other essential aspects that ensure your safety and well-being. Best of all, it starts with a complimentary security assessment.
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About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray
With over 900 episodes and having featured over 1,400 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!
The show invites a diverse range of business, non-profit, and community leaders to share their significant contributions to their markets, communities, and professions. There’s no discrimination based on company size, and there’s never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates businesses by sharing positive stories that traditional media ignore. Some media lean left. Some media lean right. We lean business.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. John and the team at North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®, produce the show, and it is recorded inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
The studio address is 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
You can find the complete archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.
John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants, bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.
John is the author of the five-star rated book, The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices, praised by readers for its practical insights on raising confidence, value, and prices.
