Ep. 82 Kyra Barker On Building Marketing Strategies That Solve Real Problems
12/9/25
Marketing strategy is more than social media campaigns—it's about solving real customer problems. In this episode of the DO GOOD X podcast, hosts Kimberly Daniel and Stephen Lewis welcome business consultant and cancer survivor Kyra Barker, who shares her expertise in marketing fundamentals and brand building. Kyra emphasizes that effective startup marketing begins with understanding the customer journey, conducting thorough situational analysis, and doing proper user research before launching products or services. She discusses how entrepreneurs can identify customer pain points, choose the appropriate marketing channels, and create marketing communications that resonate at each stage of the buyer's journey—from awareness to retention.
In This Episode
- 00:00 Intro: Taking a holistic approach to a purpose-driven entrepreneurship
- 05:06 Essential marketing fundamentals, including situational analysis, SWOT, and PESTLE frameworks for startup marketing
- 07:33 Understanding customer pain points and the difference between building a "vitamin" versus a "painkiller" solution
- 10:44 How to stand out in content overload by aligning marketing communications with the customer journey stages
- 14:22 Choosing effective marketing channels by asking customers where they consume media and spend time
- 15:16 What to look for when hiring a marketing consultant and avoiding cookie-cutter strategies
Key Takeaways
- True marketing strategy starts with comprehensive marketing fundamentals—conducting a situational analysis (SWOT) and PESTLE analysis to understand political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental factors affecting your business environment before diving into campaigns.
- Successful brand building requires deep user research to determine if you're solving real customer pain points (a painkiller) versus creating a nice-to-have product (a vitamin), then matching your content marketing to each stage of the customer journey from awareness to customer retention.
- When selecting marketing channels and hiring a marketing consultant, focus on fundamentals over trends—choose platforms where your target audience actually spends time, and work with strategists who understand the four Ps of marketing (product, place, price, promotion) rather than just social media tactics.
About The Hosts
Kimberly R. Daniel
Kimberly R. Daniel catalyzes entrepreneurs and organizations to do good. She is co-founder and project director of DO GOOD X, a community that provides programs and support for faith-driven social entrepreneurs whose businesses focus on positive Change.
Kimberly also helps purpose-driven organizations clarify and design compelling brand and communication strategies. With over 15 years of experience developing and leading communications efforts, it is her commitment to produce effective processes and create authentic, “sticky” brands that are community-centered.
In addition, Kimberly has nearly 10 years of experience as a certified life coach and has facilitated workshops, spoken to communities, and written about innovation and entrepreneurship centered on social impact. She is co-author of A Way Out of No Way: An Approach to Christian Innovation (2021).
In any aspect of her work, she is deeply passionate about purpose, meaning, and the common good.
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Stephen Lewis
Stephen Lewis is the president of the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) and creator and co-founder of DO GOOD X, a start-up accelerator for diverse Christian social entrepreneurs. He is an organizational change strategist and a leadership development specialist, focused on inspiring the next generation of faith-inspired leaders and entrepreneurs to live and work on purpose. Stephen is the co-author of Another Way: Living and Leading Change on Purpose (2020) and A Way Out of No Way: Approach to Christian Innovation (2021).
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