What Business Owners Get Wrong About Branding & Marketing | Interview with Joshua Hays

Description:

In this episode of Let’s Bee Real, Bee Powell sits down with Joshua Hays, founder of New York Ave, to unpack one of the most misunderstood topics in business: the REAL difference between branding, marketing, and advertising—and why most business owners get it wrong.

Joshua shares his journey from childhood entrepreneur to leading one of Central Florida’s most respected marketing agencies. Together, Bee and Joshua dive into branding values, community impact, AI’s disruption of the marketing industry, and how small businesses can stay connected to their audience in a noisy digital world.

If you're a business owner, marketer, entrepreneur, or local community leader, this conversation is full of practical insights on brand identity, strategy, consistency, and the future of digital marketing.

🔍 Topics Covered

✅ Branding vs. marketing vs. advertising

✅ Why core values matter more than logos

✅ The biggest marketing mistakes business owners make

✅ How AI is transforming the marketing world

✅ Staying creative and inspired in a changing industry

✅ Why local businesses fuel local communities

✅ How consistency builds customer connection

✅ Real-world brand success examples

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Favorite colors banter

00:15 – Welcome to Let’s Bee Real

00:22 – Introduction of guest Joshua Hays

00:48 – Josh’s background in entrepreneurship & marketing

01:50 – Why Josh loves building teams

02:51 – Childhood inspirations + core values

03:45 – Integrity in marketing

04:29 – Branding vs. marketing vs. advertising explained

06:17 – Real estate branding and the meaning behind colors

07:07 – Bee’s yellow brand identity

07:48 – Color psychology + brand meaning

08:56 – Biggest marketing mistakes business owners make

10:12 – Why business owners spread themselves too thin

11:03 – What brand success really looks like

12:27 – Building authentic connection with your audience

13:35 – Staying consistent in a noisy digital world

14:17 – The rapid evolution of tech + AI

15:22 – How Josh uses AI for strategy & creativity

16:10 – What keeps Josh creative

17:59 – Supporting the local community through local business

19:16 – Why “shop local” matters

20:11 – Local branding vs national brands

21:11 – Lightning round: fun questions

22:13 – Favorite candy bar (and a surprise!)

22:29 – Marketing pet peeves

22:56 – Dream home vibes

23:25 – The billboard question

23:54 – What business owners misunderstand about branding

24:19 – Finish the sentence: “The best marketing is…”

24:36 – Closing thoughts with Bee Powell