Crafting Engaging Brand Stories Online | Bernadette Fredricks from Bern & Chris

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Hey everyone. Welcome back to Pathmonk Presents. Today we are joined by Bernadette Fredericks. She is the CEO and founder of Bern and Chris Business Solutions. Bernadette, welcome to the show.

Bernadette Fredericks: Thank you for having me.

Rick: Of course. You’re more than welcome, and we’re excited to have you, Bernadette. Let’s start with the basics. In your own words, what’s the heart of what your company does, and how would you describe it to someone new?

Bernadette: We’re an online-based marketing firm. We work with businesses of all sizes and in many different areas. What we do is help our clients gain relevant public appearance—through creative content, websites, and anything else they might need to make their public presence spotless so they can gain the clientele they’re looking for.

Rick: Okay, very good. Are there any types of businesses or industries that you feel you’re able to serve best at the moment? And maybe, what kind of problems do they come to you with?

Bernadette: Sure. We work with a lot of different types of businesses—children’s book authors, therapists, lawyers, entire law firms, athletes (both student and professional). Most of the time, they come to us with the same problem: they’re trying to get creative content that not only catches attention but draws people in and makes them want to learn more about their company or brand.
We’re very hands-on with our clients, talking to them a lot to find out exactly what their needs are so we can best meet them. Then we move forward with a plan to bring a creative light to what they’re doing and present it properly so they can actually gain an audience.

Rick: Sends the right message, portrays the right image. So that’s super important.

Bernadette: Branding, essentially.

Rick: How do they typically find out about you? Can you expand on your top acquisition channels right now?

Bernadette: We post a lot of content on multiple social media platforms—LinkedIn, TikTok, those types. Last year, we had just under 200,000 impressions across our website and social media. I think what draws people in is our content. It makes them want to learn more: “What is Bern and Chris Business Solutions about?” Then they move over to the website, which we try to make as engaging as possible and answer as many questions as possible so they can make an educated decision about how to move forward.

Rick: Got it. How much of a role does your website play in terms of acquiring new clients?

Bernadette: The website plays a huge role. We’re a marketing firm—we have to show people we can market. The first person we’re marketing is ourselves. So our website is people’s first impression of us. We keep an engaging homepage and lots of samples. People want to see work samples before contacting you. Who have you worked with? What kind of content do you produce? Our website is the biggest draw to actually convert visitors into clients.

Rick: Got it. So it’s vital. Is there anything on the website right now that you think works especially well, or anything you want to improve?

Bernadette: The homepage is really engaging. It’s got a public transportation train flying across the top of the screen—because we’re based in Chicago. There are tons of samples and options like “Learn More” and “Purchase Now.” The homepage has to be strong enough to keep people there long enough to go deeper into the site.

Rick: You’re drawing from both your own experience and that of your clients. What do you think makes a website convert? Any tools, tips, tactics?

Bernadette: Having a lot of options immediately available—seeing content, making purchases, exploring services—really helps. We don’t want visitors to feel they have to do a lot of digging to find what they want. People are trying to get onto a site, be impressed, and instantly pick out what they want: “Here’s a sample reel, here’s a sample site—great, I want to contact them.”
Long scrolling pages? Not a fan. Our clients don’t want them either. If they don’t want that for themselves, why would they want it on a site built by us?

Rick: Got it. Just make it easy. Speaking of easy—which I’m sure running a business isn’t—I’d like to switch gears. What’s a day in the life like for you? What do you focus on day-to-day to keep the firm running?

Bernadette: I start by checking emails—we try to respond the same business day if possible. I check analytics to make sure our work is effective. Pretty content doesn’t mean much if only 30 people see it. I stay hands-on, even though I’m CEO and founder, to ensure everything reflects both our firm and our clients’ brands.

Rick: Because you’ve got the eye. And there’s always more to learn, right? How do you stay focused and keep learning with so much content out there?

Bernadette: I browse a lot and pay attention to what people post—especially on LinkedIn. It’s a professional platform. People talk about their business, their challenges, their wins. I follow trends: are they talking about partnerships, mergers? The NFL draft just happened, students are entering the G League. That awareness lets us create timely, relevant content for both us and our clients.

Rick: That’s a great point. LinkedIn gives you a pulse on what’s relevant. It’s growing fast for that reason.

Bernadette: Absolutely.

Rick: We’re wrapping up, but let’s keep it fun. Time for a rapid-fire segment. The only rule: concise questions deserve concise answers. Ready?

Bernadette: I am.

Rick: Do you prefer watching or reading?

Bernadette: Reading.

Rick: Latest book you picked up?

Bernadette: It was actually from my youngest client, Kevin Pew—he’s 12. His third book is coming out. The last one I read was “Chores”—a children’s book that encourages kids to help at home. I read it because if I’m marketing it, I need to know the tone.

Rick: That’s awesome. I’ll probably grab that one myself. Now, if you had a magic wand to fix one frustrating thing in your marketing life—what would it be?

Bernadette: The algorithm changes! Just when you find the perfect time to post, it changes again. I’d make it stay the same.

Rick: That’s a good one. What about a repetitive task you’d love to put on autopilot forever?

Bernadette: Actually, I like the repetitive tasks—they help me feel in control. Things like checking analytics, ensuring posts go out properly—those keep me connected.

Rick: Fair point. But others might just want it fully automated. Final question: if you could go back in time and give your younger self one piece of advice for your marketing journey, what would it be?

Bernadette: Do the research upfront—on programs, tools, tracking—figure out what works best for you and master it. Don’t chase tools that work for others. Be great at what fits your workflow.

Rick: That’s solid advice. Bernadette, thank you for joining us today. Final word: if someone forgets everything else from today, what’s the one thing they should remember about your work?

Bernadette: We are on your side. We treat every client like it’s personal. We want you to win, succeed, and feel successful. We want to help you become the rockstar you want to be.

Rick: Amazing. And if someone wants to become a rockstar, where should they go?

Bernadette: Go to designs.com.

Rick: Any social media links?

Bernadette: All channels are under either Bernadette Fredericks or bernachrisdesigns.com. I’m hands-on—best way to reach me is LinkedIn under Bernadette Fredericks.

Rick: Perfect. Thanks again, Bernadette. Wishing you a beautiful day, and I hope to see you again soon.