The Good Listening To Show: Stories of Distinction & Genius

'Founder Story' Design Strategist & Marketing Queen Lori Haller of Designing Response LLC: "I'm Not Here To Make It Look Pretty. I'm Here To Grab Attention & Compel Action"

• Chris Grimes - Facilitator. Coach. Motivational Comedian

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If you don't yet have a frame of reference for Design Response Queen Lori Haller, then here she comes! "The reason I named my company Designing Response is that's how I show up: I'm not here to just create a beautiful design and jooje the copy. I'm here hardcore to hop-on-top of whatever project it is and make sure I get a RESPONSE: Click a button, say "Yes!" and get out your wallet": BOOM! 

Pretty design is easy. Design that makes someone stop, FEEL something, and take ACTION is a different craft entirely and that’s where Lori Haller lives. From just outside Washington, DC, Lori joins me in The Clearing to unpack what she calls “designing response”: showing up with copy, visuals and strategy that align so tightly the next step becomes obvious. We get into what congruence really looks like in direct mail, sales pages and campaigns, and why being the brave voice in the room can be the difference between a nice-looking piece and a profitable one.

Lori also opens up about how she finds creative flow and why nature is not a luxury but part of the job when you are paid to think. We talk about her serious happy place at the ocean, using music to match the heartbeat of a project, and the joy she gets from coaching writers and designers into stronger collaboration. If you have ever watched a team argue in circles, you will love her practical take on how to work together, speak up, and still keep it human.

We also go head-on into AI in marketing and design. Lori sees AI as a force multiplier when it frees talented people from endless “doing” and gives them back the time to dig deeper and find the explosive ideas. You’ll hear how she helps companies improve systems, adopt new tools and drive real profitability, plus the personal values underneath it all: making ripples that help someone else live better.

If you enjoy the conversation, subscribe, share the show with a friend who cares about direct response marketing and creative leadership, and leave a review so more listeners can find us. What part of Lori’s approach are you going to try first?

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'.  If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW wherever you get your Podcasts :)

Thanks for listening! 

Welcome To The Clearing<br>

Chris Grimes

Welcome to another episode of The Good Listening To Show. Your life and times with me, Chris Grimes. The storytelling show that features the clearing, where all good questions come to get asked, and all good stories come to be told. And where all my guests have two things in common. They're all creative individuals and all with an interesting story to tell. There are some lovely storytelling metaphors, a clearing, a tree, a juicy storytelling exercise called 54321, some alchemy, some gold, a cheeky bit of Shakespeare, and a cake. So it's all to play for. So yes, welcome to the Good Listening to Show, your life and times with me, Chris Grimes. Are you sitting comfortably? Then we shall begin. Boom! And we're live for a very, very exciting story of distinction and genius here in the Good Listening to show. I'm Chris. What's your story, Grimes? And we're going to be finding out the story behind the story of Designing Response Queen Lori Haller, who is, if I may say, and just to blow a bit of happy smoke at you, an extremely in-demand direct response designer, writer, speaker, author, and coach. And Lori, you were past the golden baton, which is obviously a construct within the show, by David L. Deutsch, the billion-dollar copywriter, who was raving about you in a non, as we in the UK say, in a non-loony way, in a really enthusiastic way. So you're looking gorgeous. You look like the Madonna of the design world. It looks fantastic. And in terms of designing response, I'll let you in in just a second. You should always say you show up to get a response. And may I say what a joy it is to have you here in the show.

Lori Haller

It's lovely to be here, Chris. Thanks for inviting me. And uh thank you again to David for giving out my name.

What Designing Response Really Means<br>

Chris Grimes

Wonderful. And we had a very, very wonderful and enthusiastic reciprocal uh conversation just before Christmas. So this has been a couple of months in the planning. Here we are, and you've just said very enigmatically that where you're speaking from is quite close to Sugar Loaf Mountain. So when you're sitting in the UK and it's a really dull, rainy day here in Bristol in the United Kingdom, can you just talk me through where you're broadcasting in from today across the World Wide Web, Lori Halla?

Lori Haller

Yes, it's uh maybe 30 minutes outside of Washington, DC. And like I said, you know, I get to look all day, all night, every day, right at Sugarloaf Mountain. I get to see the sunsets. There's Black Hills State Park, a lake I love to walk around, and it's just kind of dreamy. But if I want to get into that city vibe, you know, I can uh scurry on into DC easily.

Chris Grimes

Love that. And if um someone doesn't have a frame of reference, and you know we all go to clunky networking events in our time. If somebody has a not got a frame of reference and they go, uh, hello, what do you do? What's your favorite way, Lori Haller, of describing what design response and you and your agency do?

Lori Haller

Yeah, well, that's a great question. Um, the reason I named my company that designing response was that's how I show up. I'm not just showing up to make a beautiful design or kind of zhuzh the copy or a photo. I'm here hardcore to hop on top of whatever project it is and make sure I get that response, the awareness, somebody to click a button, say yes, get out their wallet. So um that's that's definitely the name of the game for me.

Chris Grimes

So you've been creating award-winning, sales-generating, direct mail, online promotions, space advertising and design campaigns, not trying to age us both, but you've got a lot of experience in there. It's about 20 plus years of doing weaving your magic, as you say, to hop on top to get a response. And I love that as a as a way of describing what you do.

Lori Haller

Yeah, definitely. So I've been very fortunate to be in this industry. You know, I knew what I wanted to do in high school, so I I've really enjoyed the journey.

Chris Grimes

And I also love the fact that you were responsible for, I presume, the graphic design, all the illustrations of Oprah Winfrey's O's Big Book of Happiness. That's a very exciting sounding client.

Lori Haller

Yes, that was a joy, but uh, you know, I can't take full credit for it. I was on top of the design for the direct mail campaign, but it was legendary writer Carleen on Glay Cole. I don't know if she's been on your show, but she's the one that got the account. And uh I was just so tickled when she called me and said, Lori, the Oprah team, I think it's Time Inc. Uh, at that point, they were a little too busy and couldn't, you know, couldn't take care of this direct mail campaign. And she chose me, and that was very thoughtful of her. So amazing writer. I could not have created the campaign without you know her words. And, you know, obviously Gail King and the whole team, but that was that was a beautiful experience.

The Beach As A Creative Engine<br>

Chris Grimes

And I know in loving researching you, you've had other clients including, but you know, not exclusively, Hyatt Hotels, Forbes, and then National Near Geographic was another exciting one. Partly because I'm really interested in trying to sort of uh trebuchet, which is my favorite medieval instrument. I'm quite interested in the idea of trebucheting my show from here in the UK to the States. And um as we as we record, I'm delighted to let you know that um I've just been asked to syndicate this show with Brushwood Media, which is oh yay another few steps along the path. And I'll describe a particular series strand that I'm up to as we get to the end. There's a very exciting moment for you called Show Us Your QR code, please, where I'm going to be able to invite listeners, watchers to know exactly where we can go to find you, Lori Haller. But also I'll talk about this series strand called Legacy Life Reflections at the end. So it's my great pleasure and joy to have you on the show. And I'm going to curate you through the normal storytelling structure, which gets into the who, the what, the where, the why you do what you do. And then the real crucial thing, apart from the why, is where we can come and find you to work with you. There's going to be a clearing, a tree, a lovely juicy storytelling exercise called 54321. There's going to be some alchemy, some gold, a couple of random squirrels, a cheeky bit of Shakespeare, a golden baton, and a cake. So it's all to play for. So energetically, it all takes place in a clearing or serious happy place of you, Laurie Haller, my guests choosing. So you said you're already talking and looking out almost on Sugarloaf Mountain, but that doesn't have to be your clearing. Where would you say your serious happy place is? Where does Lori Haller go to get tutter-free, inspirational, and able?

Lori Haller

Yeah, that that's so easy for me. And I actually, when I get a certain level of a project, I will try to force myself to find a way to get here. And that's right on the ocean, walking at the, you know, at the beach, usually in the morning, you know, that, you know, bare feet, sand in your toes, the sound of the waves. That just allows me to get still and focus and you know, inspired and just crack wide open any ideas that you know I'm trying to think about. Yeah.

Chris Grimes

I love your turn of phrase, crack wide open, hop on top. I also love the idea of be where your feet are and there's sand between your toes as you hop on the back of the day in order to crack uh the design response you're after.

Lori Haller

Yeah, definitely. And the the interesting thing is, and I try to make myself remember, three or four of my longest and biggest winners were created at the ocean, just on this old beat up uh, you know, screened-in porch. I just drug my computer out there and uh went to town. And I think it it does come from that open, that clearing, the thinking, right?

Chris Grimes

And just to help us put a sort of what three words, which is a navigation app, if you like. I'm not at all sponsored by them, but in order to sort of pin your your flag in the sand, where exactly is this is the piece of ocean that you love to go to?

Lori Haller

Oh, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, which is only about a two and a half hour drive from where you know I live. So you can get there easily. Just a little quiet, quaint town. And it's just very like inspiring and calm. That's very important in what I do. You know, I'm paid to think, so any outside distractions, yeah, that's uh not gonna not gonna work for me.

Speaking Up For Message Congruence<br>

Chris Grimes

So just in to deliberately reincorporate so I know exactly where to plant my tree. What say the name of the coastline again in Delaware? Yeah, Rehoboth Beach. Rehoboth beach. Boom! In all my circa 270 episodes, this is delicious. I love the fact in this construct that everybody answers where I arrive with a tree differently, and there you are at your lovely beach scape, sand between your toes. I now arrive with a tree, and because of my acting background, this is a bit deliberately existentially waiting for Goddo-esque, a bit becketty, and I'm gonna shake your tree to see which storytelling apples fall out. How do I use apples? And then this is where you've been kind enough, uh, Lori Haller, designing response queen, to have thought about four things that have shaped you, three things that inspire you, two things that never fail to grab your attention. And when we get there, I'll talk about squirrels and monsters of distraction. And then the one is a quirky or unusual fact about you we couldn't possibly know about you, Lori, you, Lori, until you tell us. So this is not a memory test, just to reassure you. And then the invocation is to go where you like, how you like, as deep as you like you like, whenever you like, within this construct. So over to you to shape the canopy of your tree. How do you like these apples? First of all, four things that have shaped you and in the work that you're here to reveal to the world, Laurie Halla.

Lori Haller

Yeah, so nature is a huge one. I guess that kind of ties into that beach and sand and feeling the earth. I love to run outside, play. I, you know, I'm still like a seven-year-old. I love to still play and just relax and enjoy life. I'm not afraid of what people are gonna think or say, um, for the most part. And uh the way in which that has really helped me in business, if it's whole teams and I'm meeting with them and we're talking about copy and design, many times I've had to raise my hand and speak up and say something like, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, you know, the name of your product in this bottle is this. What you're saying over here is is this, and me becoming the outside audience, the reader, you know, it it's it's contrasting. That set me off. I don't want to read anymore. So that is like a benefit that has shaped me.

Chris Grimes

If I was very timid and nervous, there's a fiery desire to get congruence and to get, I suppose, the the story behind the story of the product aligned and with your super objective perspective and and degree of challenge to get the messaging you require, is what I'm hearing.

Lori Haller

Yes, and key word fiery. I'm glad you brought that up because it is difficult. You know, maybe these 15 people that are on this call are like hell bent on this is the way it's gonna be, and this is the way we've always done it, but they've hired me to really take a fresh new look and make sure, you know, that it's really gonna align this piece, you know, direct mail campaign, a website, sales page, it doesn't really matter. So just being able to raise your hand in all honesty and go hard. And I I've never had somebody say, you know, like, Lori, oh my goodness, why why did you speak up like that and tell us the truth? You know, everybody's like, you know what, we've been wondering that for a while, and we were afraid to say it. So I like being the game changer in the room.

Chris Grimes

I love that. The game changer in the room, there to agitate their thinking. And of course, that's the true nature of an assertive, trusted advisor. You're not there just to be pleasant to people, you're there to get a response and to get the right response.

Lori Haller

Right, exactly. Um, deep visualness, and it seems like my senses are highly wired and firing at all times. Like sound, sight, the sense of smell, what's around you. And I'm thinking because of that, you know, these items have shaped me. I can really dig deep and get the true feeling of a product, a service, whatever clients have brought me in to work on. And then lastly, there's no way that I could have accomplished what I have and been on the projects. You know, I've been asked to join without so many people reaching out, pushing me up, inspiring me. And uh so those people have all shaped my career and I'm grateful for every one of them.

Chris Grimes

And of course, the law of reciprocity is such that you must have a fiery reputation, which is why they keep you know talking about you when you're not there in the room and then bringing you back in the room.

Lori Haller

Maybe that or I'm a pain in the neck. I don't know. But yes, let's go with what you said.

Chris Grimes

Let's go with what he said. That's cool, good. If I'm right in assuming that is the four shapages right there that you've very articulately whistled off there. And when you're not being Mrs. Fiery design response, uh, what are you really enjoying doing outside of the work context?

Lori Haller

Oh well, I do love music, it's a huge part of my life, and I think that circles back to that sensory, those feelings, and so much so that I will pick songs. If I'm doing a project that I can actually have sound, I will pick songs. Uh, one time for a project with legendary writer Dick Sanders for Roger Conrad uh was a print campaign. We had like seven days to create this print and mail campaign. I played that Moby play album on you know, repeat. It's something about that sound in my heart. You know how you get that heartbeat when you hear something?

Chris Grimes

The pulse of the music, the pulse of the project. And it sounds like you might choose your music differently according to the pulse of the project. Exactly. And by the way, you're doing a lovely segue into what's influencing you now, because these are the three things that influence you. You could be music, could have been the first answer, but I was I was giving a non-work-related answer to the to the shaping, first of all.

Lori Haller

Like laughter and happiness and feeling that glow that inspires me. And when I see five-star reviews for a product that maybe we launched a while ago, and then I read those testimonials, and so something that you know, I slightly touched and helped this company get these reviews, along with everyone else on the team, of course. And I see that maybe this joint pain product, you know, or something like that has changed somebody's life. They can finally move around, do the things they used to do, play golf. That uh I get a load out of that because I've helped others in a way. So that inspires me to really reach wider, harder, deeper, you know, to get on top of these things that I'm working on.

Chris Grimes

There's an implicit energy in what you're describing as well. You know how energy is the elixir of all connection and the currency of proper connection. And I love the fact you're bringing multi-sensorial approaches to projects, they're not just dry writing projects. These are all they have to evoke the senses and genuinely help people in the end users' awareness of the product and what it brings.

Lori Haller

Yeah, I will say, you know, personally, sometimes it's a lot to carry around you know, this much energy. Uh, it's a beautiful thing and I enjoy it, but there are times when I just have to say, Haller, you know, simmer down, get a hold of yourself and you know, like that, uh, to really control it and use it in what I'm creating and thinking about and in a in a in a wonderful way. And then lastly, oh gosh, when I'm coaching students, you know, or teams, uh, I get the biggest inspiration and joy seeing them, you know, they show up and they're like, I can't figure this out, it's a mess. I don't know how, you know, and then after a little coaching and talking and love and sharing, you know, for them, you see their face, you see the glow, then you see their project, and then you see it working, you see the websites, you know, getting way more hits than it was. And um that tickles me. I I live for that. Helping others is just really exciting for me.

Chris Grimes

So the you're also the fiery queen of collaboration, therefore, because there's a mentorship and a teaching imperative in what you're describing there as well. So rather than just being the lead writer within a project or the lead designer, you're also very keen to mentor and nurture others. And what are you most proud of working on at the moment, if I may ask?

Systems Profitability And AI Upside<br>

Lori Haller

You know, for a good 10 years or so, companies have hired me to also come in, look at the systems, the processes now with all this new technology and AI, more than ever before. Hey, these three people used to do it this way. How can we switch it around? So profitability is huge for companies, not only in just maybe my design or copy or coaching, but also the growth of that company and making those decisions in the technology now. Now they'll go over here. They'll do this first with this new software. And um, one company I've been coaching for the last, I don't know, I guess it's since around 2018, 2019, for the last few years, we've increased profits by 30 to 40 percent. That's what I'm going for. That's why I show up. And uh I think, like we said in the very beginning, I'm not just here to do a pretty design. You know, I'm showing up and I want to explode these products and this company and this team, you know, it means so much to me.

Chris Grimes

And in the shape of the curation of the journey of the storytelling, we've got, I think, one more inspiration, unless you feel that we've created we've we've crafted the three things that inspire you.

Lori Haller

Yeah, I do love to see people helping others, or even just in my personal life, you know, with family or friends, just kindness and going that extra mile. It's a game changer. With writers, sometimes, if it's a huge team and you have like 15 writers and 10 designers or whatever, no one comes to the table with ample training and college on how to get along, how to raise your hand and say, you know, this is my idea. So a lot of training goes into that. Watching teams be able to then learn how to, instead of arguing with each other or whatever, um work together and get, you know, landslide winners.

Chris Grimes

It's about the notion of positive conflict. You you need, you know, teams need to recruit for diversity, not for similarity. And there needs to be, I suppose, the healthy RG Bargy in order to get the best. And then one of my favorite quotes is it's all about the relationship, stupid, because it always is, but of course, that dynamic is different in every team.

Lori Haller

Yeah, I like that RG Bargie. I'm gonna, I'm gonna have to write that so uh you're absolutely right. You know, these companies can have a hundred people, they can have 20 people or five. It doesn't matter, but how do we work together for the common good?

Chris Grimes

And keeping it warm, human, connecting. And of course, there is a huge disruption in every creative industry, particularly with AI now. The question I'd love to explore is is the disruptor of AI and the world in which you operate, the domain of design and of getting a design response. How has that changed or altered, or are you just embracing it?

Lori Haller

Oh, only for the good. It lets me use all my brilliance and juiciness to the tenth power, you know, times 10. That's like I said, in stepping in on these systems and processes, see where we're going with this. So instead of spending this much time doing, doing, doing, now AI, you I can use it to assist in getting things done, giving these brilliant talents more time, the right amount of time. To sit and think that's where those explosive ideas come up. So it's a win-win for me. And I'm I'm really I'm enjoying it definitely.

Chris Grimes

AI is your quirk to the power of 10, is how you're able to galvanize and use it for the for the greater good, you're you're saying.

Lori Haller

Oh, definitely. It's uh it's really, I'll say delicious.

Chris Grimes

So well, please do. That's a great way to describe it. Also embracing change as well and being on the crest of a wave of the advent of change and then using the word delicious is is a really positive way to surf that particular wave, I would say.

Lori Haller

Yeah. Well, don't forget, like uh I have been around for a very long while. So when I first started out, you know, don't forget that we were spreading this dangerous glue on the back of type, you know, sheets of the words, the copy, and pasting them down on pieces of board. And uh then, you know, one day somebody's like, hey, there's this thing called a computer, and we're gonna train you to uh do the magazine uh on the computer instead of that. Uh, and you need to be up and running in three days and and learn everything new. So this isn't my first rodeo with something like this.

Chris Grimes

So uh and it's it's the next industrial revolution, absolutely.

Lori Haller

Yeah, yeah. I embrace uh you know, all this goodness, definitely.

Chris Grimes

So now in the structure, we're on to the two squirrels. Uh borrowed from the film up. Um I've borrowed this for this structure, where the dog goes, Oh, squirrel, we've all got monsters of distraction, our shiny object syndrome. I'd like to ask you, what are your two squirrels? What two things in your life never fail to distract you, irrespective of anything else that might be going on for you?

Lori Haller

Oh, yeah. So I hope I went, I'm going down the right direction on this. I thought of it as in a positive way. Uh, every year in June, I know about when the fireflies are going to come out at night. Uh, and since I'm an outdoor girl, seeing those fireflies and something that happens in nature and those little flashes of light and how they're alive and glowing, that will grab my attention.

Chris Grimes

Sorry to interrupt you. What that's really fired off is I've heard someone recently brilliantly describe emotional intelligence when it grows as being like fireflies of the mind. So I completely love the idea that once a year you are hardwired with all of your embracing change to then go to the factory default setting of here are my fireflies of the mind in June again. How fantastic!

Lori Haller

Yeah, because it's so special. That's a great tie-in. And then another thing, again, you're probably gonna giggle, but I love the water, the lake, the beach, being able to just walk around and find a rock or a stone that just randomly happens to be there, you know, and you pick it up, and then you're near the lake, and you know, you toss it. I know how to skip a rock. I think my biggest skipping is like eight jumps, maybe seven, six around in there.

Chris Grimes

Stereotypically, a man can't visit a body of water when there are stones around without skimming. So I love the fact that we'd got um a samurai female skimmer, and of course, it you know, it's not a gender-specific sport, but it's funny how men have to sort of interfere with the calm of the lake and always flosh something in.

Lori Haller

The stone just skips and then it makes those pools, you know. And after the stone goes along a little bit, the pools are still open.

Chris Grimes

And if I may say that right there is your design response when the ripples happen.

Lori Haller

Oh yeah. I'm making a change that's brilliant. I'm making a change on purpose to get a reaction or some kind of next.

Chris Grimes

So it's in your nature, you'll see where I'm going here, in your nature to get a chain reaction.

Lori Haller

There you go.

Chris Grimes

There you go. Fireflies of the mind right there. Yeah, and now the one is a quirky or unusual um fact about you to get to the end of the 4321 construct side of what we're doing. What's a quirky or unusual fact about you, Lori Heller? Designing response, angel that we couldn't possibly know about you until you tell us.

Lori Haller

It kind of ties in with the fireflies, the rocks, the being outside. I love fishing. Fishing of every kind, but just to be clear, not so much the catching. There's something about an old metal, smelly tackle box full of lures and strings and twine and scissors and things, and then your fishing rod with your big bobber on the end or a lure or something, and then you walk over to this broken down pier and you just sit there in all the stillness.

Chris Grimes

Yeah, so the the the scratch and sniff nature and the sensey vocation of the fishing and the bait box and everything else is lovely. And and it's a bit like the it's the whole, I suppose, ceremony of fishing rather than the actual landing of the fish.

Lori Haller

Yeah.

Chris Grimes

And who taught you to fish, or what are you self-taught? I mean, was it something your mum or your dad did with you?

Lori Haller

Oh, my my my grandpa um taught me, you know, and uh we would do this together. And what was the name of your grandfather? Oh, he has a beautiful name, you know. He's he's up in heaven right now, uh, probably saying, like, oh Lorianne, why are you telling these stories about me? Homer Lemuel Fletcher. Is that a name and a half or what?

Chris Grimes

That's a bit of an Elmer Fudd wonderful. That's a great name. Say his name again, and we'll imagine the cartoon character.

Lori Haller

Homer Lemuel Fletcher.

Chris Grimes

How long ago did he pass, your grandfather?

Lori Haller

Yeah, let's see. I was uh maybe four or five years out of college. So uh yeah, just a couple years ago.

Chris Grimes

I was gonna say I wasn't fishing for anything else, using the word fishing again. No, no, just a couple of years ago suits us both fine. That's great.

Lori Haller

Yeah, there you go.

Chris Grimes

So yeah, so the others, any any other family members members with awesome names?

Lori Haller

I guess my grandma, her name was Mamie Lucille Bivens. I love those old-fashioned names. You know, one of my aunts, Ruby, Jesse, you know, they have a certain feeling that old-fashioned.

Chris Grimes

And if I may say, my my daughter's name is Lily, which is quite a and then really profoundly for me, uh, as a favorite name, my son is called Stan because of my adoration of Stan Laurel as being my oldest.

Lori Haller

That that is beautiful. I love that tie-in, and it probably every time you say his name, you know, it gives you this certain feeling, right?

Flow Alchemy Cake And Life Advice<br>

Chris Grimes

It absolutely does. Yes, absolutely. Laurie Haller, we have shaken your tree. Hurrah. So now we stay in the clearing, which is by the beach with some sand between your toes. You could be fishing, you could be pond skimming with the stones. And now we're going to talk about alchemy and gold. So when you're at purpose and in flow, and it doesn't have to be about designing for response, but when you're at purpose and in flow, what are you absolutely happiest doing in what you're here to reveal to the world?

Lori Haller

So professionally, when I get called in, there's either a problem that needs to be fixed, or you know, it could be maybe they're launching a new product, they're bringing you in. You know, here's that visual, you know, those magnetic pieces that you can snap together and then, you know, like that. Snapping the pieces together, you know, on a campaign, digging, digging deeper, deeper. You know, most people tend to accidentally, you know, without proper training, stop here. And it's like going here and then here, and then, you know, I go hard on things, so I think it's this. Um, I get in that flow.

Chris Grimes

What I love is finding the magnetic fields of a project. So finally they suddenly snap together because you found the palacity of the project, is what I was hearing.

Lori Haller

Yeah, you weren't just Mambi Pambi. You know, that's that's a problem that goes back to that thinking.

Chris Grimes

Yeah. At the very beginning, we mentioned the no the need for congruence. Yeah, yeah. Look at all of you.

Lori Haller

Yeah, you know, so that when I'm in the flow, and you know, professionally speaking, and this happens, but also in life, you know what I mean? Is uh I like that with relationships or experiences. Even I love to cook, even with cooking, like what's going on here? What happens when I mix this with this? You know, is it is it gonna give me the alchemy?

Chris Grimes

You're a natural-born alchemist as well. To get your reactions in nature, you're in you're an out, yes, alchemy and gold by the bucket load. Thank you very much.

Lori Haller

Yeah, there you go. I can blow things up. That that that's definitely true, right?

Chris Grimes

An extra cool superpower. Oh, yeah, you can blow this stuff up as well. And now I'm gonna award you with a cake, uh Lori Haller. And you said at the beginning that you're very excited about the cake moment. So yeah, so um, first of all, do you like cake? And what cake would you like to request, please?

Lori Haller

I do love me some cake. I try not to eat it a lot though, because I don't like to eat a lot of sugar. But in any case, I will take a splurge when it's my birthday or out at a fancy celebration. A triple layer coconut cake. And uh my grandma taught me how to make that. And it's not only because of the taste. Have you ever had coconut?

Chris Grimes

No, no one's ever said triple layered nom nom nom.

Lori Haller

It's it has this special frosting in the center, and you have to get a real coconut, crack it open. So that's what's so dreamy about this.

Chris Grimes

Triple layer coconut cake shall be yours. I'll have to make you one, right? Yes, please. I'm sorry, it's a metaphorical cake, but we're all salivating and going nom nom nom nom nom. And now you get to put a cherry on the cake with stuff like what's a favorite inspirational quote, uh Lori Haller, designing response, giving you sucker and pulled you towards your future.

Lori Haller

Yeah, I I have one and I've used this with my children. Um, it's uh live the life of your dreams. That that's the big part right there. Live the life of your dreams. So I watch people not doing that, and that's very sad. Um most people can get up and out of it, but some people have knuckled themselves into a life that they didn't want, you know, maybe it's for money and greed and things and things and more and more, you know, like it's sad watching that. So they can't just, you know, relax, uh, find joy in skipping rocks and and things. So really having that dream, live the life of your dreams and the the rest of it I'll have to read if that's okay. Um be brave enough to live the life of your dreams according to your vision and purpose. And this is this is the big kahuna part. Instead of the expectations and opinions of others, don't just learn, you know, or see or watch, it you know, experience life and you deserve it, you know. Each person deserves to live the life of their dreams. And I I always like trying to uh help people see that. Um does that make any sense?

Chris Grimes

It did, and I'm just allowing a delicious pause at that point. With the gift of hindsight, what notes, help, or advice might you proffer to a younger version of Laurie Halla?

Lori Haller

Yeah, this is uh some people might not agree with this, but you you should just always be your own you. Like I'm very quirky at times, and I'm positive uh my meanness, you know, meanness can get on people's nerves if they're not used to, you know, my energy, or so just be yourself, show up as you, that beautiful person you are, and trust yourself and and kind of you know, speak up, speak up and say your word, share with others. Don't don't hold back. I really enjoy when people are just so open, honest, and true, even if it's tricky Nicky, you know, just be your own you.

Chris Grimes

Because I've heard the um the quote of uh be yourself because everyone else is taken, which is an Oscar Wilde quote. But I really like the be your own you is a new way of saying intent.

Lori Haller

There's no one else like you, Chris. You know, even though we've only been together a couple times and I've seen all of your you know amazing shows, there's no one like you. And and I want you to just show up and be you. I I love that.

Legacy Remembering And Where To Find Lori

Chris Grimes

And right back at you. We're ramping up shortly to talk about Shakespeare, but just before we do that, this is a section called Pass the Golden Baton, please, where the invitation is now experienced this from within. Who would you most like to pass in order to keep the golden thread of the storytelling going? Who would you most like to pass the golden baton along to?

Lori Haller

Yes, this is somebody that's very special in my life and has been a game changer in my business, career, you know, in my personal life, and that is uh Brian Kurtz, K-U-R-T-Z. He was the kingpin of boardroom uh for years, and I I was hired by Boardroom many years ago to do direct mailing campaigns, print and you know, strategy design, all that, and worked with his team then, but then he created the Titans of Direct Response Mastermind, which I've been lucky enough to uh join and be a part of since since the first mastermind. But along with you know, his brilliance in copy and marketing and all those aspects, he has this way of just making you feel like you're the only person in the room. He knows how to connect people and he goes that extra mile. We were kind of talking about it earlier, to just reach out to people. Hey, do you know Lori? You know, she does this, that, the other thing. Hey, Lori, do you know? It's just beautiful. So definitely my company, uh, my skill set would not be where it is today. I owe so much to Brian Kurtz. And you two together will, oh, yeah, definitely. I can see that being a lovely, lovely show.

Chris Grimes

Thank you for that very generous golden bat and pass, Laura. I can it it's extra impactful because he means so much to you. So I'm extremely grateful. A very generous bat and pass. And now, inspired by Shakespeare, all the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players, because of my sort of acting background. Uh, I'm now going to borrow from the seven ages of man's woman speech to ask you, uh Lori Heller, when all is said and done, how would you most like to be remembered?

Lori Haller

Oh, jeez. That is a kind of a tricky one. Do I need to say it in that voice or can I um being like yeah, I think um this is very important to me that I made a difference in someone's life, whether it's a child, you know, someone on the street where I see them, and I'm like, oh man, it seems like they're having a very tricky day. You know, I don't know them, they don't know me. And maybe I just give them a smile or a, hey, have a great day or something. It uh maybe it's somebody on a call. I see that they're on a deadline or having trouble with another team member or something. And at the end of the call, I, you know, their shoulders are like this when they show up, and then there's like this, and they're feeling proud of themselves and they're, you know, going forward. It's yeah, how I made a difference in someone's life, either personally or with design and skills and profits and stuff like that.

Chris Grimes

And if I may reflect back, what I'm hearing, the story behind the story of that is she was just wonderful to have around.

Lori Haller

Oh my.

Chris Grimes

That's fantastic. This is a very exciting moment now. There is a final, final question coming up for you uh shortly, but this is called show us your QR code, please. So, first of all, uh, for those watching, you can scan this wonderful photograph of you, Lori Haller. Can you just talk us through where we can find out all about Laurie Haller on the internet?

Lori Haller

Well, that's mighty thoughtful of you. Yes, um, this one is my website, uh Laurie Hallor.com, and it'll show you some of the clients I've been so grateful to work with, some of the things we bring to the table. And I think, yeah, it leads at the top with this great interview. God bless uh John Carleton. Uh, he did this interview with me, and that will probably give you some giggles. If you're having a bad day, go ahead and see that. And then also I hang out on LinkedIn mostly in the evenings, and a lot of people will go ahead and just look me up, Lori Haller, and uh send me a little note there. And I always tell people, if you're in a pickle just for the fun of it, like I'm doing this cover. The the copy's too long for the title. I don't know what to put in the back. Can you just look at this one layout? No, of course I will. I would be honored.

Chris Grimes

So uh seamlessly, I flashed up the second QR code, which is how to find out all about you on LinkedIn. And I love your um it it sort of is it, it looks like um cheetah leopard skin.

Lori Haller

Yeah, yeah. I love texture and uh decor, fashion, and the fun thing on LinkedIn, it there won't be any videos or podcasts as good as this one, obviously, but there's a bunch of videos and things there. You know, some are talking mostly about design or this, or it could give somebody an idea. I think I tore apart a couple projects and websites, you know, this and this, and then you know, that maybe it would help somebody. So please uh enjoy and uh like I said, hit me up. You're in a pickle. Let's see if we can give it the old how or try, right?

Chris Grimes

Give it the old how or try. Lovely, beautifully put. Uh, just a couple of announcements from me. If you've enjoyed listening to the show and you'd like a conversation about guesting too, the website for the show with a number of different series strands. This has been a story of distinction and genius where Lori is in my curated list, where just having her in the show is phenomenal and wonderful. Then there are other ones, including leadership reflections and founder stories as well. And then very, very excitingly, there's a particular series strand which I'm very excited, most particularly about trebucheting to the states with. And I'd love your help, guidance, and advice on this as well going forward as well, Laurie. This is something called Legacy Life Reflections, which is to record your story or the story of somebody that you love for posterity, lest we forget, before it's too late, using the same unique and thoroughly enjoyable storytelling structure of the good listening to show. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn too. Now, back to you, uh Lori Haller. As this has been your moment in the sunshine in the good listening to show, stories of distinction and genius, is there anything else you'd like to say, Laurie?

Lori Haller

Yeah, I I guess it kind of circles back to a couple other things, but the most important thing, or like a little gift I could give to people, is just giving them permission and kind of get them to think about life or themselves in this way. Giving yourself permission to just be yourself. That is, I find that missing in so many people. They're trying to be who other people want them to be or showing up like this and not being true, you know. And uh, you deserve it. Everyone deserves to be themselves. And I think what comes with that is a really special kind of connected, meaningful life of calm and peace and joy. And uh I I I would love to give that to even if just one person did that for themselves, uh, that's like a little gift.

Chris Grimes

Yeah. Thank you, Lori. So um I've been Chris Grimes, but most importantly, this has been Laurie Haller. The wonderful thing about you know the the offer of being in this show is it syndicates across uh 54 countries and 1.4 million listeners on UK Health Radio. But also very, very excitingly, the show has just been invited to syndicate with Brushwood Media, which is available on Any device you can think of, just find Brushwood Media and you'll find the good listening to you show on there. Hurrah! So um I want you to have the last word, of course, Laurie, because it's not about me, it's about you. Is there anything finally, finally you'd like to say?

Lori Haller

Yeah, I just wanted to thank you, Chris, for inviting me. And uh you're just a joy to be with. I love your energy and and just this true vibrancy that comes out and uh this warmth, and it it's been a pleasure to be with you. Thank you so much.

Chris Grimes

And to you too. So tune in next week for more stories from the clearing. I've been Chris Grimes, but that was Laurie Haller from Designing Response. And good night. You've been listening to the Good Listening to Show with me, Chris Grimes. If you'd like to be in the show too, or indeed gift an episode to capture the story of someone else with me as your host, then you can find out how, care of the series strands at the Good Listening2Show.com website. And one of these series strands is called Brand Strand Founder Stories, for business owners like you to be able to tell your company story, talk about your purpose and amplify your brand. Together we get into the who, the what, the how, the why you do what you do, and then crucially, we find out exactly where we can come and find you to work with you and to book your services. Tune in next week for more stories from the clearing. And don't forget to subscribe and review wherever you get your podcasts.