Donna Serdula is the owner of Internet Marketing firm DonnaTechDesigns, helping businesses, executives, and professionals enhance their visibility and attract more business through social networking and internet marketing activities. She is the author of LinkedIn Makeover: Professional Secrets to a POWERFUL LinkedIn Profile! This easy to read and fun book walks you through building a LinkedIn profile that will get you noticed.

Shop Talk looks at how to prepare for an interview by thinking like an employer. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.

The phrase “brands are stories” is an often heard marketing cliché. Jim Signorelli, author and CEO of esw StoryLab, a Chicago-based marketing firm, asserts In StoryBranding: Creating Stand-Out Brands Through the Power of Story, that the association between stories and brands deserves far more than that stock phrase.

Alphabeasts Kristin Ferguson talks about the inspiration and challenges behind creating and marketing a one-of-a-kind children’s toy line that promotes learning through fun. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.

Volkswagen and it’s agency Deutsch, Los Angeles, worked overtime on the sequel to The Force, their hit from the 2011 Super Bowl. Group Creative Director Matt Ian talks about The Dog Strikes Back, the 2012 spot created for the game, and it’s nod to the famous Cantina scene from Star Wars.

The results of The Focus Group’s post Super Bowl survey the Game In The Game survey will be revealed, and New York Times advertising columnist Stuart Elliott will weigh in on what he thinks worked, and what did not. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.

Super Bowl 46 is just days away, but the Game In The Game is well underway. With an estimated audience of 112 million people, advertisers are leveraging their ads by showing them early, and engaging their customers. Jared Scott, Managing Partner at Red Tettamer + Partners, talks about the process behind creating Century 21’s first Super Bowl spot. Tim pulls a surprise Focus Group Focus Group--a taste test for all the variety’s of M&M’s.

Tim and John will be covering all the ads leading up to the big game. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.

OffTo.com delivers great deals on customized LGBT getaways in the U.S. and abroad. The site’s founders are dedicated to delivering unique getaways at up to 40‐50% below retail value. Chief of Communications Brian Goldthorpe returns to discuss their recently launched new category of Same-Sex Wedding Getaways, along with some additional new travel packages.

Paul Hagen of Metrosource magazine returns from his recent travels abroad to continue his mission of putting the “culture” back in “pop culture” for our listeners on Metroscope. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.

Jason Scarlatti is the Creative Director of 2(x)ist, the men’s underwear brand that is the category leader synonymous with upscale and quality product. A graduate of the Parsons School of Design, he finds underwear design extremely challenging. “There is only so much you can do. There are very few tools and tricks you can work with and I love that challenge.”

How do you smartly answer your boss if you are asked to take on another project when you already have a full plate? Shop Talk examines that question, and looks at a recent trend in advertising called comfort marketing—selling products that have stood the test of time. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.

Presentations are a fact of business life. Sooner or later, you will be called upon to create and give one. Staged Right’s Ed Roland shares the key steps in creating and rehearsing a effective presentation in an installment of Express Yourself aptly named “Taking It From The Top.”

Shop Talk looks at the five hardest jobs to fill in 2012. Although the economy continues to face many challenges, the startup and tech industries are very much alive. Hiring the best of the best is an absolute must if you are going to build a successful company. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.

OutQ’s Michelangelo Signorile, in a bit of a Focus Group tradition, joins Tim and John to kick off 2012 and talk about the year ahead, the current state of gay media and news reporting, and his new position as Editor-at-Large of Huffington Post Gay Voices.

Shop Talk focuses on key takeaways from Stanford business professor Jeffrey Pfeffer’s book, Power: Why Some People Have It—And Others Don’t. Pfeffer asks us to consider the more positive reasons that we reach for power in our professional lives in order to feel in control, get wealthy, and achieve our goals. Join the conversation at 866-305-6887.

A big thanks to everyone at The Focus Group, and to our guests and listeners for a wonderful 2011. We’ll wrap up the year with a mix of our favorite interviews, and some resolutions from Tim and John for 2012.

Jennifer M. Granholm was elected governor of Michigan in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. Her new book, A Governor’s Story: The Fight for Jobs and America’s Economic Future, co-authored with Dan Mulhern, offers insight into the challenges facing America today. A resident of Las Vegas since 1970, Mya Lake Reyes is Director of Diversity Marketing for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Her career in travel spans many disciplines and titles, with a focus on diversity. OffTo.com is the first website devoted to providing great deals on customized LGBT getaways in the U.S. and abroad. Co-Founder Brian Goldthorpe discusses the inspiration and some of the challenges the business faced along the way.