How to Build B2B Brand Authority Through Value-Driven Marketing with Mike Konrad

Journey from reluctant entrepreneur to industry authority through authentic marketing, resilience, and a mission-driven approach to business. Mike Konrad is the founder and CEO of Aqueous Technologies, a leading provider of post-reflow cleaning and reliability solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry launched in 1992. He is also an international speaker, college lecturer, and the host of two podcasts, Reliability Matters and The Reluctant Entrepreneur , where he shares insights on engineering reliability, educational selling, and the unfiltered realities of business ownership. 💬 CONVERSATION HIGHLIGHTS The origin story of Mike Konrad and Aqueous Technologies The shift from traditional marketing to conscious, value-driven marketing Moving away from transactional sales to problem-solving frameworks that naturally attract higher-quality, long-term clients. Framing technical manufacturing tasks around a higher purpose to drive employee retention and engagement. Recognizing when founder ego becomes the primary business bottleneck and adapting leadership styles to support new stages of organizational growth. Lessons learned from failures and turning points in business The importance of staying curious and adaptable in entrepreneurship 📄 FULL EPISODE DETAILS https://www.clearauthenticbrands.com/podcast/ep67-building-b2b-brand-authority-mike-konrad 🎙️ BE A GUEST ON THE PODCAST Do you own a trades business and lead a company your employees love working for? We’d love to hear your story. See what to expect as a guest and apply on our guest page. https://www.clearauthenticbrands.com/podcast-guest 🔗 DONE-FOR-YOU CANDIDATE VETTING https://www.clearauthenticbrands.com/ 👤 GUEST LINKS Website: mikekonrad.com Podcasts Mentioned: Reliability Matters & The Reluctant Entrepreneur 🕒TIMESTAMPS 01:10 - The accidental flight delay that launched an electronics manufacturing career 06:31 - Bringing an unconventional, green cleaning technology to a conservative industry 08:28 - Pre-internet B2B marketing realities and early print ad costs 11:28 - The $70,000 waterfall moment that ended traditional trade show marketing 16:35 - Transitioning to educational selling, technical webinars, and thought leadership 27:25 - The business ROI of conscious marketing and authority-based lead generation 30:28 - Defining core values and purpose-driven messaging in technical industries 36:51 - Connecting everyday employee tasks to life-saving end products 44:20 - Launching the Reliability Matters and The Reluctant Entrepreneur podcasts 50:05 - De-romanticizing startup life, overcoming costly mistakes, and founder persistence 58:46 - Why founders must scale themselves to prevent business failure 1:03:10 - Final advice: Steve Jobs’ curiosity principle and never giving up