Word & Mouth Blog

Where food, hospitality, branding, and human behavior all crash into each other. I write about restaurants, wine, placemaking, customer experience, and the small details that make people talk about a business long after they leave.

For even more snarky takes on marketing, pop culture, branding, and the internet, visit my Substack, Burnt Popcorn & Branding: Substack

  • A mix of hospitality, branding, customer psychology, hospitality culture, and internet behavior from someone who’s worked behind the scenes in marketing long enough to know what feels authentic and what feels painfully forced.

  • Yes. Especially if your marketing currently sounds like ChatGPT wrote it.

  • No LinkedIn thought leadership energy here. Just strategy, storytelling, and occasional side-eye toward trends, Chat-GPT written branding advice, and “disruptive” ideas that all look the same.

  • People in marketing, hospitality, branding, retail, wine, or anyone who secretly judges restaurants by their menu design before reading the food list.

New Book Out: Randall the Blue Spider Plays Pretend

Randall the Blue Spider and his friend Joey the Grasshopper want to try out for their school play. But Joey is worried that bullies will make fun of his stutter. Learn about this Children's Book on Bullying where Randall & friends discover how to overcome insecurities and handle adversity with kindness, love, and respect for themselves & others.


Written by mother and son duo, Ryeson & Shana Bull, Randall the Blue Spider Plays Pretend is a cute easy-to-read children's book that teaches young readers important social-emotional skills like coping with nervousness, overcoming bullying, and being good friends to others.

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Family Life, Pivotal Shana Bull Family Life, Pivotal Shana Bull

So, I'm Now a Published Author of a Children's Book

Randall the Blue Spider loves the ocean and the waves that go crash. Today, he wants to enter the surfing competition to win an ice cream prize, but he is nervous that he might fall in front of everybody watching him. With the help of his friend, Chester the Caterpillar, Randall learns how to cope with these difficult feelings and take his chances at winning.

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Word of the Year: Embrace 2021

Whether you have kids at home or feel paralyzed by not being able to find a job, there are small things you can do to embrace your goals. This isn’t about jumping in headfirst and hustling (read: burning out). This year should be about taking slow, actionable steps to get you further than where you are right now - and embracing your word of the year like I am.

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Family Life Shana Bull Family Life Shana Bull

Responsible Travel in California - Getting An RV

If you are looking for responsible travel options in California, I definitely recommend camping. Whether you camp in a tent, an RV, a trailer, or a cabin – you and your family can be outdoors, social distancing, hopefully staying away from crowds - and making lots of great summer memories that will last a lifetime.

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Social Distance Yourself From Social Media: How To Spring Clean Your Social Media Habits

If you feel like you need to social distance yourself from social media, you are not alone. I am trying not to check the news as much, or mindlessly scroll through Facebook or Instagram stories. Here are my top 4 tips for spring cleaning your social media during this COVID-19 pandemic.

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