The Mission
Learn More
We build founder-led brands people recognize, remember, and buy from, without sanding off what makes you, you.
We build founder-led brands people recognize, remember, and buy from, without sanding off what makes you, you.
We build founder-led brands people recognize, remember, and buy from, without sanding off what makes you, you.
What It’s Like to Be a Founder
What It’s Like to Be a Founder
What It’s Like to Be a Founder
Founders of small to medium sized businesses live between fires. The one burning now and the one waiting tomorrow. Customers want answers. Employees want clarity. Vendors want decisions. Partners want updates. You're the one holding it all together. Your team works hard, but they're lean. Which means when there's a tough call, a big pitch, or a brand question no one else can answer, it's you. Every time.
You won't always choose right. But you still have to choose. It's messy. It's relentless. It's lonely in a way that's hard to explain. But there's also the deep satisfaction: the trust of a long-term client, the right hire who clicks, the thrill when your work earns real respect. These moments remind you why you keep going. Because when the business wins, you feel it, it's who you are.
We’re against ‘corporate video’ thinking. The “corporate video” isn’t just a format, it’s a symptom of a bigger problem: messaging that says nothing, means nothing, and connects with no one. It’s the voice of brands that talk at people instead of to them. Buzzwords instead of beliefs. Noise instead of meaning.
But Here's What We've Learned:
But Here's What We've Learned:
But Here's What We've Learned:
Caring isn't enough to win in your market. You lose deals to competitors who aren't better, just clearer about what they do. Prospects can't tell you apart, so they default to price or whoever showed up first. Your best people struggle to explain what makes this place different. You're building something that matters, but if the market can't see it, it doesn't matter. You don't need to work harder. You need clarity on what sets you apart and a system to show it consistently. That's the difference between being another option and being the obvious choice.
We’re against ‘corporate video’ thinking. The “corporate video” isn’t just a format, it’s a symptom of a bigger problem: messaging that says nothing, means nothing, and connects with no one. It’s the voice of brands that talk at people instead of to them. Buzzwords instead of beliefs. Noise instead of meaning.
Whose Radar Are You On?
Our Story
ORIGIN STORY
Josh's Story
I started making videos for businesses because I saw something: the companies actually raising the bar have the best stories, but don't know how to tell them. A manufacturer solving a real problem is more compelling than any pitch deck, but founders in this space don't see themselves as marketers. They think their work should speak for itself (which I can resonate with firsthand). While learning from my mentor, I built Defiant Astronaut Media in 2019 to help founder-led businesses get their story out without turning into someone they're not. What I learned: even great video couldn't fix the real problem, most didn't need better content, they needed clarity about what they actually do and why it matters. That's when I partnered with Dana.
We’re against ‘corporate video’ thinking. The “corporate video” isn’t just a format, it’s a symptom of a bigger problem: messaging that says nothing, means nothing, and connects with no one. It’s the voice of brands that talk at people instead of to them. Buzzwords instead of beliefs. Noise instead of meaning.
ORIGIN STORY
Dana's Story
A decade ago, I helped create the philosophy behind Big Little Legends with Gair Maxwell, which became an Amazon Business Bestseller by showing companies how story drives real business results. I worked with leadership teams at major corporations who had the structure and resources to turn strategy into action. Then I started working with founder-led businesses and found what I'd been missing. These founders don't have marketing departments. They don't have brand managers. They are the brand. And unlike the corporate world, they actually care. They're in it. They're building something that matters to them, and that changes everything. They needed something they could own and use, not a framework that sits in a deck. That's what Josh and I built together.
We’re against ‘corporate video’ thinking. The “corporate video” isn’t just a format, it’s a symptom of a bigger problem: messaging that says nothing, means nothing, and connects with no one. It’s the voice of brands that talk at people instead of to them. Buzzwords instead of beliefs. Noise instead of meaning.
THE SYSTEM
What We Built
What We Built
What We Built
That's why we created The Default Method, a system for founder-led businesses. You've built something that matters, but no one sees it. Or worse, when they do, you sound like every other company in your space. We help you figure out what actually makes you different, then we help you show it. That's when your brand becomes the default choice in your market, not another option, the one people trust, follow, and believe in. We remember what it was like before this clarity, no founder should have to figure it out alone.
That's why we created The Default Method, a system for founder-led businesses. You've built something that matters, but no one sees it. Or worse, when they do, you sound like every other company in your space. We help you figure out what actually makes you different, then we help you show it. That's when your brand becomes the default choice in your market, not another option, the one people trust, follow, and believe in. We remember what it was like before this clarity, no founder should have to figure it out alone.
That's why we created The Default Method, a system for founder-led businesses. You've built something that matters, but no one sees it. Or worse, when they do, you sound like every other company in your space. We help you figure out what actually makes you different, then we help you show it. That's when your brand becomes the default choice in your market, not another option, the one people trust, follow, and believe in. We remember what it was like before this clarity, no founder should have to figure it out alone.
We’re against ‘corporate video’ thinking. The “corporate video” isn’t just a format, it’s a symptom of a bigger problem: messaging that says nothing, means nothing, and connects with no one. It’s the voice of brands that talk at people instead of to them. Buzzwords instead of beliefs. Noise instead of meaning.
Our Non-Negotiables
Learn More
No room for egos.
No room for egos.
No room for egos.
Strategy first, always.
Strategy first, always.
Strategy first, always.
Depth over gimmicks.
Depth over gimmicks.
Depth over gimmicks.
We will always try.
We will always try.
We will always try.
Giving back isn’t optional in life.
Giving back isn’t optional in life.
Giving back isn’t optional in life.
Always add a bit of spice.
Always add a bit of spice.
Always add a bit of spice.
We reject groupthink.
We reject groupthink.
We reject groupthink.
When you say yes, be all in.
When you say yes, be all in.
When you say yes, be all in.
Always have the tough conversation.
Always have the tough conversation.
Always have the tough conversation.
The Team
Learn More
Josh Parlee
Founder/Video Strategist
Josh Parlee
Founder/Video Strategist
Dana Zilic
Founder/Brand Strategist
Dana Zilic
Founder/Brand Strategist
Nicole Carpenter
Project Manager
Nicole Carpenter
Project Manager
Nicole Carpenter
Project Manager
Hannah Perry
Social Media
Hannah Perry
Social Media
Hannah Perry
Social Media
Jason Enstedt
Web Designer
Jason Enstedt
Web Designer
Jason Enstedt
Web Designer
Mary Danesh
Social Media Video Editor
Mary Danesh
Social Media Video Editor
Mary Danesh
Social Media Video Editor
Jason Enstedt
Web Designer
Nicole Carpenter
Project Manager
Hannah Perry
Social Media
Mary Danesh
Social Media Video Editor
Josh Parlee
Founder/Video Strategist
Dana Zilic
Founder/Brand Strategist
The Team
Learn More
Josh Parlee
Founder/Video Strategist
Dana Zilic
Founder/Brand Strategist
Nicole Carpenter
Project Manager
Hannah Perry
Social Media
Jason Enstedt
Web Designer
Mary Danesh
Social Media Video Editor
Jason Enstedt
Web Designer
Nicole Carpenter
Project Manager
Hannah Perry
Social Media
Mary Danesh
Social Media Video Editor
Josh Parlee
Founder/Video Strategist
Dana Zilic
Founder/Brand Strategist
