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Tim Talks: Behavioral Health

Tim Talks: Behavioral Health is a fast-paced podcast featuring candid, 10-minute conversations with leaders across the behavioral health field.

Hosted by Timothy Zercher, CEO of A-Train Marketing, each episode dives into what’s actually working in marketing, practice growth, and leadership — with a sharp focus on ethics, sustainability, and smart strategy.

Designed for behavioral health providers, practice owners, and executive leaders, Tim Talks delivers real insight from real operators shaping the future of care.

Short talks. Big insights. Smarter growth.

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Tim Talks: Behavioral Health

Frankie Wilson – Behavior, Branding, and Client Growth

October 23, 2025 • Tim Zercher • Season 1 • Episode 46

0:00 | 10:00

In this episode of Tim Talks: Behavioral Health, Timothy A. Zercher sits down with Frankie Wilson, a behavioral strategist with a diverse career spanning entertainment, ministry, radio, and behavioral health. Frankie shares how behavior shapes brand, insights from psychology every founder should know, and strategies for growing clients effectively while maintaining high-quality service.

We dive into the power of word-of-mouth marketing, the integration of AI in client engagement, and how understanding human behavior can transform leadership and decision-making. Whether you’re a founder, clinician, or marketing professional in behavioral health, Frankie’s insights are practical, actionable, and eye-opening.

Timothy A. Zercher (00:00)
All right, thank you so much for joining us, Frankie. We appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to come and to share some of your insights.

Frankie Wilson (00:06)
Tim, I'm grateful to be here. Thank you so much for having me.

Timothy A. Zercher (00:09)
Absolutely, absolutely. So we'll jump right into our questions. Your job is not an easy one. It's not easy to operate in this space. Would you mind sharing your story, how you got here and how you got into behavioral health?

Frankie Wilson (00:21)
Sure. I like to say hi, my name is Frankie Wilson and I've lived at least a thousand lives to this point. My background started in entertainment and in ministry, honestly, and moved from there into working in radio for 24 years. I actually just retired two years ago now in July, so excited about that. I've spent time in a lot of different industries prior to coming into the field of behavioral psychology. On my way to being an ABA, I was starting out looking for a good cognitive behavioral therapy program. The people at the Chicago School for Professional Psychology, specifically Dr. Michael May, I owe a lot to in shaping how I combine CBT, communications, and strategy.

Timothy A. Zercher (01:21)
That's awesome. I think your varied career probably helps you a lot as you're working with your clients.

Frankie Wilson (01:29)
It does because I’m able to pull from a lot of different experiences—finance, entrepreneurship, radio, entertainment—which has been extremely helpful.

Timothy A. Zercher (01:44)
So you often say behavior is brand. Can you share a moment when changing one single behavior completely shifted someone's brand or maybe your own?

Frankie Wilson (01:47)
Sure. One example is Listerine. Originally, it was used to clean surgical equipment and even mop floors. In the early 1900s, someone decided to put it in their mouth, and the behavior became more rewarding than floor-cleaning. This behavior helped cement the belief that it should be used for oral hygiene, creating the brand we know today.

Timothy A. Zercher (03:14)
As a behaviorist, you're helping your clients make better strategic decisions, right? How do you see that shaping how leaders are making decisions on a day-to-day basis?

Frankie Wilson (03:24)
If you're dealing with people, it's in your best interest to understand how people think, act, and behave, both historically and predictively. Technology allows us to understand behavior more precisely, helping leaders make informed decisions rather than guessing.

Timothy A. Zercher (04:28)
You blend science from CBT, ABA, and IO psychology with branding. What's one surprising insight from psychology that every founder should know before starting to build their personal brand?

Frankie Wilson (04:45)
Borrowing from John Maxwell: “We teach what we know, but we reproduce who we are.” In personal branding, if you don’t fully understand yourself, your true identity will inevitably come out to others.

Timothy A. Zercher (05:17)
How do you go about gaining new clients right now? What is working well for you?

Frankie Wilson (05:23)
Word-of-mouth remains the most powerful way to get clients. Pacing ourselves is important—knowing when to say no strategically creates scarcity, prestige, and helps us maintain high-quality service. Over time, this builds long-term client loyalty.

Timothy A. Zercher (07:36)
What is one new marketing tactic or strategy that you're either considering or just watching really carefully in the marketplace right now?

Frankie Wilson (07:36)
The integration of AI and technology into client engagement and business systems is critical. Predictive analytics and hyper-individualization allow us to serve clients more effectively. Leaders who don’t pay attention risk being left behind.

Timothy A. Zercher (08:53)
Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for joining us, Frankie. We appreciate you giving us some of your insights and the work you're doing, one client at a time.

Frankie Wilson (09:14)
I appreciate that, man. Congratulations on your upcoming first child. It's the best blessing of my life.

Timothy A. Zercher (09:32)
Thank you, thank you. I do appreciate it and I appreciate your time.

Frankie Wilson (09:53)
Okay, cool, cool, cool. Thank you as well. You have a great one.

People on this episode

Timothy Zercher, CEO of A-Train Marketing

Host

Frankie C. Wilson Jr.

Guest