Meet your brand reviewer

I'm Holly Bohn Pittman. You might know me as Holly Bohn from the brand See Jane Work, where my products and I were featured in publications including Oprah's O List and Good Housekeeping. I'm a recognized branding and customer experience expert. After bringing hundreds of products to market and having many good, and some not-so-good, social-media-inspired shopping experiences, I created a place where marketing promises meet real life. That's how What I Expected was born.

Who am I? I am an entrepreneur and former CMO and CEO. I'm also a 50-something mother to three mostly grown-up boys. Much has changed over the years, but one thing hasn't: I don't have the time or money to make buying mistakes.

I believe strongly that expectation and experience are deeply connected. Let me explain—you might be fine with McDonald's fries on a road trip, but if you are served those fries at The Capital Grille, you won't be happy. The fries didn't change; the context did. What changed is what you expected. You know what to expect from your favorite brands, and it's disappointing when they don't deliver. I'm not talking about one-off mistakes; I'm talking about brand promises written by a marketing team that hasn't taken the time to learn about you or the customer experience they are marketing.

My services are for sale, but my ratings are not. With every brand review, you'll get details about my personal experience, backed by my small team and the friends I trust when their perspective adds something mine can't. I use AI professionally (and for grammar), but I don't use it to write my reviews. You'll have to overlook my sometimes less-than-perfect writing. At least you'll know it's a human talking: someone who actually tried the product, brand, or service. I want my posts to feel like a conversation with a friend. My rating system is simple: each review compares expectations against experience. Every brand, product, or service either MISSES, MEETS, or EXCEEDS expectations—and I'll tell you if I actually like it. Sometimes, I'll share what my team and friends think too, so you can get perspectives from different age groups, skin types, and lifestyles.

For more on how our products and services are rated visit the Methodology page. To learn more about What I Expected, including what the Goldilocks Guide means visit the FAQ page. To work with us visit our contact page.