117. Achieve Clarity, Confidence, and Consistency in Your Food Business with a Brand-First Approach

In this episode, Katie Mleziva, Food Brand Strategist and host of the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast shares how taking a brand-first approach can help you prioritize ideas and take aligned action to build a strong, cohesive food brand that stands out. Whether you’re just starting or have been in the business for a while, this approach ensures you lead with strategy, not just tactics.

Key Takeaways:

• The difference between branding (logo, visuals) and brand strategy (the foundation that guides your decisions).
• Why a brand-first approach can help you find more joy in your business.
• How to think like a brand manager, focusing on the bigger picture while aligning all parts of your business.
• The Define, Align & Activate framework Katie uses to help her clients build strong, cohesive brands.

3 Steps to Take a Brand-First Approach:

1. DEFINE: Identify your ideal customer, clarify your brand’s unique role in their life, and align your brand with your Purpose, Vision & Values.
2. ALIGN: Ensure every area of your business reflects your brand strategy, so your team feels motivated and confident about building your brand together.
3. ACTIVATE: Implement your strategy with a cohesive plan that helps you stay focused and avoid shiny object syndrome.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why it’s important to think of yourself as a brand manager, wearing the general manager hat for your brand.
• How building a brand strategy and leading with your brand saves time and money when it comes to projects like website redesigns and packaging updates.
• Why having a clear strategy makes your team more effective and helps your brand become more recognizable, meaningful, and ownable.

Join the Conversation:

• Are you taking a brand-first approach in your business? Have you encountered any challenges with this mindset? Share your thoughts in the Real Food Brands Round Table Facebook Community or comment on Katie’s latest Instagram post.

Work with Katie:

If you’re ready to define your Brand Strategy North Star and make more aligned business decisions, connect with Katie to see if her 1:1 Brand Strategy Playbook program is a good fit. Or, if you’d like to start with an assessment of where you are today, learn more about the One Room Test. These spots fill up quickly, so don’t wait!

• Learn more about the 1:1 Brand Strategy Program with Katie.
• Check out the One Room Test "audit" to assess where your brand is today and where you can improve.

Now, let's go shake up shopping carts!