168. What is a Brand Strategist, Anyway? Plus, Marketing vs Branding vs Brand Strategy
Clint puts Katie in the hot seat and asks the questions many food business owners are thinking but don't want to ask.
Together, they break down what brand strategy really means, why it's often misunderstood, and how it helps food business owners make clearer, more confident decisions as they grow.
Clint also shares a simple but powerful real-world example that shows how positioning can change perception—and results—almost instantly.
This episode is less about definitions and more about helping you understand how brand strategy works in practice, what you should expect from the process, and how to know if it's the right next step for your business.
In this episode, you'll learn:- What a brand strategist actually does—and why the role can look so different depending on background
- The difference between brand strategy, branding, and marketing
- How brand strategy acts as a North Star for decision-making across your business
- What food business owners get out of brand strategy work beyond deliverables
- How positioning and alignment impact everything from messaging to sales execution
- How to know if it's the right time to invest in brand strategy for your business
Each episode of the podcast is paired with a worksheet designed to help you apply what you're learning to your own business. These worksheets (along with 1:1 Brand Strategy Sessions!) are available exclusively through Katie's email list, where you can save them over time and build your own brand strategy workbook—at the right pace, with the right information, at the right time.
👉 Join the email list to get the worksheet for this episode and future tools
1. 📧 Katie's Friday Newsletter includes a Weekly Worksheet to help you apply these ideas directly to your food business. Sign up here.
2. 💬 Join the Conversation! Tune in to the podcast, then join us in the Real Food Brands Marketing Round Table – a free food & farm business owner community – to ask questions and meet other people who love producing real food as much as you do!
3. 📞 If you're ready to talk about building a clear, cohesive brand or integrating your brand + sales strategy, you can Request a free Intro Call to discuss the ways we work with food, farm, and natural product brands.
