Have you thought much about the fact that you need to sell your product THREE times before someone can use it at home? I don’t share this to be depressing because sometimes one sounds like enough! And if it sounds like more work, it’s just the reality of breaking down the process that’s already happening and being intentional with your marketing and sales plans to leverage your brand strategy foundations. I’m talking about first selling into a retail buyer, then selling at shelf once you’re...

In almost every client meeting or strategy session I hear food business owners relay concern over how many things are competing for their attention -- and how exhausting it can be. Some share they are diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, and some just feel like they are being forced to wear too many hats at the same time every. single. day...and are searching for ways to stay positive about the business they love.  Recognizing the power of focus is a good start, but not as easy as just saying,...

The Real Food Brands Podcast is BACK and I'm so glad you're here.  The topic of doing the right things at the right time is always a good concept to keep top of mind, and in this episode, you'll hear me (Katie Mleziva, your food brand strategist) talk about:  What you can expect from new podcast episodes to help you Define, Align, and Activate your brand strategy to position your brand to stand out.  A brief intro for those of you who are new listeners, including how helping you shake up...

Have you ever noticed something in your business isn’t working as you planned, or as it once did? Sometimes things that made sense just aren't a good fit anymore. We spend so much time and energy trying to keep pushing forward that it can be hard to step back and admit when things aren’t working the way we want them to—and decide what to do about it. Today on Episode 111 of the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast, Host and Food Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva talks through what to do when...

Have you ever thought about the difference between content and copy? And how each works differently to connect with your reader depending on if you’re talking about a website, social media, ads, packaging, etc? Today on Episode 110 of the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast, Host and Food Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva has a conversation with Celsea Jenkins, the owner of Grassfed Copy about the art and science to writing great copy that converts people from readers to taking an action. Celsea...

Sometimes you need to let yourself dream and think big. Instead of letting other people tell you how things work and why you can’t do something, it can pay off to look at things from a new perspective. It helps, of course, to have a great story, which is something that brand strategy work can really help with. Today on Episode 109 of the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast, Host and Food Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva sits down with Monique and Chevalo Wilsondebriano, owners of Recipe for...

As you’re working to build your food business or farm, brand strategy and brand development may seem like something that can wait for later. The thing is, brand strategy work goes far beyond your logo or fonts or colors. When you’ve done the work to create your brand’s North Star, it serves as the guide and the glue for everything you do on the front AND back end of your business. It helps you make decisions that will deliver a consistent, cohesive, and relevant experience to your consumers....

Brand strategy work is something that is second nature for big brands, but not as common for small brands. There’s so much to do when you’re wearing all the hats that it can seem like something you’ll get to “next.” While big brands have access to brand managers and agencies, we can help even the score by providing streamlined versions of the concepts they use to focus on the key parts of the process to help you build a brand that stands out no matter who you’re lined up next to. Today on...

A common approach for food and farm businesses is to think about offering a great product rather than building a strong brand. The thinking is that if a product is good enough, taste will ultimately win and of course, people will buy. While this is understandable as you perfect your craft, great taste and quality are expected these days so we don’t want your products to be seen as an interchangeable commodity. There’s so much more to your food brand’s story, so let's uncover it! Today on...

With over 100 episodes of the podcast now available, we thought it would be a good time to go back and highlight some of the great content you may have missed to help you find the right resources at the right time for your food business. To help, we’ve put together a list of some of our best episodes organized around the Brand Strategy Streamlined process: Define/Refine, Align, and Activate (and a few other categories to help you really navigate the topics...100+ episodes is a lot of...

If you want to understand brand positioning, think of Kia, Volvo, and Tesla. Sure, all three are car companies but they’re each very different brands with their own unique, loyal audience, product benefits, and customer experience. All of these factors combined for each brand create a very different offer for each and attract different groups of people as loyal fans of their brand. Today on Episode 104 of the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast, host and Food Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva...

We’ve been through a lot of changes in the past few years, and as a result, consumer behaviors are shifting. But as a food business owner how do you know what changes are temporary and what changes are here to stay? And how can you meet the evolving needs of your consumers? In Episode 103 of the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast, host and Food Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva sits down with Sarah Marion, the Director of Syndicated Research at Murphy Research. Sarah shares how consumers have...

Have you thought about the difference between brand story and brand history? While your brand history can certainly be a part of your brand story, the history is about the past and the story is about the future, and what you’re inviting people to be a part of. Today on episode 102 of the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast, host and Food Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva shares her guidance on writing a brand story and sharing brand history for your food business, plus 3 tips to make your brand...

After episode 100, Katie’s daughter suggested that she “start over,” and it only seemed fitting that episode 101 should be a brand strategy 101—an intro-level class, so to speak. Today on episode 101 of the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast, host and Food Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva goes over the five W’s of how Brand Strategy can help you go from making a great product to building a strong brand that is well-positioned to stand out: WHAT, WHERE, WHO, WHEN & WHY. In This Episode: ...

When we launched the podcast in March 2018, we didn’t know exactly what the future would hold but we took a leap. It’s been a steady build over the past few years and we’re so thankful for all our listeners and guests who have made this show an enriching and rewarding experience as we work collectively to help more people get access to real food. Today on episode 100 of the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast, host and Food Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva reflects on one hundred episodes,...

For a food and beverage business, it can be a big benefit to choose to go slow to go fast. While that may sound counterintuitive, taking a little time to plan can increase efficiency and help you accelerate more rapidly because you’ve got the clarity and confidence to know what to do next. Today on episode 99 of the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast, host and Food Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva explains why starting with strategy can help your tactics come together. In This Episode: The...

Podcasts have exploded in popularity, and being a guest on one can be a big boost for both your brand and your credibility. But what kind of show are you looking for? How do you reach out? And how do you make it a success once you get a YES? Today on the Real Food Brands Marketing Podcast, host and Food Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva shares how to make the right pitch, and what to do once you’re booked for an appearance. In This Episode: Why being a podcast guest can be great for your...

Host and Food Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva introduces her solution – her new self-paced brand strategy course, Brand Strategy Streamlined™.

Most of us also have a Vision for the impact we want to make but might not know exactly how to accomplish this big dream.

Adam Pollack, Head of Content at Rodeo CPG, shares practical tips for how to set up your DTC eCommerce website.

We tackle a frequently asked question during the Activation phase of brand strategy: what should I do first and who can help me?

This week, we’re revisiting episode 49 from last year on brand strategy that is still super relevant today.

Three questions you can ask to help define your brand personality to help you build connections and stand out from the crowd.

Katie Mleziva walks you through her three-step process to streamline your brand strategy and put your vision into action.