Designers always want to know... “what am I missing in my brand strategy process?” Usually it's the same things... the 'hard' skills. They already have the soft skills. Asking curious questions, reading between the lines, empathy, and being OK with not having all the answers. The gap is the technical skills. Too many designers rely on exhausting questionnaires, over the top avatars and shiny distractions. In this episode, I break down the three hard skills that make brand strategy clear, usable and genuinely effective. Bec   Connect with me The Brand Method program  Free Positioning Strategy Training Find me on Instagram

Is it possible to offer a 'lite' version of brand strategy without cutting corners or lowering your standards? You can’t just leave bits out of brand strategy and expect the same outcome... but in this episode I share the 3 levers you can adjust without dumbing things down. Depth – how deeply you explore Deliverables – how you package and present the outputs Delegation – who does the work: you, your client, or both You’ll also learn when a tiered approach to brand strategy works best, and the ground rules for creating a 'lite' offer.   Want to connect with me? The Brand Method program  Free Brand Strategy Confidence Training Find me on Instagram Eps 83 - My 5 Pillar Brand Strategy Research Framework

In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking shop with Jacob Cass.  We cover a lot of ground, including: • Jacob’s own journey from brand designer to brand strategist• The role of a brand strategist• How brand builders can become a strategic partner to their clients• The biggest challenges facing designers and brand builders• What’s happening at the Brand Builders Summit on 16-19 Sept >>> Get your FREE Summit ticket here   About Jacob Cass: Jacob Cass is a brand designer, strategist, educator, and business coach, as well as the founder of JUST Creative - a renowned branding and design consultancy that also serves as an industry-leading blog and vibrant community. He is also the brains behind the Brand Builders Summit. Connect with Jacob on Instagram   Connect with Bec Hughes: Check out The Brand Method Find me on Instagram

Brand archetypes are everywhere—but are they really helping your strategy? In this episode of Brand Strategy Unwankified, I share why I don’t use brand archetypes and what I do instead. I cover: Why archetypes seem appealing but lead to sameness How they amplify industry clichés Why the illusion they create of strategy is only skin deep What I focus on in my brand strategy process instead That's right. I want you to ditch The Explorer, The Magician and The Sage, and think differently.  Want to connect with me? The Brand Method program  Free Brand Strategy Confidence Training Find me on Instagram Book a Strategy Springboard Sesh

In this podcast, I welcome one of the founders of The Designer Boss Summit, Anna Dower. We go deep into the female experience in the design industry. From money blocks, time and head space, confidence to lead, self-belief, role models to aspire to and platforms to get our voices heard, we explore what women need to succeed. What I loved about this episode is the honest exploration of the female experience and the many rebirths we go through in our lives.  And what I love about Anna is how she balances being gently and authentically unfiltered.    >>> YOUR FREE TICKET to the Designer Boss Summit on 27-29 August 2025   About Anna Dower: Anna is a graphic designer, entrepreneur, and sought-after creative mentor with 25 years of industry experience. She’s passionate about enlightening, empowering, and elevating the businesses of graphic designers who are eager to make their mark Connect with Anna on Instagram   Connect with Bec Hughes: Check out The Brand Method Find me on Instagram

We’ve been told that design should be quicker and more decisive. That strategy should make things certain and predictable, and guarantee success. I want to challenge those ideas. Because what if strategy isn't about logic and certainty at all? What if those things destroy creativity? Instead, what if brand strategy is about invention, and re-imagination. About finding the 'unbland' spaces and helping businesses take a calculated risk in an otherwise uncertain world.   Want to connect with me? Subscribe to The Brand Brief Free Brand Strategy Confidence Training Find me on Instagram Book a Strategy Springboard Sesh

If you’re already offering brand strategy and wondering how to sharpen your process, this episode’s for you. I’m sharing 5 practical shifts I’ve made that have unlevelled my client experience and outcomes. • Why I ditched the questionnaire• A smarter way to share research• The power of presenting in person• How to stay curious longer • Why ruthless simplification is your biggest value-add Small, intentional changes that can elevate your strategy work in a big way.   Want to connect with me? Free Brand Strategy Confidence Training Find me on Instagram Book a Strategy Springboard Sesh

Ever handed over a 30-page brand strategy doc no one read? Let’s fix that. In this episode I'll share an approach your clients will love you for: • The 7 elements every one-pager brand strategy should include• Why simple brand strategy is smarter (and more powerful)• How to position, prove, and differentiate a brand on one page If you want your brand strategy to be understood and used, positioning your work as high value, this episode is your blueprint.   Want to connect with me? Check out The Brand Method Find me on Instagram Book a Strategy Springboard Sesh

Jaz, aka Your Pricing Queen, sharing all her wisdom on pricing your creative work. In the value packed episode we cover: • Mistakes creatives make with pricing • Charging your worth vs charging your value • Creating solutions based on 'problem pathways' • Getting the right product and pricing mix As so much more!   About Jaz, Your Pricing Queen: Jaz is the driving force behind Your Pricing Queen. She's helped hundreds of freelancers, creatives, and designers find pricing confidence so they can know their worth, charge their value and run highly successful creative businesses Connect with Jaz on Instagram Explore the Creative Business Kitchen Website   Want to connect with Bec? Check out The Brand Method Find me on Instagram  

Design isn’t just about what looks good, it’s about what works. But when strategy’s missing, there are gaps you can drive a bus through. Vague briefs that leave you guessing Research that doesn’t go anywhere Design without a clear purpose Over-investing in concepts that don’t land Feedback that turns into a subjective free-for-all In this episode, I define what simple strategy actually is. It's really not that complicated. I also share five ways strategic thinking can bring focus, direction, and confidence to your design process.   Want to connect with me? Check out The Brand Method Find me on Instagram Book a Strategy Springboard Sesh

Build a brand audit offer and attract clients pre-disposed to purchasing strategic services: In this episode: • The purpose of a brand audit offer • How to implement it super quickly  • The simple framework to guide the audit and produce valuable insights • Where it fits in your pipeline process • What to do next   >> Join the 4 Day Build Your Brand Audit Offer Bootcamp >> https://bechughes.com/audit   Want to connect with me? Check out The Brand Method Find me on Instagram

Listen to Carol Mackay sharing her take on the latest design industry report by Up To The Light: What Clients Think 2025. We explore: • The impact and opportunity of AI for designers • The changing tech landscape in design • What clients want from designers from pitch to presentation   About Carol Mackay: Carol is the co-founder of Design Business Council and design studio Mackay Branson. She is also a leading and active advocate for Australia's design community. As well as leading DBA, a business advisory focused on the business of design, Carol has mentored through AGDA, Womentor and The Aunties. She sits on the board of Never Not Creative, a non-profit dedicated to improving the mental wellbeing of people working in creative businesses. Connect with Carol on Instagram Design Business Council Website What Clients Think 2025 Article   Want to connect with Bec? Check out The Brand Method Find me on Instagram

Are your case studies costing you strategic credibility? If they read like a design diary: client needed a logo, you made it, they loved it, it’s time to raise the bar. In this episode, learn how to craft and use case studies that demonstrate your value as a brand strategist. You'll learn how to: Lead with the business problem Show your thinking (not just the doing) Highlight transformation—emotional, strategic and visual Use quotes, stats, and niche-specific insight Repurpose for maximum leverage When you use case studies to show your thinking, you’re no longer selling visuals, you’re selling value.   Want to connect with me? Check out The Brand Method Find me on Instagram

If brands aren’t built in a vacuum, why are so many brand designers trying to create them in one? In this episode, I explore the hidden challenge most solo brand designers face: growing creatively without any support. I’ll unpack why: ~ Guides, hacks and courses will only get you so far ~ Creativity is a team sport (even when you work solo) ~ Insightful, objective and strategic feedback at the right time will unlock your next level of growth Opening up to feedback feels hard, but pushing through the discomfort is a game-changer.   Want to connect with me? Explore The Studio Check out The Brand Method Find me on Instagram

If you think brand strategy is about adding more... think again. In this episode, I’m sharing the one skill that instantly makes you more strategic: filtering. I’ll walk you through the three tools I use every time I create brand strategy: Themes, Priorities, and Focus. These methods will help you simplify without dumbing things down—so your clients get clarity, not confusion. If you want to be seen as a strategist (as well as a designer), this is where it starts. Press play.   Want to connect with me? Check out The Brand Method Explore The Studio Find me on Instagram Episode 97 - Rethinking Customer Avatars: Apple or Spotify

For this 100th episode, I’m sharing 12 lessons from 25 years of working in branding. This isn't just the process of strategy, but what it really means to be a brand strategist. From why no one wants to buy 'strategy', how good strategy often feels like therapy, to why the best strategists know they don’t know everything, this episode is a behind-the-scenes look at the mindset, method, and messiness of the work we do. If you want to benefit from my insights and learnings as an experienced brand strategist, this is the episode for you.   Want to connect with me? Check out The Brand Method Explore The Studio Find me on Instagram

Not sure how to fit brand strategy into your design process?  This is the episode for you: Why strategy doesn't have to be as complex as you think The 5 steps in my SIMPLE framework How to seamlessly dovetail strategy into your current design workflow What it really means in terms of time and workload Find out how adding strategy to your process could be the smartest shift you make. Want to connect with me? Check out The Brand Method Find me on Instagram Listen to Episode 83: My 5 Pillars Brand Strategy Research Framework

Struggling to position yourself as a brand strategist? Finding clients don't want to or aren't ready to buy brand strategy services? In this episode, I break down the Brand Strategist Focus Funnel (BSFF) - attract the right clients, build authority, and make buying from you easy. You’ll learn: ✔ How to become known for the right thing with a compelling Value Pitch✔ How to attract predisposed clients using a Value Magnet✔ How to make buying from you easy with a Value Proposal If you want to stop feeling invisible and start being valuable, this one’s for you!   Want to connect with me? Check out The Brand Method Find me on Instagram

Over-engineered avatars are the brand strategy equivalent of a chocolate teapot - seems fun, but not fit for purpose. In this episode, I'm rethinking customer avatars, because the overcomplicated, deeply nuanced descriptions everyone tells you to create are actually unhelpful for brand strategy: Why unnecessary details (like Jane’s Spotify playlist) miss the point What really drives buying decisions (hint: it's not their coffee order) The SHINE framework - a simple but powerful approach to define the audience effectively   Want to connect with me? Check out The Brand Method Find me on Instagram

Brand strategy is full of buzzwords, but does it need to be?  In this episode, I share a straight-forward approach to developing strategies that are simple, but not basic. We’ll bridge the gap between client and business goals, and what their audience actually wants. No fluff, no jargon - just a practical, simple approach for designers who want to create and talk about brand strategy with confidence. The role of brand strategy A simple, five-question framework that makes strategy accessible How to drop the jargon and start selling and presenting brand strategy in a way clients understand Want to connect with me? Check out The Brand MethodFind me on Instagram