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In this episode, I have a value-packed chat with Hayden Burgess from Pitchr.  We purposefully meander through lots of valuable insights, including: • What it means to have a 'no compromise' business • Cultivating confidence and assertiveness with clients • Positioning yourself as a consultant • Bad habits that creatives develop in business • Simple selling skills with real impact   About Hayden Burgess: As the founder of Pitchr, Hayden helps creatives who want to build a solo creative business that is profitable and fulfilling. He works with creative weirdos who are great at their craft but were never taught how to run a business. Connect with Hayden on Instagram   Connect with Bec Hughes: Check out The Brand Method Find me on Instagram

Brand strategy doesn’t need to take months to be valuable. In this episode I share: • Why long timelines are bloated, impractical, and irrelevant • A realistic 3-week brand strategy project plan for designers • How you can significantly increase your income even with a short timeline The purists will be choking on their textbooks.. but I don't care. This is about efficiency, confidence and outcomes.   Connect with me Learn Brand Strategy - The Brand Method program  Find me on Instagram  

What if you're not cut-out for brand strategy? What if you get it wrong? What if it takes too long? What if people think you're a fraud? There are so many 'what ifs' that hold designers back from leaning into learning and offering brand strategy. In this episode I explore: • Why these questions are holding you back and what they really mean • Some better ways to frame these 'what ifs' • What leaning into brand strategy can do for you   Connect with me Learn Brand Strategy - The Brand Method program  Find me on Instagram  

If I could only give a client one thing to create the most strategic clarity, it would be positioning. It's the one thing that gets to the heart of (arguably) the most important branding question... why should our audience want us? In this episode, I break down: What positioning is and why it's so essential The single upgrade that makes positioning easier to build and understand Why this change removes the 3 main barriers to defining a winning positioning   Connect with me Learn Brand Strategy - The Brand Method program  Find me on Instagram

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