Brand Strategy Unwankified

No one wants a leaky brand strategy. Could you be devaluing what you create for your clients without you even knowing it?
If you've ever handed over a 50-point questionnaire, wrestled with AI for hours, or sent a Loom instead of presenting your work live, this episode is for you.
I tackle the most common brand strategy leaks and how to plug them, including:
Why your discovery process might be working against you
How to use AI as a strategic assistant, not a strategic replacement
Why more research is not always the answer
The cost of keeping your client at arm's length
Find your leaks, plug them, and deliver work you can actually stand behind.
Connect with me
Learn Brand Strategy - The Brand Method program 
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It's not about the tech, it's about what you do with it!
In this episode I share my tips for creating a simple but effective brand strategy focused tech stack. This will ensure the apps streamline and support, but don't get in the way of your thinking.
I cover:
• The principles of a lean tech stack
• The brand strategy activities that need or benefit from supporting apps
• My own brand strategy tech stack
 
Connect with me
Learn Brand Strategy - The Brand Method program 
Find me on Instagram

In this episode I talk to Bec Morris, one of the founding students of The Brand Method program, and very talented brand creator.
I check in on Bec's journey with brand strategy to explore:
• Why she wanted to invest in her brand strategy skills• What that journey has looked like for her• The impact it's had on her business and also her identity
I'm honoured to have been part of Bec's journey, and proud to share her story with other designers just like her.
I hope you can take some inspiration from how far Bec has come.
 
About Bec Morris
With over 15 years of experience across Sydney agencies, in-house roles, and running her own studio, Bec has developed a knack for digging deep into businesses and uncovering the insights that make brands unforgettable. From her thriving brand studio on the New South Wales south coast in Australia, Bec is all about helping brands shake things up and follow their own path.
Connect with Bec Morris on Instagram
 
Connect with Bec Hughes:
Check out The Brand Method
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Feedback isn’t the problem, it's how you ask for it.
If you’ve ever received vague, emotionally charged, or completely off-track feedback, chances are there's a problem with your feedback process.
In this episode, I break down:
• Why client feedback so often derails projects (and why it’s not actually their fault)
• The role feedback should play in your process
• Common mistakes designers make
I'll share my simple SAGE framework to help you lead clearer, more focused feedback as a consultant.
Because great quality feedback isn't luck, it’s leadership.
 
Connect with me
Learn Brand Strategy - The Brand Method program 
Find me on Instagram

How many times have you said “a brand is not a logo”… and watched clients glaze over?
In this episode, I tackle why that line doesn’t resonate, and what to say instead if you want branding to click for your clients.
Because replacing 'logo' with 'design scheme' won't do it either.
• We’ll have a quick reset on what a brand really is
• Understand why that definition matters
• Get to the nuts & bolts of how to talk about branding to prospective clients
 
Connect with me
Learn Brand Strategy - The Brand Method program 
Find me on Instagram

Let’s demystify the whole workshop thing.
The thought of running a strategy workshop strikes fear into many creatives, but they don't have to be scary.
In fact they’re one of the fastest ways to build strategic authority.
In this episode I share:
What a proper Discovery Workshop actually is (and what it’s not)
The structure that keeps your workshop focused and valuable
How to manage tangents, surface-level answers and energy dips
Why questionnaires are a cop out (yep, I said it)
What to do before and after to strengthen the strategy, and the relationship
 
Connect with me
Learn Brand Strategy - The Brand Method program 
Find me on Instagram
 

Em Sparrow, founder of Sparo Studios, shares her experiences and learnings as a successful studio founder, and why she implemented some big changes in 2025.
We talk about:
• The most important skills needed to scale a business
• Em's experiences growing a team
• The discomfort that is part of growth
• Innovation as a mindset and growth strategy
• One thing the Sparo Studios team prioritise in their brand strategy approach
 
About Em Sparrow
Originally from Canada, In 2019, Em Sparrow travelled across the world to Sydney Australia where she founded Sparo Studios. Since then, the agency has grown from a one-woman operation into a team of 12, with a combined 100+ years of industry experience.
Em and her team build brands, websites, and marketing campaigns that help established businesses lead their space.
Connect with Sparo Studios on Instagram
Connect with Em on LinkedIn
 
Connect with Bec Hughes:
Check out The Brand Method
Find me on Instagram

Brand strategy is having a moment. It’s no longer flying under the radar or reserved for the select few.
What used to be a nice-to-have for designers is quickly becoming a non-negotiable to secure better clients.
In this episode, I unpack
• Why strategy is trending• What’s driving the shift• Why the competitive advantage window is closing
Don't panic, this is your chance to take advantage of foresight.
Are you positioning yourself ahead of the curve or leaving yourself a mountain to climb to catch up?
 
Connect with me
Learn Brand Strategy - The Brand Method program 
Find me on Instagram

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