EPISODE 125

The Visionary Chronicles Podcast

CHRONICLE: August 16th, 2023

Content from Bryan’s new Award Winning, Bestselling Book

The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind the World's Most Visionary Brands.

• Readers Favorite Award Winner: Best, Non-fiction, Marketing book
• Amazon Bestseller.

THE VISIONARY BRAND | The Culture Matrix

" Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.” – Abraham Lincoln

A brand's bloodline, values, and foundational principles are carried out through its Culture. Within a brand, the Çulture is a living, breathing thing; everyone within the four walls can feel it, and those outside can see it. Building a Vision dedicated to sustaining a brand Culture is the core of a brand's ultimate success. Without it, you are merely a company selling products, a Commodity. With it, you gain loyalty from your team and long-term value from your Community.

So when you look at Culture, what is it, and how is it built? I am often asked, “What does a brand Culture look or feel like?”  It is a phenomenon few experience, as there are so few genuine, authentic brands. I often say, just because you say you are a brand, does not mean you are a brand. A brand is an earned position, and Culture is a crucial ingredient to successfully crossing that bridge. Culture is an intuitive feel. Your products, communications, and bloodline connect everyone to the brand through a common thread called a Vision.

To build your Culture, there are four distinct areas to focus on.

1. Authentication | Be authentic in all you do as a company, clearly understanding your brand Vision. It all starts with a Vision executed through others and authenticated with a consistent voice.
2. Character | Do not allow a disconnect between what you say and what you do. As simple as this sounds, it is often difficult to maintain. Ensure you are true to what you stand for; others can see through the nonauthentic company pretending to be a brand.
3. Loyalty | Provide value beyond product, and be loyal to those who are part of your brand through purchase. Consistently and authentically engage beyond purchase, and personalize their experiences. Your Community values your products, but they also appreciate the Lifestyle you promote through your Culture.
4. Trust | Be a brand that is true to what you stand for, with no BS, be authentic, and don’t fake it. Do not trade a short-term reward for long-term pain.

Becoming a brand involves many ingredients to build the formula for success. Brands are defined by their Culture, set by a clear Vision. Their Products are consistently excellent, and their Lifestyle is tangible through Products and Vision.

If there is a disconnect between a brand's Vision and Culture, it starts to tear it apart, starting small but eventually infecting the entire company. Internal brand Torchbearers and external advocates are the ones who keep the Vision alive and pass along the torch to the next generation. This is how a brand becomes brand and generational; think Nike, BMW, Lamborghini, and Ralph Lauren are iconic and all generational in their success.

Build a Culture around becoming a brand through a Vision set by your Visionary. Stay consistently excellent, consistently authentic, and committed to your Vision. Become generational and leave your legacy for others to follow!

Stay True, Stay Authentic, be Different, and be Great!

Enjoy the Journey!

Bryan Smeltzer, President

LiquidMind Inc.

#TheVisionaryChroniclesPodcast

#TheVisionaryBrandBook

@LiquidMindsite.com

@BryanSmeltzer.com

© All rights reserved, Bryan Smeltzer, 2023

Bryan Smeltzer is a consumer products business executive and entrepreneur. He has held executive-level roles in business development, Product, and marketing with some of the world's most prestigious brands, including; Oakley, TaylorMade, Adidas, K-Swiss, and Schutt Sports, among other international brands. He also founded a men’s apparel brand, successfully running a profitable business for ten years, eventually selling to a VC firm.

He also hosts a Podcast called The Visionary Chronicles, ranked as the #1 Visionary and Top 50 Marketing Podcasts by Feedspot, and recently finished his first bestselling book, The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind the World’s Most Visionary Brands, and recently received the prestigious Readers Favorite Award for BEST Non-fiction, Marketing Genre book.

He is also a member of the Board of Advisors at UCI’s BCIE along with their New Venture Program, an Innovation Advisor at the UCI’s Applied Innovation program at the Cove, a Mentor/Advisor to UCLA’s Price Center Venture Accelerator Program, and a Mentor/Advisor at the San Diego Sports Innovators Accelerator (SDSI) center.

Bryan oversees LiquidMind Inc., a global brand strategy firm that partners with start-ups and established mid to large-cap consumer brands to empower businesses to think differently, be different, drive a passionate culture, and execute relentlessly.

You can contact or  follow him at;

email | bryan@LiquidMindsite.com

Facebook | @bryansmeltzer33

Instagram | @bryan_smeltzer

X | @bryansmeltzer

LinkedIn | linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/