My friend Adam describes Emily Heyward as a “genius brand strategist and brilliant badass.” I agree! She is the co-founder and Chief Brand Officer at Red Antler, the leading brand company for startups and new ventures. In this conversation, Emily shares why “messaging rooted in mission means you're more under the microscope,” and why there’s not only room for joy right now, but a need for it. Emily shares why she believes brand has to be seen as an investment, not a cost — and when is the right time for even cash-strapped start-ups to invest in brand strategy.

More about Emily: Since 2007, she’s worked closely with founders to develop purposeful, strategic visions for their companies and has led branding efforts for some of the most disruptive brands on the planet such as Casper, Allbirds, Boxed, and Prose. In 2019 Inc. Magazine named her among The Most Important Entrepreneurs of the Past Decade, FastCompany has called her a "brand whisperer," and her first book, Obsessed: Building a Brand People Love from Day One, was published by Portfolio, a division of Penguin Random House, in June 2020.

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📘 Books Mentioned: Pivot, Obsessed: Building a Brand People Love from Day One, Creating an Ironclad Brand

🔗 Resources Mentioned: Emily on the web, Red Antler, Good Moose, Instagram: Emily Heyward, Forbes—Brand Building During Coronavirus: What Emily Heyward Wants You To Know, Brands mentioned: Coursera, Everlane, SoulCycle, Go Together

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