Starting a company and selling it within a year takes focus, research, and commitment to your brand story and strategy. And that’s exactly how Kim Kovacs, CEO of MyJane, accomplished this feat. She set a cannabis wellness community designed to empower women with their health and well-being on the path to success with the power of focus.

In this episode of Expert Opinion, Ryan Rieches talks with Kim about the game-changing impact purpose, mission, and vision had on her business. Beyond her personal story and motivation for starting MyJane, evidence-based strategy proved pivotal to her brand’s achievements.

If there’s only one lesson to learn here, it’s that your business can’t be all things to all people. There are riches and niches, and the power of focus is incredible.

How does a business go from its founders’  basement to becoming the leading distributor of tile and stone in the world? The basement story itself may sound vaguely familiar, but the takeaways here are no less important: the value of taking risks and the long-term impact of creating a mission for both the fledgling company and its employees themselves.

MS International, Inc. (MSI) has grown to a one-billion dollar company with over 1,800 employees since its basement founding in 1975. In this episode of Expert Opinion, Co-president Raj Shah talks to BrandingBusiness Founding Partner Ryan Rieches about MSI’s recent rebrand.

Tevora is a leading management consulting firm specializing in cybersecurity, risk and compliance. Looking to position the company for growth and national expansion, Tevora sought a brand refresh after having made minimal changes in the 15 years since their launch.

In this episode of Expert Opinion, Tevora’s Founder and CEO Ray Zadjmool spoke with BrandingBusiness Founding Partner Ryan Rieches about the branding process, building a brand from within, and the importance of the company’s guiding statements.

Backed by Private Equity firm Lariat Partners, two former rivals, LaMi Products and ATA Retail Solutions, merged to become Jacent, a newly formed force in grocery store merchandising. BrandingBusiness Founding Partner Ryan Rieches is joined by Jacent CEO, Michael Dion to talk about the challenges in bringing together two industry leaders as one company. Aligning both cultures and operations, the naming question, and the opportunities and challenges associated with the process are highlights in this edition of Expert Opinion.

After the acquisition of Avnet’s Technology Solutions business, Tech Data needed a new brand identity to highlight the company’s expanded reach and capabilities as a global leader in technology distributions and services. A rebrand of a company this size with or without an acquisition is a massive undertaking. In this episode, Michael Dula, Chief Creative Officer at BrandingBusiness, talks with Alex Fox, Director, Creative Services at Tech Data about the intricacies of a rebrand this size, the challenges involved, and managing and executing while keeping all members of a global company informed and included in the process.

After private equity acquired four industry counterparts of similar size, the combined entity became Verizon’s largest retail partner. To bring together four distinct cultures, the new company needed a strategic partner to help them unite under a new employer brand and company name.

In this episode, BrandingBusiness Founding Partner Ryan Rieches talks with Michael Moore, Chief Experience Officer at Victra, the newly created brand. The two walk us through the complete rebranding process, from acquisition to launch, and discuss the significance of research, employee involvement, and the value of culture driving the brand expression.

With 500,000 new businesses being opened each month, and 2 million active trademarks in the US, the challenges of protecting your Intellectual Property are greater than ever. In this edition of Expert Opinion, Ryan Rieches talks with Diane Reed, Partner at Knobbe Martens. They discuss the different types of IP, some common mistakes, and how companies can get true protection.

VeracityColab is a creative video agency in Southern California. CEO Charlie Matz talks with BrandingBusiness Senior Brand Manager Justin Garvin about the emotional power of video in building B2B brands. The two talk statistics, the value of video, and the many ways to incorporate video into your corporate strategy.

A successful merger or acquisition is usually the result of a shared vision, a differentiated brand and an aligned culture. Unfortunately, the majority of mergers and acquisitions fail.

In this episode of Expert Opinion, Rob Follows, Founder and CEO of STS Capital Partners, talks with BrandingBusiness Founding Partner Ryan Rieches about the different types of buyers, the importance of a strong brand, and the best ways to position and prepare your company for a successful merger or acquisition.

Millennials are one of the largest generations in history. They’ve grown up in a time of rapid change which has influenced their perspectives, priorities, and expectations. BrandingBusiness Founding Partner Ryan Rieches talks with Dan Negroni, Founder and CEO at Launchbox, a firm dedicated to empowering individuals and organizations with skills to create success with our next generation of leaders. The two discuss the importance of shifting mindsets, finding your purpose, and the steps to developing your personal brand.