#170 Tom Sanders, founder of Lost Dog, is a branding + strategy expert who's spent his career helping companies stop lying to themselves.

In this show, we cover Tom's unexpected start in IT and his journey to launching his own shop. Tom walks us through how brands get built — not with a checklist and some Helvetica, but with honesty, alignment, and a hell of a lot of listening.

Here's the full breakdown:

00:00–03:00

Intro & Tom's background

03:01–07:30

From IT to Marketing: Tom's origin story

07:31–13:00

What is strategy vs branding vs tactics? Mission, vision, and the "why"

13:01–17:30

Why most companies botch brand strategy (and why "making money" isn't the mission)

17:31–21:00

Red flags: When mission/vision becomes a checklist

21:01–25:00

Tom's branding approach: Organic, not fabricated.

25:01–28:00

Internal brand alignment: Why employees need to believe it too

28:01–34:00

The branding process deep dive

38:01–42:00

Metrics that matter: Why engagement isn't enough

42:01–47:00

Tom's 5-Step Process: Why → Current Situation → Goals → Communicate → Monitor

52:01–56:00

Timelines, and why smaller clients get his best work

59:01–1:03:00

Inferior products? Why experience and expectations still win

1:03:01–1:07:00

Why Tom started Lost Dog & the future of agencies

1:07:01–1:10:00

AI & strategy: From "C student" to A-minus assistant

1:10:01–end

Final thoughts

Get in touch with Tom here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomsanders/

Or here: https://lostdogmke.com/

Connect with Pat here: [email protected]

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This podcast is sponsored by Ascedia. A web development and digital strategy agency helping clients win in the digital space.