The value of an outsider looking in

In my Brand Clarity strategy workshops with small business owners, the real value goes beyond the strategy outputs. Through my signature process and active listening, our collaborative discussion reveals little epiphanies about people’s businesses and brands that might seem like a no-brainer to me at the time, but are often buried in what they are doing or think they should be doing. 

Kate from Mayde Tea was reminded of how important the flavour of her teas are to people buying online, something she hadn’t thought about as she was so focused on the therapeutic benefits of her teas. Sally from Farmer Jo was reminded of the importance of connecting to food and community not only to the business but also to her enjoyment in the business, after working with me to connect with the local food community through the pandemic.

These little epiphanies don’t mean that the business needs to completely shift its direction, but they can lead to small and immediate tweaks, with great results.

I sat down with Kate Dalton, founder of Mayde Tea to ask her about the value of an outside perspective.

Katie: Why is it important for you to have a balance of internal and external advice for your business?

Kate: Being the sole owner of our company, it's easy to become a bit stuck, and often not see an outsider's perspective to know what our audience needs. Being a therapeutic tea brand, I naturally put a lot of focus on the medicinal properties of our products, as well as the sustainability aspect of the business. We have now equally focused on the flavour profiles of our products, because after all, our teas are delicious, and this needs to be communicated to our audience through reviews and feedback. Working with Katie has brought light to this, we’ve worked on how to communicate this well, and it has helped our customers understand our product, and become more comfortable becoming a customer.

Katie: How have you stayed clear on your goals and your path during these recent times? 

Kate: Regular meetings with Katie helped to stay focused and clear on the direction of the business, especially in such an uncertain and somewhat scary time for business owners. I've referred to our notes weekly, to keep me on the right path in my role in the business; and that is, communicating to our audience the details of our products and how they are beneficial especially through the pandemic — that they to help reduce anxiety and strengthen the immune system. We also put emphasis on the importance of wholesale customer relationships, and how we can continue to nurture these, and how we can support them when they are able to reopen after isolation.