144. Do You React or Respond When Opportunity Knocks?
Food Business Marketing - Brand Strategy Tips to Build a Business You Love
Release Date: 08/07/2025
166. Profit and Margins and Cash Flow...OH MY! A Mini Masterclass in Food Business Financials with Sarah Delevan
Food Business Marketing - Brand Strategy Tips to Build a Business You Love
A mini masterclass in food business finances with Sarah Delevan. We're covering margins, growth scenarios, and why "scale" isn’t a financial strategy.
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165. Choosing Your Word of the Year: Lean Into Who You’re Becoming as a Leader
Food Business Marketing - Brand Strategy Tips to Build a Business You Love
How choosing your Word of the Year can help you lean into who you were meant to be....a benefit to your brand, your business, and beyond!
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164. Curating Holiday Traditions & Year-Round Food Rituals
Food Business Marketing - Brand Strategy Tips to Build a Business You Love
In this fun episode, Katie & Clint swap stories about holiday traditions—and close with a simple idea about how brands become part of year-round rituals.
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163. Brand Pillars: The Backbone of Your Brand That Makes a Major Impact
Food Business Marketing - Brand Strategy Tips to Build a Business You Love
A simple framework to help you review where you’ve been, regroup your resources, and refocus your next 12 months anytime you want more clarity and alignment. Great for year-end, or any time of year to reset!
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162. Your Next 12 Months: Review, Regroup & Refocus to Align With Your BHAG
Food Business Marketing - Brand Strategy Tips to Build a Business You Love
A simple framework to help you review where you’ve been, regroup your resources, and refocus your next 12 months anytime you want more clarity and alignment. Great for year-end, or any time of year to reset!
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161. Should You Go? Choosing Events & Shows That Will Move Your Food Brand Forward
Food Business Marketing - Brand Strategy Tips to Build a Business You Love
If your message feels messy, it’s likely not that you’re bad at writing...it’s because your brand strategy needs more structure. In ep 159, Katie shows how a strong foundation makes your messaging clearer + more consistent everywhere.
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160. Smart Growth for Food Brands: Are You Using “Expedited Cautiousness”?
Food Business Marketing - Brand Strategy Tips to Build a Business You Love
If your message feels messy, it’s likely not that you’re bad at writing...it’s because your brand strategy needs more structure. In ep 159, Katie shows how a strong foundation makes your messaging clearer + more consistent everywhere.
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159. Does Your Message Feel Messy? Start With Strategy Before You Start Writing
Food Business Marketing - Brand Strategy Tips to Build a Business You Love
If your message feels messy, it’s likely not that you’re bad at writing...it’s because your brand strategy needs more structure. In ep 159, Katie shows how a strong foundation makes your messaging clearer + more consistent everywhere.
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158. Using Grants to Grow Your Brand: VAPG and Beyond
Food Business Marketing - Brand Strategy Tips to Build a Business You Love
Learn how food and farm businesses can use grants, including the USDA’s Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG), to fund growth, strengthen brand strategy, and scale with intention.
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157. PERSIST: After the Sales Pitch...How to Turn a Yes or No into Next Steps (4Ps Sales Process Step 5 of 5)
Food Business Marketing - Brand Strategy Tips to Build a Business You Love
In Ep 157, we share what to do after the pitch — how to follow up, build buyer relationships, and turn every yes or no into forward motion for your food brand.
info_outlineAs a food business owner, you’re constantly making decisions—some big, some small, but all important. And when a new opportunity lands in your lap, it can be tempting to jump in without thinking it through. But that’s where brand strategy becomes your superpower and a way to set your brand apart in a consistent, meaningful way.
In this episode, I explore:
- The difference between reacting and responding (and why it matters) when opportunities arise.
- A story from a business valuation client about being able to respond versus react.
- Why brand strategy helps you filter decisions with intention
- What to ask yourself when opportunity knocks
- How this topic connects with Episode 143 on organizing your own ideas
Whether you’re being pitched a sales deal, a partnership, or even a chance to sell your business, this episode will help you lead with purpose—not panic.
🎧 Listen to Episode 144 now and feel more grounded as a brand leader.
Don’t miss the homework dropping in my Friday email priorities the right opportunities! Join my email list at RealFoodBrands.com
🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES 🔗
✓ Ep 143: Sales Tips for Food Brands – Reach Out, Stand Out, & Follow Through
✓ FREE Brand Review Guide – realfoodbrands.com
✓ Real Food Brands Marketing Roundtable (Free Facebook Community to follow up on episode questions or ideas)
✓ Work with me: 1:1 Brand Review Workshop or Brand Success System
✓ Say hi on Instagram: @realfoodbrands
Thanks for listening – let’s go shake up shopping carts!
Katie Mleziva
Host & Food Brand Strategist | Real Food Brands