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North Star Leaders: Positioning, Brand Strategy, and Leadership cover art

North Star Leaders: Positioning, Brand Strategy, and Leadership

North Star Leaders: Positioning, Brand Strategy, and Leadership

Written by: Lindsay Pedersen
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As a leader, how do you know where to focus? When there are a hundred possibilities, how do you direct your time, your team, your budget and your emotional energy? That is what Lindsay Pedersen is exploring on the North Star Leaders Podcast. In every episode she is joined by the entrepreneurs and executives who understand the impact brand makes on their companies, and how vital it is to have a North Star that aligns the efforts of everyone working towards a common goal at an organization. They dig into how to set the conditions for a company that creates real value for decades, and navigate the dance between creating economic value now, and serving a noble purpose that will last into the future. Remember: Brand is your North Star. The The North Star Leaders podcast is hosted by Lindsay Pedersen, a brand strategist and author of the bestselling book: Forging an Ironclad Brand. She has worked with corporations like Duolingo, Starbucks, Expedia, Pantheon and IMDB, arming them with an empowering understanding of brand, and a strategy they can use to grow their business with clarity, conviction and focus. Learn more about Lindsay Pedersen at IroncladBrandStrategy.com Questions she explores on the show include: What is it like to lead a purpose-driven business? What is soggy positioning, and how do you avoid it? How does brand strategy impact company culture? Why should non-marketing leaders care about brand? How does a brand help grow a business? How can brand help you elevate pricing? Each episode of the North Star Leaders podcast is a conversation with a leader who has embraced their business’s North Star, and the impact is has made on their companies. Lindsay Pedersen brings her experience from years of working with top brands to bear in helping to unearth exactly how having a North Star has changed the direction of these organizations. Popular topics on the North Star Leaders Podcast include: Brand strategy, positioning, CMOs, leadership, company culture, company values, customer journey, leadership stories, brand development, North Star Values, company mission, brand strategy insights, brand strategy advice, company differentiation, gaining market share, scaling a business2023 Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Built to Belong with Rick Brooks

    Built to Belong with Rick Brooks
    Jun 23 2026
    Culture isn't what's written on the wall - it's what people actually do when nobody's watching. So how do you build a company where employees act like owners, customers feel like they belong, and brand values drive real business results? In this episode, Lindsay speaks to Zumiez CEO - Rick Brooks, who shares how a deeply embedded culture has shaped one of retail's most distinctive brands, why individuality matters more than ever, and what leaders get wrong when they treat culture as a slogan instead of a system. You'll hear them discuss: How Zumiez built a culture where employees are empowered to own their business and make decisions locally Why teaching, learning, competition, and recognition sit at the center of the company's success The connection between strong culture, flat organizational structures, and leadership trust How Zumiez serves a specific customer who values individuality and self-expression over fitting in Why physical retail still matters in an increasingly digital world, especially for younger generations The role brand positioning plays in creating pricing power and long-term customer loyalty How staying committed to core values helps businesses adapt and evolve without losing their identity Resources: Rick Brooks on Zumiez | Find Zumiez Store | LinkedIn Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn
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    28 mins
  • Scaling Stories with Ali Albazaz

    Scaling Stories with Ali Albazaz
    Jun 16 2026
    Brand isn’t just a logo. Culture isn’t just a mission statement. And customer obsession isn’t something you put in a slide deck. In this episode, Lindsay sits down with Ali Albazaz, CEO of Inkitt, to explore how a company built on AI, storytelling, and relentless customer focus grew from a scrappy startup into a global entertainment platform with more than a million paid subscribers. Ali shares why brand strategy became a turning point for the company, how talking to users every single week shapes product decisions, and why building a business that lasts 100 years requires far more than growth hacks and ad spend. You’ll hear them discuss: How Inkitt is building what Ali calls the “operating system for storytellers” and transforming stories into books, movies, and franchises Why reaching a growth ceiling forced the company to get serious about brand positioning and customer recall The role word-of-mouth played in scaling beyond paid acquisition and accelerating growth How weekly customer calls help every employee develop empathy and stay connected to the people they serve Why Ali spends hours each day deep in product development despite leading a fast-growing company The thinking behind creating distinct brands for different audiences instead of putting everything under one umbrella How customer understanding, not competitor watching, became one of the defining principles of Inkitt’s culture A first look at Ironblood, Inkitt’s newest platform focused on superhero, action, and sci-fi storytelling Resources: Ali Albazaz on Inkitt | Galatea | CandyJar | LinkedIn Bill Conti - ''Gonna Fly Now'' (Theme from Rocky) on YouTube Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn
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    28 mins
  • Collective Brain with Bryan Law

    Collective Brain with Bryan Law
    Jun 9 2026
    How much of your buying decision is actually rational? And how much of it was made long before you ever started comparing options? In this episode, Lindsay Pedersen sits down with Bryan Law, CMO at Nerdio, for a fascinating conversation about the neuroscience behind marketing, why consistency drives growth, and what stories can teach us about influence and decision-making. Drawing on research, psychology, and years of marketing leadership experience, Bryan shares how brands can earn a place in people's minds long before buyers enter the market. You'll hear them discuss: Why consistent brand messaging helps companies grow faster and what research reveals about the "collective brain" The difference between being distinctive and being differentiated, and why one matters far more than most marketers realize How emotion, memory, and storytelling shape decisions, even in high-stakes situations where people believe they're being completely rational What courtroom psychology can teach marketers about influence, persuasion, and the power of a compelling narrative Why most buying decisions are heavily influenced before a customer ever enters the sales process How AI and synthetic audiences are helping companies uncover hidden customer insights and better understand buyer behavior Creating alignment across marketing, sales, and customer-facing teams to build a stronger, more consistent brand experience Resources: Bryan Law on Nerdio | LinkedIn Lindsay Pedersen - Contact me to tell me who you'd like to hear as a guest! | Connect with me on LinkedIn
    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
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