Ever wonder why some brands thrive for years while others disappear overnight? It’s never just about looking pretty — it’s about what’s underneath the surface. Aggie Burnett sits down with brand strategist Rachel Roberts Mattox — the strategist behind standout indie names like Captain Blankenship and Ranavat. They break down why pretty packaging won’t save you if your brand has no layers of meaning. Rachel shares how to craft uncopyable brand DNA, when a rebrand is worth the risk, how to build a hero product that keeps customers loyal, and how to stay culturally relevant when trends shift overnight. If you’re an indie beauty founder ready to position your brand to win, this is your blueprint.

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 - Welcome to Beauty and the Brand: Where Real Brands Are Built
• 00:01:02 - Meet Rachel Roberts Mattox: The Brand DNA Powerhouse
• 00:02:22 - Why Brand Strategy Beats Pretty Packaging
• 00:04:17 - Rebranding Traps That Cost Founders Thousands
• 00:06:40 - Crafting Brand Identity with Layers of Meaning
• 00:12:57 - Inside Votary’s Success: Story Meets Strategy
• 00:20:58 - How Captain Blankenship Revitalized Without Losing Its Soul
• 00:27:37 - Staying Culturally Relevant When Trends Shift
• 00:36:17 - Indie Brands Getting It Right Right Now
• 00:42:21 - Rachel’s Go-To Products & Final Brand Wisdom

Links and Resources:

• 👉Take our 5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge for only $17! -
• https://abcreativenyc.com/signup
• 👉 Scale from 0 to 7 figures without spinning your wheels with the Beauty Brand Roadmap: https://abcreativenyc.com/the-beauty-brand-roadmap
• Aggie on LinkedIn
• AB Creative
• Aggie on Instagram
• RachelRobertsMattox.com
• Instagram: @RachelRobertsMattox
• Rachel Roberts Mattox on LinkedIn

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to Beauty and the Brand? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

Mentioned in this episode:

5 Days to Growing Your Iconic Beauty Brand Challenge