Does your client say they “already have brand strategy”? 🤔 Don’t stop there. In this episode, Nika breaks down the big myth that brand strategy = brand positioning—and shows how there’s a whole world 🌍 of strategic work agencies can deliver after a brand positioning is set.

Drawing from her experience with global brands 🌐, Nika walks through the three levels of brand strategy—foundational, executional and activational —and explains how you can confidently offer strategic services 💼 even when you're not the 'original' strategist. From sub-brand development to tone of voice guidelines 🗣️, this episode will expand your idea of what's possible.

🔑 In This Episode: • The difference between brand strategy and brand positioning 🧱 • Three levels of strategy work you can offer 🎯 • Examples of strategy deliverables you can deliver: tone of voice 🗣️, creative principles 🎨, brand world thinking 🌟, content strategy 📝, and more

💡 Nika’s Tip: Once a brand has positioning, the real work begins. Brand strategy lives far beyond a pyramid on a page.

🔗 Resources & Links: 🎧 Episode 7: [How to Sell Strategy to Clients Who Just Want Design]

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👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nika-worlund/

👉 Book a 30-minute Q&A: https://www.nikaworlund.com/1-on-1-coaching

You’ve got a strong portfolio 💼, a clear area of expertise 🎯, and a steady stream of clients 💸. But what if you want out of the category you’re known for?

Maybe you’re the go-to studio for tech brands 💻, but you dream of branding restaurants 🍽️. Or you’ve done a ton of CPG work 🧴, but want to land a hotel project 🏨. Pivoting into a new industry is something every agency faces at some point — and it’s absolutely doable.

In this episode 🎙️, I break down the classic 6-step new business strategy 📈 that helps independent agencies move into new categories intentionally — and I share some hard-earned lessons from my agency days (including a very expensive pitch trip to NYC that flopped in the first 5 minutes 😬).

What You’ll Learn:

⭐ Why betting on just one industry is a gamble—and how diversification builds creative resilience

⭐ The smartest way to “fake” experience in a new category (and why 'stepping stone' projects are your secret weapon).

⭐ How to effectively stalk your prospects on LinkedIn

⭐ How to lose a small fortune playing the New Business game

⭐ The hidden purpose of a chemistry meeting (hint: it’s not design)

⭐ Why 'working loudly' is more important than a perfect website

Want more strategic design tips?

👉 Join the email list: nikaworlund.com

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikaworlund

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nika-worlund/

👉 Book a 30-minute Q&A: https://www.nikaworlund.com/1-on-1-coaching

In this episode, I cover six mistakes I see all the time—in independent studios, freelancers, even junior strategists inside agencies. They’re subtle. But they scream to clients: “This person’s not thinking strategically.”

These are small things—like skipping intro slides or over-describing your design—but they quietly undermine your authority. Luckily, they’re easy to fix.

You’ll learn:

• Why skipping “intro slides” is the biggest red flag there is

• The difference between design executions and brand ideas

• How to stop oversharing like a design school grad

• How to frame concepts so clients don’t ask for 10 more

• And why emailing your work is a surefire way to sabotage your pitch

If you’ve ever walked out of a client meeting thinking, “Why didn’t they get it?”—this one’s for you.

Want more strategic design tips?

👉 Join the email list: nikaworlund.com

👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikaworlund

👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nika-worlund/

👉 Book a 30-minute Q&A: https://www.nikaworlund.com/1-on-1-coaching