What the heck is a CBO? (and no, it's not another random acronym)

So really...what IS a CBO?

A CBO focuses on brand reputation and identity—we're essentially the guardians of how a company is perceived, understood, and experienced. While my CMO friends are busy executing campaigns and driving quarterly numbers (bless their metrics-obsessed hearts), I'm over here obsessing about the strategic foundation that gives those marketing efforts meaning and staying power.

Think of it this way: if the CMO is focused on getting people to walk through the door today, I'm making sure they'll want to keep coming back for years to come.

What I do (when I'm not explaining what I do)

• Brand strategy and positioning - Defining what you stand for and why anyone should care

• Brand & naming architecture - Creating frameworks that make sense as you inevitably add more products with confusing names

• Internal brand engagement - Inspiring employees to actually believe in your mission

• Anticipate trends - Looking around corners while trying not to fall for shiny objects

• Shape the brand narrative and voice - Deciding whether you're the kind of brand that says "leverage" or "use"

• Identify and evaluate growth opportunities - Finding where your brand can expand without having an identity crisis

• Take a long-term view - Focusing on metrics like lifetime value while everyone else is chasing this quarter's numbers

In established companies, I help brands evolve without experiencing the corporate equivalent of a mid-life crisis. For startups, I develop a brand voice that won't make founders cringe when they look back at it in five years.

How I add value (beyond having "Chief" in my title)

I serve as a trusted advisor to CMOs and Founders, helping leaders harness brand power for actual business growth. Here's my real-world contribution:

• Brand positioning and strategy - Getting everyone to agree on who you are (harder than herding cats)

• Building brand awareness in new territories - Ensuring you don't get lost in translation, literally or figuratively

• Creating measurement frameworks - Proving that brand value exists beyond "vibes"

• Exploring new growth opportunities - Developing plans for offerings people might actually want

• Building community connections - Creating relationships with customers that go beyond transactional

• Optimizing organizational structure - Helping teams work smarter without needing another reorganization

With 28 years of creating Brand-Driven Growth Strategies, I've seen enough brand identity crises to spot problems before they become expensive mistakes.

CBO vs. CMO: We're not the same (but we should be friends)

Today's CMOs are tackling major challenges—cookie apocalypses, AI revolutions, and ever-shrinking attention spans. They're in the trenches driving immediate results while I'm often thinking about next year's battlefield.

Where we differ is in our focus:

• CBOs build long-term brand equity while sometimes sounding philosophical

• CMOs drive campaigns and customer acquisition while checking performance dashboards

The magic happens when these perspectives work together: creating brand experiences that deliver both quarterly wins and long-term sustainability. Organizations thrive when brand and marketing functions collaborate—with CBOs providing the strategic direction and CMOs executing with creativity and precision.

Let's talk about your brand journey

Curious if your company could use some brand clarity? Wondering if you've been operating without a brand strategy all along? (Spoiler: if you're asking, you probably are). I'd love to chat about how strategic brand thinking could take your business to the next level—no jargon, no buzzwords, just straightforward guidance. Reach out anytime—because while nobody may understand what a CBO does at cocktail parties, the impact of strong brand leadership is something everyone can recognize in their bottom line.