Own Your Space - Your brand deserves to get noticed for all the right reasons

Build It Right Then Grow

There comes a point where you know your brand needs to step up—but knowing where to invest first can feel unclear. In this episode, Clare Sheffield shares one of the most common (and costly) mistakes founders make: investing in packaging, marketing or content before building a strong brand identity. Using real client examples and a simple “building a house” analogy, Clare explains why your brand identity is the foundation—and how skipping it can lead to wasted time, money and momentum. You’ll learn: * Why identity should always come before packaging * How to invest in your brand in the right order * What to prioritise if you want your brand to scale If you’re a founder of a product-based, purpose-led brand and you’re ready to invest more seriously, this episode will help you do it with clarity and confidence.

Brand Ready to Scale? Chapter 5

Consistency is not just about looking polished. It’s a strategic growth tool. In Chapter 5 of Brand-ready to scale? Clare Sheffield explores how to build consistency across your brand so every touchpoint works together to strengthen recognition, trust and credibility as you scale. As your business grows, more touchpoints appear — from packaging and website to social media, printed materials, unboxing and customer experience — and each one plays a role in how your brand is experienced. Clare breaks down the practical role of brand guidelines, showing that they do not need to be overcomplicated to be effective, and explains how a brand guardian can protect and evolve your brand as the business expands. She also shares a simple way to review your customer journey and identify where inconsistency may be quietly weakening your brand. You’ll hear why disconnected touchpoints create confusion and dilute brand impact, and how clarity and alignment can make your brand far easier to recognise and trust. If you are a purpose-led product founder who wants more clarity, stronger implementation and a brand that feels joined up as you scale, this episode is full of grounded, useful insight.

From Product to Experience with Rosie and Jon Winter

In this episode of Own Your Space, Clare speaks with Rosie and Jon Winter, founders of Eden & Co. about the reality of evolving a brand over time and what it truly takes to move from product to experience. From hitting growth ceilings to redefining their audience, they share how deep customer understanding, bold brand decisions, and a commitment to quality transformed their business commercially and emotionally. This conversation explores: * Why being guided by your customer is essential for growth * The shift from selling products to creating experiences * How packaging, positioning and own-brand products unlocked scale * The power of knowing your audience in granular detail * What investing in branding really delivers beyond aesthetics If you’re building a purpose-led product brand and feeling the tension between where you are and where you want to be, this episode offers grounded, practical insight to help you move forward with clarity and confidence. You can explore Eden & Co.’s hampers at edenandcohampers.com. Rosie and Jon have also generously shared a 10% discount code for listeners: 9VZEZMMY63QH

Elevating Eyecare on the High Street with Dr Valarie Jerome

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ve got a logo, so I’ve got a brand”… this chapter is for you. In Chapter 3 of Brand-Ready to Scale? Clare Sheffield breaks down what a brand actually is and why your logo is just the tip of the “brandberg”. Clare explains the full system that sits beneath the surface, from your logo suite, colour palette and typography through to photography style, illustration, tone of voice, brand story and key brand messages. This is especially relevant for product-based founders because as you scale, you create more touchpoints: packaging, tape, stickers, invoices, social posts, trade show materials and more. Without a full brand system, consistency slips, customer trust erodes, and every new asset becomes harder than it needs to be. You’ll come away with practical audit actions to identify what you have, what’s missing, and how to fill the gaps, so your brand becomes a clear, cohesive force that supports growth.

From Beautiful Product to Scalable Brand with Hattie Goodley

What does it look like to invest in packaging and branding when you’re a small, purpose-led product business and every penny counts? In this episode of Own Your Space, Clare Sheffield speaks with Hattie Goodley, founder and creative director of Willa and the Bear, about the journey from accidental business beginnings to building a more scalable brand. Hattie shares how her beautiful hand block printed nursery essentials evolved from gifts for friends into a growing direct-to-consumer business, rooted in artisan production, ethical relationships, and thoughtful design. They talk honestly about the hesitation many founders feel before investing in packaging, the difference between selling online and being ready for wholesale, and why the right packaging can help justify price point, communicate craftsmanship, and make merchandising easy for retailers. This is a grounded conversation about growth, confidence, scarcity, authenticity, and knowing when your brand needs to catch up with the quality of your product. If you’re a founder of a purpose-led product brand thinking about what comes next, this episode will feel very familiar. About Hattie Goodley Hattie Goodley is the Founder and Creative Director of Willa and the Bear, a baby gifting brand producing award-winning, small-batch, hand block printed nursery essentials. Based in rural North Norfolk, Hattie works closely with artisans in India and Nepal to bring her designs to life. Alongside her business, Hattie is a mum to Willa, Maud and Gus, and balances family life with running a growing brand. Find Hattie and Willa and the Bear Website: www.willaandthebear.com [http://www.willaandthebear.com]Instagram: @willaandthebear