<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Krista Cavender Strategic Branding]]></title><description><![CDATA[Strategic workshops and identity design for funded start-ups and small businesses.]]></description><link>https://www.kcavenderdesign.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 13 Aug 2026 06:31:23 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.kristacavender.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Your Brand Is a Reflection of You | The Psychology of Brand Identity]]></title><description><![CDATA[Is it just me or does anyone else have a constant narration running in their head? Mine isn't even interesting. It's running commentary on what I'm doing and why, but delivered in a tone of total confidence and sometimes more enthusiasm than should be normal. I open the refrigerator for the fourth time in an hour, and the voice narrates… "we are gathering information." No. I'm standing in front of the cheese again. And this voice? It sounds so self-aware and wise. But the more I've looked at...]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/your-brand-is-a-reflection-of-you-the-psychology-of-brand-identity</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7bb408f1f88bc38bdbbd2e</guid><pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 18:34:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://youtu.be/2omcVKvuIpQ" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Nostalgic Branding | Your Kid Doesn’t Remember It. So Why Does It Feel So Familiar?]]></title><description><![CDATA[A few weeks ago I was helping my son get new tires for his car. When we went to pick it up, he said, Mom, I want to show you something. He opened the center console and pulled out a stack of CDs. Tool. Perfect Circle. Bands that were big in the '90s and early 2000s. Music from before he was born. I asked him why. Why that music? Why those bands? He said, "I don't know why. It's just my preference." He genuinely couldn't explain it. He just knew it felt like his. That fascinated me. Because...]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/nostalgic-branding-your-kid-doesn-t-remember-it-so-why-does-it-feel-so-familiar</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a78e86b1b163fc3edb40ade</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 21:40:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_eb163cf119ee47bfafc3a16c3764c9a9~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Physical Things Help People Remember Your Brand]]></title><description><![CDATA[What do a small white church, a stack of vinyl records, and an old Macintosh computer have in common? They all reveal something surprising about how memory works, and why people remember some brands long after they’ve forgotten others.]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/why-physical-things-help-people-remember-your-brand</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7518a2421979b2d96f3612</guid><pubDate>Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:36:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://youtu.be/K_Cc6YLcHxY" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Brand Psychology Examples: Why People Want Your Brand More in Private Than in Public]]></title><description><![CDATA[What if your customers are most likely to buy when no one is watching? These brand psychology examples reveal how identity and desire really shape purchasing decisions.]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/brand-psychology-examples</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a554b62e3330becfcc0541e</guid><pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 2026 22:07:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_5e25616fbdff4ea39c8cd40a4f2c4560~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Customer Decision Fatigue | Why More Information Is Costing You Customers]]></title><description><![CDATA[Your customers aren’t starting with a fresh brain. They’re arriving overloaded, distracted, and already exhausted by choices. Learn why more information often creates more friction and what to do instead.]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/customer-decision-fatigue-why-more-information-is-costing-you-customers</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a29e0838ae4d2c74dd0c5fa</guid><category><![CDATA[Branding Research/Statistics]]></category><category><![CDATA[Business Relationships]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 10 Jun 2026 23:47:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_3918875b2abe4f7a94c49ab136e088ff~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why the Jester Brand Archetype Stands Out in Serious Industries]]></title><description><![CDATA[There's a moment in Dollar Shave Club's launch video where the founder walks through a warehouse, completely deadpan, pulls out a machete to cut the tape on a box of razors, and then throws the box at a bear. The bear doesn't catch it. Nobody acknowledges any of this. The video moves on. That video came out in 2012. People still talk about it. What made it work wasn't the machete or the bear. It was that the whole thing felt like a genuine point of view, like someone looked at the razor...]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/using-jester-brand-archetype-to-capture-attention-in-brand-messaging</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6882a7ef8bf4e9067b08fc7a</guid><category><![CDATA[Identity]]></category><category><![CDATA[Branding & Strategy]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:08:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_cc169cdaaca1457fb0bda60a8a8cde53~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Ethical Marketing for Small Business Is No Longer Optional]]></title><description><![CDATA[A couple of weeks ago, I was leading an in-person women’s networking group, and toward the end of the meeting one of the more experienced businesswomen in the room started coaching another member on how to close a sale. She walked through a role play. The scenario: a potential customer makes an appointment five days out, shows up, gets the full pitch, gets all her questions answered, and then says, “I need to think about it. Give me a few days.” Not in the mood to read all this? You can watch...]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/why-ethical-marketing-for-small-business-is-no-longer-optional</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69dec9491847596b2f52063b</guid><category><![CDATA[Ethical Branding]]></category><category><![CDATA[Branding & Strategy]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:08:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://youtu.be/fNuldEb5_P8" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How Waiting Affects Brand Perception and Customer Trust]]></title><description><![CDATA[What does the way you use your customers’ time say about your brand? From response times to waiting and urgency, every interaction sends a signal. Here’s why time may be one of the most overlooked parts of brand perception.]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/how-waiting-affects-brand-perception</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69dea3171847596b2f519955</guid><category><![CDATA[Business Relationships]]></category><category><![CDATA[Branding Research/Statistics]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 21:19:34 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_0bf0d7b351dc425ab83c90a4c2d18db4~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Building a Minimum Viable Brand: A Clear Path for Founders]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you’re starting a business or even just thinking about it, branding can feel overwhelming. The term itself can mean different things to different people. At its core, your brand is the perception people have of your business. It's the feelings, emotions, and experiences they associate with you over time. It’s what lingers after an interaction. It’s how your business feels to someone, not just what it says about itself. Branding, on the other hand, is the work of shaping that perception. It...]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/how-to-build-a-minimum-viable-brand-without-overthinking-it</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6956df21dd9c59302c375993</guid><category><![CDATA[Branding & Strategy]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2026 23:54:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_757770f4671849b9a2fdada26f4f9b09~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_800,h_533,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Building Brand Clarity: A Guide for Outdoor, Health, and Wellness Founders]]></title><description><![CDATA[When you first started your business, you probably didn't have time to slow down and think about your brand. You needed a logo, a website, and business cards. Maybe you set up a quick social media presence to look legit. So you built. Fast. You grabbed what you needed, made decisions on the fly, and kept moving. That’s what starting a business demands. But now? You've got a brand that feels like it was scotch-taped together. Pieces that don’t quite match. A message that shifts depending on...]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/brand-clarity-the-foundation-most-small-businesses-skip</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6933427321dbaf583f86afe0</guid><category><![CDATA[Branding & Strategy]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 05 Dec 2025 22:14:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_f1c5043d599546cbb7855d3066ac63ed~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Clarity in Marketing for Wellness &#38; Outdoor Founders | A Simple Brand Clarity Framework]]></title><description><![CDATA[Clarity isn’t a luxury. It’s not something you wait to figure out once you have more time or more resources. You didn't start your business because you needed to make money. You started it because you believed something needed to exist. Maybe you solved a problem for yourself and wanted to share that solution. Maybe you saw a gap in your industry and knew you could fill it. Maybe you just couldn't find what you were looking for so you built it. And once you had that clarity of purpose, you...]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/clarity-in-marketing-for-wellness-outdoor-founders-a-simple-brand-clarity-framework</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6921035e4380ae0a508de279</guid><category><![CDATA[Branding & Strategy]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 22 Nov 2025 23:04:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_b095e447472d4dd7a2e4079fe7625fed~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Define Your Brand (Without Sounding Like Everyone Else)]]></title><description><![CDATA[When you’re trying to figure out how to define your brand, it’s easy to feel like everyone else already has it figured out and you’re just guessing. When you define your brand, you give yourself a clear filter for every decision. You know what to say, where to show up, and how to reach the right people. Instead of guessing, you create a brand differentiation strategy that turns “just marketing” into a message people connect with and remember. When you’re trying to figure out how to define...]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/how-to-differentiate-your-business-without-sounding-like-everyone-else</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68bb7634a18887303bf66cf9</guid><category><![CDATA[Branding & Strategy]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Sep 2025 15:08:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_0320de1d2d914f10851bf2e84dbf890d~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Brand Clarity is the First Step in Marketing Strategy for Small Business]]></title><description><![CDATA[Most small businesses don’t have a marketing problem. They have a clarity problem. When you define who you are and what you stand for, every marketing decision becomes simpler, stronger, and far more effective. When you started your business, what was one of the first things you set out to do? If designing a logo or running ads made the top of your list you’re not alone. Most small business owners jump straight into marketing, before building the brand clarity that gives their efforts...]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/why-brand-clarity-is-the-first-step-in-marketing-strategy-for-small-business</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68b8a8e5c176792a1eb8fc99</guid><category><![CDATA[Branding & Strategy]]></category><category><![CDATA[Small Business Branding]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2025 23:48:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_55f26cbf3726452186bf516a0e1b7e8d~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_799,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The True Cost of Branding in 2025: Decoding Value Beyond Price]]></title><description><![CDATA[Not sure whether you need just a simple logo or a full-blown brand strategy? This guide helps you decide which level of branding investment—logo, identity package, or strategic roadmap—fits your business stage and budget.]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/logo-branding-costs-for-2025-here-s-what-you-re-really-paying-for</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6882a7ef8bf4e9067b08fc69</guid><category><![CDATA[Identity]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2025 23:14:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_d18741efb5c64a6e89eb3b0f334f7265~mv2.webp/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[From Vision to Recognition - The VantageView Logo Made It to DesignRush’s Best Symbol Logo Designs]]></title><description><![CDATA[My VantageView logo design has caught the eye of DesignRush, a leading B2B marketplace connecting businesses with design agencies, and is...]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/logo-designs-recognition</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6882a7ef8bf4e9067b08fc7e</guid><category><![CDATA[Identity & Logo Design Small Biz]]></category><category><![CDATA[Identity]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 12 Mar 2024 22:28:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_ce8b7da812114a00bf01eb93338c2629~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Creating a Vision Board for Business Success]]></title><description><![CDATA[Visualization is more than just daydreaming. It’s a technique that activates the same neural pathways in the brain as actual experiences.]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/creating-a-vision-board-for-business-success</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6882a7ef8bf4e9067b08fc5e</guid><category><![CDATA[Branding & Strategy]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 23 Jan 2024 16:08:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_3ded41a3786c48a5bc5eaeb637c34d47~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Discover Your Business’ Super Power! Solving Problems. Not Just Selling Products]]></title><description><![CDATA[A business that's in it for the long haul isn't just looking for a quick sale. It's looking to make a genuine difference in its...]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/discover-your-business-super-power-solving-problems-not-just-selling-products</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6882a7ef8bf4e9067b08fc70</guid><category><![CDATA[Branding & Strategy]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 07 Nov 2023 16:08:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_534d86d19e3e4eeb8b9678b1260ec7ad~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Define Your Personal Brand in 6 Simple and Actionable Steps]]></title><description><![CDATA[Dalle-3 Image prompt: Person deep in thought surrounded by their imagined life experiences, inspirational image, dream-like I love the phrase “Your vibe attracts your tribe.” I think it beautifully captures what it means to define your personal brand . Your personal brand is your unique fingerprint in the world… From influencers to CEOs, it seems like everyone's talking about “personal brand” these days. But what does it really mean to have a personal brand? I love the phrase “Your vibe...]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/how-to-define-your-personal-brand-in-6-simple-and-actionable-steps</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6882a7ef8bf4e9067b08fc5c</guid><category><![CDATA[Branding & Strategy]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 03 Oct 2023 19:53:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_a81c1eb4cb564dbaa4a32ec7108e7768~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Elements of Value Pyramid - The Secret Formula to Building Magnetic Products/Services  ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Learn how the Elements of Value Pyramid provides a framework to uncover your customers' core motivations and your greatest impact.]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/elements-of-value-pyramid</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6882a7ef8bf4e9067b08fc7c</guid><category><![CDATA[Branding & Strategy]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 01:24:27 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_1d0036d8cd334a079bcc6c34cce22171~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[From Impressions to Impact: Can Brand Success Be Measured?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Wondering if your brand's really killing it? Learn tricks to gauge brand health and momentum over time using performance indicators.]]></description><link>https://www.kristacavender.com/post/from-impressions-to-impact-can-brand-success-be-measured</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6882a7ef8bf4e9067b08fc6c</guid><category><![CDATA[Branding & Strategy]]></category><category><![CDATA[Small Business Branding]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 13 Jul 2023 20:43:44 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/059062_fff1873c26d6429c86362edba8c17fb9~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator></dc:creator></item></channel></rss>