Hey Reader,
On Friday we got together for our annual pizza party at Ashton's house. Ashton and her husband make dough by hand and then we all make our own pizzas and engage in shenanigans.
Look at that gorgeous pie :)
Needless to say, my weekend was great.
Speaking of great things, we've got news to share this week. Scroll to the bottom for the scoop, and have a wonderful week!
- Snaxshot: Andrea Hernández tracks food and beverage trends and the branding that comes with them, right down to why every new snack looks the same. Continue reading
- Uncensored CMO: Jon Evans interviews marketers about what actually worked and what flopped, minus the polished PR version. Continue reading
- Startup CPG: Free resources, events, and a 35,000-person Slack for small consumer brands figuring it out in real time. Continue reading
Serve ND runs AmeriCorps in North Dakota, which means they have a lot going on.
There are levels within levels, programs within programs, and partners connected to partners. It's all good work, but in 2025 they noticed a good chunk of it was getting lost in the telling. Their partners were left guessing about who Serve ND was and how the pieces fit together, and you can't grow something people can't explain.
So we went looking for the story underneath all of it.
What came out the other side was clarity, a messaging kit built to untangle a genuinely complicated organization, and a brand that feels like belonging.
Read the full case study to see how it came together!
We have good news... there's a new face around here!
Introducing Kelsey Larsen, Brand Activation Strategist.
She's the answer to a question our clients have been asking: "Now that the brand is built, what do I do with it?"
Kelsey's background is in client services and marketing direction, where she spent years turning brands into experiences people saw, interacted with, and remembered. In fact, she's worked with some pretty neat brands including:
- Puma
- Wonder Bread
- Under Armor
- Perdue
- Brawny Paper Towels
Familiar with any of those? She had a hand in that! ✋
When a brand wraps, she'll be the Good Kid taking it from finished to living. ✨
A few fun facts about her: She's an upland bird hunter, a mom to two under two, and a firm believer that you can never go wrong with coffee or bourbon.
You can chat with Kelsey to cut through the noise and focus on getting real results for your brand (it's free!). Find a spot on her calendar:
- UMCVB: Ben is heading to the 29th Annual Upper Midwest Convention and Visitors Bureau Fall Conference in Grand Island, NE. If you're heading that way, too, be sure to say hello at our booth!
- Celebrate Bismarck Mandan: We're thrilled to be nominated for Small Business of the Year alongside Ashton's nomination for 20 under 40! We'll be ready to celebrate with clients and peers alike. Get tickets here.
- Homecoming Week: Each October we host a week of dress up days, activities, and more to celebrate Fall the only way we know how. Follow along on social to see what's coming up or play along.
Shhh... we'll share a little secret. We have the second edition of our newspaper all ready to go 👀
To reward our loyal followers, we're spilling the beans here first and would love to get a hard copy into your hands.
Claim your very own copy by sharing your mailing address here.
