Rob McLean is the founder of Kazolu Communication. He is also a brand development professional, a University professor, a writer, a parent, a teacher, a speaker, a business coach, a content producer, and a retired folk-punk songwriter.
Rob combines business experience and creative intuition to tell better stories for companies, organizations, and individuals. He is one of the few survivors of the 90s independent music scene to earn an MBA, and he survived a decade in the Canadian beer business where he defined unique, authentic brand identities for products that are (let’s face it) fundamentally identical. He balances performance experience and learned business acumen to deliver straightforward, crisp, frank and truthful presentations.
Rob is the author of ‘Understand Your Brand,’ a guide to clear, concise, consistent communications. He has also released seven albums of original music. Speaking gigs are customized for each audience, presenting relevant, workable ideas for corporations, not-for-profit organizations, and personal-brand entrepreneurs. He clarifies how every person, product, or public organization is a collection of assets, attributes and equity that must be understood to be best represented. The ‘Understand Your Brand’ platform provides truth, resonance and authenticity to support marketing and communications efforts. It works equally well for business growth, community-benefit member engagement, and personal development.
Understand Your Brand (Business communications) - Companies can leverage existing assets, people and resources to expand their brand and grow their business. Everything that has contributed to your business adds to your brand. This discussion will reveal how you can positively highlight your company’s best attributes to shape existing and future brand impressions.
Understand Your Identity (Personal Branding) - Personal branding can dramatically and beneficially influence personal and professional growth. Presenting your “best self” is your best competitive advantage, and authenticity is essential if you want to grow and develop your career or business.
Understand Your Mission (Not-for-profit Outreach) - How community-benefit organizations map resources and goals to engage and expand their community, fundraising efforts, and impact.
Understand Your Strategy (Strategic Branding) - Learn how “understanding” builds an effective, efficient marketing strategy. A deep understanding of strengths and weaknesses will guide tactics when entering a business battlefield. Industry and competitive trends - the “terrain” on which you will battle - must be mapped before boots hit the ground. Placing tactics ahead of strategy- actions without plans - is the greatest mistake marketers make, but it’s easy to avoid. Knowledge is power, but only if it is understood. Sun Tzu said, “Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be in peril.” That’s the truth.