Episode 216 | The Power of Branding with Howard Lim

In this episode, Dylan chats with branding expert Howard Lim, founder and CEO of How Creative where he shares his insights on transforming startups into multi-million-dollar companies through effective branding strategies. 

With over 30 years of experience, Howard discusses the crucial elements of branding, from strategy and identity to brand management. He emphasizes the importance of branding before marketing and provides practical tips for Etsy sellers to differentiate their products in a crowded market. 

Learn how to make your brand stand out and achieve sustainable growth with actionable steps and examples of successful rebranding projects.

In this episode, we discuss:

[01:26] Howard Lim’s Journey: From Digital Age to Fortune 500

[03:35] The Essence of Branding: Strategy, Identity, and Management

[07:41] Case Study: Successful Rebranding of WSS

[14:02] Branding vs. Marketing: Key Differences and Priorities

[16:21] The Role of Personal Branding and Legacy Brands

[19:25] Evolving Your Brand: Annual Iterations and Core Values

[21:59] The Importance of Annual Product Assessments

[22:20] Bringing in Experts for Evaluations

[23:03] The Role of Advisors in Business

[23:51] Staying Relevant in a Changing Market

[25:43] The Value of Global Inspiration

[26:56] Common Branding Mistakes

[28:09] The Difference Between Generic and World-Class Brands

[31:45] Strategies for Scaling and Growing Your Brand

[36:06] The Branding Assessment Process

Connect with Howard: 

Website: https://www.howcreative.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howcreative/ 

About Howard Lim: 

Award-winning Business and Brand Architect™️ Howard A. Lim designs businesses from the inside-out. A disruptive innovator who shifts paradigms, Mr. Lim, and his boutique, full-service firm, HOW CREATIVE®️, partner with business owners worldwide to develop and execute world-class, leading businesses and Authentic Brands®️. A highly sought-after speaker, author, and organization advisor for the last 35 years, Mr. Lim has represented everyone from emerging entrepreneurs to established Fortune 500 companies, including Apple, Disney, Paramount, Xerox, Oracle, Cirque du Soleil, Mattel, AT&T, and HP. His contributions have added billions to clients’ profits while increasing both brand value and company equity.