Why I Love Partnering with Brand Strategists as a People Strategist: The Perfect Intersection

I’ve always believed that the strongest companies are built at the intersection of great people and great branding. That’s why partnering with brand strategists in my role as a people strategist feels like a natural fit—it’s where culture and strategy align to create something truly powerful. In fact, the overlap between our roles is much larger than most people realize, and working together allows us to create a cohesive and meaningful employee and customer experience that drives success from the inside out.

At the core, both brand and people strategies are about identity. Brand strategists define how the company is perceived externally, while I, as a people strategist, focus on how it feels to work there internally. Together, we craft a shared vision—ensuring that the values we project to customers are the same ones employees live and breathe. Employees who embody the company’s brand become its most authentic ambassadors, naturally reinforcing the brand with every customer interaction.

One powerful example of our collaboration comes from customer personas. Brand strategists often develop personas to represent their ideal customer and guide marketing strategies. I apply a similar methodology when defining employee personas—building profiles that represent different employee types, from high-potential talent to seasoned leaders. These personas help create tailored employee experiences, just as customer personas inform personalized customer journeys. By understanding what motivates different employees, I can help foster a culture where individuals feel heard, valued, and supported, much like customers do when a brand understands their needs.

Another key tool brand strategists use is the brand inspiration board. These boards bring together visuals, words, and emotions that evoke the brand’s essence. I find that this same technique is incredibly effective when building an inspiring employee culture. By collaborating with brand teams, we can create internal culture boards that reflect the same excitement and vision. Whether it’s highlighting company values, future aspirations, or celebrating key cultural moments, these boards help employees feel connected to the broader mission. Just like customers need to feel emotionally connected to a brand, employees thrive in environments where the culture resonates deeply with them.

Then, there’s the concept of brand positioning—how the company is perceived in the market. As a people strategist, I think about how employees “position” the company to potential new hires, clients, and even within their personal networks. Collaborating with brand strategists on consistent messaging ensures that employees are confident in communicating the company’s mission, values, and goals, both externally and internally. When employees clearly understand the company's position, they can serve as strong advocates, building trust and credibility in every interaction.

We can also translate brand guidelines into the internal employee experience. Brand strategists ensure that logos, fonts, tone of voice, and visual identity are consistent across all external communications. I take that same level of precision and apply it to all internal communications. From the way leadership talks about company goals to the tone used in employee newsletters, the brand’s voice should be clear and consistent. By ensuring that the internal language and messaging reflect the external brand, employees are continually reminded of the company’s identity and values, reinforcing alignment between their work and the company's vision.

Lastly, let’s not forget that both brand and people strategies rely heavily on consistency and trust. A strong brand is consistent across every touchpoint, just as a great company culture is consistent across every stage of the employee lifecycle. Trust is built through reliability—whether that’s ensuring a consistent message to the market or creating a workplace where employees feel valued and understood. Partnering with brand strategists helps me ensure that the promises we make externally are mirrored in the internal experiences of our people.

In the end, I love working with brand strategists because our collaboration creates something bigger than the sum of its parts. The techniques that build strong brands are often the same ones that build strong cultures. When we align brand strategy with people strategy, we create an environment where employees and customers both feel inspired and connected to the company. It’s this synergy that ultimately drives success—from the inside out.