Behind the Brand: Counter Culture, with Ash Molaei - Conversations with Consumer Goods Mavens
Episode 4: Agency, authenticity, and scaling community (in your team and on the internet).
TLDR: I broke my leg skiing earlier this spring. As a Founder/CEO, wife, and mom with a whole lot going on, it was a massive disruption. For years I’ve been wanting to make the time to record conversations with my network of founder-friends, mentors, and consumer goods experts. I always found a reason to say “we’ll get to it later,” until now.
While I’m back on my feet (literally and figuratively), I’m continuing the conversations. This time, I sit down with my friend Ash Molaei, President/Co-Founder at Counter Culture World (one of the top influencer agencies supporting brands scaling communities online).
The conversation between Ash and I highlights our takeaways for founders across all verticals. We talk scaling teams, scaling your brand community, scaling your personal brand as a founder, and the importance of balancing it all (a theme which continues to reappear in these chats!).
The thin red threads from our chat are centred around the following:
Keep It Real: Nobody wants fake or filtered content. They want to see the real you, the real story, and the real struggle. Share your highs and lows, your wins and losses, and your lessons and learnings. Show them why you care and why they should too. You can’t fake authenticity, so don’t try. Just be you, and be excited about the brand and story that you’re telling.
Speak Now: Got something to say? Say it. If you’re a thought leader, make it known to your industry. Tell stories that show your audience why they should care about your brand and what you have to offer. Look for opportunities to stand out and position your brand as an authority. Being a little different helps here—what opinions do you have that would surprise the folks around you or encourage them to draw outside the lines?
Engage: Content is king, but not all content is created equal. Go beyond your product and offer value to your audience. Share insights, stories, or perspectives that resonate with truth. Don’t just sell your product; tell your story. Over and over and over again.
Napkin Math: Many founders are creatives and storytellers (see above), but whatever your background—you need to know your numbers. Understand your costs, your margins, and your budget, at least directionally. I am a firm believer in napkin math over nothing at all. A simple P&L model will help you make smart decisions and drive sustainable growth. Hire experts if you need to, but don’t be clueless about your finances. And if you as the founder are a financial whiz, don’t forget to let your instincts do some of the driving, too.
Build Your Team: Whether you work with friends or strangers, make sure you have a team that supports and trusts each other. Cultivate a culture where everyone has each other’s back and treats each other like friends or family.
Embrace The Hurt: Building a brand is not easy. It’s expensive, time consuming, exhausting, (and fun fun fun). Don’t let the setbacks stop you. Learn from them and use them as opportunities to grow and improve.
Our conversation reiterates that building ANY brand is filled with ups and downs. By focusing on authenticity, thought leadership, engaging content, financial literacy, and a supportive team culture, you can navigate the challenges and work toward long-term success.
Watch or listen to our full chat above. You can also tune in on our YouTube, where the full transcript lives.
—
Behind the Brand aims to inspire entrepreneurs, marketing professionals, and design enthusiasts by showcasing the real stories of those who have navigated the complexities of product-based landscapes. Whether you’re curious about the latest trends, seeking practical advice, or craving inspiration, this interview series offers a deep dive into the minds shaping the future of consumer brands.
At Mvnifest, we manage every aspect of the consumer goods brand lifecycle, from ideation to fulfillment—we’re the Swiss Army knife in your favorite brands’ back pockets. We’re sharing our favorite industry trends, tips, and takeaways for consumer goods brand builders, founders, and the teams behind them.
Great episode! Thank you again, Sam, for another inside look at all the different aspects of launching a product into the marketplace!