Brand for Growth-Stage Leaders: The 2026 Playbook
Kira Klaas
Brand expertise from Notion, Brex, Gusto
The 2026 Brand Playbook: Lead Strategy, Drive Growth, Command Executive Respect
Building is no longer a moat. When AI makes product development faster and copying easier, then distribution is everything—and brand is how you win distribution.
That's why you're seeing:
Tech companies investing heavily in personal brands, storytelling and media arms
Content and comms roles becoming more prevalent and strategic
More pressure than ever to prove brand's connection to business outcomes
There are so many resources about branding theory and creative strategy. But no one's talking about the realities of running brand at product-first, founder-led, performance-obsessed tech companies.
As someone who's led brand at Notion, Brex, and Gusto (and now advises early-stage companies while publishing insights to 4,000+ brand operators), I built this course to teach you the updated playbook for brand leadership in 2026—how to:
Position yourself as a strategic leader with both creative vision & business acumen
Connect brand to the metrics that matter to your execs and board
Secure the resources, budget, and headcount your brand vision requires
This is your path from brand executor to brand leader.
What you’ll learn
Get executive buy-in, build your long-term brand plan, and connect brand to growth from day one.
Understand how the brand landscape has evolved and why companies are doubling down on storytelling and distribution
Access 25+ proven Notion templates from hypergrowth startups (Brand Listening Tour, Brand Strategy Summary, Brand Attributes Builder with AI
Learn from detailed case studies of Notion, Brex, and Gusto's brand strategies in action
Learn 15+ specific techniques for mapping brand signals to your key growth metrics (organic acquisition, word of mouth, retention)
Translate brand strength into the language executives understand: revenue, pipeline, and competitive positioning
Build compelling business cases that secure budget and headcount for your brand team
See sample budget sheets, marketing calendars, job descriptions, and career ladders that help you secure the resources you need
Master the operational rhythms that demonstrate you're ready for director+ level brand leadership
Connect brand initiatives to growth from day one with frameworks used by billion-dollar companies
Learn directly from Kira
Kira Klaas
VP, Corporate Marketing & Global Brand (Later, Notion, Brex, & Gusto)
Who this course is for
Mid- to senior-level brand marketing ICs ready to break into leadership roles and demonstrate strategic thinking that earns exec respect
Marketing leaders (Director-level and up) at Series B–D+ companies who need to prove brand's impact on business outcomes
⚠️ This is not for you if you want Branding 101—we're going beyond the fundamentals and deep into daily operating rhythms
What's included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Kira Klaas in a real-time, interactive format.
Personalized 1:1s
Meet with Kira directly in two 30-minute consultations.
Lifetime access
Go back to course content, templates, and recordings whenever you need to.
Community of peers
Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals.
Certificate of completion
Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.
Maven Guarantee
This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.
Course syllabus
46 lessons • 14 projects
Week 1
Course Introduction
Brand Opportunities
Week 2
Brand Alignment
🔓 Bonus: Leading a Rebrand
🔓 Bonus: Brand Guidelines Library
Free resource
The Keys to Effective Brand Marketing
Connect brand, product, and growth marketing
Collaboration between marketing teams can be challenging—learn how brand can take the lead.
Earn alignment and own change management
Earn buy-in from key leaders and navigate planning cycles with a clear, proactive plan.
Upgrade your ops (planning, playbooks, briefs, etc.)
Turn your briefs and strategy docs from stale deck into visual frameworks and robust project management databases.
Schedule
Live sessions
1 hr
We'll meet for 2 personalized 1:1 sessions to discuss and work through your specific challenges.
Projects
2-6 hrs
Each of the 5 modules includes 1-3 projects to get you hands-on with the material and apply what you're learning to your actual work.
Async content
4-8 hrs
Go at your own pace—with robust case studies (long-form written content and video/Loom overviews) and Notion templates.
Testimonials
- I've fallen behind on the course because I've been busy implementing every bit of the Brand Opportunities module in real time with our executive team this week. It's so practical, and the resources have made it so much quicker and easier to get things moving.
Huntly Gordon
Head of Brand at Yoto - We’ve been thinking through a refresh, and this course covers everything I wish I’d known before we started the project. We were struggling with misalignment, leadership turnover, and the product team pushed back because they felt like marketing was moving too fast. I remember thinking, "If only I’d known all this a few months back."
Bethel Kidane
Sr. PMM at Mozilla - I work on an in-house Marketing team where Creative, Brand and more come together to perform in a competitive market. I've sent many teammates Kira's Substack articles and we share a collective understanding through the POV of her work.
Kelsey Ireland
Director of Creative & Marketing Operations at New Belgium Brewing - Kira has proven to be an outstanding teacher, generously sharing her valuable insights with our cohort. Her templates and checklists on management and alignment will undoubtedly be instrumental, not only in crafting effective branding strategies but also in various aspects of my work. I look forward to applying these newfound skills and knowledge.
Tetiana Borysova
Content Marketing at Intellectsoft Maven courses are especially high quality and practical! I took Kira Klaas’ brand strategy class at the beginning of the year—and I’m still going back to log in and apply the learnings.
Siobhan Hayes
Director of Marketing at Float- As Kira's former direct report, I can say that her brand strategy expertise and commitment to our team's growth were invaluable. Kira's mentorship was pivotal in shaping my career and fostering a culture of excellence.
Ryan Phillips
Senior Manager at Sprout Social
Frequently asked questions
$1,497
USD