Christene Marie didn’t start The Knowing Agency to crank out generic branding guides and flashy color palettes. She built it to help companies tell the truth, the kind of truth that lands clients, closes deals, and feels right.
In this episode of the Garlic Marketing Show, Ian Garlic talks with Christene about what it really takes to create a brand that performs and resonates. It’s not just about logos or tone. It’s about clarity, timing, and knowing when your brand isn’t matching what you’ve become.
Christene shares how her own agency almost fell apart until she applied her own Knowing Process and rebuilt her brand from the inside out.
But before we proceed, don’t forget that this episode is brought to you by videocasestory.com. Click here if you need help collecting, crafting, and delivering customer stories.
From Luxury Branding to Real Conversations
Before founding her agency, Christene spent years working with luxury brands in the wellness space. She saw firsthand how messaging could elevate a product or make it feel out of touch.
Now she applies those same insights to entrepreneurs and businesses struggling with growth. Her process—Know Your Brand, Know Your Audience, Know Your Data—cuts through the clutter and brings everything back to alignment.
When founders feel disconnected from their offers, the sales drop. Energy drops. Creativity disappears. This episode digs into how to find your way back—and how to guide clients through the same process.
The Mid-Year Review That Changed Everything
One of the most practical tools Christene shares is her Mid-Year Brand Review. It’s where she sits down with her clients to ask the real questions:
- Does your current message still match who you are?
- Is your audience still responding?
- Has your offer evolved, but your brand hasn’t?
This simple check-in has helped businesses save themselves from messy launches, underperforming ads, and marketing that feels off. It’s not about a full rebrand, it’s about making your brand feel real again.
Living Brand Guides and the Power of “No”
Another standout insight: Christene doesn’t believe in rigid brand guides. Instead, she treats them like living documents, something that can grow and shift alongside the business.
She explains how one client used an AI tool to analyze sales conversations and realized their leads were disengaging halfway through. Instead of changing their audience, they changed their story. That clarity helped them close more deals, and it started with the brand.
Sometimes the solution isn’t “more marketing.” Sometimes it’s walking away from an offer that no longer fits. Christene opens up about doing exactly that in her own business and why it was the best move she ever made.
Rebuilding After a Near Breakdown
Toward the end of the episode, Christene shares the moment her agency nearly collapsed. The pressure of growth, the wrong projects, the wrong clients it nearly took her out. But she stepped back, applied the same strategy she gives to clients, and made one of the biggest comebacks in her career.
She worked on a book called Knowing, which explored brand clarity, personal alignment, and finding power in the pivot.
Watch the full episode now, and make sure to leave any questions or comments you have about the episode.