Book excerpt: Good brand is just good business. Brand is the intentional leader's North Star. It helps us engage customers and employees, unleash our competitive advantage, and fuel enduring growth. And yet, despite this power, brand is grossly underused. Few leaders leverage brand fully, believing (wrongly) that brand is squishy and elusive. But when a tool this vital is dismissed, the business suffers mightily. The good news is that all leaders can ignite brand to create value. Lindsay Pedersen deconstructs what brand is and why it is indispensable for leaders. Then she shares her step-by-step process to tame the infinite possibilities and pinpoint a brand positioning that is true and robust--ironclad--to unlock the most value. In this book, learn how to... Leverage brand as a strategic platform for growing with purpose Lead more effectively with brand as your North Star Use brand to excite customers and employees Identify your Uncommon Denominator and Benefit Ladder Follow the principles of storytelling to generate business growth Brand is sorely underutilized. When you ignore it or use it only superficially, you forgo your most sustainable competitive advantage. It's time to start using brand as your North Star--it's time to make your brand ironclad.