Inspiring Conversations with Kristan Jones-Scales of Kristan Stephanie Marketing

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristan Jones-Scales.

Hi Kristan , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m originally from Chicago, and about 17 years ago, I moved to Atlanta to begin my corporate career with AT\&T’s leadership development program. From the very beginning, I had a love for marketing—it was the perfect mix of creativity, strategy, and human behavior. But that love only grew as I moved through different chapters of my career.

Early on, I launched Kristan Stephanie Marketing as a kind of “catch all” for the wide range of marketing work I was doing. As a young woman navigating corporate spaces and consulting on the side, I was focused—but I also said yes to everything. With time, experience, and many lessons, I began to narrow in on what truly mattered to me and where I could make the biggest impact.

I noticed a consistent challenge among clients: they were passionate and talented but struggled to define and communicate their brand in a way that truly connected. They had all the pieces but needed help weaving them into a clear, aligned identity. At the same time, I was growing professionally in my role as Director of Brand Management for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, where I help lead and manage a national brand with purpose and heart. That experience further deepened my understanding of how powerful branding can be when it’s rooted in clarity and connection.

That’s where the Brand You Planner was born.

I created it first as a tool for business owners who needed more than just a content calendar—they needed structure, strategy, and a space to align their vision with their marketing. But it didn’t stop there. As a working mom, a leader, and a woman balancing a lot of roles, I saw another gap: the need for a planner that supported not just *brands*, but *people*. The Personal Planner was my answer to that. It’s designed for anyone managing their life, goals, family, finances, and career—like me—who needs a system that honors both ambition and self-care.

Kristan Stephanie Marketing offers workshops, 1:1 consulting, and digital products—all designed to empower people to build brands that feel like home and function with purpose. Whether it’s a coaching session or a page from the Brand You Planner, the goal is always the same: to help people make bold, beautiful, and strategic decisions about how they show up in the world.

Today, Kristan Stephanie Marketing and the Brand You series go beyond traditional branding. They live at the intersection of identity, leadership, and intentional living. My work is about more than logos or taglines—it’s about helping people lead from within, define what matters, and express it clearly through their brand. Whether you’re building a business, a personal brand, or mapping out your next season of life, I’m here to provide the tools, structure, and support to help you do it with clarity, confidence, and heart.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not—and honestly, I think that’s what makes this journey so meaningful. I’ve been dreaming and working on this for over two years. Like many entrepreneurs, I’ve started and stopped more times than I can count—juggling a full life, a demanding career, and the fear that maybe I wasn’t ready. Imposter syndrome was very real, and at times, I was my own biggest obstacle. I kept my passion somewhat hush hush. It is a daunting task to start thinking about worksheets and the right content to capture. Consulting and designing I can do all day long but taking what you know and putting it to paper as a resource is another beast.

But I’m grateful for a small, steady circle of friends and family who believed in me, especially in moments when I struggled to believe in myself. They saw my gifts and kept encouraging me to keep going and my reality check when I needed one. They reminded me of my strengths when I was deep in self-doubt. There were times when I was paralyzed by perfectionism or overwhelmed by the sheer size of my goals, and they reminded me that done is better than perfect — and that my ideas were worthy.

What’s beautiful is that they never pressured me to move faster than I was ready. They gave me grace, but they also held me accountable. One friend texted me every few weeks just to check in on progress. Another friend that is a graphic designer volunteered to look everything over and gave feedback to help lay out the planners. My family watched me work through the night and gave me space to create.

Their support helped me turn an idea into what I believe can be a movement. It reminded me that this work matters. Brand You exists because the people around me kept believing in me, even in the moments I questioned myself.

One of the turning points was deciding to host a soft launch brunch with my girlfriends. I had just finished cleaning up over 300 pages of the planner, and I knew it was time to share my passion. That brunch became a promise—to myself and to others—that I would launch Brand You in 2025.

Since then, I’ve been working closely with a printer, ironing out every detail to get the planners packaged and ready for shipping. And while the financial investment has been one of the most intimidating parts, I’ve learned to trust the process and keep finding a way forward. Every step, even the hard ones, has brought me closer to the vision.

As you know, we’re big fans of Kristan Stephanie Marketing. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Kristan Stephanie Marketing is a brand strategy studio designed to help people and businesses define who they are, what they stand for, and how to show up in the world with clarity, confidence, and consistency. We offer workshops, 1:1 consulting, cohort-based programs, and print/digital products—like our Brand You Planner—to support brand and life alignment.

I specialize in helping clients build brands that feel as good on the inside as they look on the outside. We dig deep into brand values, storytelling, audience connection, and turning those elements into clear strategies and tools. I’m known for blending heart and strategy—offering branding guidance that’s not just creative, but deeply intentional.

What sets us apart is how personal our work is. Whether it’s a business or personal brand, I believe your brand should feel like home. It should reflect who you are and what matters most to you—and work like a tool to move you toward your goals. My background in both corporate and nonprofit branding allows me to meet clients wherever they are, from solopreneurs just starting out to teams looking for clarity and cohesion.

What I’m most proud of, brand-wise, is the Brand You Planner. It’s the heart of this work—part strategy guide, part personal compass. We created both a business and a personal version, because I believe branding isn’t just for business owners. It’s for anyone who wants to live and lead with more intention. The Brand You line was born from a real need I saw in my clients—and in myself.

At the end of the day, this brand is about empowerment. My mission is to give people the tools, confidence, and language to tell their story—on their own terms.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I believe risk is a necessary part of growth. It’s rarely comfortable, but it’s often where clarity and courage are born. One of the earliest and most defining risks I took was leaving a secure corporate path to step into the nonprofit world. It wasn’t just a career change—it was a values shift. I wanted my work to have deeper impact, and I knew I’d have to step out of my comfort zone to make that happen.

Another major risk came when I decided to reposition my business to focus more intentionally on brand strategy rather than general marketing. At first, it felt like I might be narrowing my audience too much. There’s a common misconception that “marketing” is just social media, logos, or websites. But branding—who you are, what you stand for, and how you show up—often gets overlooked, when in fact, it’s the foundation of everything else.

Leaning into that truth felt risky, but it’s also where my clients get the most transformation. Helping them tell their story, define their values, and align their brand with who they really are is the most fulfilling part of my work.

To me, risk is really about alignment. It’s not reckless—it’s brave. It’s about choosing the thing that feels right, even if it’s the less obvious or more uncertain path. That’s where the best work—and the most growth—happens.

Pricing:

• Brand You Planner $50
• Brand You Planner- The Personal One $50

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.KristanStephanie.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristanstephaniemarketing/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristanstephaniemarketing/