“If the content’s falling flat, I tell my team — push it further. Make it more interesting.”

"Follow your gut" takes on a whole new meaning when you're marketing kombucha. On this episode of Inside the Process, Charlotte Mostaed, CMO at Health-Ade, breaks down how she turned a kombucha cult-favorite into a category-leading powerhouse without losing its apothecary-style soul. From redesigning the label to launching stadium partnerships with teams like the Dodgers and letting her team get weird on TikTok, Charlotte shares what it really takes to build a brand that’s fun, functional, and fiercely intentional. We talk about pushing bold ideas through the boardroom, knowing when not to listen to feedback, and why the best insights come from knowing what people don’t like about you. If you're trying to balance big creative swings with brand integrity — this one’s for you.

Key Takeaways:

Values-first marketing works – Charlotte didn’t chase a title—she chased alignment. Building from a place of shared values leads to long-term success and team culture.
Don’t touch the anchor – Not every brand refresh needs a full identity change. Protect the assets that are already iconic.
Let your team get weird – Creativity thrives when marketers can play. Charlotte’s team leans into TikTok mukbangs and frozen-veggie cocktails—and it works.
Ask “What would make this possible?” – Big ideas often get shut down too early. Reframing the question helps ideas move forward.
Know why people don’t buy – Great marketers don’t just focus on fans—they obsess over the barriers that keep people from converting.

Chapter Markers:

[0:00] How Charlotte landed a job (even after being rejected)

[7:00] Evolving a brand without losing its soul

[18:00] Balancing fun with function

[31:00] Letting creators get weird (and why it works)

[37:00] What makes big ideas possible?

Resources:

Want more resources from this episode? We’ve got an episode recap, replay, and every template, process, and resource we covered right here: https://trainual.com/insidetheprocess

Trainual

Inside The Process provides solutions for every aspect of the business — from process headaches and system improvement to self-management and leveling up as a leader.

Mallory Glessner sits down with some of the brightest business minds and unpack their specialized insights to help you improve and level up the work you’re doing.

This is one of a few podcasts from Trainual, a software platform that helps businesses build playbooks to train and grow their team. You can check out the rest of our shows here: https://trainual.com/insidetheprocess

Actionable Steps:

Audit your brand assets – What’s sacred and what’s flexible? Protect the brand equity you've already built while finding places to evolve.
Center campaigns on consumer truth – Don’t just market what you are—market what people need to hear to believe in you.
Let your social team take risks – Organic is the playground. Empower the team to try weird, meme-y, or even controversial ideas.
Redefine stakeholder buy-in – When someone says no, ask: “What would need to be true to make this idea possible?”
Measure in layers – Don’t rely on ROI alone. Consider media value, brand lift, and earned press as signs of campaign success.