Not Your Average Branding Firm

Managing Partner
Specialist in client management and
regulatory strategy and analysis.
20 |
years of healthcare experience |
I’ve always wanted to either own my own company or be part of an ownership team that shares a similar vision. To be able to grow something from the ground up and play such an important role in what our company becomes is extremely satisfying. It’s also refreshing to be able to add talented people to the organization that you know will have a lasting impact on our clients. Our clients truly feel like members of our family, and their success is our success. When it’s your baby then the awards, wins, successful launches and happy clients are just all the more fulfilling.
Playing it safe is an easy choice, but often isn’t the best approach for brands. Differentiation is a key driver for a brand to be memorable and cared about. Daring to be bold and different is uncomfortable, but understanding the benefits and risks associated with being distinct is an important part of building a lasting brand.
Leadership is an ongoing decision – learning and taking advice along the way is critical. Leaders are willing to try, fail and evolve. They are able to look at something that didn’t work, course correct, and move forward toward success. Leaders are also active in building successful teams – leaders can’t be successful on their own. They invest in people, coach their teams and create an environment that is fair and kind-hearted.
The old University of Michigan football coach used to say it’s about “the team, the team, the team.” I would say the most exciting thing about coming to Leaderboard each day is the client, the client, the client. We work with some amazing clients. They are smart, thoughtful, appreciative and a joy to work with. The projects we work on are inherently cool, but the client-engagements are what get me out of bed in the morning.
Spending time with my family is really important to me. I especially like traveling with my family – seeing different parts of the country and world. I do my best to stay in shape. For me that mostly means running, playing basketball and golfing. I’m not sure how much of a workout golfing is considered… but I’m sticking to my story.
Managing Partner
Expert with over two decades of global leadership in the healthcare naming and branding space.
25 |
years of life science and healthcare experience |
I was excited to be a part of a group of people who I respect greatly and who had similar goals in building a best-in-class branding consultancy. I enjoy driving decisions that will affect the future of this company and leave a legacy in the branding world.
Be a good listener. Listening and learning from those around you and working together not only renders the best results, but it’s a much more enjoyable way to work. Listening also gives you the right to make the tough calls. Even if you don’t have 100% agreement, if the team feels that they have been heard out and trust that you believe you’re doing the right thing for them and the team – you’re much more likely to get support.
Integrity. Leaders have to have integrity. We share this with our clients, and I also share this with my three sons. No one will follow someone they don’t trust to do the right thing. If your team believes that you have the courage, capability and conviction to make tough choices with the best of intentions – you will undoubtedly be a great leader. A leader is someone who is willing to set an example. As a leader, you have to be willing to make tough decisions. How you make those decisions and the character you demonstrate in adversity is where you learn what kind of a leader you are.
I have worked alongside the team at Leaderboard for two decades. To see this team really come into its own and watch the team grow and develop is really exciting. I also get the chance to work on life-changing projects with partners I’ve known for years. I really feel this is the best job in the world.
I’m a big Tar Heel sports fan. I love watching my three sons’ activities and seeing them grow up. I also like golfing and spending time in the mountains.
Managing Partner
Partner with deep expertise in pharmaceutical branding, design and corporate brand development.
17 |
years of healthcare branding experience |
There are several things that excited me about launching Leaderboard Branding. First, the opportunity to provide something new and innovative in the space. At Leaderboard, we feel we provide a very hands-on approach to our partnerships. Being able to establish great relationships with industry leaders at various companies creates a positive and energetic environment for our team at Leaderboard. Another key reason that Leaderboard Branding is special has to be the people and culture we are building. Being an agency that has the opportunity to disrupt the naming and branding space is very motivating. We are looking to create the Leaderboard Experience where customers get great knowledge share, strategic insights, innovative creativity and full end-to-end coaching, unmatched by any other company in our industry.
Keep it simple. I feel that too many times brand builders get caught up trying to tell a story that contains too much information crammed into the message, name or design. Simplifying the story and making clear connections with the target they are trying to communicate with is vitally important to building that brand relationship.
Trust is the word that comes to mind most. When you have a true partner experience, you put your faith and trust in knowing that the person or team sitting across from you has your back, and you have theirs as well.
A leader is someone that exudes a positive influence on others around him by showing dedication, trust and thoughtfulness in how they perform their job and contribute to society.
Hands down, our people. The day-to-day experiences that we bring to our clients are second to none in terms of being in the trenches and doing the work to help our customers achieve their goals. Being in the healthcare industry, I take pride in the work we do to help find solutions for patients who need life-saving and life-maintaining products.
Spending time with my family and friends is really important to me. The culture we have at Leaderboard, building positive work-life balance, is critically important to the growth of our organization and the team we are building . Making sure I am part of the growth and education of my children is vitally important and the reason I do what I do. You can typically find our family at some sort of sporting event: on a baseball field, golf course or soccer field. Our family is very active in sports, and I feel sports play a major role in child development.
24 |
years of B2B, healthcare and consumer branding experience |
I wanted to be a part of a like-minded team that was 100% committed to providing the best possible consulting to clients. Plus, it was a great opportunity to set an example for my children. To believe in myself enough to be willing to take a calculated risk for a long-term gain.
Being as fully vested in a great outcome as the client team. It means being proactive, thinking ahead and providing guidance to avoid pitfalls. It means facing challenges head-on should they arise. It means communicating directly, honestly and professionally even when delivering constructive criticism.
Life is not about what happens to you. It’s about how you think about what happens to you and how you respond. Or said differently – life is like a card game. You can’t control the hand you are dealt. What’s important is how you think about the hand and play the hand in the very best way you can.
During my first project we had completed several rounds of name options where I encouraged the client to consider several names that were more unique. They weren’t interested and narrowed to names that were more straight-forward. At the end of the process my client lead gave me feedback that the team was disappointed in the names that they were “plain vanilla”. I immediately jumped in to recommend again a few of the names that were more creative. In order to get internal support for the recommended names, I coordinated a special in-person meeting to present the recommendations and get internal support. I enjoyed the challenge of taking a situation that could have been negative and turning it into a success story. This is when I knew branding was the right profession for me.
I like to stay active and be outside whenever possible. I spend almost all my time away from work with my family. I enjoy cooking, yoga, reading, working out, backpacking, camping, hiking, mountain biking and have recently started fly fishing.
20 |
years of healthcare branding experience |
Branding is a really great business to be in. It’s creative. It’s collaborative. It’s engaging. It’s problem-solving. And it’s important to me to be part of a company that fosters the best and the brightest of what branding can be. Leaderboard is my opportunity to establish exactly that, to build a great branding company by leveraging what we know works, discarding what we know doesn’t work, and developing new approaches and processes to bring the greatest level of success to every project.
Give it a chance. By “it,” I mean name candidates, logo options, potential positioning statements, whatever. New is scary. When we encounter something we’ve never seen before, we are typically skeptical or even resistant. We immediately think of the reasons it won’t work and discard it out of hand. Do your brand a favor – focus on the opportunities first. Ask yourself: What do I see here that we could leverage to energize and optimize our brand? New is scary, but it can also be incredibly rewarding and impactful for your brand.
I’m a namer, so for me to love a brand, I need to love the names they use. And if your brand leverages puns and plays on words, I will love your brand. The nail polish company OPI is at the top of my list for creative, captivating and utterly awesome names. Why call a shade Red or even Candy Apple, when you can call it I’m Not Really a Waitress? Headed to California and want your pedicure to match your adventure? Choose between Time for a Napa, This Is Not Whine Country, or Barking Up the Wrong Sequoia, and you’ll be in a West Coast frame of mind – or feet – in no time. If you’re not enjoying the experience of picking your color, you can’t say it isn’t for a “lacquer” of effort.
I like to walk through the beautiful neighborhoods and parks near my house. It’s a great way to clear my mind or re-energize my creativity when on a branding project. I also like to get lost in a good book – preferably while lounging on a sandy beach, sitting on my screened in porch or stretched out in a hammock. Actually, I enjoy doing those things with or without the book.
Director of Strategic Initiatives
Extensive experience in pharmaceutical branding and strategic marketing.
30+ |
years of pharma & biotech experience |
The opportunity to work on amazing brands! After working with members of the Leaderboard team for over 16 years , I experienced first-hand the excitement, creativity, and partnership each person brought to my projects. I respected their client philosophy, their integrity, and knew their infectious can-do spirit would be a motivating environment.
Willing and motivated followers. Leaders motivate and support others to achieve a bold, well-communicated, shared vision. They make thoughtful decisions along the way, allowing others the freedom to find creative ways to achieve their collective goals.
I don’t’ really have a favorite brand. I have products I like I will even purchase some of them over and over again, but that doesn’t mean the “brand” is a favorite. That said, I admire Tesla because they had/have a bold vision. In addition, they designed their energy-efficient cars with the customer in mind. They eliminated many of the hassles of owning a car like having to stop for gas in the snow and rain, or having to take it in for “regular maintenance.” They continually and frequently update the car, ie the software that controls the car and provides information to the driver. Whoever thought of and engineered being able to raise the front end of the car to avoid scratches from cement parking barriers AND for the “car” to remember the location, automatically raising each time was a clear example of recognizing and responding to a customer need. Genius!
For my body, I take ballet and barre classes (no, not bar classes, though those might be fun also) and workout with a personal trainer. For my mind, I listen to podcasts while walking my dog, I read, and take adult education classes at a local university. For my soul, I enjoy time with my family, especially when we play games or when we cook together. I also participate in a women’s group where we support one another, educate ourselves and others, and take action on various local and national issues.
Managing Director, Europe
Daniel, “Dan”, Hunt joins the Leaderboard Branding team as Managing Director, Europe from Basel, Switzerland. Dan brings decades of branding experience, reinforcing our commitment to providing best-in-class global naming and branding services.
Prior to Leaderboard, Dan held vital leadership roles from biotech startups to some of the largest pharmaceutical companies globally where he was responsible for early stage product creation and development, delivering integrated communications to support cultural sensitivities and regions and implementing key strategies for regulatory body submissions and approvals, to name a few.
Dan’s expertise within global branding strategies, communications and asset development enhances Leaderboard Brandings relationships with key partners worldwide.
15 |
years of B2B, medical device and pharmaceutical branding experience |
Director, Drug Safety
First-hand experience reviewing and assessing proprietary name candidates.
15 |
years of drug safety & medication error prevention |
The biggest reason I wanted to be part of Leaderboard Branding was because of the culture. Leaderboard is a “people first” organization and they foster a real sense of community.
Courage, decisiveness and accountability. A leader is someone who isn’t afraid to make a decision and is willing to stand by it.
Old Spice. When I was a kid growing up I associated Old Spice deodorant with manliness and have been using it ever since. If you think I smell good, that’s my ‘Swagger’, a combination of cedarwood and confidence.
I love going to the gym for my ‘zen’ time. I get lost in my thoughts and music and like to challenge myself physically. I also love SCUBA diving.
Maximilian ‘Max’ Straka, PharmD, FISMP, joined Leaderboard Branding from the Food and Drug Administration’s Division of Medication Error Prevention and Analysis (DMEPA). With his experience as a former FDA DMEPA safety evaluator and practicing pharmacist, Max brings a unique end-to-end perspective to Leaderboard Branding’s Drug Safety Division. From understanding what it takes to make it through the FDA review process, to how it impacts real-world scenarios, the FDA insider has a clear grasp of the importance naming and branding plays in drug safety.
At the FDA DMEPA, Dr. Straka conducted and led the review of proprietary name submissions, reconsiderations, and label submissions. In addition, Dr. Straka assessed and evaluated medication error reports submitted through the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System and drafted postmarket reviews. His depth of experience with the Division of Cardiology and Nephrology, where he was a primary reviewer, and the Divisions of Hematologic Malignancies and Non-Malignant Hematology provides further insight into these areas of rich innovation.
Prior to the FDA, Max was a practicing pharmacist for a national retail pharmacy chain for nearly a decade, where he was responsible for ensuring safety procedures and protocols were upheld in addition to providing medication consultation and ensuring medication compliance. He also led immunization efforts by providing in-store vaccinations as well as multiple off-site clinics.
While a Safe Medication Management Fellow at the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, Dr. Straka facilitated discussions and recommended solutions to labeling, packaging, naming, and device concerns for manufacturers, United States Pharmacopeia, and the FDA.
Director of Operations
Ensuring operational excellence and driving best-in-class standards.
18 |
years of branding and marketing experience. |
I am fascinated by the work that we do. I love working with such talented and creative people. It was important to me to join a team that not only cared about the client’s needs but also cared about each other.
The ability to role up your sleeves and support the team. I feel very strongly about leading by example and being a leader that can help to move obstacles to let our incredible team do what they do best.
SmartWater. I love the concept of added electrolytes in water without the added sugar. I love the design and the packaging. They have been so smart (pun intended) about how they have spun off additional flavors.
I love spending time with my kids and my husband. You’ll find me outside working in the garden or researching our next trip.
Director of Strategy
Breadth and depth of experience that combines analytics and creativity with execution.
10 |
years of brand management & strategy experience |
I’ve never felt so in my element as when I’m working alongside the team at Leaderboard. It’s an amazing thing to work with confident, capable people who know their strengths and look to empower other to recognize and use their gifts. At Leaderboard I’m able to pull from my years of experience in consumer, B2B and healthcare branding to solve partner challenges. I get to deliver work that we as a team are incredibly proud of. Taking pride in the work makes all the difference – and our partners know they are getting our best.
Being a leader takes courage and empathy. Courage is required to take a stand, to go out front alone and go beyond your comfort zone. It means having hard conversations with those you care about and desire to help them see a better way. It also takes empathy. Empathy allows you to see what hurdles get in the way of achievement. Recognizing challenges, empowering teams and encouraging positive change is only possible when these two characteristics work hand in hand.
I love branding. I love branding trends, watching new brands be introduced and watching beloved brands evolve. My favorite brand is Old Spice. This heritage brand has been a staple in my family for three generations. I remember my grandfather letting my try some of his Old Spice aftershave. I remember when I bought my first Old Spice in an oval shape rather than my dad’s circular shape. I love tickling my kids underarms with the cap on as they get ready and brush their teeth. It’s a brand that, for me, has gone far beyond getting the job done – it’s part of my everyday.
I’m so grateful to do a job that I love. I’m also eternally grateful for my family. My wife and 6 children fill my days with laughter, bath time, diaper changes, snuggles, and more. We love cooking together and learning about new foods, techniques and cultures through food. I also love a good run, especially when my son rides his bike alongside.
30 |
years of experience in trademark analysis |
Leaderboard gives me the opportunity to utilize my vast experience in a new, challenging way. My trademark clearance background is appreciated and put to effective use, but I am also flexing previously underutilized creative muscles. I love being part of a fun and interesting mix of folks who really strive to be their best and believe in the future of this company.
A good leader surrounds him/herself with those who want success for themselves, their supervisors and the company as a whole, and creates an environment where we all see that value in each other.
I am a fan of the sportswear company “title nine”, they carry women’s clothes that suit my style, with a terrific catalog filled with real women, and back it up with great customer service—all while supporting women and reminding us “that being difficult means getting s*** done”.
I am the current Vice-President of the Mecklenburg Audubon Society, and as an avid bird watcher I love photography and travelling to exotic places to see new birds (my current “LifeList” includes over 1,800 bird species seen worldwide). I am enjoying getting more involved in my neighborhood as part of the HOA and book club, and spend a lot of time working in my garden or walking on the nearby Greenway Trail.
Director of Brand Innovation
Cutting-edge brand solutions and inspired creativity.
15 |
years of brand naming & brand strategy experience |
We work in such a unique industry – I love that I get to be around other people who share my passion for it! Being surrounded by such a talented, committed, and supportive team makes each day a rewarding experience. Whether I am leading a client through a challenging project or mentoring a new colleague, I know I am part of an amazing organization committed to delivering exceptional results.
Trust, respect and open communication are the most important factors to me. Trust and respect create an atmosphere of confidence, enabling team members to take risks and push themselves to be their best. Open communication ensures everyone feels informed and can do what’s necessary to deliver the best possible outcomes.
With my naming and design background, I have a tendency to over-analyze brand names and the visual elements used to bring them to life. I love names with multiple layers of meaning, as well as clever names and brands that aren’t afraid to take risks. A few of my recent favorites include Incogmeato plant-based meat, CBeebies children’s television channel, and Care/of personalized vitamin service.
I feel like I’m always thinking about travel and food – even better if they are combined! I love visiting new places with my family and trying new foods. We enjoy taking food tours in new cities and tasting the local specialties.