Meet Betsy, a Brand Strategy Expert With a Diverse Client Base

Betsy Grote has more than a decade of experience in brand strategy, naming, and copywriting. She’s an expert at helping business leaders uncover and define their authentic brand identity to move from one stage of growth to the next.

Grote started her career working on in-house marketing and branding teams for businesses ranging from startups to enterprises. At the time however, she dreamed of working in an agency environment.

But soon after Grote achieved her dream of working at an agency, she realized that she could have more flexibility by running her own business.

“My last full-time job was leading a strategy team at a Cincinnati-based brand agency,” said Grote. “The experience was great and I learned a lot. But at the end of the day, I realized that what would make me happiest and most fulfilled was doing this kind of work, but having the freedom to design my life the way I wanted.”

In 2019, Grote made the switch to freelancing and initially relied on professional connections in her network to begin building her client base. By 2020, she started exploring additional ways to grow her business.

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Growing a business on Upwork

When Grote was looking for new opportunities to expand her client base, she spoke with a friend who’d built a thriving business on Upwork. Her friend recommended a course from a successful freelancer about how to build a copywriting business on the platform.

Grote completed the course and her first project on Upwork helped her cover the cost. By the second month on Upwork, Grote quickly experienced noticeable business growth.

Grote has worked with a variety of clients, from U.S.-based independent business owners to international enterprise businesses. “Upwork opened a global marketplace to me,” said Grote. “I've worked with clients in Dubai, Hong Kong, and all over Europe. I wouldn't have been able to get this kind of exposure on my own. Along the way, you learn how to identify top clients who value your work and are great to collaborate with, of which there are many on Upwork.”

Collaborating with diverse clients and brands

Grote’s primary focus area is brand strategy and naming. Through this type of work, she has the opportunity to think strategically and analytically, as well as creatively.

“My work tends to vary and includes a really cool balance of right brain and left brain, or art and science as I sometimes like to say,” shared Grote. “My projects involve a lot of analysis but at the end of that analysis, there's always some creative leap that takes place.”

With access to a global client base through Upwork, Grote also has the flexibility to partner with brands and clients across a diverse range of business sizes and industries.

“Upwork is awesome because it has connected me with enterprise-level clients, which is really cool.” explained Grote. “But I also love working with startups or medium-sized businesses whose leadership have a real stake in the business and really deeply care.

“They've been a hands-on part of building the business, which is exciting to me because the work I do can make that much more of an impact,” continued Grote. “I would say, startups and medium-sized businesses are my specialty.”

Brand strategy and naming project examples

Here are a few examples of brand strategy and naming projects that Grote has completed:

• Life coach. Grote worked on a branding project with a life coach who was in the early stages of building her business. She got to know the client on a personal level and the two collaborated to define and clarify the client’s brand strategy. “I really love working with people like her who are so passionate,” shared Grote. “With smaller clients, it's less of, ‘Here's the work, run with it,’ which I'm happy to do as well. But we really got to work together to create this strategy for the client that has clarified the way forward for her brand. With this type of project, you really feel like you're giving the client a gift.”

• Pickleball racket manufacturer. Pickleball has grown in popularity in recent years and new brands continue to emerge in the space. Grote partnered with a brand that makes high-end, professional-grade pickleball rackets. The company is small and needed a strong brand strategy to stay competitive with larger, more well-known pickleball brands. Grote worked with the team to hone in on their brand voice and identify key differentiators.
• Pharmaceutical company. Grote partnered with a pharmaceutical company that previously went through multiple name changes and brand evolutions. The team wanted a name that represented a shift away from their old brand and also differentiated themselves from traditional pharmaceutical companies. They wanted to show that they have a soul and truly care about not only treating people, but curing them on a deep level with their medications. Grote’s job was to identify name options that aligned with the pharma-with-a-soul element.

Advice to freelancers and business leaders

Whether you’re an individual looking to break into brand strategy and naming, or a business leader interested in engaging an expert in the space, Grote shares some of her advice and expertise.

Tips and best practices for freelancers

Grote has learned valuable lessons since she started her own business more than five years ago. One of her top pieces of advice for freelancers is to focus on how you solve clients’ problems, rather than emphasizing your own skills and accomplishments.

“One thing you can do to set yourself up for success with your Upwork profile is avoid talking about yourself,” said Grote. “Put the customer at the center of your story and tell them what problem you can solve. If you can really get clear on what the customer or client’s problem is and the solution you offer, this is more important than how many years you've worked on brand strategy. Of course, you can include your experience in your profile, but avoid centering on yourself and instead center on the client.”

Another best practice Grote shared was the importance of building relationships. “My key to success is really meeting people on a human level,” explained Grote. “One thing that's always been really useful for me on Upwork is using Loom to make a short introductory video, because people love to see your face. They love to see how you talk and see the passion for your work come through.”

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Why business leaders should partner with independent talent

Given Grote’s background working in corporate roles and on the agency side, she has firsthand experience seeing the benefits of businesses partnering with independent talent such as herself, rather than an agency, on creative projects.  

“With a freelancer, you get someone who's working in different environments from day to day and has the freedom to expose themselves to all different kinds of experiences and cultures,” shared Grote. “There are fewer limitations in terms of creative and intellectual capacity."

“If you work with a freelancer you feel strongly about, you’re going to pay less for more interesting insights and work that’s going to move the needle,” continued Grote. “A lot of times, I feel that agencies play it safe to keep the client happy instead of making the client better, which is my goal.”

Looking ahead: Balancing personal and professional priorities

Over the next few years, Grote plans to focus on growing her business while also spending time with her family. She recently married and had her first child. Running her own business gives Grote the flexibility to dedicate time to both her personal and professional lives.

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“A beautiful part about freelancing is that I don't feel like I have to choose between being a mom or working,” said Grote. “I can create a life that's integrated and includes spending time with my family and continuing to work on exciting, challenging projects.”

As Grote continues to build her business, she also plans to partner with other independent professionals on Upwork to work on more in-depth branding projects. Thinking about her future goals, she explained, “I'd like to build out a roster of designers whom I can turn to and work with to build out branding projects that are larger in scope.”