Bene Stroud
Bene Stroud is a brand strategist and the founder of Cozy Bene, a brand strategy studio focused on experience-driven branding. With a background rooted in the events industry, Bene approaches branding as the intentional design of how people feel when they encounter a business. Her work brings the discipline of live event experience into brand strategy—engineering customer touchpoints with the same precision as a curated moment, not just a visual identity.
Her philosophy centers on strategy before aesthetics. Bene believes branding is storytelling, positioning, and behavioral psychology—not decoration. She helps founders align how their brand shows up with the true quality of their product or service, ensuring they stop being “the best-kept secret” in their market. From pricing to color systems, she treats every brand decision as a signal that shapes perception, authority, and trust.
Bene began her career in event planning, where she learned firsthand how atmosphere, pacing, and sensory detail influence experience. That foundation led her into branding, where she has since worked with beverage brands, beauty businesses, and niche consumer product companies—including positioning a kombucha brand within the luxury market. Today, she is known for building brands that are not only visually refined, but strategically engineered to command attention, communicate value, and create lasting emotional impact.
• Joseph Business School
• University of Central Florida – Rosen College of Hospitality Management- Bachelor's
• Maintains three mentors and additional advisors
• Participates in a 13-person mastermind group that provides peer support, accountability, and strategic problem-solving
• Movieguide Awards
• Give Kids the World
• Habitat for Humanity
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to maintaining a disciplined, structured creative process and having the confidence to educate clients on why foundational brand work must come before visual execution. My entrepreneurial upbringing, guidance from mentors and advisors, participation in a mastermind, and willingness to take strategic, calculated risks have all played a key role in how I’ve grown and built my work.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is that you can only go as high as the person above you, which taught me the importance of surrounding myself with mentors who operate at a higher level. That perspective shaped my commitment to disciplined workflows, strategic foundations, and constantly raising my own standards.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women entering this industry to trust their process and never rush into deliverables before the foundation is clear. Value your expertise enough to set boundaries, educate your clients, and maintain high standards for your work. Most importantly, don’t shrink or soften yourself to be palatable—be visible, have a plan, work diligently, and take calculated risks by asking for opportunities and showing up even when it feels uncomfortable.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in branding right now is clients wanting to skip strategy and jump straight into visible deliverables, misunderstanding that branding is not just aesthetics but positioning and clarity. At the same time, that gap creates a major opportunity to educate clients, elevate their brands to match the excellence of their offerings, and position designers as strategic partners. There is also growing opportunity to use strategy-led branding, including pro bono work, to support underserved businesses and help them show up with confidence and credibility.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Clarity, integrity, and professionalism are core values in both my work and personal life—I care deeply about doing things the right way, not the fastest way. I value craftsmanship, intentionality, and accountability, and I try to lead with authenticity, courage, and strategic thinking in everything I do. Whether in business or life, I believe in honoring the process and showing up with diligence across spirit, soul, and body.