Branding Basics

Kara Claypool

Senior Vice President, Jugo Juice

In today's saturated marketplace, branding is key to separating your business from the pack. Where products are made in the factory, brands are created in the mind - and Kara Claypool has managed to help develop distinctive branding - twice. With a financial background, she grew from junior accountant to senior manager of finance and strategic planning at Big Rock Brewery, before embarking on her present mission as Senior Vice President at Jugo Juice. What generates her success? It’s two-pronged: her forward–thinking vision combined with believing wholeheartedly in her product. With her passion, Jugo Juice increased its sales by 138% and opened 80 new stores in just five years. Join us on March 15th as Kara Claypool’s shares her tips on building brands – and businesses – that stand apart.

Kara Claypool, Senior Vice President of Jugo Juice, defines the vision, plans the company’s long-term goals and handles strategic planning for marketing, menu development, real estate, new store construction and training to ensure everything is aligned. Under Kara’s direction, the company has grown 133% over the past five years. In 2006, 60 stores were in operation and today, there are 140 stores in the Jugo Juice franchise. The sales for 2011 exceeded $38.4 million. Her success? As Kara points out “I’ve always been passionate about consumer brands, and I really believe in the vision we have for Jugo Juice, which is to position the company as the most respected and recognized good-for-you brands for people on the go”. She says “we strive to challenge the notion that healthy living is boring and bland”.
Aside from playing key roles in developing two big-name Calgary brands, Big Rock and Jugo Juice, Kara is determined to instill money smarts in junior high school students and fearless confidence in university students. She is an active volunteer with CMA Alberta where she gives back to students, helping them determine and execute a plan to fulfill their personal goals and aspirations. She is an also educator for Dollars With Sense (DWS) teaching the younger generation about financial literacy, including tools on personal money management.
So how does Kara manage all her hats? She says, “Most importantly – just embrace every day and set out to love what you do” An important lesson for Kara and her nine-year-old daughter, Josie, since Josie’s dad passed away unexpectedly in 2008. “There was some lessons to be learned, having lived through that.” She says, “So we live big, 100 miles an hour, and be the best version of ourselves we can every day.”


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