Founded by BJ Bueno, we blend psychology, culture, and design to align leadership, architect brand systems, and activate experiences that create devoted customers.
Trusted by national retailers and beloved lifestyle brands.
BJ Bueno
Founder, author, and advisor to CEOs and CMOs
BJ helps leaders see their brands through the only lens that matters: people. For 25+ years, he’s studied why customers fall in love with certain brands—and how to earn that kind of loyalty on purpose. As founder of The Cult Branding Company and author of The Power of Cult Branding, Customers First, Why We Talk, and the Cult Branding Workbook, he’s advised teams at Turner Classic Movies, Life is Good, SCHEELS, Kohl’s, the LA Lakers, and more.
Raised across South America in a missionary family, BJ recognized early that a common human spirit pulses through different cultures. That insight drives his work today: brands become meaningful when they speak to our universal need to belong. Influenced by Joseph Campbell, Abraham Maslow, and Carl Jung—and informed by a background in performance and magic—BJ translates psychology into practical systems leaders can use immediately.
“At the intersection of psychology and storytelling is where brands become meaningful—where business meets humanity.”
Our Philosophy
01 Align leadership
Unify vision, values, and success metrics around your highest-value customers.
02 Architect the brand & portfolio
Positioning, naming, and portfolio logic that compound growth across products and channels.
03 Activate culture & experience
Turn strategy into behaviors, rituals, and signature moments customers talk about.
What We’re Known For
Turning customer passion into performance (loyalty, retention, WOM).
Clear, simple language teams can use every day.
Senior-led facilitation that creates real executive alignment.
90-day activation plans with owners, milestones, and metrics.
Books
The Power of Cult Branding
How the world’s most loved brands create fan communities—and how yours can, too.
A field guide to brands people love on purpose. Drawing on the “Seven Golden Rules,” BJ Bueno and Matthew Ragas unpack how icons like Harley-Davidson, Apple, and Star Trek turned customers into devoted communities—and how any leader can apply those principles to earn loyalty, word-of-mouth, and repeat revenue.
Why We Talk
The psychology behind word-of-mouth—and how to design messages people actually share.
Word-of-mouth isn’t luck—it’s psychology. In Why We Talk, BJ Bueno reveals the seven reasons people choose to share (or stay silent), showing how the power has shifted from marketers to customers in the digital age. You’ll get a practical playbook to spark authentic conversations that scale trust and growth.
Customers First
A data-driven playbook to identify your Brand Lovers and grow by serving them first.
Your unfair advantage is your Brand Lovers. In Customers First, BJ Bueno lays out Brand Modeling—a data-driven method to find, understand, and mobilize your most passionate customers. With real cases (IKEA, Nike, Life is Good, Starbucks, Southwest), you’ll learn how to focus resources, improve ROI, and build extensions your best customers will champion.
The Ultimate Guide to Company Vision
How to write a vision your people believe in—and act on.
A clear, practical playbook for leaders who want a vision that actually moves people. BJ and Salim Bueno show how to craft a shared, lived vision—one that rallies employees, aligns decisions, and makes your brand irreplaceable to customers. No fluff, no slogans—just the steps to build a vision that drives real change.
The AI and I
A practical roadmap for founders and executives to turn AI potential into real results.
A senior leader’s field guide to turning AI from buzzword into business value. Ozzie Coto and BJ Bueno explain the technologies in plain English, show where AI truly moves the needle, and outline practical steps—governance, use-case selection, change management—to integrate AI into strategy and operations with confidence.
Keynotes & Workshops
Practical psychology, brand systems, and culture—delivered with clarity and energy.
Signature topics
What leaders say
"BJ helps you cut through the noise. His process gives you clarity, customer alignment, and confidence to make better decisions faster."
"BJ and The Cult Branding Company understand human nature at a level few do. Their guidance has helped us stay grounded and make clear decisions as we grow."
"BJ’s advice is the kind you hope your competitors never hear. It’s that good. Straightforward, powerful, and practical."
