In this episode of Impact Stories, host Lisa Genovese sits down with Kathryn Kozody, Director of Marketing & Communications at GDI Ainsworth, to explore how customer insight, team alignment, and modern leadership shape meaningful brand impact across both CPG and B2B industries.

With experience spanning entrepreneurship, national brand management, and tech innovation, Kathryn shares how she navigates long sales cycles, legacy brand expectations, and rapid industry shifts—while leading a lean team in one of North America’s largest facility services organizations.

You’ll take away:

• Why customer language is the strongest foundation for brand positioning—and how “true partner” became a defining insight for GDI Ainsworth
  

• How to honor a legacy brand without letting the past become an anchor, especially as the company approaches its centennial milestone
  

• The power of focused, people-first leadership when managing a small team responsible for national impact
  

• How CPG lessons translate into B2B—from scarcity-driven campaigns to understanding what customers really value
  

Whether you're leading marketing in a legacy organization, shifting into new markets, or trying to unlock the story hidden in your customer insights, this episode delivers grounded perspective and real-world examples that resonate across industries.