Jessica Kessel says brand should drive business clarity

Jessica Kessel, founder of Signals & Studio in Huntersville, North Carolina, is positioning brand and communications as core business functions that build trust, alignment, and long-term value. Her perspective reflects a growing need for leaders to cut through noise as organizations face faster change and more fragile stakeholder trust. Why it matters: - Jessica Kessel argues that brand and communications work should not sit on the sidelines. She treats them as business-driving functions that can improve alignment, reputation, and long-term value. - Her approach speaks to a broader leadership problem: many organizations do not have a communication problem, they have a clarity problem. - In a period of rapid technology change and shifting stakeholder expectations, clearer leadership communication can affect trust with employees, customers, and partners. What happened: - Influential Women featured Jessica Kessel, the founder and owner of Signals & Studio, in a profile published June 16, 2026. - Kessel is based in Huntersville, North Carolina. - She works with founders, executive teams, and organizations to identify the signals that matter most and communicate with clarity and purpose. - Before starting Signals & Studio, Kessel spent nearly eight years at American Tire Distributors. - At American Tire Distributors, she became Vice President and Head of Brand & Communications. The details: - Kessel built the company’s first modern enterprise communications function at American Tire Distributors. - Her work there covered corporate brand, public relations, executive communications, internal communications, crisis management, and digital reputation. - She served as a trusted advisor to the CEO and executive leadership team. - Kessel said her role was to translate complex business priorities into clear, actionable narratives. - Her early career was in advertising and agency account leadership. - She supported national and regional brands in retail, nonprofit, automotive, and technology. - Kessel graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in advertising and public relations and a minor in marketing. - She is also a writer, speaker, and volunteer involved in nonprofit and animal rescue efforts. - Her forthcoming book is titled Signals, Not Noise . - The book explores how leaders can identify what matters, create alignment, and build trust during constant change. - Kessel says curiosity, resilience, and communication skills have shaped her career. - She credits mentors, colleagues, and leaders for helping shape her leadership philosophy. - She describes success as sustained impact, not singular milestones. - She views communications as a long-term relationship between an organization and its stakeholders. - One piece of advice changed her approach: “You’re a business person first. Then you’re the brand and communications person.” - Kessel says brand and communications work must be rooted in business reality and fluent in executive priorities. - She believes the strongest communicators understand how to speak the language of leadership and translate complexity for broader audiences. - She says aligning brand with business strategy turns messaging into a driver of clarity, alignment, and organizational momentum. - Kessel advises young women entering the field to stay curious, be courageous, and keep learning. - She also encourages them not to narrow their skill set too early and to build both depth and range. - She believes systems-level thinking helps professionals grow with their industry instead of being constrained by one function. - Kessel identifies the accelerating pace of change as one of the biggest challenges in brand and communications today. - She says organizations that elevate brand and communications into strategic leadership functions can gain a competitive advantage. - She argues that trust comes from alignment between what an organization says and what it does. - Kessel says entrepreneurship has required more discipline, accountability, and resilience than many people assume. - She said fear often appears right before growth. - Kessel and her husband are building a home on acquired land with space for a small garden and orchard. - The home is meant to reflect a simpler, more intentional way of living. - More information is available through Jessica Kessel’s Influential Women profile and Signals & Studio . Between the lines: - Kessel’s message positions communications leaders as strategic operators, not just message writers. - Her emphasis on operational truth over aspirational positioning suggests a shift away from polished branding toward credibility built through consistency. - The profile also frames leadership trust as something earned over time through presence, clarity, and follow-through. What’s next: - Kessel is continuing to build Signals & Studio as a strategy partner for organizations that want communications systems tied to business goals. - Her book, Signals, Not Noise , is expected to extend that message to a broader audience of leaders and professionals. - Her profile suggests she will keep focusing on the intersection of brand, strategy, and trust as organizations navigate more complex stakeholder expectations.