Thursday Lunch

Stephanie Robbins and Dan Howell
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  • FOOD

Thursday Lunch dives into the mechanics, and the magic, of building great brands: from innovation to business strategy, team leadership, and everything in between. With decades of experience leading ideas from napkin sketch to national launch, Dan Howell and Stephanie Robbins unpack how strong teams, smart planning, and thoughtful execution drive category-defying results through the use of the 4cs process and understanding.

Episodes

  1. The Blind Men and The Elephant

    3D AGO

    The Blind Men and The Elephant

    Exploring the parable of The Blind Men and The Elephant, Dan and Stephanie explore how different perspectives inside organizations shape decision-making, conflict, and progress. They unpack why understanding fundamentals, listening before persuading, and applying the Four Cs (Constraint, Communication, Consensus, and Collaboration) helps teams move from fragmented viewpoints to shared clarity and stronger outcomes. The cover art for this episode was created by Jono Hey, Sketchplanations

    28 min
  2. The Joy of Constraints

    JAN 8

    The Joy of Constraints

    In this episode of Thursday Lunch, Dan Howell and Stephanie Robbins explore why constraints aren’t creative limitations but powerful tools for focus, clarity, and better decision-making. Through real-world product stories, brand examples, and lessons learned the hard way, they show how understanding hard and soft constraints leads to stronger products, faster alignment, and greater brand integrity.

    19 min
  3. Emotional Resonance

    12/25/2025

    Emotional Resonance

    This episode explores emotional resonance in food and branding. Stephanie and Dan discuss why what we love to eat is often shaped by memory, culture, and context. Through stories ranging from Kraft mac and cheese to McDonald’s, Dan and Stephanie unpack why “authentic” is a limiting idea, and why resonance, integrity, and shared meaning matter more when creating brands that truly connect.

    26 min
  4. Consensus is More Than a Yes

    12/11/2025

    Consensus is More Than a Yes

    In this episode, Dan and Stephanie explore a product failure that revealed a core truth of building great brands: a strong concept is nothing without aligned execution. They break down how ignoring constraints, skipping collaboration, and bypassing consensus can derail even the most promising ideas, and how leveraging the power of the Four C’s can prevent it.

    22 min
  5. The Freakout Zone

    11/27/2025

    The Freakout Zone

    In this episode, Stephanie and Dan share the surprising origin story of their hit product, Cranberry Jalapeño and how casual conversations and early collaboration turned a quirky idea into a breakout success. They also look at the “one step away” rule and discuss how to keep the customer out of the Freak Out Zone. It’s a quick look at how great products are sparked long before the brief is written.

    22 min
  6. Thursday Lunch Inaugural Episode

    11/13/2025

    Thursday Lunch Inaugural Episode

    What happens when a marketer and a product developer turn a weekly lunch into a blueprint for building great brands? In this inaugural episode of Thursday Lunch, co-hosts Dan Howell and Stephanie Robbins share the story behind their seven-year tradition that inspired a powerful framework for creative collaboration and measurable results. They introduce The Four Cs: Constraint, Communication, Consensus, and Collaboration. And they explore how these principles drive innovation, strengthen brand integrity, and turn ideas into impact. Through real-world examples like Oreo’s product evolution and the cautionary tale of chocolate Skittles, Dan and Stephanie unpack what it really takes to create products that make intuitive sense to both teams and consumers. Smart, candid, and a little irreverent, this is where the mechanisms meet the magic of brand building.

    25 min
  • 6 Episodes

About

Thursday Lunch dives into the mechanics, and the magic, of building great brands: from innovation to business strategy, team leadership, and everything in between. With decades of experience leading ideas from napkin sketch to national launch, Dan Howell and Stephanie Robbins unpack how strong teams, smart planning, and thoughtful execution drive category-defying results through the use of the 4cs process and understanding.

Information

  • Creator
    Stephanie Robbins and Dan Howell
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Stephanie Robbins and Dan Howell
  • Show Website
    Thursday Lunch