The Visionary Series

Everything I've Learned.
Written Down.

Amazon Bestseller Reader's Favorite Award Midwest Book Review Decades. Iconic Brands. Amazon Bestseller Reader's Favorite Award Midwest Book Review Decades. Iconic Brands. Amazon Bestseller Reader's Favorite Award Midwest Book Review Decades. Iconic Brands. Amazon Bestseller Reader's Favorite Award Midwest Book Review Decades. Iconic Brands.
Amazon Bestseller Reader's Favorite Award Winner Midwest Book Review

The Visionary Brand

The Five Defining Qualities that Differentiate and Sustain the World's Most Iconic Brands

I wrote this book because after thirty years of building iconic brands from the inside — Oakley, adidas, TaylorMade — I kept seeing the same pattern. The brands that lasted all shared five things. The brands that didn't were missing one or more of them.

This is that framework. Distilled from three decades of doing the work at the highest level of consumer brand strategy.

"Exceptionally well written, organized, and presented, The Visionary Brand must be considered essential reading for all aspiring entrepreneurs and corporate executives seeking to expand their market share."

— James Cox, Editor-in-Chief, Midwest Book Review

"Exploring the building blocks that successful brands have used to create a vision, a consistent presentation across the years, and a culture of loyal followers — I'm confident readers will be able to take the insight from this book and apply it to their own brands. An essential tool for setting the short and long-term goals that will lead your organization to great success."

— K.C. Finn, Reader's Favorite Reviewer
New — 2025 Eric Hoffer Award Finalist Midwest Book Review

The Visionary Leader

The 16 DNA Traits That Make Exceptional Leaders and the Brands They Build Unstoppable

The Visionary Brand taught you how iconic brands are built. This book teaches you how the leaders who build them think, act, and drive culture. After 30 years working alongside the best, I identified 16 traits that every great brand builder shares.

Not personality theories. Not academic models. Real traits, observed in real leaders, inside real brands at the highest levels of the consumer brand world.

"Goes beyond most discussions of leadership to inject the concept of vision into the process — a hard-hitting, uncommon survey as vivid as it is enlightening."

— Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

"Readers will leave Smeltzer's work with increased awareness of how to recognize — and transform into — a visionary leader, as he maintains a strong focus throughout and offers a wealth of real-life examples to enhance understanding."

— BookLife, Publishers Weekly
Coming July 2027

The Visionary Product

The third book in The Visionary Series. Join the launch list for early-access chapters and first-day notification.

Also coming 2029: Becoming Visionary