Xanthe Appleyard, Lois Mckenzie – Uncategory

Uncategory is a five-week messaging sprint by Xanthe Appleyard and Lois McKenzie for founders, creatives and change-makers. It combines strategy, psychology and leadership to help participants find a distinctive voice and communicate it without relying on a constant stream of social media content.

The program addresses messaging for a new offer, a brand pivot or a business that feels misunderstood. Its three phases move from the truth behind a business to the cultural context of its message and the platform where that message can take hold.

Messaging skills you’ll build in Uncategory

• Clarify your business’s core truth.
• Identify cultural shifts that amplify your message.
• Build an engaged community around your message.
• Develop a powerful one-sentence manifesto.
• Gain real-time feedback to refine your messaging.
• Transform your ideas into impactful communication.

The Uncategory messaging sprint

Rather than beginning with how to market an existing message, Uncategory starts by examining what the business stands for. The sprint then places that message in a broader cultural moment and considers how to share it beyond the pressure of constant social media visibility.

Phase 001: The Core Truth

Hosted by Lois, this phase treats a message as something to uncover from the foundations of a brand. It explores the defining truth of the business and the ideas its founder is unwilling to dilute.

• Express the mission as a one-sentence manifesto.
• Develop a counterpoint that challenges the status quo.
• Define sharp points of view that can support thought leadership.

Phase 002: The Cultural Shift

Lois and Xanthe lead an examination of the cultural context surrounding a message. The phase looks beyond the brand itself to understand the wider conversation it wants to influence.

• Explore why an audience may resist change and the less visible forces that keep people stuck.
• Identify the cultural tension the message speaks to.
• Find an opening in a stalled conversation that the brand can lead.

Phase 003: The Place to Land

Hosted by Xanthe, this phase focuses on creating an ecosystem where a message can reach people and generate conversation. It considers how to gather an audience without performative content and how to foster a movement rather than a passive following.

Recorded workshops and messaging resources

The recorded workshops examine why a message may not be connecting and offer approaches for refining it. Participants can work with their existing messaging as they explore the material.

The resource library includes messaging frameworks, writing prompts and strategic tools. These materials provide a way to revisit and develop a message as the work behind it changes.

Who Uncategory is for

Uncategory suits founders and thought leaders who have a strong vision but struggle to express it, as well as people pivoting a business toward a new direction. It also addresses the challenge of finding a distinctive voice when professional jargon, content pressure or hesitation about being bold gets in the way.

Frequently asked questions

What does Uncategory cover?

Uncategory covers the core truth behind a business, the cultural shift its message addresses and ways to build an audience and conversation around that message.

Who is Uncategory designed for?

The program is designed for founders, creatives and thought leaders who want to articulate a vision, reposition a business or develop a more distinctive message.

What materials are part of Uncategory?

The program includes recorded workshops, messaging frameworks, writing prompts and strategic tools.

How is the Uncategory curriculum organized?

The five-week sprint has three phases: The Core Truth with Lois, The Cultural Shift with Lois and Xanthe, and The Place to Land with Xanthe.