So here’s the uncomfortable truth about The Startup Branding Blueprint: Build a Brand People Love — I didn’t think branding mattered at first.
I thought if the product was good, people would just… you know… show up.
Like it was Field of Dreams or something. (Except instead of Kevin Costner, it was me in sweatpants refreshing Shopify stats.)
Spoiler: that’s not how it works.
Back in 8th grade, I wore two different shoes to school. Not on purpose. It was a Monday. And nobody said anything until 3rd period. Branding is kinda like that. If you don’t intentionally choose what you’re putting out there, the world will notice eventually — and not in the cool, mysterious way you hope.
Let me tell you what I learned the hard way about building a brand from scratch without turning into a corporate robot.
Branding Is Not Your Logo. I Repeat. Not. Your. Logo.
I wasted $700 on a logo once.
Seven. Hundred. Dollars.
It was sleek. Minimal. Very “Silicon Valley but approachable.”
Did it change my revenue?
Nope.
Did it make my brand clearer?
Also no.
Branding isn’t your logo. It’s the feeling people get when they see your name pop up in their inbox.
It’s the vibe. The personality. The tone in your captions. The way you respond to complaints.
If someone screenshots your message and sends it to a friend saying, “I love this company,” that’s branding.
Everything else is decoration.
The “Why” That Isn’t Cringe
Everyone says you need a mission statement.
Cool.
But if your mission sounds like it was generated by a corporate bingo machine, people can smell it.
“Empowering innovative solutions for scalable growth…”
Stop.
When I started getting serious about my startup branding strategy, I asked myself one question:
“What actually makes me mad?”
Weird place to start, right?
But that’s where clarity lives.
For me, it was watching small business owners get overwhelmed by complicated tools and jargon. I hated it. It felt unnecessary.
That frustration shaped my messaging.
Your brand identity for startups shouldn’t be born from buzzwords. It should come from something you care about enough to rant about at dinner.
If your friend says, “Okay, okay, I get it,” you’re onto something.
You Don’t Need to Be Polished. You Need to Be Recognizable.
Early on, I tried sounding “professional.”
I deleted contractions. Avoided jokes. Used words like “leverage.”
My mom read one of my posts and said, “Did you hire someone to write this?”
Ouch.
The truth? I sounded like every other founder trying to impress investors who weren’t even reading.
The moment I relaxed and wrote like I talk — messy, sarcastic, occasionally too honest — engagement doubled.
People don’t connect with perfection.
They connect with patterns.
If your audience can predict your tone and it feels comforting, you’re building emotional branding for small business the right way.
Your Brand Voice Is Basically Your Group Chat Personality
You know how you act differently in different group chats?
There’s the “family” chat.
There’s the “work” chat.
And then there’s the one where memes fly at 2 a.m.
Your startup needs to choose its lane.
Not all brands should be sarcastic. Not all should be soft and cozy.
But they should be consistent.
Ask yourself:
- Are we bold or gentle?
- Are we playful or serious?
- Are we challenger or guide?
And once you pick… commit.
One of my early mistakes? Posting motivational quotes one day and savage memes the next.
Confusing.
Branding whiplash.
Pick a personality and own it like it’s your favorite hoodie.
The Visual Stuff (Yes, It Still Matters)
Okay fine.
Logos and colors aren’t everything, but they’re not nothing either.
When building a brand from scratch, here’s what I’ve learned:
- Pick 2–3 core colors.
- Choose one primary font.
- Use the same photo style.
You don’t need a 40-page brand deck. You need consistency.
Think about brands like Apple or Nike. You don’t need to see the logo to recognize the vibe.
(And no, I’m not saying your startup needs to compete with them. Just steal the consistency part.)
Branding Is Repetition. Repetition. Repetition.
This part feels boring.
You’ll think, “Didn’t I already say this?”
Yes. Say it again.
If you feel slightly annoying repeating your core message, you’re probably just getting started.
People need to hear things multiple times before it sticks.
When I finally locked in my main message, I repeated it in:
- Email subject lines
- Website headlines
- Instagram captions
- Podcast interviews
Same core idea. Different angles.
That’s how brand identity for startups becomes memorable instead of forgettable.
Storytelling Is the Shortcut
I once shared a post about almost quitting during month six of my startup.
Revenue was flat. I was tired. I had Googled “how to pivot without admitting failure.”
That post outperformed every “5 tips for growth” article I’d written.
Why?
Because people saw themselves in it.
If you want to build a brand people love, tell stories.
Messy ones.
Awkward ones.
The time you sent an email to the wrong list.
The time you doubted everything.
That’s where emotional branding lives.
Don’t Chase Trends. Build Traditions.
This one might sting.
Every time a new platform pops up, founders panic.
“Should we be on it?”
“Are we behind?”
Relax.
You don’t need to dance on every digital stage.
Instead of chasing trends, create rituals:
- Weekly founder notes
- Monthly customer spotlights
- Behind-the-scenes Fridays
Traditions build familiarity.
Familiarity builds trust.
Trust builds brands.
The Audience Is Co-Creating With You
Here’s something that cracked me up when I realized it.
Your brand isn’t just what you say it is.
It’s what people repeat back to you.
When customers started describing my startup as “refreshingly honest,” I leaned into that.
It wasn’t even planned.
Listen to the words your audience uses. That’s free branding insight.
A Quick Branding Gut Check about Startup Branding Blueprint
If you disappeared for 30 days, would people miss you?
Not just your product — you.
If the answer is “eh… maybe?” you’ve got room to strengthen your connection.
The Startup Branding Blueprint isn’t a checklist.
It’s alignment.
Between:
- What you believe
- How you communicate
- What you consistently deliver
A Couple Places I’ve Learned From Startup Branding Blueprint
If you want deeper thinking on brand without the fluff, I love:
- Seth Godin’s blog (short, sharp, occasionally uncomfortable)
- Indie Hackers community stories (real revenue, real lessons)
Both remind me branding isn’t about being loud.
It’s about being clear.
So… How Do You Actually Build a Brand People Love?
You:
- Get clear on what you care about.
- Speak like a human.
- Stay consistent visually and verbally.
- Tell stories instead of pitching constantly.
- Repeat your core message until it feels boring.
- Listen to how your audience describes you.
- Show up even when growth feels slow.
