Caleb Saunders’ Post

As a Founder, You Are the Core of Your Startup's Brand You are 21 / 28 / 45, brimming with passion and expertise. You decide to found a startup 🚀 In those early days, your startup's brand embodies your personal values, mission and communication style 🤝 You bring on a co-founder with different skills, but shared values and vision. Now your collective ethos starts shaping the brand identity. When you build an MVP and talk to users, you are the face of the brand 👤 Users will remember interacting with you, not just your product name. Pitching investors, you personally convey the brand values, not words on paper. Their impression of the brand forms from meeting you as founders 🤝 As you hire employees and partners, your brand grows but still stems from your core ideas. You set the culture. 🧑🤝🧑 My strong view is founders represent the heart of a startup's brand. It cannot be fully delegated. It means that in every action we take, we can think of our core values. Interacting with the team, stakeholders, users - from the very beginning - represents the brand already 🤝 #brading #brandgrowth #brand #startup

I just finished Emily Heyward's "Obsessed: Building a Brand People Love from Day One", and I have to say I was obsessed with the insights she had in this book! A total must-read for anyone working in PR, marketing and communications or around the startup world. If you already have too many books to get through on your shelf and don't see yourself picking it up anytime soon, here are 5 quotes from the book that stood out: 1. “The emotional resonance of a brand is not something that can be invented from thin air. It has to be backed up by how a company actually behaves and the products that it sells.” 2. “When you ground yourself in your consumers and why you exist for them, branding becomes an act of generosity instead of an act of self-congratulation.” 3. “When we’re building brands for startups, we’re helping solve the challenge of how to get people to care.” 4. "Our belief was that brand is an engine that drives business growth, and the sooner businesses incorporate brand thinking, the more set up for success they’ll be." 5. "One of the key ways for brands to feel more human is...actual humans! Success is often driven by a founding team that forms an inherent part of the brand's story...Rather than inhabiting larger-than-life enigmatic personas, founders of many of today's beloved brands feel like people you could know." #communications #communicationsstrategy #brandidentity #brandbuilding #startups #startupfounders

Connecting brand and performance 🧡 I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sabrina to talk about the importance of market insight, brand and communication in the light of paid media.

Throughout my career I've (weirdly) heard a lot of consultants warn startups against investing in their brands. But reality check: every action you take shapes your brand, whether you're aware or not. From team emails to pitch decks, every touchpoint = brand-building. Your choice isn't whether to build a brand; it's whether to build it intentionally. So, what do you need to create an intentional brand? ⭐️ A clear, purpose-driven brand strategy ⭐️ A streamlined brand identity that builds trust and helps you stand out. You can build on this later if you need more bells and whistles. The myth that agency help means big investment and time lags? Not true! Our two-week brand sprint delivers transformation on a startup's clock and budget. Need a no BS brand bootcamp? DM me! #startupbranding #startups #brandidentity #brandstrategy #brandingagency

Today I have the pleasure of speaking to June from Brand By June June started her company in March 2023 and works with startups and small businesses to help them understand their market, establish their brand positioning and develop their comms strategy. In our chat, we cover brand differentiation in the marketplace, how to identify the right market to talk to and we delve into why it’s important for startups and new businesses to nail their mission and vision right from the get go. I learned a lot from my chat with June; she’s an expert in her field. So if you’re ready to turn your dream into a business and a brand, drop June a DM so you can start your journey today. #brandstrategy #brand #marketanalysis #communicationstrategy #startup

Establishing a strong brand is an important part of creating a startup. When Neil Granberry first explained Venturous to me, I was immediately drawn to Venturous' branding. From the trademark V to the bold colors, Venturous's logo felt inviting and creative. This was not only important for appealing to students and recent grads who would scout startups, but also to founders who would use the platform and VCs who would pay for deal flow. Although Venturous is currently pivoting (https://lnkd.in/gwJuvEVH), their core branding has remained consistent. I've taken a similar approach when building my brand. While I've changed the type of content I post based on what provides value to my audience, I've kept my branding for romanko venture group consistent. This consistency has led me to be invited to speak at 15+ events on pitching, funding and investing, selecting a viable startup to invest in, and obtaining experience in VC. As we approach the new year, consider how to establish a brand that appeals to your target audience. #venturecapital #startups #founders #innovation #branding

'The Lean Startup' by Eric Ries introduces a mindset for launching and growing successful brands. Learn to iterate, adapt, and thrive in a dynamic business environment. How has the lean startup approach influenced your brand strategy? 📘🔄 #LeanStartup #AgileBrands

After immersing ourselves in the captivating world of Yorgos Lanthimos' "Poor Things," we found ourselves unexpectedly drawn into a deep conversation about branding, design, and businesses. 🎬 You may be wondering: what does this critically acclaimed film have to do with them?  At first glance, perhaps not much. However, as we delved deeper, we uncovered invaluable insights that could set your brand apart in a market oversaturated with too many homogeneous offerings. 💡 That's why we've crafted a thought-provoking blog post, delving into these revelations in detail.  Dive into our new blog post: “Revolutionize Your Startup Branding with 'Poor Things' Insights.” 🚀 An exploration of how art can teach us how to connect with our audiences through imagination, authenticity, and freedom. 💃🏻 Explore this post’s carousel to know more. 🌀 Dive deeper by accessing the blog in the link below. 🔗 t.ly/BTBog #LentoAgency #PoorThings #YorgosLanthimos #Branding #Startups #EmmaStone #Content #Insights.

IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME? Most startups I have encountered in almost twenty years in business continually make one big mistake. They believe that a brand is a logo, website or some signage. NO, IT’S SO MUCH MORE!!! A brand is about eliciting a response - influencing a person’s gut feeling about a company, product or service. It’s a gut feeling because people make decisions based on emotion and trust. Jeff Bezos brilliantly described a brand as, “what people say about you when you’re not in the room”. Think of all the companies you champion. You probably think they are the best at what they do. In reality, that is just your perception. They may or may not be the best, but they have still garnered your support. THINK OF HOW THEY WON YOU OVER? The answer boils down to what you value in a service or product or people. I always visit the same butcher in Dublin. Is it because their meat is amazing? No, I could get similar quality elsewhere. Is it their prices? No, I could find cheaper meat elsewhere. It’s their customer service. They are friendly and always give my seven year old daughter a free lollipop. So, they value the happiness of my daughter. That’s my perception, so I will remain loyal to them. Can you think of brands you trust and tell me why you trust them? -- #brandvalues #contentmarketing #brandstrategy #marketing #brandloyalty #brandingagency #irishbusiness #business #startups #sales #strategy #smes #customerloyalty #localbusiness #storytelling #brands #marketingireland #irishmarketing #irishdesign #designagency

I earned my first leadership experience at 12 years old 🚀 How?👇 By participating in my parent’s entrepreneurial venture. A new chapter had begun. They had opened a textile manufacturing business and eager to promote their knitwear collection, my parents hit upon the idea of utilising me and my schoolmates, all aged 12 to 13, as models. It was exciting! I learned the intricacies of catwalks, camera poses, and the art of exuding confidence under the spotlight. I led a team of eight girls under my wing. We graced the runway alongside professionals at various shows in our city. Besides the glamour, I learned something new. 👉 I discovered a newfound responsibility as a leader by: → resolving conflicts → providing feedback → fostering team spirit → delivering stellar performances And above all else: 👉 I contributed to the success of our family business But this wasn’t just a fashion show. 💡 It was the first of many steps towards entrepreneurship. P.S. When did you first venture into entrepreneurship? ---------------------- 📌 Enjoy my content? I'm Ksenia. I share insights on entrepreneurship, startups, innovation, and how to build a Portfolio career. Click on my profile + follow + 🔔 #entrepreneurship #startups #fashion