Notes on Brand Strategy
What makes brand strategy work, why most of it gets simpler with time, and what to invest in at each stage.
What Does a Brand Strategist Do?
The role explained for founders deciding whether to hire one, and what kind to hire at which stage.
How to Write a Brand Strategy That Lasts
The one-page format, the four questions a brand strategy answers, and the three tests that catch the common mistakes.
When to Invest in Brand Strategy as a Startup Founder
What to invest in before launch, in the first year of being in market, and approaching a Series A. Three short lists, held tightly.
Why Brand Strategy Is Boring on Purpose
Why a boring brand strategy is the strongest kind, and why the urge to make it exciting usually backfires.
Why Owning Your Brand's Flaws Builds Trust
What Aronson's 1966 study tells us about Marmite, KFC, Domino's and brands that name their flaws aloud.
Why The Best Brands Lean Into Simplicity
Why brands like Starbucks, Brex and Notion are doing less than their competitors, and earning more for it.
Why B2B Brand Voice Drives Decisions Founders Don't See
Why most B2B companies sound interchangeable, and what Linear, Stripe, Anthropic and Resend do differently.