Branding Isn’t Your Logo—and 5 Other Lies Founders Tell Themselves
Let's get this out of the way: Most people don’t know WTF “brand” means. There, I said it.
They think it’s the logo, fonts, color palette, clever tagline—blah, blah, blah.
Something you hand off to a freelancer after the product is done and you’ve convinced your friends to “like and share.”
But here’s the thing: brand is the soul of your business — and most people leave it half-baked, gum and duct-taped together, or completely M.I.A. until it’s too late. Then, they wonder why they aren’t getting traction.
I’ve worked with global companies and boot-strapped startups. And I’ve seen the same five myths gut founders and marketers like fresh yellowfin tuna. Let’s tear down these myths.
1. “We just need a logo.”
That’s like saying your band just needs an album cover — who cares about the songs?
A logo without a strategy is just expensive clipart. I’ve seen people drop five figures on “branding” that amounted to a color wheel and a PDF no one reads.
Hard Truth? If you don’t know who you are, what you stand for, and why anyone should give a damn — your logo is lipstick on a ghost.
2. “We’ll get to the brand later.”
A founder once told me “brand” was “a post-sales, Q3 thing.” By Q3, his company was bleeding customers, couldn’t attract top talent, and every message sounded like three different interns wrote it during a frat party.
Brand isn’t a phase.
It’s not something you bolt on after launch like a spoiler on a Honda Civic. It is the engine — the reason people choose, trust and talk about you. And if you don’t define it early, the world will define it for you — and not how you hoped it would be.
3. “Our product is so good, it speaks for itself.”
This is startup Stockholm Syndrome. You’ve spent so long building your thing that you believe people will get it. They won’t.
People don’t buy the best product. They buy the one that makes them feel something.
They buy the one that gets their world, their frustration, their late-night Google spiral.
Brand is how you build that bridge — fast, emotional, and sticky.
Your product might be amazing. But if your story sucks, no one’s sticking around long enough to find out.
4. “We want to reach everyone.”
Do you know what reaches everyone? Tap water. And even that has haters.
You’re not here to please. You’re here to connect.
Pick a side. Have a take. Mean something. If you’re scared of turning people off, you’ll never turn anyone on. Authentic brands have teeth. The rest beg for attention like “pick me’s,” trying to set themselves apart on the gram.
5. “We’ll evolve the brand over time.”
Translation: “We’re not ready to commit.”
And hey, I get it. Commitment is scary. But if you don’t choose a direction, your team will wander. Your customers will wonder. And you’ll re-write your pitch deck every Monday like it’s Groundhog Day.
Start with something sharp, simple, and authentic. You can and should evolve, but first, you must grow a spine.
TL;DR
(Let’s Be Honest, You Skimmed This Anyway):
• A logo is not a brand. It’s a garnish.
• “We’ll do it later” = “Let's f*** up first.”
• Great product? Cool. Now, make people care.
• Appealing to everyone is how you end up meaning nothing.
• Commit. Clarify. Or prepare to rebuild during a midair nosedive.
The Last Word:
Brand isn’t fluff. It’s not mood boards and vibes and BS buzzwords. It’s your shot at mattering. At building something, people actually remember, trust, and tell their friends about it after two drinks.
If you want help finding your business's heartbeat and making sure it actually pulses in the world, I’m here. There is no fluff, no fake hype, just a brand built like it matters.