What even is a brand?

A lot of people think a brand is just a logo and a snappy tagline. Slap a nice font and some trendy colors on your website, and boom—you’ve got a brand, right?

Not quite.

A brand is so much more than the logo you pay a designer to create, or the Instagram grid you spend hours curating. A brand is an experience, a feeling, and most importantly—it's the perception that lives in the minds of your customers. That perception, by the way, is something you can influence, but you don’t completely control.

So, what exactly is a brand?

It’s how people feel when they hear your business name, how they describe your services when you’re not in the room, and how they relate to your company in their own lives.

Even if you’re not being intentional, your customers are forming opinions based on every interaction they have with your business. The emails you send, the way you respond to customer inquiries, the words you use on your website—all of it is shaping your brand.

So, when people reduce branding to just a logo or social media post, they’re missing the point entirely.

A brand is the sum total of every touchpoint your business has with the outside world.

It’s not:

❌ Just a logo or visual identity.

❌ A one-time marketing campaign.

❌ Something you “build” once and never touch again.

It is:

✅ The perception of your business in the minds of your audience.

✅ The way you make people feel and what they say about you when you're not in the room.

✅ Constantly evolving and shaped by every interaction, big or small.

Why Brands Matter (And Why You’re Already Building One)

As a founder, your brand isn’t just a marketing tool—it’s your opportunity to build something that stands for more than just products or services. You have the chance to create a business that resonates with your audience on a personal, emotional level.

Why is this important?

Because the most successful brands are those that connect with their audience. They’re not just selling products, they’re selling feelings. When a customer buys from your brand, they’re not just purchasing a product—they’re buying into a lifestyle, a community, a set of values that align with her own.

If you’re not intentional about building that brand, you’ll end up with something shallow and forgettable.

Your competitors are already building brands that speak directly to your customers, and if you don’t put in the work to craft something meaningful, you’ll be left behind.

Exercise

Feeling overwhelmed? Let's break this down into bite-sized pieces. Here's an exercise you can do in just 15 minutes (yes, even while waiting for your laundry to finish).

Set a timer for 5 minutes and quickly jot down answers to these questions:

• What problem does my business solve?

• How do I want my customers to feel when they interact with my brand?

• What's one thing that sets me apart from my competitors?

Take the next 5 minutes to think about your ideal customer.

Write down:

• Three words that describe them

• Their biggest challenge

• Their ultimate goal

In the final 5 minutes, draft your brand's elevator pitch:

[Your Business Name] helps [ideal customer] to [solve problem/achieve goal] by [your unique approach].

Remember, this doesn't have to be perfect. The goal is to get your thoughts flowing and start building the foundation of your brand strategy. You can always refine it later.

Bonus: Stick this somewhere visible in your workspace. It'll serve as a quick reminder of your brand's core as you go about your busy day.