3 Signs You're Ready to Build a Brand (Not Just a Business)
How to know when it’s time to start taking your brand seriously.
→ This is a story about what to do when your business is working—but not working working. IYKYK. 😉
Introduction
You know that feeling when something’s working… but not ‘working’ working? You’ve got sales, some momentum, even a few loyal customers—but it still feels like something’s missing. That’s where brand comes in. Real brand. The kind that connects, converts, and actually sticks.
Starting a business often begins with an idea—a product or service you’re passionate about and eager to share with the world. Many founders dive straight into creating and selling, skipping crucial steps like market research and audience validation. They assume that if they love their idea, others will too, and branding gets reduced to surface-level elements like picking a name, designing a logo, and building a website, while the deeper strategy of creating emotional connections and building long-term trust is overlooked.
But here’s the truth -> Building a brand is about more than selling: it’s about crafting an identity that resonates deeply with your audience and stands the test of time. How do you know if you’re ready to move beyond running a business to building a brand? Here are three signs that indicate it’s time to take that leap—and how aligning your purpose with strategy can set your business up for lasting success.
Sign 1: People Are Buying, But You’re Not Making Money
You’ve done the hard work of validating your idea. Customers are buying, and you’ve achieved product-market fit. But when you look at your financials, something isn’t adding up. Revenue is coming in, but profitability feels elusive. You’re asking yourself, “Why isn’t this working?” The excitement of early traction is overshadowed by mounting costs or the inability to scale effectively.
Product-market fit is a critical milestone—it means you’ve built something people want. But it’s not the finish line. As Marc Andreessen, who helped popularize the term, explains: “Product-market fit means being in a good market with a product that can satisfy that market.” 1 While this gets you in the game, it doesn’t guarantee sustainable growth or profitability. To move forward, you need to go beyond solving functional problems and start building a brand that resonates emotionally with your audience and differentiates you in a crowded market.
This Is You If
You’ve validated your product or service with real customers who are buying it.
Your revenue is growing, but your profits aren’t keeping pace—or worse, you’re losing money despite sales.
You feel stuck and unsure how to turn early traction into sustainable growth.
Why It Matters
Finding product-market fit means you’ve validated that your product or service solves a real problem for a specific audience. But building a brand requires more than just solving problems—it requires creating a connection with your audience that goes beyond transactions. This is where many founders get stuck: they focus on selling instead of scaling strategically.
Example: Superhuman didn’t stop at finding product-market fit—they used it as a springboard to refine their offering and create an experience that customers couldn’t live without. Founder Rahul Vohra explained their approach: “We constantly surveyed new users to track how our product/market fit score was changing. The percent of users who answered ‘very disappointed’ quickly became our most important number.” 2 This relentless focus on customer feedback allowed them to build not just a product but a brand synonymous with excellence and efficiency.
Welcome to "Purpose Play"—your moment to pause, reflect, and realign. Because building a brand that lasts isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters. These prompts are here to help you reconnect with the strategic soul of your business and make your next move with clarity and confidence.
Purpose Play: To move from product-market fit to building a brand, ask yourself:
What am I really selling—and is it aligned with what my customers need, want, and value?
Am I making decisions based on urgency—or on what I want to achieve long-term?
What beliefs about money or growth might be holding me back from building and scaling a more sustainable brand?
Sign 2: You’re Growing, But You’re Not Connecting
Your business is growing. Sales are steady, and your audience is expanding. But something feels off—you’re not seeing the kind of buzz or advocacy that great brands inspire. Customers buy your product, but they don’t seem excited enough to talk about it. Reviews are sparse, referrals are rare, and social media mentions are quiet. You’re left wondering, “Why aren’t people talking about us?”
This is a common challenge for founders who focus on transactions over relationships. In today’s crowded marketplace, where products and services are increasingly commoditized, branding that connects is what sets thriving brands apart. According to Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over any other form of advertising.3 Without those organic conversations—word-of-mouth referrals, glowing reviews, and social buzz—growth can feel hollow and unsustainable.
This Is You If
Customers buy your product or service but rarely leave reviews or share their experiences.
Word-of-mouth referrals and organic social media mentions are inconsistent or nonexistent.
Your Net Promoter Score (NPS) is low or unclear, and repeat purchases feel unpredictable.
Why It Matters
Building connections with your audience isn’t just about making them happy—it’s about turning them into advocates who champion your brand. Advocacy drives organic growth through word-of-mouth referrals, glowing reviews, and repeat purchases. Apple’s iconic “Think Different” campaign illustrates how branding that connects can transform a business into a movement. As Steve Jobs explained during its unveiling, “Apple at its core – its core value – is that we believe that people with passion can change the world for the better… And so what we’re going to do in our first brand marketing campaign in several years is to get back to that core value.” 4 This campaign wasn’t just about selling computers—it was about celebrating creativity, individuality, and innovation. By aligning its values with those of its audience, Apple created a brand that people didn’t just buy—they evangelized.
Purpose Play: To start building stronger connections with your audience and generating advocacy for your brand, ask yourself:
What story are my customers telling themselves about my brand—if any?
How does my brand make people feel after they interact with it?
If I asked my best customer why they keep coming back, what would they say?
Sign 3: You’re Ready to Build Something That Lasts
Your business is thriving—sales are steady, operations are smooth, and your team is growing. But you’re asking yourself, “What’s next?” You’re ready to commit to building something bigger than just a business—something that stands the test of time. Whether you’re focused on creating lasting value for your customers or making an impact through purpose-driven initiatives, you know it’s time to think long-term.
This mindset is critical for founders who want their brand to endure beyond fleeting trends or short-term wins. As Richard Branson famously said: “Branding demands commitment; commitment to continuous re-invention; striking chords with people to stir their emotions; and commitment to imagination.” 5 Building something that lasts requires dedication not only to your business operations but also to your evolving relationship with your audience.
This Is You If
You’re financially stable but want your brand to create lasting value for customers and employees.
You’re ready to commit to strategies that prioritize long-term growth over short-term wins.
You see an opportunity to align your brand with a greater mission or purpose.
Why It Matters
Building something that lasts transforms your business from a transactional entity into something people believe in and rally around. Purpose-driven brands like Warby Parker have shown how integrating social good into their business model can create lasting loyalty while driving growth. Co-founder Dave Gilboa explained: “We want Warby Parker to be one of the most impactful brands in the world a hundred years from now... We view our investment in our social mission as having an incredibly high ROI over a long time frame.” 6 Whether your focus is impact or longevity, committing to the long haul ensures your brand remains relevant and resilient.
Purpose Play: To build a brand that lasts, ask yourself:
What do I want to be known for—not just now, but ten years from now?
What’s one long-term bet I need to make that I’ve been avoiding?
If my brand were a person, what values would it stand up for without apology?
Conclusion
Building a brand isn’t just about looking good—it’s about creating something meaningful, sustainable, and deeply connected to your audience. If you’ve identified a clear market opportunity, are ready to build emotional connections, and are committed to long-term growth, then congratulations—you’re ready to build a brand.
The next step? Take action. Assess where your business stands today against these signs. Start small but think big—because every great brand started as an idea fueled by purpose.
Your brand isn’t your logo. It’s the gut feeling people get when they experience your business. So, if you’re seeing these signs—it’s time to lean in, listen up, and build something that lasts.
Ready to take the leap from business owner to brand builder? Take my Brand Health Quiz to find out if your brand is built to last or grab my Brand Clarity Workbook to uncover your brand’s unique superpowers. Whether you’re starting fresh or sharpening existing strategies, these FREE RESOURCES will put you on the path to branding success.
I'd love to know—what's one sign you're seeing in your own business right now? Drop a comment or DM me—I read every one.
