In the last few years there has been so much talk of brand. Personal Brands, Lifestyle Brands, Legacy Brands. My question has always been what is the difference between building a brand and building a business or is there even a difference at all?

In order to create a strong business you must create a strong brand...now I’m not saying you have to spend a ton of money on the hippest design firm to create the coolest logo and website. Nope! Brand is about what the consumer or customer can expect from your business not the look and design. We’ve all been to that mom and pop restaurant that has an outdated aesthetic, no social media presence but there is a line out the front door for that delicious burger or root beer float. It has nothing to do with their brand guidelines but everything to do with what each person knows they are about to eat...this is brand. Every person in that line out the door is experiencing the mom and pop’s brand. Every order, every smile, the whole experience. That is brand. To contrast, we have all seen or rather experienced those businesses with cool branding, slogans, and a tight website that are not profitable and aren’t getting attention or traction.

So why is this? The answer is simple, it’s about brand. Again, not talking about color, typeface, and logos but rather what the consumer can expect from your business. What does your business do? No, not what is the service or product, but rather when the rubber hits the road, what is it that your business does when things get hard? Does your business cut corners? Is your business conditional in the way that it takes care of its customers? What does your business do when no one is looking? This is brand.

A few years ago, I heard a story about the founder of Patagonia telling folks not to buy his products but rather to repair the ones that they already had. While this causes a bit of a fiscal issue for all the folks in charge of the dollars and cents at Patagonia, it's the reason why I carry a Patagonia backpack (I have had the same backpack since Junior year of college and it’s still got years of life left.) and the next time I need one I’ll buy another Patagonia. Why? Because I know that Patagonia has built a brand around quality, honesty, as well as philanthropy. Here’s the story if you are interested. This is building a brand vs. building a business. If the goal is that you win and your customer loses, that’s not brand. If you are building a brand that has the end consumer in mind and you are unwilling to compromise on their best interests, this is building a brand.

So what is the difference between building a brand and building a business? A brand is built to help the end consumer while a business is simply a transactional process between two or more parties. Brands can transcend market ebbs and flows due to loyalty that has been built over the long haul while businesses will struggle to preserve without that loyalty. Building a business can be faked but building a brand can only be faked for so long until your audience realizes that you can’t deliver what is expected every time.

If you are in the middle of building your brand, keep it up. It’s hard, it takes time, and ultimately it does change and grow and that's how you know you are on to something. Stay the course and keep building a brand that has the end consumer in mind. It's worth it and it is something that will last.

If this brought you value or you just have questions, please feel free to reach out. You can reach us at thelevco@gmail.com or you can find us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @thelevco.

Be well!