The Strategy Fix: Foundations
This is my updated version of The Strategy Fix, a 5 week “course” where I’ll send you weekly information and tasks to help you get closer to your ideal brand through critical thinking and strategy.
Two years ago, I launched The Strategy Fix, and it quickly became one of the most downloaded resources on my website. In last week’s email, I mentioned that I’m retiring my freebies and moving them to my Substack account. As part of this transition, I’m updating The Strategy Fix to include more practical strategies, making it easier for you to fix your brand strategy.
The Strategy Fix is designed so you’re not only filling in the gaps in your strategy but have the tools needed to put your plan to work.
I’ll send the goods directly to your email but you have to put in the work to see some actual change and clarity in your brand.
Have questions? Drop them below and I’ll do my best to answer them.
Let’s get to work.
Establishing your brand’s foundation is like pouring the concrete for your new home. It’s literally the base that the rest of your branding will stand on. So if your foundation is weak, it’ll lead to a wobbly brand in the future.
Stick with me, because the analogy of building a house will be used multiple times as I explain the steps of The Strategy Fix.
A strong foundation will lead to clarity, direction, and resilience as your business grows. In this email, we'll cover what brand foundations are, why they matter, and how to build each component. Plus, I'll include real world examples to bring these concepts to life.
Brand Purpose: Why Your Brand Exists
Your purpose is the heart of your brand or why you’re in business outside of making a profit. We’re all in the business of making money (I mean we have bills to pay right?) however, your brand purpose is the reason you started your business and feel excited to work in it every day.
You may already have an answer to this, but if you don’t you’ll want to think about the impact you want to make and the problems you want to solve for your audience.
Some questions you may ask yourself are:
What difference do I want to make through my brand?
What kind of legacy would I like my brand to leave?
How would I like people to feel after interacting with my brand?
What would I still do, even if it was challenging and unprofitable?
These questions will help you think outside of what your business does and more on why your business does it. Your brand purpose isn’t about what you sell or the services you offer. Instead, it’s about the deeper, underlying reason your business exists.
Brand Purpose Examples
These are some purpose driven businesses that do an excellent job at putting their brand why at the forefront of their brand, and everything that follows supports this.
Ben & Jerry’s: To make the best possible ice cream in the nicest way possible while standing up for social justice.
Ben & Jerry’s is a great example of using the business to do good in the world. They have used their platform to advocate for climate change, racial injustice, and fair trade practices, consistently aligning their business decisions with their purpose beyond profit.
Allbirds: To prove that comfort, sustainability, and style don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Allbirds is known for their eco friendly approach to shoe manufacturing and is committed to innovating with sustainable materials and processes to create low impact products.
Warby Parker: To offer designer eyewear at affordable prices while combating the problem of global vision impairment.
With their “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair” program, Warby Parker has been providing eyeglasses to underserved communities, weaving social impact into their core purpose.
How To Create A Brand Purpose
After you look at the examples provided and ask yourself the questions above you should try your hand at writing a statement on why your brand exists. Its okay if you can’t come up with some big philosophical statement (its not that deep). If that happens, try writing out a list of the problems you like solving that has nothing to do with your services or products. For examples: I like making people happy, I like donating parts of my profit to charitable organizations, I would love to see social justices solved in my lifetime, I care about climate change, etc.. This may give you an idea on where to start on your brand’s purpose.
Your Brand Purpose Formula
[Brand Name] exists to [solve X problem] for [target audience] by [how you do it]. Our purpose is to [positive impact or transformation].
If you’re skeptical on how that would work, here’s an example:
Patagonia: "Patagonia exists to help solve the environmental crisis by creating sustainable outdoor gear and promoting ethical business practices. Our purpose is to inspire and empower people to protect the planet.”
Sweet Daddy Designs (my own brand): "Sweet Daddy Designs exists to help rebellious CEOs build strong, unique brands through strategic design and creative identity. We empower bold leaders to communicate their vision clearly and confidently. Our purpose is to help our clients stand out and make their mark.”
Brand Vision: Where Your Brand Is Going
Ever map out your goals and aspirations? Well, that’s basically your vision. Your brand’s vision is the ultimate destination or end goal for your brand. This is a bold, aspirational look at what success looks like in the long run. Your vision should be a guiding star shaping your brand’s decisions and growth.
If you don’t know where to start, here are some questions you can ask yourself to help define your vision:
If I achieved my wildest dreams for this brand, what would it look like?
What does my brand ultimately strive to create, change, or achieve?
What are the big goals I hope my brand accomplishes?
If anything was possible, what would my brand become?
Brand Vision Examples
Here are some examples of brands that lead with their vision and goals in mind:
Impossible Foods: To eliminate the need for animals in the food system by 2035.
Impossible Foods is clear in its vision to reduce the environmental impact of animal agriculture by providing delicious plant-based alternatives.
Tesla: To create a sustainable energy ecosystem, with renewable energy at the forefront.
While Tesla is widely known, the brand’s vision goes beyond cars to creating sustainable energy solutions, like solar and energy storage, aiming for a more comprehensive environmental impact.
TOMS: A world where every purchase has a positive impact on others.
TOMS pioneered the “One for One” model, starting with shoes and now extending to a variety of products that drive social change globally.
How to Create A Brand Vision
If you’re familiar with making short or long term goals for your business then this will be along the same lines. The first thing you can do is write a list of everything you’d like to accomplish. This goal can be for the next 6 months, year, or 5 years+. The goal when planning your brand vision is to make bold claims that you can use in your day to day as inspiration.
Your Brand Vision Formula
Our vision is to [what your brand aspires to achieve or change] by [method or approach], creating a future where [ideal impact or outcome for your audience, industry, or the world].
Here are some examples of this formula in the wild:
IKEA: "Our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people by offering well-designed, functional, and affordable home furnishing solutions, creating a future where everyone feels at home."
Charity: Water: "Our vision is to bring clean and safe drinking water to every person in the world by funding sustainable water solutions, creating a future where no one suffers from water scarcity."
Band Mission: How You’re Getting There
Over the years, I’ve shifted from calling this part of the process “the mission” to “commitments” because it’s more actionable and clear. Your commitments are essentially the game plan — the day to day approach that helps you fulfill your vision.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help define your mission:
What specific problem am I solving through my brand?
What daily actions does my brand take to fulfill its purpose?
How can I articulate the difference my brand makes in simple terms?
What activities am I willing to do every day to bring my commitments to life?
Brand Mission Examples
Crayola: To help parents and teachers raise creatively alive children.
Crayola doesn’t just make art supplies, they focus on nurturing creativity and self-expression among young people, helping them learn and grow through art.
Bombas: To help those in need by providing clean, comfortable socks, starting with the homeless community.
Bombas’ mission focuses on fulfilling an essential need for people experiencing homelessness. For every pair of socks sold, a pair is donated, aligning their mission with action.
Patagonia: We’re in business to save our home planet.
Pantagonia’s mission is short, sweet, and memorable. It also drive every aspect of its business from sustainable production to activism. Their commitment to environmental causes, such as giving 1% of profits to grassroots activists, reflects this mission.
How To Create Your Brand Mission
When you start thinking about your brand’s mission you’ll need to look at what you’re comfortable committing to every day. This could be something aspirational like Patagonia or practical like Crayola. You’ll need to establish your what, who, and why as well as the impact or value you aim to create.
Your Brand Mission Formula
[What your brand does] for [target audience] by [how you do it], in order to [impact or purpose].
Here’s an example of how this formula may work in the wild:
Company type: Online Illustration Course
What you do: Teach foundational illustration skills.
Target audience: Aspiring artists (especially beginners).
How you do it: By offering accessible, step by step online courses.
Impact or purpose: To empower creativity and help people bring their ideas to life.
Mission Statement: "We teach foundational illustration skills to aspiring artists by offering accessible, step by step online courses because everyone deserves the tools to express their creativity and bring their ideas to life.”
Brand Values: What You Stand For
Brand values are the principles and beliefs that guide your brand’s actions both internally and externally. This drives how you conduct business and how customers view your brand.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help define your values:
What core beliefs do I want my audience to know about my brand?
How do my personal values align with what I want in my brand?
What principles am I unwilling to compromise in my brand?
How do my values differentiate my brand from others?
Brand Values Examples:
Patagonia: Quality, Integrity, Environmentalism, Justice, Not bound by convention.
Patagonia doesn’t just talk the talk, they actively integrate these values into everything they do from using recycled materials to promoting a repair and reuse culture through their Worn Wear program. Transparency, such as publishing their supply chain practices, builds trust with consumers. These values ensure Patagonia stands out as a leader in ethical outdoor wear, and they appeal strongly to eco conscious consumers who align with their mission.
Airbnb: Belonging, Inclusivity, Empathy, Authenticity, Innovation
Airbnb’s values of belonging and inclusivity are directly reflected in its product: creating spaces for people to feel at home anywhere in the world. Their values help craft meaningful customer interactions while helping the brand focus on its position as a industry disruptor.
Lego: Imagination, Creativity, Fun, Learning, Care
LEGO’s values ensure their products encourage innovative play, nurture lifelong learning, and support the environment. These values have shaped the brand over decades and has helped the company branch into movies, gaming, and education.
How to Create Your Brand Values
Your brand values can showcase a wide range of how you operate as a business. I usually suggest having 3-5 brand values that really show who your brand is. Here are some ways you can distinguish your values:
Start with your brand’s purpose. Why does your brand exist? What changes are you trying to make?
Identify your core beliefs: What principles guide your decisions? What does your brand stand for?
Focus on what your audience cares about? What values resonate with your ideal audience? How do you align with their priorities?
Create 3-5 distinct values. These should be clear and actual with a short explanation to describe what you mean.
An example of great brand values are:
Company: Eco Friendly Coffee Brand
Sustainability: We commit to eco-friendly practices at every step.
Quality: We deliver exceptional taste without compromise.
Fairness: We prioritize ethical partnerships with farmers and suppliers.
Transparency: We openly share our journey toward carbon neutrality.
Whew, that was a lot of information. Did it give you any ideas on ways that you can fix your brand strategy? I hope so. If you have ideas or questions please drop them in the comments. If you’d like help working out your strategy, you can work with me here. If you’d like to continue the series, remember this is only week 1, our next emails will cover:
Love this! Its so important to ask yourself all these questions to get a clear pov of what you are/will be doing ⭐️