Building an engaging brand is one of the most challenging parts of starting a company. This is especially true in competitive sectors where you need to cut through the noise to create connections with your target customers. So I wanted to hear from experts on how to build a brand from scratch.

Lucinda Chambers and Serena Hood are co-founders of Collagerie: a leading fashion, interiors, beauty and lifestyle marketplace. The former British Vogue editors founded Collagerie in 2019 and quickly built their brand through interesting and dynamic ways.

Lucinda and Serena share their advice on what to do first when building a digital brand and how to ensure your brand story and visual identity work well together.

Lucinda and Serena’s advice:

• Work hard to realise the idea that’s in your head when designing the look of your brand
• Persevere until you get this right; don’t hesitate to start again from scratch if you’re not convinced
• If you are not a designer, employ someone who is
• Know your own weaknesses and either choose a partner who complements your strengths, or hire someone who does this
• Settle the visual side of your brand first; tone of voice will follow on
• Take time over choosing the name; experiment with a few, try them out on friends
• Use focus groups/groups of friends and bombard them with questions
• Use social media; take time crafting promotional emails
• Believe in what you do; authenticity shows and will build trust in your customers
• Never be afraid to ask advice; admit your vulnerability
• Take time out and step back when you’re struggling to resolve a problem
• Collaboration can be valuable

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason. Email us at hello@fallowfieldmason.com or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason.

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes.

FF&M recommends:

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod. Link & Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the Show.

Edelman recently reported that ‘81% of consumers need to trust a brand to consider purchasing it’ so it is clear that brands which take time to build impact, education and purpose into their offering will also build trust with consumers and ultimately increase their sales.

In this episode, I hear from Titi Bello, Founder of Ori Lifestyle, the luxury hair care brand now stocked in Selfridges and Harrods. Born out of Titi’s experiences with her own hair loss and seeing her daughter develop hair insecurities, Ori Lifestyle offers high-performance hair care products alongside coaching courses to improve customers’ confidence in their hair.

Listen on to hear Titi’s advice on why building an educational and purpose-led brand is crucial for success.

Titi’s advice:

• Find the product that meets the needs of a particular market
• A good product is not enough on its own; marketing and visibility are crucial
• To have the edge a product needs to look good as well as be effective
• If a product can be multipurpose, so much the better
• It may well be useful to educate and challenge your customers and be honest with them about results; this will build trust and loyalty and ensure repeat sales
• Take your community with you; use feedback. Establish contact via blogs / whatsapp / email and always listen to them
• Your relationship with your customers will be your motivating factor and keep you going
• “Go in with your heart” - businesses that stand the test of time are not just in it for financial gain
• Aesthetics and branding are vital and must represent you and your values
• Don’t over analyse; just start!
• Know what you don’t know and find a partner with a different skill set to yours

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason. Email us at hello@fallowfieldmason.com or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason.

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes.

FF&M recommends:

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod. Link & Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the Show.

With Protega Global reporting that 77% of UK consumers believe brands should use ‘as little packaging as possible’, it’s important for new brands to research how to reduce their environmental impact.

As packaging can be a huge barrier to entry, I wanted to speak to someone who has created a stunning brand package.

In this episode, I hear from Randi Christiansen, CEO & Co-Founder of Néccessaire, one of the world’s leading body care brands. Founded in 2018, Néccessaire provides customers with minimal, high-functioning products and is now certified as both climate neutral and plastic neutral.

Keep listening to hear Randi’s advice on how to create stand-out packaging for your brand and why it is so important to maintain a consistent visual identity.

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason. Email us at hello@fallowfieldmason.com or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason.

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes.

FF&M recommends:

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod. Link & Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the Show.

Defining your target audience is key when building your brand as it’s so important to know who you’re selling your products or services to.

In this episode, I hear from Aaron Chatterley, co-founder of teen beauty brand indu and beauty retailer Feelunique. Having co-founded Feelunique in 2005, Aaron and his team grew the business which was acquired by Sephora for £132 million in 2021. Since then, Aaron has co-founded indu to create beauty and skincare products tailored specifically to teenage skin.

Aaron shares his advice on how to identify your target audience and how to build strong customer relationships with them.

Aaron's advice:

• Be aware of all the different audiences out there
• Depending on your product, attracting a younger audience early means you build a relationship sooner
• Look for a gap in the market
• Be confident in your authenticity
• It is worth spending money on doing thorough research: when you have defined your target audience, work with a cohort of these people and interrogate them exhaustively
• Be clear about who exactly your target audience is
• It is easier for the retailer - and better for the investor too - to have an absolutely clear target audience
• Your primary concerns are the excellence of your product (which means it will be bought a second time) and your authenticity

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason. Email us at hello@fallowfieldmason.com or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason.

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes.

FF&M recommends:

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod. Link & Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the Show.

Keep listening to hear why Millie thinks a brand voice is critical for any new brand and how to begin defining yours.

Millie’s advice:

• When branding your product, it is not just a question of logo
• Vitally important is that the branding should show the ethics of the company
• The brand identity will always represent the values of the founder (if a product is taken over, the brand identity is precious)
• When establishing a brand identity, try putting in a box the ten things in your home you value most - and then identifying what they have in common. Your brand should reflect who you are, your DNA
• Imagine your customer is yourself
• Do your research, and be sure you know your audience (as well as your competitors)
• Then the tone of voice will come naturally, followed by the name, the packaging, the style
• These things will generate trust and loyalty in your customers
• Your brand voice will evolve over time, and rebranding can occur spontaneously
• It is important to be clear and authoritative
• If you believe in the efficacy of your product your brand voice will be strong

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason. Email us at hello@fallowfieldmason.com or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason.

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the Show.

We often hear that print newspaper and magazine sales are declining as people switch to digital versions of their favourite titles. However, print still plays an important role in the publishing world and as ‘brand’ is such an important part of this I wanted to speak to someone who had started their own.

In this episode, I hear from Lucy Cleland, co-founder and editorial director of the renowned B Corp Certified lifestyle magazine Country & Town House. Lucy co-founded the magazine in 2007, just before the financial crash of 2008, and has since continually advocated for living a ‘life in balance’ through its very popular print and digital editions.

Keep listening to learn why Lucy thinks brand is important for any business but also why timing on developing it is key.

Lucy's advice:

• Be aware of your market, and your position within it
• Concentrate on your unique selling point
• When you’re starting out, brand is not necessarily the most urgent or important thing, as there’ll be so much else to get on top of
• Take advice from your shareholders or board if possible
• Invest in design and good writers
• Consider the ethos of B Corp and promote its message where appropriate
• Your branding may grow organically with your business
• Use LinkedIn for help and advice
• Remember you are your own best resource

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason. Email us at hello@fallowfieldmason.com or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason.

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes.

FF&M recommends:

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod. Link & Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the Show.

As defining your mission, vision and purpose statements is an important step when building a comprehensive brand for your business I was keen to speak to someone who has not only done this successfully but also recently.

In this episode, I hear from Julian Parmiter, co-founder and CEO of Create Academy. Founded in 2019, Create Academy offers beautifully curated video courses providing unprecedented access to the expertise of today’s best designers, makers, gardeners and chefs - with a mission to help people build their creative confidence.

Having recently evolved Create Academy’s original proposition by launching an annual membership offering, Julian shares his advice on how to define your brand’s mission, vision and purpose and how to remain true to them as you scale.

Julian’s advice:

• The mission is what you want to do/produce/create
• The vision is where you want to go with it/how you want to see the world changed by what you do/where you want to be in the future/ what will your impact be
• The purpose is your motivation/why you want to do it
• The “what” and the “how” will probably change. The “why” should stay with you. It’s the “why” - the purpose - which will bring investors and others with you, will lift you when you’re down. So take time to articulate this one (even if privately, just to yourself) early on. It will represent your personality, your ethos, your creed
• You are the best person to articulate it
• Keep these three things distinguished one from the other
• Understanding your customers will inevitably lead to changing or adapting your vision in time but you need to stay relevant and be flexible
• You have to be able to answer the question: “who cares?”
• Don’t spend too much time and effort at the start on branding
• Find inspiration in other people and other places

You can contact Julian via email on julian@createacademy.com

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.
DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason
Host Juliet Fallowfield LinkedIn
Submit a guest via this link
Submit a question for the next guest

Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.

FF&M recommends:

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod. Link & Licence

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the Show.

With Statista reporting there are 35 million Instagram users in the UK, social media platforms are a powerful tool to build brand awareness and convert followers into loyal customers.

Given this season is a focus on all things branding I was keen to speak to an expert content creator.

In this episode, I hear from Estée Lalonde, CEO and founder of bodycare brand MIRROR WATER. The brand champions mirror work and self-care, inspired by Estée’s quest to find effective relaxation tools during the pandemic. Estée has enjoyed a long career working within social media building a following of over 677k before founding her brand in 2021 which has already amassed a following of 35k.

She shares her advice on how to build your brand through social media, why doing the initial creative work on your brand is crucial for success and how DM’ing one of your idols (in this case Bobbi Brown) can be the motivation you need to keep going.

Estée’s advice:

• Always start with a good business plan
• Branding so important; to start with, concentrate on aspirational visuals that can then inform further work
• Don’t rush this stage:
• Create mood boards
• Take care of yourself and go with your intuition
• Get to the essence of what you want
• Settle on a name, which will take you in the right direction
• Look for a designer to support you and ensure you click with them, build that relationship to a point of trust
• Be strategic on social; post regularly and expect this to be a slow build
• Social media can help you launch, it is a big time commitment however it will pay dividends
• Brand instagramming is harder than being a social media influencer (owned content v earned, DM FF&M to find out more on this)
• Posting every day becomes a burden so look at process and systems to help you on this
• You can’t do it all so be clear on what success looks like and work backwards
• Keep it lean - less is more in all things in business, focus on one thing and do it well rather than trying to post on multiple platforms all the time
• Take time to reflect on what you’re doing and enjoy it
• Expect to be overwhelmed at times; but hang on it there!

If you'd like to contact Estée you can reach her via @esteelalonde on Instagram

FF&M enables you to own your own PR.
DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason
Host Juliet Fallowfield LinkedIn
Submit a guest via this link
Submit a question for the next guest

Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.

FF&M recommends:

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory

Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail

Support the Show.