You would not go to an auto mechanic for a tooth filling any more than you would ask a dentist to fix your car. Yet after years of mentoring early-stage founders, I’m still surprised by how many handle their own branding.
I’ve seen logos that don’t fit the business, colour palettes that clash, taglines that could belong to anyone, and websites that are too wordy or confusing. Even when the product or service is solid, the visual presentation often isn’t. And in an era when first impressions happen online, that matters.
Of course, I understand the need to save money, especially when you’re bootstrapping or chasing your first funding round. You might ask a student or a friend who “knows Wix” to help, or turn to AI to create a logo. However, before you go live, get feedback from people whose opinions you respect. And be cautious with AI-generated designs. AI-created logos are largely based on existing images and may not be original or legally trademarkable. What seems clever and inexpensive now could become a costly legal problem later, as a friend of mine recently found out.
Branding isn’t decoration or just your logo and colours; it’s strategy made visible. It shapes how people experience and remember your brand. When your visuals, tone and message align, everything else starts to work harder for you. Your brand represents your values, reputation, and promise to your customers/clients/people you serve. Make it unforgettably awesome.
A happy lesson from the World Flourishing Organization (WFO)
Recently, we collaborated with the World Flourishing Organization, a company whose leaders are highly educated, intelligent, creative and global, who recognised they weren’t rebranding specialists. They understood that bringing in outside help was not a weakness but a strength.
They came to LESA Communications to help reshape their identity to reflect their evolving mission and international reach. Together, we refined their logo, colour palette and visual identity, and redesigned their website, brand guide, and social templates. The result is a coherent, modern brand that reflects who they are and where they’re going.
“Our mission is to make flourishing a clear, measurable, and achievable goal for the future of work to benefit employees, organizations, and society as a whole. Peak performance happens when flourishing becomes the measure of success. LESA helped us craft this message clearly, succinctly, and memorably. It has been a rewarding and eye-opening experience working together. We learned so much.”
—Eleanor Allen, CEO of the World Flourishing Organization
What made the collaboration successful was trust. They focused on advancing the science and practice of flourishing while letting specialists handle design and strategy. That is how real progress happens, through collaboration, not control.
The LESA Communications team also benefited personally and professionally. Working with WFO deepened our understanding of the science behind the six dimensions of human flourishing, (as defined by the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University): happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, close social relationships and financial and material stability. Applying this science to the workplace is part of the WFO’s mission, while at LESA, our mission is translate purpose and impact into clear, cohesive visual identities.
Common start-up pitfalls and why branding matters for funding
Beyond branding, I see a few recurring mistakes among early-stage entrepreneurs. Many struggle to define a clear value proposition, relying on vague claims like “We’re changing the world,” or We’re transforming African healthcare,” which sound inspiring but mean little without proof. Messaging is often inconsistent and too few founders invite honest feedback. Arrogance, not confidence, is another issue.
All of this affects your ability to raise funds. Investors and donors are drawn to clarity and coherence. If your brand, pitch and materials are inconsistent or unclear, it signals uncertainty. Strong branding doesn’t replace substance, but it communicates credibility and seriousness, which are essential when someone is deciding whether to back you.
That’s why professional help is worth it. My question is always the same: can you afford not to?
If budgets are tight, talk to agencies about payment plans or deferred options. Many, especially in the Global South, are affordable and every bit as skilled as their international peers. Funders may hesitate to allocate money to branding, but it merits trying convincing them to earmark a small amount. It’s not simply an expense; it’s a lever for growth.
As the World Flourishing Organization discovered, the right collaboration doesn’t just make your organisation look better, it makes it work better, makes your story stronger, and will be more likely to attract the support you seek.
