Olivia Janisch knows a thing or two about building brands that actually mean something. As the Cofounder of SuperBrand, she helps growing companies define their brand strategy, sharpen their messaging, and bring bold, unforgettable design to life.
Born and raised between London, Sioux Falls, and San Francisco—and now based in Los Angeles—Olivia brings a global lens to the way brands tell their stories. Her work sits at the intersection of clarity and creativity, helping founders go from “we do a lot of things” to “here’s why we matter.”
We asked Olivia: What’s one branding mistake you see early-stage companies make—and how can they avoid it?
Here’s what she had to say:
“I’d say the biggest mistake I see is brands making very broad and vague promises or references to what they do. It’s important to be aspirational, but it’s equally important to not come across highfalutin or unclear on what you’re offering. With all of the options out there these days, people need to quickly know how you’re going to help solve their problems, stoke them out, or make their lives better. This ties into having a strong POV—you need to be really clear on why you exist, and communicate it quickly, and then over and over again so that people remember it.”
- We also asked: How do you help founders get clear on their messaging when everything feels important to say?
“Becoming a memorable and powerful brand comes down to good storytelling. Where did you come from, where are you now and where are you going—and how do you tie all of that together? We work with our clients to find the most compelling way to tell that story. We do this by first thinking about who the audience is. It’s all about getting into your customers’ heads and what they ACTUALLY care about. When we think like the customer, and think about their values, making the decision around what’s most important to say becomes pretty clear pretty quickly.”
Whether you’re figuring out how to position your startup or looking for fresh energy in your visual identity, Olivia’s someone to watch—and someone worth chatting with.
--- This post was migrated from connect.com and was originally published at an earlier date.