Dave Blakely’s Post

You put the value of your brand on your balance sheet, right? How about using it to create disruptive growth? 📈 🦄 💰 Buckle up for Brand Ventures! Shane Ginsberg

New Chapter. New Challenge. Same Goal: Change the Game. A few months ago, I took a leap, joining Mach49. This wasn’t just a career shift. It's given me a whole new purpose in life. It was about embracing a mission both monumental and undeniably necessary. Because in this world, growth isn’t just a goal—it’s existential. And finding new avenues for growth?  Absolutely essential. But here’s the thing—our journey at Mach49 is about far more than just achieving growth. It’s about sparking renewal. We’re in the venture-driven growth business, reimagining and rejuvenating what’s possible from the inside out. And over the past decade, alongside nearly 200 global companies, Mach49 has mastered the art of turning ambitious visions into tangible reality, launching game-changing ventures at startup speed. Our founder and co-CEO, Linda Yates, literally wrote the book on this. And now, we’re taking this accumulated wisdom and hands-on experience, channeling our collective expertise into a groundbreaking endeavor. A startup. Picture this: A punk AF cadre of brand strategists and venture builders with a legacy of launching over 1,000 startups between them now focused exclusively on empowering consumer brands. Why? Because brands that know that their BRAND—not just tech, operations, or distribution—is actually their core competency not only lead their categories—they redefine them. That’s the impetus behind Brand Ventures. We’re unlocking businesses hidden within the world’s most iconic brands. Because honestly, who wants another transient brand activation, sponsorship, or campaign? We’re questioning the status quo, challenging the ephemeral nature of traditional marketing spends, and proposing a more fruitful and sustainable path forward. Imagine constructing a diverse portfolio of new ventures that transcend your current market, engaging entirely new customer communities where your brand has earned the right to play. In a landscape obsessed with the next big thing, we concentrate on the enduring power of renewal—guiding brands back to their foundational strengths, tapping into latent potential, and aligning with missions that matter to the people they serve. Brand Ventures isn’t just another strategy. It embodies our commitment to profound, lasting change, supported by a team of exceptionally bright, dynamic individuals. Ry Luikens (the star of this video and a bright light in every way) Mark Adams (my partner in crime and other endeavors) Janet Kang (who makes the impossible real) Nils Beers (who makes the possible...magical) Kelly Nizolek (who brings it together) Valerie Hoecke (our rock and lighthouse) Clement Wang (our sage) Chris T. (my alpha and omega) Together, we’re on a mission to guide brands back to their essence. Standing with Mach49, We’re not just here to play the game. We’re here to change it. Want to talk about how we’re helping iconic brands find new ways to grow? Let’s chat.

Every company has a brand of some sort - some stronger or global, others weaker or local. It's how customers connect with companies and invite them into their wallets. But brands also represent a significant and frequently underutilized asset that can become a platform for powerful growth. A growth platform that can be explored faster and often with less risk and investment than other company assets. Here are some catalytic ideas for how that might be done . . .

Brands have ability to make you dream and make you fly, it is one of the more valuables assets you have. We believe in building startups with the most iconic brands out there, either labeled or white labeled. This is why we are launching a new business line called #brandventures have a chat with Shane Ginsberg Ry Luikens or me in case you are interested in: 🤖 Transformation and renewal: Brand Ventures is pioneering a path for iconic brands to rediscover themselves and reignite their market relevance. How do you see this offering influencing the future of established brands? 🛠 Arming with the right tools/methods/people: With Mach49’s expertise, Brand Ventures is equipping bold leaders with everything they need to turn vision into reality. From your POV, how might our involvement help level up a C-Level Exec? 👬 Exploring new communities of customers: Venturing into uncharted territories, Brand Ventures aims to connect brands with communities they’ve never engaged before–or never even knew existed. Why is this interesting? #venturebuilding #ventureinvesting

Ready to show off your brand's swag? At this year’s Expo West, we’re ⁠ giving brands the chance to show off their best drip in an epic CPG fashion show, thanks to Swag.com 🤩 ⁠ ⁠ Think Zoolander gone CPG — starting at the Startup CPG booth (#8820), brands will walk up and down the aisle decked head-to-toe in their hottest merch while our hosts, Daniel Scharff and Patricia Menegoto, debate who has the best blue-steel and the most envious swag. You've all put in the effort to show up with some amazing brand swag, now's your chance to show it off for the cameras!⁠ ⁠ 🌟 Best of all, the brand deemed most fashionable will win a Startup CPG editorial feature + a cool swag box from Swag.com⁠ ⁠ ↗️ Swipe right to see some of the brands who will be strutting their stuff on the runway.⁠ ⁠ Interested in participating? Please fill out the form posted in the announcements channel in our Slack. DM us if you have any questions.⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ #cpg #startups #expowest #branding #swag

In the early stages of a business, every impression matters. Crafting a strong brand isn't just about a logo; it's about creating a lasting connection with your audience. It's your identity, your story, and the promise you make. A powerful brand not only attracts customers but opens doors to partnerships and funding opportunities. Join us at the Aiivon Startup Forum next Wednesday as we delve into the art of early-stage branding. Let's shape your startup into a memorable force in the market! Don't miss the chance to accelerate your journey. Register here: bit.ly/aiivonstartupforum #StartupBranding #EarlyStageSuccess #AiivobStartupForum

A bit of branding fun! When I formed my group structure of companies I needed a brand. Not wanting to sound like a venture capital fund or something boring I thought "What would make the 9yo Johnny grin?" The brand universe of "Evil Corporations" came to mind. Think Omni Consumer Products, Wayland Yatani, Lexcorp, Cyberdyne Systems, Soylent etc. While not being at all "evil", I did want to play with a similar typographical and iconographic system. And that is the origin of Autonomous Investments and its art-deco-inspired logo. Now that we need merch I realised we needed a catchphrase. As homage to the hilarious Silicon Valley (if you are in investment, tech or startups you HAVE TO watch this), I chose "making the world a better place". So my question for you lot, is which layout do you think is best?

💫Start with Y💫 It's not about the product or the service; it's about the purpose. It's not just about the "what" or "how", it's about the "why”. Beyond the surface of what you offer, there's a deeper purpose that drives you every day. ◾It's the reason for your brand to be. ◾It has to be at the core of everything you do. ◾It defines the heart of our brand. Let's explore together the journey behind your brand, where passion, purpose, and innovation converge. Get in touch today.💡✨ #PurposeDriven #WhyMatters #startwithwhy #brandpurpose #brandstorytelling #brandstrategy

"We have a logo from Canva, it does the job" It really does the job! Ok, let me explain. If you're just starting out and you need to research the market, have an MVP and need to get the domain name and "book" the social media handles with your name, then sure, go ahead and get an AI-generated or Canva logo. If you want to build a proper brand that has a well-thought-out strategy, target audience, tone, and voice and it's set for growth, you seriously need to think about hiring a design expert. 🔍 Why does brand consistency matter? Builds Trust - Consistency in your brand's visual elements and messaging creates a sense of reliability and professionalism. Enhances Recognition - A strong, consistent brand helps your startup stand out in a crowded market. Boosts Revenue - By aligning your brand's visuals and messaging, you create a powerful, unified presence that resonates with your target audience and drives conversions. Streamlines Marketing Efforts - Your team knows exactly how to represent your brand, saving time and resources while maintaining a high standard of quality. At GetMarkt we specialize in helping startups like yours create and maintain brand consistency. From logo design and color schemes to tone of voice and messaging, our expert team is here to ensure your brand not only looks great but performs exceptionally well. Let's chat about how we can help you build a brand that drives trust, recognition, and revenue. 💼💡 Contact us: filip@getmarkt.co

Warning: corny pun coming up. But since it's Halloween, here are all the things that "spook" me the most right now. 😱👻 1. Marketing teams that claim to be "building a new category" when they're really just using $20 words to describe a me-too product 2. Startups that have truly built something that's meaningfully different, met with buyers who write them off as a commodity 3. CEOs who have a vision for something ambitious, only to see their plans undermined by teams who can't align on direction 4. Startups that enter an already crowded space with the hopes that they win by can simply "building a better product" 5. When people think that category category design is mostly about getting an analyst firm to mint their category as an official term What's scaring you right now? #categorydesign #categorythinking #halloween