Kessel Run’s Post

Great article about the cold hard truth of setting up a new business - brought to you by the good folks at FinishingAndCoating.com. New owner Robert Hunsucker acquired a can of worms when he bought a existing business. Very rarely do you ever see a handoff go smoothly. Very rarely do you see a CEO talking about how hard it is to run a business. Its hard! Even Jensen Hwang, the Founder & CEO at NVIDIA, said if he knew how hard it was going to be to start Nvidia, he might have skipped it altogether. Thanks, Robert, for such a great overview of what it takes to succeed. And good wishes for your continued success. #startup #acquisition #plating #mfg https://lnkd.in/gCS2C25G

Harley Davidson’s biggest problem? Their customers are dying. Literally. The brand that once thrived on a rebellious spirit now faces a rebellion of time. This is why businesses need to take Venture Building seriously. Because in business, as in life, standing still is the surest way to be left behind. #VentureBuilding #Innovation #Growth

What's in a brand? What's in a logo? Not something I cared much about a while back. But now I care a lot. Here's a peek into our new co/brand thinking. 1. Revenue Yeah ya know $. Real cash. We move that up to the right and fast, but we also do it sustainably. There's a lot of smoke and mirrors about value exchange out there. Not here folks. At the end of the day it's about Revenue, with a capital R. 2. Navigation If you think there's a silver bullet out there that catapults revenue to the moon, think again. You need to expertly navigate a series of minefields to succeed in early-stage startups. Real co-pilots are expert navigators. It's subtle, but can you see the nod to navigation in our logo? 3. Bold Early-stage startups are not for the faint of heart. You have to be bold and take calculated bets. We wanted a bold name and logo. 4. War time Startup environments are akin to war. They are chaotic, you can get taken out unexpectedly from nowhere, and you have to think very strategically but at the same time, you need to be tactically adept in order to make consistent gains. The typography was chosen for its militaristic look. So what's the name of the new company and brand? Is this the full logo? Will there be branded swag? So many questions. Sign up to the FREE newsletter for the full reveal this weekend. #sales #startups #venturecapital #GTMdebt #SaaS

Tops of the morning. Itel just re-branded. Even the big dogs know the importance of rebranding in business. People are moved by what they see. Rebrand today and see the difference in your business growth. Avar Design 💯 #rebranding #growth #growthmarketing #newbeginnings #launch #launchingsoon #itel

🚀 Dive into the fascinating journey of LEGO - from humble beginnings to becoming a global phenomenon! 🌟 🔥 This inspiring video chronicles the incredible story of how a simple idea blossomed into one of the most beloved and iconic brands in the world. From the brink of bankruptcy to triumph, LEGO’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance, creativity, and unwavering belief in your product. 💡 💡 Entrepreneurs, take note: No dream is too big, and no challenge is insurmountable when you have passion and conviction driving you forward. Let LEGO’s story serve as a reminder to never give up on your vision, even when faced with obstacles along the way. 🚀 💡 Whether you’re just starting out on your entrepreneurial journey or navigating through rough waters, remember that every setback is an opportunity to learn, grow, and innovate. Embrace the journey, stay true to your values, and never lose sight of the incredible impact you can make. 💪 #Entrepreneurship #NeverGiveUp

What's in a brand? What's in a logo? Not something I cared much about a while back. But now I care a lot. Here's a peek into our thinking. 1. Revenue Yeah ya know $. Real cash. We move that up to the right and fast, but we also do it sustainably. There's a lot of smoke and mirrors about value exchange out there. Not here folks. At the end of the day it's about Revenue, with a capital R. 2. Navigation If you think there's a silver bullet out there that catapults revenue to the moon, think again. You need to expertly navigate minefields to succeed in early-stage startups. Real co-pilots are expert navigators. It's subtle, but can you see the nod to navigation in our logo? 3. Bold Early-stage startups are not for the faint of heart. You have to be bold and take calculated bets. We wanted a bold name and logo. 4. War time Startup environments are akin to war. They are chaotic, you can get taken out unexpectedly from nowhere, and you have to think very strategically but at the same time, you need to do the work consistently in order to march forward and make gains. The typography was chosen for its militaristic look. So what's the name of the new company and brand? Is this the full logo? Will there be swag? So many questions. Sign up to the newsletter for the full reveal in the next few days, it's FREE. #sales #startups #venturecapital #GTMdebt #SaaS

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.

About twelve years ago, I entered the elevator at Aviary's midtown Manhattan office and pressed the button for 11. A man I’d never seen watched me do so and asked, “What’s on the eleventh floor?” “It’s a company called Aviary,” I replied. “And what does Aviary do?” “We make photo editing technology.” Without hesitating, he looked at me askance and asked, “This matters in life?” Of course, the man meant what he said as a statement of judgment. “This is how you’re choosing to spend your life? This actually matters?” Years after that elevator exchange, when Michael Mignano and I started Anchor, we began recounting the story to each other. At first, it was simply one of those funny memories that we told so many times it must have morphed with each retelling. But eventually, the words of the elevator man took on entirely new meaning. “This matters in life?” was no longer an adjudication of one’s worthiness. As any #startup founder can attest, entrepreneurship has occasional highs and a significant amount of lows. And so, when one of us would be stressed or anxious or overwhelmed by the day-to-day, the other would ask, “This matters in life?” We’d flipped the question on its head. Rather than implying that the topic in question did not matter and that was a bad thing, we took it to mean that the topic in question did not matter and that was a good thing. In other words, it was our way of saying to each other, “Whatever’s stressing you out is probably not going to matter in the long term.” Bad press coverage? “This matters in life?” Employee turnover? “This matters in life?” Wasted effort on a failed product feature? “This matters in life?” Years after our entrepreneurial journey began and ended, I received an unexpected gift from Mike in the mail. This custom-made framed canvas 👇 It’s now hung proudly on my office wall, a great reminder to contextualize everything and not let the small stuff get you down. (Check out more of my writing at https://www.zaxis.page ✍️)

5 years ago today - BOXING DAY 2018... I was sat in my home office (yes, that really is a fold up bed my monitor is perched on) having just settled on the name of a new business moments earlier and putting the finishing touches to what would become the first logo for Atelier Capital Partners..... What you see below is the branding and logo we launched with until the time came for our 2021 rebrand. Not exactly a work of creative genius but my thinking was simple:   A business shouldn’t be built around a brand; a brand should be built around a living and breathing business. As a start-up it was way too early to claim it was the latter. So, our professional yet reassuringly boring logo allowed us to get going, starting a dialogue with the market about what it really wanted from a lender. A lack of distinctive identify allowed us to kick things off from a clean slate and create something unique.   Three years later, the Atelier team sat down to formulate a plan for our rebrand. At this point in our journey, we had our own DNA and were crystal clear about our ambition and what lay at the heart of our offering. We were ready to propel the business to new levels – a bolder, better and braver Atelier was born.   Since then we haven’t stood still for a moment. I’m immensely proud of what our team have achieved in the past few years and with 2024 just around the corner, it’s exciting to think about where we will be in the next five years.   #brand #anniversary #developmentfinance #lenders #propertydevelopers #brokers #debtadvisory #investors #smefinance #startup

Ever feel like your startup's missing a key ingredient? (Hint: it's not another round of biscuits for the team - that's if you're even meeting irl... if not, then it's probably going to you hitting the group WhatsApp with another Idris Elba meme). No, not memes... We're talking logos, folks! The one graphic that becomes your company's face. But with so much riding on it, how many variations do you actually need? Intrigued? Head over to the This Mum blog to crack the code with me! We'll unveil the logo ecosystem (yes, it's a thing!) and show you why a single logo just won't do.