The answer isn’t a single metric. It’s a series of strategic advantages that grow over time and across moments, touchpoints and markets.
Building a brand is never a quick win. But when done right, it delivers returns that few other investments can match.
In this report, we’ve gathered seven lessons drawn from interviews with company founders, growth investors, CEOs and brand leaders who’ve built real traction – and learned what works, what doesn’t and what many get wrong.
“Brand positively impacts a company’s valuation, both because of investor perception and because of the ripple effects from the brand on all parts of the company.”
Adam Scheid
Managing Director, EQT Group
90%
of a company’s valuation is made up of intangibles
Storytelling is what makes a brand real, memorable and worth rooting for. When a brand’s reason for being, context and point of view is put into words, it helps people understand what you do and believe in why you do it – driving customer acquisition, talent recruitment and investor conviction.
“A brand’s ability to communicate their product and story is one of three key factors I look for before investing in a scale-up company. Strong storytelling is closely linked to the ability to attract capital and talent.”
Bodil Sidén
General Partner, Kost Capital
Lesson 02
Clarity: Goodbye word salad, hello clear messaging
In a crowded market, the brands that dare to keep it simple and stay consistent gain a competitive edge. Repeating a sharp, selective message builds both memorability and trust.
“Some entrepreneurs get stuck in product and functionality and think too little about what it actually means for the user. Why is it important to them?”
Pär-Jörgen Pärson
Partner, Northzone
Lesson 03
Positioning: Get over yourself, you’re not a disruptor
Not every company is a disruptor – and that’s fine. What matters is knowing what category you belong to and building your brand accordingly. Disruptor? Anchor your brand in familiarity. Challenger? Own the edge. Self-awareness prevents wasted efforts and mismatched expectations.
“There must be an intrinsic purpose to being different. Trying to revolutionise, for example, the toothbrush industry might be pointless if people are already satisfied. You need to understand customer needs before deciding to be disruptive.”
David Sandström
CMO, Klarna
Lesson 04
Friction: Brave brands never follow the herd
In branding, playing it safe might keep you liked, but creating friction is what makes you unforgettable. Brands that generate friction by standing for something unapologetically don’t just get noticed, they get remembered, respected and recommended by the right crowd.
“Moving an industry forward requires a certain level of friction. If you’re not making someone uncomfortable, you’re probably not changing anything.”
Dennis Nobelius
CEO, Syre
Lesson 05
Visibility: Executive profiling pays off
A founder’s voice can let a brand punch above its weight. A founder who knows how to tell the story and show up authentically builds trust that no paid advertising can match.
“People are almost as interested in our company, our people, and how we do things, as they are in the products we build. In B2B, people don’t just buy technology – they buy the people behind the technology.”
Lauren Crichton
VP of Marketing, Sana
Lesson 06
Longevity: Branding never ends
In a world that never stops moving, the brands that survive – and thrive – are the ones that never stop evolving. By adapting to shifting markets and societal contexts, brands can secure the kind of relevance that keeps them in the game for centuries.
“The long game is absolutely crucial for building and developing a successful brand. If there’s not a clear divide between the long-term and the short-term agenda, the urgent will always eclipse the long game.”
Per Nilsson
Global Head of Brand and Communications, SKF
Lesson 07
Building trust: A brand is a promise you have to keep
When brand and product are aligned, trust grows. When they drift apart, it disappears – and the cost is steep. A loss of trust isn’t just a brand problem. It’s a business problem.
“Branding is most of all a promise that needs to be delivered on. The biggest mistake you can make in branding is to focus on communicating the promise and forgetting about its delivery.”
Johanna Frösén
Associate Professor, Aalto University
Lesson 01
Storytelling: Probably your strongest asset
Storytelling is what makes a brand real, memorable and worth rooting for. When a brand’s reason for being, context and point of view is put into words, it helps people understand what you do and believe in why you do it – driving customer acquisition, talent recruitment and investor conviction.
“A brand’s ability to communicate their product and story is one of three key factors I look for before investing in a scale-up company. Strong storytelling is closely linked to the ability to attract capital and talent.”
Clarity: Goodbye word salad, hello clear messaging
In a crowded market, the brands that dare to keep it simple and stay consistent gain a competitive edge. Repeating a sharp, selective message builds both memorability and trust.
“Some entrepreneurs get stuck in product and functionality and think too little about what it actually means for the user. Why is it important to them?”
Positioning: Get over yourself, you’re not a disruptor
Not every company is a disruptor – and that’s fine. What matters is knowing what category you belong to and building your brand accordingly. Disruptor? Anchor your brand in familiarity. Challenger? Own the edge. Self-awareness prevents wasted efforts and mismatched expectations.
“There must be an intrinsic purpose to being different. Trying to revolutionise, for example, the toothbrush industry might be pointless if people are already satisfied. You need to understand customer needs before deciding to be disruptive.”
In branding, playing it safe might keep you liked, but creating friction is what makes you unforgettable. Brands that generate friction by standing for something unapologetically don’t just get noticed, they get remembered, respected and recommended by the right crowd.
“Moving an industry forward requires a certain level of friction. If you’re not making someone uncomfortable, you’re probably not changing anything.”
A founder’s voice can let a brand punch above its weight. A founder who knows how to tell the story and show up authentically builds trust that no paid advertising can match.
“People are almost as interested in our company, our people, and how we do things, as they are in the products we build. In B2B, people don’t just buy technology – they buy the people behind the technology.”
In a world that never stops moving, the brands that survive – and thrive – are the ones that never stop evolving. By adapting to shifting markets and societal contexts, brands can secure the kind of relevance that keeps them in the game for centuries.
“The long game is absolutely crucial for building and developing a successful brand. If there’s not a clear divide between the long-term and the short-term agenda, the urgent will always eclipse the long game.”
Building trust: A brand is a promise you have to keep
When brand and product are aligned, trust grows. When they drift apart, it disappears – and the cost is steep. A loss of trust isn’t just a brand problem. It’s a business problem.
“Branding is most of all a promise that needs to be delivered on. The biggest mistake you can make in branding is to focus on communicating the promise and forgetting about its delivery.”
