As a branding and design consultancy, there are few things more exhilarating than being involved with a startup. But I have also seen some recurring challenges. Namely, when a client is starting a business, everything is top priority, and it is often easy to think “logo” and “design” should come later.

Putting aside the fact that a brand is much more than a logo, we acknowledge that there are cases in which the success of a business does not depend at all on its branding. These are typically businesses that have a proprietary offering (usually technology) that’s so strong and so unlike anything that’s come before that people will use it regardless of how it looks and makes them feel. Or, you’re a monopoly.

But both of these cases are rare. In most scenarios, while a business may not need strong branding to get off the ground, its chances of becoming a smash hit are greatly magnified by investing in their brand—in the form of sharp creative strategy and great design—from the beginning.

We’ve heard a wide range of reasons for de-prioritizing branding and design in the early phases of a business, and these justifications tend to fall into one of three buckets. Each of these arguments has some merit, yet I believe in most cases can ultimately be refuted.

Mais em http://www.fastcompany.com/1794324/brand-early-not-often