The Three Places You SHOULD Spend Money When Starting Your Business - Part 2
(This is the second part in a three part series).Starting something new—whether it’s a nonprofit, a small business, or a social enterprise—usually means pinching pennies. The budget is tight, the stakes are high, and the margin for error feels nonexistent. You’ve got big hopes that this thing will take off, bring in revenue, make an impact—and that you won’t be living off ramen and regret.
Financial stress is real. It sneaks into your thoughts during the day and hijacks your sleep at night.
Here’s the second of three places where spending money early can actually move the needle—maybe even before you’re officially open for business.
If the first place you should spend money is on a consultant, the second is this:
2. Spend Money on Branding
Branding is about more than just a logo or a sleek website—it’s about telling the story of who you are. My friend Anderson Harrison III, founder of Superlative Brand Consulting, often says that every person has an important story to tell. That includes you. Your product tells your story, whether you realize it or not.
When my partner and I were starting our organization, she suggested we hire a branding company to help us define our identity. To be honest, I was resistant. We had limited funds from our initial investors, and spending several thousand dollars on branding felt like a luxury we couldn’t afford.
But here’s what I learned: working with a great branding firm was worth every penny. Yes, it was a significant upfront investment, but they helped us see who we already were and what unique value we brought to the table. That clarity gave us the confidence to tell our story—and that story helped us raise over $2 million from investors.
The magic wasn’t that the branding process created a story—it revealed the one we were already living. It gave us language, visuals, and confidence to share that story with the world.
Now, ten years later, that same brand story continues to shape our identity and guide our growth.
As you build your business, make sure you invest in telling your story well. It’s not just good branding—it’s essential.
