Bonus Post: Your Branding Is the Foundation. Don’t Build on Mud.

This week’s series of posts are based on a conversation I had with Dave Wakeman on his podcast The Business of Fun, which came out on July 8, 2025. In each one, I’m digging deeper into one idea we talked about — with a few extra thoughts and takeaways for arts leaders.

Arts leaders often say they don’t have time or money for branding. But here’s the truth:

Branding is like the foundation of a house. Your sales and marketing are the house. You wouldn’t build directly in the mud — you’d lay a strong concrete base first.

Without a clear brand — a set of values, voice, visuals, and identity — your sales messages don’t land. Your fundraising feels scattered. Your content doesn’t connect.

Branding isn’t vanity work. It’s strategy made visible.

If this resonates with you, I’ve already created a full blog series walking you through how to build a brand step by step. That series includes five posts and a bonus, just like this one.

📚 Read the full branding series here.

🎧 And hear the full conversation that inspired all of this.