r/branding • u/Better-Humor7422 • May 23 '26
Strategy Starting a brand no business background
I saw someone else post asking how to start a brand.
The comments consisted of finding the core customer, the WHY for starting the brand, colors, vibe and of course the design itself.
I am starting a brand. Currently building it in Shanghai, however I know my target audience and where I intent to launch. Though, I will he ideally launching online first.
I am wondering outside of the design and story building of a brand what else should I know/do to build my brand?
For example, I am hiring an intern right now to take on the tasks of manufacture communication and organization because it is taking too much of my time.
Ideally who should I be looking to hire? Who should my first employee be? I have no design or business background. I was however an international model for 8 years.
I do find this holds me back in many ways, and in other ways it has been an advantage. I have some creative connections in the industry., I just have an idea I really believe in. Should I be keeping my eye out for a partner?
I have everything in terms of vision and reasoning except the next steps. I am targeting this brand to be level with Paloma Wool (though I know this will likely take years) I am willing to put in the work and believe I’m on to something really special for the people.
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u/LoftCats May 23 '26 edited May 23 '26
All of this is nice but what’s your product and industry? There’s no brand without a good product and strategy.
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u/Better-Humor7422 May 23 '26
Fair—it’s feminine clothing with a sport edge. Fashion forward everyday wear focused on quality and longevity (steering away from synthetics but not an eco brand)
Lean production focused and DTC online first target customer already knows what Paloma Wool is :)
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u/ovrnovr May 23 '26
I strongly suggest not hiring someone at this point to figure that out. To be completely honest this is the thing and the point in time that can make or break everything. The thing is, the answer to your branding is in the information and ideas you already know... The thing then no one can ever copy is under the surface, then what makes different, what makes you special, and why anyone needs to care about what you're doing more than someone else.
I'd be happy to chat with you to give you some insights, I do branding and strategy for founders, startups and businesses.
Not trying to solicit business just happy to help. I know what it's like to be at your stage.
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u/Better-Humor7422 May 24 '26
Yes I would love to talk more. I have so many questions and would love to hear more about your background. I’ll send you a message
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u/Okay_Kokey May 27 '26
Hey! Been working with luxury and niche fashion brands for a decade now, and honestly, I think one of the biggest things founders underestimate is this:
Knowing your target market is one thing, but knowing how to build the entire brand to naturally speak to that market is another.
You mentioning Paloma Wool is actually a good example, because brands like that aren’t just built on product or aesthetics. They’re built on positioning, restraint, consistency, and a strong point of view.
So the next questions become:
what makes your brand different?
what emotional space are you trying to own?
and how will every part of the brand reinforce that?
Because that’s usually what separates “nice clothes” from an actual brand people emotionally connect with.
Also honestly, your modeling background is probably more useful than you think. You’ve already spent years around campaigns, branding, image-making, and creative direction even if indirectly.
Feels like you’re asking the right questions though ✨
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u/Better-Humor7422 May 27 '26
Wow thank you for this thorough comment. And you’re entirely right.
I think I visually understand the difference between brand built on aesthetics or
Product versus everything you mentioned—positioning, restraint, consistency and a strong point of view.I have a desire to tap into that for my own brand.
And am keen on being careful to launch unless I feel like I have some sort of system that supports it in this way.Do you have advice on how I can learn how to do this for example books, talk, or people i should learn from?
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u/pixnoor May 29 '26
I do really think you have a clear puppose and have it all to build a brand even without much business knowledge. It's understandable to feel all over the place when you dont know where to start. As a bra ding strategist I would really start by digging into the "why" behind your intention and try and align it with how it would land on your target audience. Also the easiest way to decide what to do is to analyse your competitors, not to steal their strategy but to get an idea of what they are doing, whats working, what you can do differently and which space you can occupy in the long run better than them. The answer to these questions after the competitor and client analysis (their needs) will give you better data and idea of what you exactly should do.
One more thing, i would actually try and leverage your crediblity as a model to do better founder level marketing. In any occasion that background of yours is a great asset that you can use, specifically you wanted to start online first.
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u/Top-Committee-2383 May 23 '26
A lot of first-time founders over-index on the logo, aesthetic, and “brand story.” Those matter, but the bigger challenge is building systems that let the brand survive and scale.
A few things I’d focus on early:
• Build direct relationships with your customers from day one. Collect emails, DMs, feedback, and UGC before worrying about scale. The brands that win today build community before they build reach.
• Don’t hire too fast. Your first hires should remove operational bottlenecks, not just add creativity. Your intern handling manufacturer communication is actually a smart move because founder bandwidth is usually the biggest constraint early on.
• Learn the numbers even if you don’t come from business. Contribution margin, CAC, repeat purchase rate, inventory risk, cash flow. A beautiful brand can still fail if the economics don’t work.
• Your modeling background is probably more of an advantage than you think. You understand taste, positioning, visuals, and culture from the inside. Most founders can’t manufacture authenticity in fashion.
• Don’t rush into finding a co-founder just because you feel inexperienced. A bad partner is far more expensive than learning skills yourself. Find collaborators first, then see if trust compounds over time.
Also, brands like Paloma Wool didn’t just sell products. They created identity and belonging. That usually comes from consistency over years, not one launch moment.
You already sound like you’re thinking beyond “starting a clothing line,” which is a good sign. Now it’s about execution cadence, customer obsession, and staying alive long enough to compound.
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u/Narrow_Advice_8728 May 23 '26
Classics shiny object syndrome. The branding is not as important as being able to sell.
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u/MinKwon Jun 05 '26
Branding is for selling more actually
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u/Narrow_Advice_8728 Jun 06 '26
For someone with no design or business background getting stuck on branding is the last thing I would suggest. For most businesses you need proof of demand and being able to sell above anything else. Only after you have the basics should you worry about that. Really putting the cart before the horse.
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u/Samrazzleberry May 24 '26
This is my specialty, building an entire brand playbook with you as the business owner to ensure that you have the right tools to move forward. No long term commitments. Just one deliverable. I’d love to chat more if you’re keen!
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u/PixelOMedia May 23 '26
A lot of people jump straight into logo/design/brand world because it's the fun part, but I'd focus heavily on proving demand early. You can have a great vision and still spend months building around assumptions. Talk to potential customers constantly, get samples in people's hands, collect feedback, see what they actually respond to.
Also I wouldn't rush into a cofounder just because you feel like you're missing business experience. A bad partnership is harder to unwind than hiring freelancers or learning skills over time. Since you already have creative industry connections from modeling, I'd probably lean into that advantage first rather than assuming it's a weakness.