Ever wonder why so many promising startups struggle to get noticed by investors or customers? This week on The Human Connection, host Karl Pontau sits down with Kyle Kostesich, an executive creative director who's spent 20 years helping everyone from Ritz-Carlton to Pfizer nail their brand strategy.Kyle drops some serious truth bombs about why early-stage companies think branding is just "nice to have" – spoiler alert: they're dead wrong! From life sciences companies that went from garage startups to public offerings, to the grocery store psychology behind your toothpaste choice, this conversation reveals how branding is actually the secret weapon for building those crucial investor and customer relationships.What you'll discover:Why your brand isn't your logo (and what it actually is)The emotional brain hack that drives all purchasing decisionsHow proper branding saved companies millions in the long runWhy cutting marketing during tough times is like throwing money awayThe simple discovery process that transforms how people see your companyIf you've ever thought "we'll worry about branding later," this episode might just change your mind – and your bottom line.===You can connect with Kyle Kostesich here:<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gray-giant.com">https://www.gray-giant.com</a>You can connect with Karl Pontau here:<a target="_blank" href="http://www.thehumanconnectionpodcast.com">www.thehumanconnectionpodcast.com</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpontau">https://www.linkedin.com/in/kpontau</a>Please like, subscribe, and share this episode with somebody you care about!

Why B2B Companies Think They Don't Need Branding (They're Wrong) with Kyle Kostesich