What Do Founders Need from Brand Identity Before Raising Funding?
Slides from the rebranded Men’s Retreats UK pitch deck, created to help the founder clearly communicate their vision and raise SEIS funding with confidence.
For early-stage founders, scale-ups, and anyone with a big vision prepping to pitch.
The moment you realise your brand needs to grow up
You’re sat there – maybe staring at your pitch deck, maybe your website – and it hits you: this just doesn’t reflect where we’re going.
Your logo still screams “weekend side project.” Your messaging could be about ten different things. Your deck isn’t doing your story justice. And worst of all? You’re explaining more than you should be.
This isn’t a disaster. It’s a growth spurt.
You’re levelling up. And your brand? It’s still in its awkward teenage years.
Why investors give a sh*t about brand identity
Investors won’t fund what they can’t understand.
Your brand identity doesn’t just make you look credible. It gives people confidence. In your business. In your leadership. In your trajectory.
When your pitch, website and tone of voice line up and hit the mark, it tells investors: “we’ve thought this through.”
That you:
- Know who you are
- Know where you're headed
- Know how to communicate it clearly
When all of that’s baked into your brand, you’ll:
- Make faster first impressions
- Build trust before the first call
- Feel proud to send your deck
- Start attracting the right people
Brand identity isn’t frosting. It’s structure. It’s your house. We just make it feel like home.
So what do you actually *need* before you raise?
You don’t need a 60-page brand book. Or a £100k rebrand. Or a logo that belongs in a museum.
You need the clarity and confidence to walk into a room and own the story.
Here’s what that usually looks like:
If you’re figuring this stuff out and want a shortcut, this founder-first brand workshop might help. (No pressure, just context.)
Must-haves:
- A clear core message: what you do, who you help, why it matters
- Visual identity that doesn’t make you cringe (logo, type, colours, feel)
- Pitch deck that’s actually designed (and says what you *mean*)
- Website that matches your ambition
Nice-to-haves:
- Messaging hierarchy: what to say, what to cut
- Tone of voice notes: for consistency and confidence
- A one-pager your team or freelancers can follow without calling you
It’s not about looking like a 50-person agency. It’s about looking like you believe in what you’re building.
Common mistakes founders make (we’ve seen them all)
1. Designing before defining
Looks good. Says nothing. Investors are confused.
2. Going too slick
You don’t need to look like a Fortune 500. You need to look ready.
3. Deck and site telling two different stories
One says “playful disruptor.” The other says “corporate consultancy.” Oof.
4. Saying too much
Your story should be sharp. Not bloated with buzzwords.
A founder-first way of doing brand identity
We don’t do bloated agency decks. We don’t send you 300-slide moodboards. We don’t ask you to fill in 12 pages of onboarding forms.
We talk. We listen. We get you. And then we get your brand sorted.
We work with:
- Founders juggling marketing, ops and funding all at once
- Teams with vision, momentum and a little bit of mess
- People who want their brand to feel like them, just turned all the way up
We help you:
- Say what matters
- Look like you’re already on Series A
- Feel like the proud parent of your own pitch deck
We’re like a British, slightly more real version of Queer Eye – but for your brand.
Before you raise, ask yourself:
- Would I be proud to show this deck to someone I respect?
- Does our site clearly tell our story?
- Do we sound like us – or like everyone else?
If you’re hesitating… you’re ready.
Let’s get your brand investor-ready (without the faff)
If you’re reading this thinking, “Yeah… we’ve outgrown this,” you’re not alone.
Let’s have a chat. We’ll help you figure out what needs changing—and what doesn’t. Or, take a look at how our Brand Sprint works — a three-week way to get your identity pitch-ready without the agency bloat.