LaunchPad Expo: Founders must build trust before scaling, branding expert says
Startups should focus on building trust, clarity, and a strong brand foundation before pursuing rapid growth, branding expert Mamdouh Saud said during a LaunchPad Expo session held on Friday at The Greek Campus.
The session, titled “Branding That Sells: How Founders Build Trust Before They Grow,” focused on the growing importance of brand positioning, customer perception, and strategic communication in increasingly competitive markets.
Saud, who is also Founder at Toroun, said many founders misunderstand branding, treating it as a visual exercise focused on logos, slogans, or social media presence, rather than as a long-term strategic process tied directly to business identity and customer trust.
He argued that while mission statements and company values are often overlooked externally, they remain essential internally because they help founders and teams align around a shared direction and long-term purpose.
“The real value of mission and values is not that people read them on the website,” Saud said. “It is that founders themselves become clear about where they are going and what they want their brand to represent.”
Saud noted that many business owners struggle to clearly articulate what sets their companies apart from competitors. Without a distinct competitive advantage, he said, customers are more likely to compare businesses primarily on price.
The discussion highlighted how founders often become consumed by daily operational pressures, leaving little time for strategic brand development. Saud said this lack of strategic clarity weakens positioning and makes it harder for companies to stand out in crowded markets.
He stressed the importance of defining a clear target audience and positioning statement, particularly at a time when consumer attention spans have become increasingly limited.
“People no longer have the patience for vague messaging or long explanations,” Saud said. “You need to communicate who you are, what you offer, and why customers should choose you — quickly.”
He added that positioning statements have become more valuable than traditional advertising taglines because customers want immediate clarity rather than abstract branding language.
Saud also cautioned founders against building brands based solely on their personal preferences, rather than on customer expectations and market realities.
“One of the most dangerous mistakes founders make is assuming that their own taste reflects the preferences of their audience,” he said.
The session examined how brand identity should influence every aspect of a company’s communication, including tone of voice, visual identity, customer experience, and internal culture.
Saud shared an example of a consumer finance company that wanted to position itself as more approachable and flexible than traditional banks. That positioning strategy influenced everything from employee dress code to logo design and communication style, he said.
He stressed that branding ultimately depends on consistency between what companies promise publicly and what customers actually experience.
“There is a major gap in some businesses between what they say on social media and what customers experience in reality,” Saud said, citing examples of companies promoting speed and efficiency online while delivering slow or bureaucratic customer experiences.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of internal alignment, with Saud noting that employees must fully understand the company’s brand identity to deliver a consistent customer experience.
He warned founders against focusing heavily on advertising and media spending before building the necessary strategic foundations for their brands.
“Many companies spend heavily on marketing before defining their positioning clearly,” he said. “Then they become frustrated when the results do not match expectations.”
Saud concluded by emphasising that branding should be treated as a long-term investment rather than a short-term marketing tactic, arguing that meaningful brand value often takes years to measure and fully develop.
“Marketing can be measured in the short term,” he said. “Branding is built over years.”
Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English