Dress Your Startup for Success: Why Branding is Your First Growth System

Your brand isn’t your logo — it’s your startup’s first impression, emotional footprint, and a growth engine hiding in plain sight. In this episode, Maria and Katie sit down with brand strategist Esteban Arroba Del Castillo to talk about why even scrappy, pre-MVP startups need to show up with a clear voice, vibe, and visual identity.

We get into:

• Why branding is a system, not just surface polish
• How to craft a killer brand without torching your budget
• What founders risk when they “launch naked”
• The trust-building link between branding and fundraising
• How to blend creative chaos with operational discipline

If you're an early-stage founder trying to stand out (and not look like an AI-generated Apple clone), hit play.

Links:

Team & Tonic website: https://www.teamandtonic.com
Esteban's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esteban-a/
Esteban's email: [email protected]

ScaleSpark: https://www.scalespark.ai
Maria's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapienaar/
Katie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiewhitcraft/
ScaleSpark email: [email protected]

Apple Think Different Ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPX9v8F547k