Want a Self-Sustaining Brand? Build a Flywheel (Not a Funnel)

Last week, I tried making pancakes.

I know what you're thinking: aren't I an Indian? Why the hell am I making pancakes?

Back off, I like American food and wanted to see what all the hype was about.

Coming back to making pancakes. I followed the recipe — flour, eggs, milk, a dash of hope and poured the batter onto the pan.

The first one came out… tragic.

Too thick, uneven, and a little burnt. But by the third pancake, I found my rhythm.

Flip at the right moment, adjust the heat, and suddenly, they were perfect.

Branding works the same way.

At first, it’s messy.

You post, email, design, tweak and nothing seems to land. But once you get the momentum going, everything clicks.

That’s what a Branding Flywheel is all about.

Let me break it down.

1. Attract

People don’t care about your product yet. Harsh, but true.

They care about their problems. Your job? Show them you understand.

This means creating content that makes them stop scrolling. Bold visuals, strong messaging, and a personality they can’t ignore. Think Apple’s sleek ads or Nike’s empowering stories. They hook you because they stand for something.

2. Engage

Getting attention is one thing. Keeping it is another.

You can’t vanish after the first hello. Build a relationship. Reply to comments. Send emails that feel like a friend wrote them. Share behind-the-scenes stories. Make people feel like they’re part of something bigger.

Apple doesn’t just sell products — they invite you into an ecosystem. Your iPhone talks to your MacBook, which talks to your AirPods. It’s all connected. And once you’re in, you’re hooked.

3. Delight

Here’s where most brands drop the ball. They sell, then disappear.

Don’t be that brand.

Blow people away with your product or service. Overdeliver. Make the experience so good they can’t stop talking about it.

Think about the last time you recommended something to a friend. It wasn’t because it was “fine.” It was because it exceeded expectations.

4. Advocate

Happy customers are walking billboards.

They write reviews. They share you with friends. They create unboxing videos. This isn’t luck — it’s the result of getting the first three steps right.

Apple doesn’t ask people to line up at 5 AM for a new iPhone. They just do. The flywheel spins on its own.

The Takeaway

The beauty of a flywheel is that it gets easier over time. Each success fuels the next one.

Most brands quit too soon — they stop after the first bad pancake. But if you push through, refine, and improve, eventually you hit that sweet spot where things start working for you.

So keep flipping.
The good ones are coming.

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