Three months ago, I watched a startup founder nearly lose his mind.
His team was at war.
Marketing blamed sales for bad leads. Sales blamed marketing for shit messaging. Design blamed everyone for unclear direction.
Sound familiar?
I've seen this cycle destroy companies faster than bad product-market fit. Here's what most people miss: It's not a people problem. It's a foundation problem.
Your brand has no clear "why."
The Golden Circle fixes this in 30 minutes. Most brands start with WHAT they do. Then maybe HOW they do it differently.
But winners start with WHY.
Why do you exist?
Why should anyone care?
Why does this matter?
Then you work outward to HOW you deliver on that promise.
Finally, WHAT specific products or services make it real.
When I walked that founder through this framework for almost 3 hours, everything clicked. His team stopped fighting because they finally understood the mission.
Their messaging became crystal clear within a few days.
Leads improved within a few weeks because the "why" attracted the right people.
Here's the brutal truth about most brands:
They're built backward. You start with features and benefits. Then wonder why nobody gives a damn.
People don't buy what you do. They buy why you do it. Tesla doesn't sell cars. They sell the future of transportation.
Your brand needs this foundation first.
Before you worry about logos or colors or fancy websites.
Before you blame your team for "not getting it."
Before you spend another dollar on marketing that doesn't work.
Fix your foundation.
Define your golden circle.
Get your team aligned on the same mission. Everything else becomes easier after that.
Trust me on this one.
— Shashank
P.S.
I'm opening just 30 spots for the next Brand Engine Email Cohort starting October 13th. This isn't theory — it's the exact step-by-step process I used to help 150+ companies build brands that actually work.
You'll get the Golden Circle framework plus 20 more days of practical brand strategy tools.
Don’t just take my word. Hear what Sureesh, founder of Zolyt has to say about the first batch.
Reply if you have any questions.