You got an “F”

“Brand Emergency!”

Your brand may be invisible, inconsistent, or confusing — but it’s not too late! You need structure, clarity, and consistency to turn things around fast. Think of this as your brand’s wake-up call.

·Invest in a brand story defining session to define your core purpose, positioning, and messaging.

·Create baseline assets and templates (logo, color palette, typography, presentation deck, messaging framework).

·Make brand ownership someone’s job (even part-time ) to build accountability.

Now that you know your brand’s true score, it’s time to turn insight into action. Here’s how Brand Story Machine can help you strengthen your messaging, tighten your visuals, and build a clear path to an A+ brand… 👇

STARTUP FOUNDERS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS:

Your brand is unclear but fixing it is easier than you think…

(No expensive agencies, generic templates, or AI fluff. Just a clear message that finally clicks.)

What if your brand so perfectly communicated its value that you never had to struggle again with pitch decks that fall flat, scattered messaging, or a team that can’t agree on what to do next?

Let’s map out exactly what’s holding your brand back, and how to fix it. Schedule a Free Brand Emergency Plan with our in-house brand expert, Shannon Riordan.

(Limited spaces)

STARTUPS, SOLO FOUNDERS, EARLY‑STAGE TEAMS…

  • You launched fast without a clear brand strategy. Now your message feels scattered and confusing. 

  • You know your business is valuable, but it’s hard to explain it in a way that resonates.

  • Your team members are describing the offering and the benefits differently. 

  • You’re not getting the engagement you’re hoping for from potential investors and your target customers.

  • You need to grow the business, but don’t have clarity on what direction to go in.

Does this sound like you right now?

Shannon Riordan and Julia Hu discuss brand strategy on  a sidewalk in a residential neighborhood with trees and houses in the background.

Maybe you’ve tried…

A human brand strategicst facilitating a Brand Story Machine workship.  A slide on the screen reads, "A brand is defined by its purpose, not just what it sells."
  • Doing it all yourself. You've spent countless hours on pitch decks, websites, and content, but your messaging still feels scattered, and nothing seems to land.

  • Hiring an expensive agency. You've looked into it, but a full agency engagement is too slow and costs tens of thousands of dollars (funds you don't have).

  • Using AI tools as a shortcut. You've tried them, but the results all sound the same and fail to capture the unique voice of your brand.

  • Trying to be everything to everyone. You've tried to appeal to every possible customer to help increase revenue, only to find that your message is confusing everyone and resonating with no one.

This is what having a clear brand story can do for your business…

Portrait of a smiling woman with long blonde hair wearing a blue top, standing outdoors near stone structures.

“The workshop surfaced a number of questions and a lot of nuance that we hadn't thought of nor articulated. The final deliverable captured the essence of that messy discussion and simplified it into something that is clear, interesting, and easy to work with." 

- Jacqlyn Hogan, Co-founder and Partner, LevelUp

A smiling man with dark hair and a beard, wearing a light-colored jacket over a dark shirt, standing outdoors in a park during autumn with trees and fall foliage in the background.

“I've been through many branding exercises and it's taken months to get to what Brand Story Machine delivered.. In just 90 minutes.” 

- Rasheq Zarif, Co-Founder and COO, ReWyre

Smiling woman in an orange top standing by the ocean with a sailboat in the distance.

“It provided the perfect guardrails so we weren’t off into the ether talking to ourselves.”

– Casey Fritz, MSc, Senior Planner, Zero Waste Marin

We’ve been trusted by:

Kettle brand potato chips logo
BlackRock logo
PayPal logo with a stylized 'P' in blue and the word 'PayPal' underneath.
LifeLock logo with a yellow checkmark and black text on a white background.
Equnix logo
VISA logo in blue text.
Marin Software logo with a stylized blue and black mountain icon and the words 'Marin Software' below.
Sephora logo with black background and white stylized 'S' shape above the name 'SEPHORA' in white letters.
Logo of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art with text highlighting 'SF MO MA' and the museum's name in red.

Your Brand Story is your blueprint to finally…

Diagram outlining the components of a brand strategy:, including positioning, brand personality, attributes, benefits, core offering, and purpose statement.
A blue snowflake shape with the word 'Messaging' written across it.
  • 🚀 Raise capital faster—because investors hear your pitch and instantly get what makes you different.

  • 💬 Create messaging that sounds like you—clear, confident, and impossible to ignore.

  • 👥 Rally your team around a shared story—aligned, energized, and ready to move in the same direction.

  • 🧠 Create content in half the time—with sharp, on-brand copy that lands on the first draft.

  • 🎯 See customers feel seen, investors lean in, and partners say yes.

  • 🔥 Build a brand that does the heavy lifting—building recognition, trust, and momentum every time it shows up.

If any of this resonates, you’re in the right place.

We specialize in helping startups, solo founders, and early-stage teams find the words that help them punch above their weight and become household names.

This brand clarity will aid you in creating content for…

  • Investor pitch decks

  • Onboarding new employees

  • Talent recruitment

  • Website and sales materials

  • Social media content

  • About us and press release boilerplate

Your brand is your lifeline.
— Mark Cuban, Entrepreneur & Investor on Shark Tank
Shannon Riordan, brand strategist and founder of brand story machine, discusses workshop facilitation in front of a bookshelf filled with books.

Why are we so confident a strong brand is the rocket fuel your business needs?

Hi, I’m Shannon Riordan, founder of Brand Story Machine. After two decades of building brand strategies for startups and global giants alike, I’ve seen how often small businesses skip this fundamental foundational work, usually because of cost, time, or lack of access.

The result? Mixed messages, team misalignment, and marketing that fails to connect.

Together with my tech lead, Julia Hu, we built Brand Story Machine as a new kind of brand strategy development tool that blends expert guidance, AI-driven efficiency, and behavioral science.

Our purpose is simple: to make the strategic power of brand accessible to every business, regardless of its size, stage, or resources.

Traditional brand strategy can cost upwards of $25,000 and require weeks or months of internal time. We saw an opportunity to deliver the same value, faster and more affordably.

What used to be out of reach is now within grasp. Brand is no longer a luxury for the well-funded; it’s your competitive edge.

I truly believe that when startups skip brand strategy, they’re not just cutting costs, they’re cutting their potential.

Talk Soon

I can’t wait to speak with you.

On our call, I'll share with you the exact roadmap to building a strong brand and get your top questions answered.

Two women standing on either side of a large gray wall with the words 'Brand Story Machine' written on it in white text, smiling and gesturing towards the text.