At Gateway, we often talk about the critical role a well-articulated equity story plays in attracting investors to your company. An equity story is the key pieces of information about your business that investors should know, packaged into one digestible narrative. It’s your identity, growth plan, vision, differentiators, and purpose.

A compelling equity story is absolutely paramount to the success of any public company, but the brand story matters just as much — and in many ways, it comes first. Your brand is the foundation of how you show up in the world. It’s your tone, your visual identity, your values, and your personality. It’s the feeling someone gets the moment they land on your homepage or flip through your deck. It’s the emotional glue that makes your story not just understood but remembered.

A strong brand story makes your company believable. Aspirational. Investable. It builds trust. It signals you’re serious. It shows you’ve thought things through.

And yet — despite all that — we see young companies treat brand as optional. When time, budget, and focus are tight (and they always are), branding is usually the first thing to go.

So, what do you get? Investor decks that look like they were slapped together in PowerPoint the night before a conference. Websites that feel dated before the company is even public. Marketing materials that undercut the very confidence you’re trying to inspire.

This is what happens when companies fall into “either/or” thinking. Either we invest in the story, or we invest in the numbers. Either we look good, or we grow. Either we build a brand, or we build a business.

Here’s a better approach: yes, and.

In improv comedy, “yes, and” is the first rule of engagement. You accept what your scene partner offers — the “yes” — and then build on it — the “and.” It keeps the story moving. It keeps the energy alive. It turns something decent into something unforgettable.

Yes, your equity story matters — it lays out your strategy, your roadmap, your market opportunity.

And, your brand story brings it to life. It creates the emotional connection, the credibility, and the trust that investors are subconsciously looking for.

Your equity story tells them what to believe. Your brand story makes them want to.

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As someone with a background in the entertainment industry, I can’t help but see the parallels between brand strategy and classic storytelling. That’s why Donald Miller’s book Building a StoryBrand resonated when I first read it. In it, he lays out a framework that borrows from the three-act structure of great movies — but applies it to how companies communicate with the world. The customer (or in our case, the investor) is the hero. Your company is the guide. There’s a problem to solve, a plan to follow, and a promise of success if the hero takes action.

When companies ignore branding, they’re skipping the story entirely. They’re dumping data on the audience without any emotional arc or narrative momentum. No one watches a movie for the credits. And no investor wants to back a company they don’t care about.

The fastest way to make investors care less — or not care at all — is to take your Oscar-worthy equity story and deliver it as a low-budget B-film. Rushed, underdeveloped, and forgettable.

If investors aren’t biting, it might be time for a gut check. Ask yourself:

• Can we articulate our value in a single, compelling sentence?

• Is our messaging consistent and memorable?

• Do we have a logo that actually reflects who we are?

• Do our colors, fonts, visuals — even our homepage — reinforce the kind of company we claim to be?

• Or does it all feel like an afterthought?

These are the building blocks of your brand — and they’re just as critical as your growth strategy or your financial model. They’re what make your story coherent, credible, and emotionally resonant. This is the “yes, and” in action.

As Donald Miller brilliantly outlines in Building a StoryBrand, in the investor narrative, you are not the hero. The investor is. You’re the guide — the expert who helps them see a future where their belief in your company pays off. Your brand story is how you earn that belief.

The only real either/or is this: Either you embrace “yes, and” — and fuel your growth with both strategy and story — or you risk slowing down before you even get started.

Looking for a partner to help you bring both sides of your story together? Let’s connect.

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