The Difference Between $10M & $100M Brands

Most people think the difference between a $10M brand and a $100M brand is:

• Better product-market fit
• Better performance
• Bigger ad budget
• More talent
• More SKUs

But in reality, the biggest leap comes from something far less tactical:

A stronger narrative.

Narrative is what makes a brand unforgettable.

It’s the story people tell about you when you're not in the room.

It's the feeling they attach to your logo before they've read a single word.

$10M brands sell products. $100M brands sell belief systems.

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Why Narrative Wins

Narrative is different from messaging. Messaging is what you say.

Narrative is what people feel you’re saying, and why they care.

It does four things:

1. Creates Identity: It gives customers a “type of person” they get to become by choosing you.
2. Builds Differentiation: It reframes your competition in a way that favors you.
3. Inspires Loyalty: It builds emotional connection, not just transactional efficiency.
4. Spreads Organically: People share stories, not specs.

Think Nike. Think Tesla. Think Liquid Death.

They aren’t selling shoes, cars, or water.

They’re selling a specific narrative to the ones who subscribe to it.

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You Don’t Need a Big Budget, You Need a Belief

You can create a narrative without a huge pile of cash.

What you need is a spine, a strong belief that permeates everything:

• Who are your people?
• What do you stand for?
• What do you stand against?
• What’s the future you’re fighting for?

If your answers feel vague or interchangeable with your competitors...

You don’t have a real narrative yet.

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Narrative-First Brands Grow Easier

Brands that lead with narrative:

Convert faster, because they attract aligned buyers
- Consumers purchase from value-driven brands 4X to 6X more often

Retain longer, because customers feel part of something bigger
- 56% of consumers claim more loyalty to brands that "get" them

Attract better talent, because people want to work somewhere meaningful​
- Companies who invest in their narrative are 3X more likely to make quality hires

Grow cheaper, because word-of-mouth kicks in hard
- Word of mouth generates up to 5X more sales than paid advertising

These brands turn their marketing into movement-building.

Don't sell products and services. Sell ideas and purpose.

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Start Here

To build a $100M-level narrative, ask:

1. What belief do we want to be known for?
2. What problem in the world are we solving; Not just in utility, but in meaning?
3. How do our customers feel different after working with us or buying from us?

Then make sure your website, ads, emails, design, content, and onboarding all reinforce that story, again and again and again.

Don't be "loud", be clearer/bolder in what you stand for.

Because $10M brands say, “Buy this.”

$100M brands say, “Join us.”

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Are you building the next $100M brand?

If don't know your narrative or are struggling to share it with the world... hit the button below!

We have experts who can help walk you through the process and it costs nothing to start the conversation.
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