1. Passion isn’t a product
A lot of impact founders lead with their hearts. That’s not a bad thing, but it can backfire.
Whether you're writing a landing page, pitching a potential client, or just talking about what you do, people don't buy a mission.
They buy a solution to a problem they have.
You need to lead with how you will solve their problem or transform their life, then back it up with how sustainable your solution is.
Using product-centric positioning will ensure you get the sale without having to hide your mission.
2. If they can’t pay market rate, change the market
Brandkind didn’t start with a revenue model.
It started with a need.
Irma was helping a social enterprise during COVID and looped in a designer friend.
Then another founder needed help. Then another designer raised their hand.
This growth came with a new challenge: sustaining a community of "talent philanthropy".
Brandkind had to develop a new low-bono pricing model that was still affordable but could sustain their growing community needs.
You don’t need to give it all away. But you do need a pricing model that fits your customer’s reality, and your own boundaries.
3. “Good brands deserve to succeed” (but they won’t by default)
Brandkind helps orgs that drive real impact, but those brands often lack a critical piece of a strong business.
They have an important mission, great values, and a deep commitment to their community.
But if those elements aren't communicated in a clear, compelling way, your brand won't connect with potential customers.
If you’re doing good work, you still need to show it and structure your brand story so it speaks for itself.
Otherwise, your audience will fill in the blanks for you (and it may not align with what you're going for).
4. Scale is not the only success metric
There’s no big team. No fancy office. No major technical infrastructure.
Brandkind runs lean, on talent, trust, and good relationships.
Irma's built a distributed team of brand professionals giving what they can, when they can, supported by lightweight infrastructure.
This isn’t about blitzscaling. It’s about right-sizing the business to the mission you're trying to achieve.
They do have a big goal: 1,000 good projects in 10 years.
Not $10M. Not 100 employees. Just measurable, mission-aligned output.
Don’t confuse growing headcount or money raised with success.
Some of the most meaningful orgs are built to flex, not grow.
It’s easy to romanticize purpose-led businesses.
But if you want it to last, you need a model.
You need a way to deliver consistently.
And you need to know how to serve your community without draining yourself in the process.
Irma didn’t start Brandkind with a master plan.
She just saw a need and started connecting people.
The model came later. The structure evolved with demand. The business was built around the audience, not at their expense.
If you’re building for people with low purchasing power, ask yourself:
What value can I deliver clearly and consistently?
How can I flex the pricing without compromising the mission?
And what kind of business would I still want to be part of in 5 years?
This isn’t about charity.
It’s about structuring your generosity in a strategic way that serves your audience and your business.
