Ways to Scale with Purpose: Investment, Branding & Breaking Through

Insights from Okavango Capital, Using Branding for Growth, and the Two Startup Success Paths

Feb 20, 2025

Welcome back to Changemakers, the official newsletter of Brighter Future.

We’re thrilled to have you here as part of the Brighter Future community, where together, we inspire progress and create opportunities for a better tomorrow.

This week, we’re exploring the key strategies that drive impactful growth. From scaling your business with the right investment mindset to leveraging your brand or product as a foundation for expansion, we’ll break down what it takes to build a resilient, mission-driven company.

Check out this week’s topics…

Scaling Your Impact Business with Josep Oriol of Okavango Capital

Josep Oriol is the founder and managing partner of Okavango Capital, a venture capital firm that invests in for-profit businesses dedicated to benefiting nature, primarily in Africa. The firm focuses on different areas of climate change adaptation and mitigation and believes that for nature conservation to succeed, it must become economically viable and competitive with other land uses. That’s why their work focuses on helping for-profit businesses scale and grow their impact.

Speaking with Oriol, he shared a few thoughts on scaling a business and provided a few tips for startup founders. “The two fundamental elements to keep in mind, particularly for me, are: I'm more interested in the scalability of margins than the scalability of revenue. If growing means massive erosion of margins, you should be cautious about how fast you grow. Growing is easy, but if it's at the expense of how solid your business is, you should consider what area of growth you're focusing on.”

From his viewpoint, he shares the way companies should think about their potential partners, saying, “In venture, it's better to have an okay deal with a great company than a great deal with an okay company. The same applies to companies; it's better to have an okay deal with a great investor than a fantastic deal with a mediocre investor.“

Read more about Oriol’s work with Okavango and his thoughts on the investment landscape in the origin story below.

Origin Story with Josep Oriol

Brand vs. Product: Choosing Your Path to Breakthrough Success

person holding pencil near laptop computer — Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash

For startups and emerging brands, there are two ways to break through, but the right path depends entirely on your industry.

If you're entering a space dominated by established players with strong brand equity, your edge is your product. This is the disruptor’s playbook: redefine expectations, challenge norms, and build something undeniably better. The numbers don’t lie—88% of consumers trust peer reviews over marketing - a great product markets itself.

If you're stepping into an industry where companies are pouring their investment into product development, flip the script and invest more into branding. Look at Patagonia, Nike, and Allbirds. They didn’t just sell products; they built movements. A strong brand is more than just a logo; it’s an identity that sets you apart.

The real magic happens at the intersection. Branding fuels product growth, and a strong product reinforces brand credibility. It’s all about positioning. One path can lead to another with the right plan and understanding of the market.

In purpose-driven and impact-led sectors, choosing your path early and executing it well can be the difference between making noise and making a mark.

After Breaking Through - Using Branding As The Foundation for Marketing & Growth

But make no mistake—whether your break-through strategy is driven by the product or driving the product, to scale your business, your brand must be the foundation for every decision your company will make - including marketing.

A well-defined brand doesn’t just support business growth—it propels it forward. As Steve Forbes said, “Your brand is the single most important investment you can make in your business.” When your brand is consistent, it becomes your north star, illuminating the path forward for all your marketing efforts.

Just look at Apple, which is a masterclass in branding. Their brand isn’t just about cutting-edge technology; it’s about the emotional connection they foster with their users. Apple’s marketing campaigns may focus on the latest iPhone or MacBook, but its brand is what keeps people coming back year after year.

In many ways, branding and marketing must work hand in hand. Without a strong brand foundation, marketing becomes directionless. Without marketing, even the strongest brand can remain unseen and unheard. Your brand tells the world who you are and why you exist, while marketing brings that story to life.

Learn more about the interplay between branding and marketing below.

Branding & Marketing Insights

Leveling Up: Brighter Future Workshops & Events

The storytelling sessions were a huge hit this past week, and thank you to everyone who came out and shared the space for discussion, growth, and collaboration.

If you’re still looking for pitch support, we have a few drop-in sessions this week on the 21st - sign up for those here.

For now, though, we’re turning our sights to our next big event - the Perfect Your Pitch Live Review Session on March 26th. We’re excited to announce that Natalie Milde from Future Energy Ventures will be joining our panel, which already includes Elizabeth Iszauk and Aaron Leaman.

📢 Want to pitch live? Submit your deck to mission@brighterfuture.studio by March 26th for a chance to be one of 2-3 selected startups. We’ll also invite a few audience members to pitch on the spot, time permitting.

🎟 Get your FREE tickets below—we can’t wait to see you there!

Get Your Tickets

Thanks for joining us this week. We’ll be back with another edition of Changemakers in a couple of weeks. See you soon.

Sincerely,

The Brighter Future Team