What Every Brand and Business Can Learn From a Boston Cream Donut
Imagine taking a bite into a Boston cream donut.
(If you’ve never heard of one, here’s a quick brief on the Boston Cream Donut! Ok, now back to the article…)
As you savor the layers of fried dough and the chocolate glaze on top, you reach the center—the moment of pure bliss. That rich, creamy custard filling that makes you sing and dance in the rain.
And as much as your love donuts, as fluffy and satisfying the bounce of that fried dough gives, that’s not the main show. It’s not even the glaze, no matter where the chocolate was imported from.
You really only came for one thing: that heavenly rich custard filling in the center.
It’s the very thing that keeps you going one bite after another. It’s the sole motivator of you finishing one piece of donut even when you’re on this calorie-counting weight-goal journey. It’s worth the burn because every bite means one more moment of pure bliss.
But how does this relate to brands and businesses?
In the world of brand strategy, knowing your "Why" is like that custard filling.
It's what keeps you grounded, connected, and motivated. It's the driving force behind everything you do for a brand and business. It goes beyond success metrics like profitability and engagement.
Maybe you felt unseen and undervalued in one season of your life and now you want to help certain groups of people find their voice and gain more visibility in the market.
Maybe you’re a maker and you love creating things, so you have this desire to help other artists grow a brand that will sustain them financially and allow them to do what they love.
Or maybe you’re passionate about storytelling and you have a dream to help women entrepreneurs tell their story online through their branding, website, and online presence.
Your ‘Why’ is the starting point of your brand and business. It’s that moment when you develop this inkling to create and dream because deep down in your heart, there’s a change that you want to make.
At the heart of every successful brand strategy lies a clear understanding of the brand’s purpose.
When you know why you do what you do and who you do it for, staying rooted becomes effortless. It’s a constant reminder of the impact you want to bring to the world through your work.
Think of it as your foundational decision-making filter. If it aligns with your ‘Why’, there’s a strong reason for you to consider and explore that idea further. If it doesn’t align, you clearly don’t need to think twice.
Your "Why" is your compass, pointing you in the right direction when you face decisions, setbacks, or moments of doubt. Whether you're designing a logo, crafting a brand message, or developing a marketing strategy for your own brand or your client’s brand.
You can go back to one simple question: Does it align with why we start this brand in the first place?
Knowing your ‘Why’ means your brand has the foundation to show up consistently
When you know your purpose, you show up not just because of the tasks on your to-do list, but because you're driven by a bigger vision. Everything you do in the brand and business makes sense because you have a clear purpose that you’re moving towards.
This drive for impact and purpose is what sets your brand strategy apart. Now it’s no longer about just competing with other brands or following what other businesses are doing, but it’s about focusing on the impact you want to bring through the brand and the action steps to make that happen.
Your "Why" provides the fuel to keep you consistent, day in and day out.
With clarity on its purpose, the brand now has freedom to evolve and grow in the journey.
When a brand strategy is only rooted on success metrics like sales and engagement, you risk losing your drive when things don’t go as expected. You don’t have a bigger reason to stick around and keep showing up for the brand and business, because you’re only fixated on results.
Knowing your “Why” gives you a foundation to embrace the journey as much as the milestones. It opens up your perspective to recognize that while goals and metrics are important tools for the brand growth, fulfillment and impact can be found beyond the “finish lines”.
Staying rooted on your core purpose gives you the freedom to explore ideas, make adjustments and evolve as your brand grows. Because it’s no longer about certain milestones, it’s about what these milestones mean to the brand and what impact they will bring to other people.
The one direction you need to think about is the big brand purpose, everything else is a playground where you are free to dream bigger, take risks and stay curious in the process.
So, what’s your ‘Why’?
Do you know why you do what you do?
Do your clients know why they do what they do?
