3 Unsexy But Essential Steps to Build a Cult Brand (Most Founders Skip These!)
Building a cult brand isn’t just about aesthetics and content. Discover the three unsexy but essential foundations every founder needs to scale sustainably: financial support, IP protection, and digital asset ownership.
When the World Feels Heavy, Why Your Work Still Matters
I live in Los Angeles, and this summer has been heartbreaking. Local raids continue in my neighborhood, families are being torn apart, and the city feels quiet in an eerie way. Summer pools are closed, concerts canceled, and even July 4th festivities were put on pause. Add to that the devastating climate disaster in Texas, and it feels like politics, policy, and the planet are unraveling all at once.
If you’ve been waking up with a heavy heart, you’re not alone. I feel it too.
And yet, here’s what I know: the work we’re doing here still matters—maybe more than ever. This community has always been about care, creativity, and empathy. Even when things feel hopeless, we show up.
And that’s what today’s conversation is about: showing up for your business in a different way. Not with flashy launches or polished campaigns, but with the essential, behind-the-scenes work that protects and sustains your brand for the long run.
These aren’t the glamorous parts of entrepreneurship, but they are the practices that separate chaotic growth from sustainable success. Let’s get into the three unsexy but essential foundations every cult brand needs from day one.
1. Hire Financial Support Early
If you’re making more than $1,000 a month, you need a bookkeeper or accountant. That might sound premature, but trust me—it’s not.
When I was already making six figures at Oui, We Studio, I still didn’t have my finances organized. Tax season was messy, stressful, and way more expensive than it should’ve been. My first official hire? A bookkeeper.
Here’s why it matters:
A bookkeeper will catch messy middle mistakes before they snowball into disasters.
An accountant will help you plan ahead, not panic when taxes come due.
A business bank account (opened the second you make your first dollar) changes your mindset. It separates you from your business and positions you as a steward of the entity you’ve created.
For me, setting up that account was a turning point. I began treating Oui, We Studio like the company it was—not a personal project. That shift helped me see the bigger financial picture and step into the role of CEO, not just creative.
If you’re serious about scaling, financial support isn’t optional. And while you’re hiring help, keep doing your money mindset work. Both matter.
2. Protect Your Business and Intellectual Property
Your business structure isn’t just paperwork—it’s protection. Whether you’re an LLC, S-Corp, or sole proprietorship, the right setup shields your assets, sets you up for taxes, and makes it possible to take on investors down the road.
I’ve learned this lesson the hard way with trademarks. Here’s the reality:
Trademark early. Program names, frameworks, or community phrases can take off faster than you expect. If you don’t secure them, someone else might.
Don’t wait. I’ve seen my own terms—like Smart Girls Mastermind and Obsession-Worthy—used by others because I hesitated on filing. Once it spreads, the process of cease-and-desist is costly and draining.
Think beyond your company name. Protect course names, taglines, and signature frameworks, not just your brand identity.
I’ve now become what I jokingly call a “trademark hoarder.” If I know I’ll use a term consistently, I secure it. Because here’s the truth: your IP is future value. It’s leverage for licensing, collaborations, or even selling your company someday.
3. Own Every Digital Asset Like a CEO
This one seems simple, but it’s a game-changer: own your digital footprint before someone else does.
That means:
Secure your domain name (even if you’re not building a website yet).
Claim social handles across all platforms, even the ones you’re not active on. Consistency matters.
Set up branded email under your domain for professionalism and control.
Keep your branding unified—fonts, colors, and visuals should look the same across platforms.
For example, my handle @wewegirl also needs to exist on TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Threads, whether I use them now or not. It’s not about posting everywhere; it’s about protecting your ecosystem.
Think of it like digital real estate. Cult brands that scale quickly already have the foundations in place. Because they prepared early, they can move faster later.
Selling in Heavy Times: A Different Approach
Let’s circle back to where we started: building a business when the world feels heavy. Should you still sell? Absolutely. Your business sustains you, your team, and your community. But the way you sell needs to shift.
Here are four aligned strategies for selling during difficult times:
Speak from your nervous system, not your funnel. If you’re dysregulated, your audience feels it. Regulate first, then create.
Lead with empathy, not urgency. Avoid pressure tactics. People buy from brands that feel human.
Offer context. Share why your offer exists right now and who it’s here to support.
Let people opt in emotionally. Replace scarcity language with invitational messaging. For example: instead of “Only three spots left,” try, “If you’re feeling called to this work right now, I’d love to hold space for you.”
Sales don’t stop in hard times, but the language changes. Empathy, presence, and clarity are what resonate.
The Bottom Line
Cult brands aren’t built on content alone. Behind the viral posts and the storytelling are unglamorous but essential foundations: financial support, IP protection, and digital asset ownership.
These steps may not feel urgent when you’re just starting out, but they will save you money, stress, and lost opportunities later. Future you will be grateful you locked them in early.
And when the world feels heavy, don’t pull back. Show up with empathy, adjust your tone, and keep selling in a way that feels human. Your people will notice the difference.
Takeaways:
+ Cult brands don’t wing the backend. They set it up like it matters — because it does.
+ Trademarks aren’t optional when your words start moving culture.
+ Your audience doesn’t need perfection — they need presence.
+ Selling with softness is still selling. Lead with empathy, not urgency.
+ The best time to protect your work was yesterday. The next best time? Today.
🎁 Want to go deeper? Join the free Content to Conversion workshop — July 14–16, co-hosted with Flodesk. Get the full blueprint for building a brand that moves from invisible to influential.
🔗 Links & Mentions:
💻 Register for the Content to Conversion Workshop
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