5 Secrets in <30 Minutes That Cult Brands Use to Create Loyal, Obsession-Worthy Communities (That You Can Implement Now)

What Makes a Brand Stick: How Community, Micro-Influence, and Real Talk Build Cult Status

Inside the Mindset and Messaging Behind My Investor Pitches, Mastermind Relaunch, and What’s Actually Working Online Right Now

Some seasons of business stretch you. Some redefine you. And some remind you why you started building in the first place.

Right now, I’m in all three. Between pitching investors for Casa Noon, preparing to relaunch Obsession Worthy: The Smart Girls Mastermind, and hosting the Cult Brand Blueprint training, I’ve been thinking deeply about what makes a brand not just relevant—but obsession-worthy.

Let’s break it all down. This post covers:

• What I’ve learned from fundraising for the first time

• How doors really open in this industry (spoiler: it’s not hustle alone)

• Five principles sticky brands are prioritizing right now

This is your behind-the-scenes note from a founder doing the thing, figuring it out in real time, and building with clarity.

Fundraising for the First Time: What’s Actually Helping

Building Casa Noon has stretched every part of me.

While I’ve worked in the beauty industry for two decades, I’ve never:

• Developed my own product from scratch

• Navigated clean certification standards (Goop Clean vs. Detox vs. Sephora Clean)

• Set up business entities for investor structuring

• Pitched to investment groups or raised funding

This is all new territory. And what’s carried me through isn’t pretending I have it all figured out. It’s being surrounded by people who get it, staying open and teachable, and leading with self-trust.

If you’re in a chapter of doing something you’ve never done before, here’s your reminder: new doesn’t mean unqualified. It means in process. And that’s a powerful place to be.

No One Does This Alone (and You Shouldn’t Either)

Every pivotal moment in my business came from someone else opening a door.

• My book deal came from a friend-of-a-friend introducing me to her literary agent. That agent is still mine 10 years later.

• My first Google brand contract came from a fellow blogger who passed my name to their team. It led to a $35K video series deal.

• My first investor pitches? They were either listeners of this podcast or Smart Girls Mastermind members. One made a direct intro to a major fund.

These opportunities didn’t come because I had everything buttoned up or perfectly polished. They came because I was in community with women who saw something in me—and I did the work to stay visible, connected, and credible.

This is exactly why I created Obsession Worthy: The Smart Girls Mastermind. Because when women support each other’s rise, entire legacies shift.

Obsession Worthy: Final Enrollment for a While

We're about to open doors to Obsession Worthy for the last time this year—and likely for a while, because Casa Noon is launching soon.

If you’ve been craving a space where:

• Your brand gets the eyes and momentum it deserves

• You have direct access to high-level strategy and brand work

• You build alongside women who are invested in your success

This is it. It’s high-touch, done-with-you, and incredibly curated. If you're unsure whether it's the right fit, we can have a conversation. Submit an application, and we’ll chat it through.

And if you’re not ready for a mastermind, Out of Office Club continues to offer monthly challenges and connection points with ambitious women. Either way, get in the room. The right people change everything.

Five Things Sticky Brands Are Doing Differently Right Now

These are the behaviors I’m seeing across cult-status brands, indie founders, and community-first businesses—and what I’m applying in my own brand(s) every day.

1. Micro-Influence Over Celebrity Appeal

People trust people.

Your face, your voice, your values—those are the assets. You don’t need a celebrity endorsement to sell out your offer. You need clarity on what you do, why it matters, and how it changes someone’s life.

This is what creates sustainable, consistent influence. Not volume. Not virality. Just truth.

2. Founder Presence Equals Brand Authority

Personal branding isn’t optional. It’s your leadership strategy.

Show your process. Share your POV. Speak with clarity and consistency—whether it’s on LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, or your email list.

Before people buy from you, they need to know you do that thing. When they can say, “She’s the one who helps with [insert your magic here],” you’ve won.

3. Belonging Is the New It Factor

Cult brands aren’t built on hype. They’re built on identity.

One example? The Jacquemus store opening in LA. The banana trucks. The lemon stands. The massive lines. People didn’t just want the product—they wanted in. The experience was designed to feel like a private club.

To replicate that energy:

• Use insider language

• Create brand rituals

• Develop visuals that say, “This is for people like us”

That’s how you build the “if you know, you know” factor.

4. Obsession Comes from Details, Not Volume

The brands people rave about in their group chats obsess over touchpoints.

From packaging to Pinterest to product drops, every micro-moment matters.

You don’t need to post more. You need to create more feeling. It’s the difference between content that fills space and content that stays with people.

5. DMs Over Dances

Virality might build awareness. But DMs build loyalty.

The brands winning right now are:

• Creating real conversations

• Encouraging genuine connection

• Focusing on depth, not just clicks

One of my posts on Threads led someone to DM me, asking about how to get involved in this community. That kind of message is a metric that matters.

Ask yourself: does your content make people reach out because it resonates that deeply?

Upcoming: Cult Brand Blueprint + Smart Girls Summer Camp

Two ways to get deeper into this work—free and in real life:

1. Cult Brand Blueprint Workshop – Live & Free

This training covers:

• Identity-led branding

• Specificity in storytelling

• Visual recognizability

• Building brands people talk about (without needing to shout)

Sign up using the link in the show notes.

2. Smart Girls Summer Camp – July 11–13 in Venice Beach, CA

This in-person retreat includes:

• Strategy circles

• Cold plunges and sauna

• Content creation and connection

It’s $148 down, with two follow-up payments. And it’s the best way to step out of office and into rooms that open doors.

Final Word

If you’re ready to be in deeper rooms, grow a brand people talk about when you’re not in the room, and clarify your strategy for long-term momentum—not just quick spikes—this is your time.

Whether through the Mastermind, the Club, or the upcoming Cult Brand training, I’d love to see you in our world.

And if you want to talk through how we can support you? DM me @ouiwegirl.

Resources:
— Apply for Obsession-Worthy: The Smart Girls Mastermind → APPLICATION  https://www.ouiwestudio.com/mastermind
— Join Smart Girl Summer Camp in Venice Beach, July 11–13 (only $148 deposit!)
— Sign up for the Cult Brand Blueprint live workshop

Coming up next:
Andi’s dropping a bonus episode midweek on emotional resonance and sticky brand strategies you can apply right away — don’t miss it!

Make sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend, and leave a review if you love what you’re hearing.