In brand marketing as in business, the curiosity and creativity which founders hold inside, can serve to move a startup forward. But there comes a time when these gifts start to take us down conflicting paths. It may be our inner human need for raw, unfettered expression, or the exciting allure that comes from the identity of the "creative wanderer."

At Charley + Company, we think there's merit in that.

But as one might guess, brand marketing is not served by merely artistic values. Focus, discipline and constraint is the strategy of today.

And so today, as growing startups make their jump "from startup to corporate," they will say goodbye to this brief life as the "creative wanderer." The differentiator, they have cast as the leading star of their First Creative Act, has done its job to build awareness, attract customers of shared values—and help the startup acquire the means to grow.

But now, this curtain has closed.

As the brand marketing department grows, new hires are made, everything from specialists to generalists will need guard rails to keep the brand maintained.

Brand standards and tone of voice guides cannot be understated. But when it comes to building distinctive products and services, consistency and credibility is derived from something of foundational substance:

"RTBs."

RTBs (or Reasons to Believe) is defined as compelling proof that the brand can deliver on its products or services. Good RTBs are judged by their ability to distinguish themselves from competitors.

To maximize the transition "from startup to corporate brand," and get the most out of this new shift in approach to mass promotion, it's important the marketing leaders in place thoughtfully choose a select group of powerful RTBs.

Because this will trickle down to every piece of communications that every new marketing hire will put out into the wild.

That's the stakes of the game.