The Risks of Ignoring Brand in Your Product | Brand & Product Series with Lee Eisenbarth | Episode 1

When product teams build fast and brand is left behind, user experience gaps emerge — and trust erodes.

In this first installment of our Brand & Product Series, Focus Lab CEO Bill Kenney sits down with Lee Eisenbarth (Partner, Max Q) to unpack why brand and product are still so often siloed — and how that separation can quietly undermine trust, traction, and growth for B2B startups and scale-ups.

From early-stage identity myths to missed emotional cues in product design, this conversation sets the foundation for a new way forward: one where brand is built in from day one.

🎯 What we cover:

→ Why product-first thinking often undervalues brand
→ How emotional architecture builds resonance and retention
→ The business risk of “brand as garnish” thinking
→ Real-world moments where brand drives product trust (Duolingo, Chase, Chewy)
→ How to align marketing, product, and brand as one experience

Whether you're a founder, product leader, or anyone shaping brand in your organization, this series is a must-watch on building unified experiences that drive clarity, trust, and long-term growth.

---

00:00 - Introduction
04:29 - Why early-stage teams misunderstand brand's business value
06:45 - What’s behind the product–brand disconnect in B2B orgs?
10:45 - Examples of strong branded experiences
13:30 - The emotional gap: why trust collapses without branded experience
18:52 - B2B branding can have emotion too
21:57 - Brand debt versus technical debt
26:49 - How can a founder pull off building brand and product in tandem?

---

Episode Resources:

Learn about MaxQ:
https://gomaxq.com/

Lee's Article "Brand Isn't the Frosting. It's the Framework":
https://gomaxq.com/blog/brand-strategy

Connect with Lee on LinkedIn:
  / helloimlee  

---

Focus Lab is an established B2B brand agency that believes, without question, that the most successful companies are the ones who invest in branding. Focus Lab creates transformative B2B brands that resonate with their customers and stand out as industry leaders. Through a proven process and a shared commitment to create unforgettable experiences, we develop true partnerships that help B2B brands become their boldest, most original selves.

---

STAY IN TOUCH:
► Newsletter: https://focuslab.agency/subscribe
► LinkedIn:   / focus-lab-llc  
► Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/prof...
► Instagram: @focuslabllc



Looking for a brand agency? We would love to hear from you.

Email us: [email protected]