Your brand isn’t your logo — it’s your startup’s first impression, emotional footprint, and a growth engine hiding in plain sight. In this episode, Maria and Katie sit down with brand strategist Esteban Arroba Del Castillo to talk about why even scrappy, pre-MVP startups need to show up with a clear voice, vibe, and visual identity.

We get into:

• Why branding is a system, not just surface polish
• How to craft a killer brand without torching your budget
• What founders risk when they “launch naked”
• The trust-building link between branding and fundraising
• How to blend creative chaos with operational discipline

If you're an early-stage founder trying to stand out (and not look like an AI-generated Apple clone), hit play.

Links:

Team & Tonic website: https://www.teamandtonic.com
Esteban's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esteban-a/
Esteban's email: esteban@teamandtonic.com

ScaleSpark: https://www.scalespark.ai
Maria's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapienaar/
Katie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiewhitcraft/
ScaleSpark email: info@scalespark.ai

Apple Think Different Ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPX9v8F547k

Business Operations isn’t some boring back-office buzzword—it’s the backbone of your entire company. In this premiere episode, Katie Whitcraft and Maria Pienaar tear into what business ops really means, why most startups are one chaotic spreadsheet away from imploding, and how ops is the not-so-secret weapon behind scale, sanity, and actual success.

From tech stacks to team workflows, expense policies to culture hacks—we’re breaking it all down with zero fluff, plenty of fire, and stories that prove: if you don’t get your ops together, you’re just winging it.

💥 Whether you’re a founder, operator, or just someone who’s sick of business BS, this episode will change how you see the unsexy side of scaling. Spoiler alert: It’s the only part that actually works.

See more on ScaleSpark at www.scalespark.ai

Katie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiewhitcraft/

Maria's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariapienaar/

Images:
Porter’s Value Chain model image courtesy of GetLucidity.com, from the article ‘Porter’s Value Chain: Your Map to Business Success’ (https://getlucidity.com/strategy-resources/guide-to-porters-value-chain/).

Value Chain model image courtesy of Inchainge.com, from the article ‘Value Chain’ published June 7, 2023 (https://inchainge.com/knowledge/value-chain/).