Helping Startups Raise Millions With Strategic Branding With Olga Svitelska

Olga Svitelska is the Founding Partner and Chief Operating Officer of Wunderdogs, a brand consultancy that partners with companies to elevate their creative strategies through comprehensive approaches in strategy, design, and technology. Since joining Wunderdogs, Olga has played a pivotal role in guiding the company’s collaborations with over 140 start-ups and 30 venture capital firms, all aiming to address global challenges with innovative solutions. Under her leadership, Wunderdogs has received multiple accolades, including awards for outstanding client work in brand design and digital platforms.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[3:56] How growing up in post-Soviet Ukraine shaped Olga Svitelska’s entrepreneurial drive
[9:00] Olga’s transition from waitressing to fashion and costume design work in Ukraine
[13:07] Lessons Olga learned from working under President Zelensky
[15:10] Navigating a new life in the US with limited support and no clear roadmap
[24:36] The founding story of Wunderdogs
[28:36] Bridging the gap between creative and tech teams through brand storytelling
[30:46] Helping start-ups raise over $1B by clarifying positioning, messaging, and value
[34:39] Why AI is a powerful tool for experienced creatives but a threat to junior roles

In this episode…

Breaking through the noise is one of the biggest challenges for early-stage start-ups, especially when trying to attract investors. How can a company with a complex product or deep tech solution communicate its value clearly and compellingly enough to raise millions?

According to Olga Svitelska, a seasoned brand strategist, the key is clarity through storytelling. She highlights that many start-ups struggle not because their ideas lack merit but because they can’t express their value in a language investors understand. Olga emphasizes the importance of strong brand foundations, clear positioning, messaging, and identity in dramatically improving a start-up’s fundraising success.

In this episode, host John Corcoran speaks with Olga Svitelska, Founding Partner and Chief Operating Officer of Wunderdogs, to discuss how start-ups can raise millions through strategic branding. They explore how to bridge the gap between tech and storytelling, how Olga transitioned from fashion to branding, and why AI is a tool, not a replacement for creativity. Olga Svitelska also shares lessons from working under President Zelensky earlier in her career.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments

“If you give AI just like a junior person, it will do 70%.”
“I found every job I had myself.”
“I still think that that’s probably one of the best things that happened to me.”
“We take underdogs, right? Like do some wonders and then help them to become big dogs.”
“He is very hard working, like a crazy hardworking person.”

Action Steps

Build a brand narrative that speaks human: Translating complex products into relatable language helps investors quickly understand value and potential.
Start with positioning before visuals: Crafting a clear value proposition first ensures that design elements support business goals effectively.
Ask bold questions to get noticed: Proactively pitching ideas or asking for opportunities can open unexpected doors and create career-defining moments.
Use AI as a creative accelerator, not a replacement: Leveraging AI for drafts while keeping human judgment ensures quality and originality in branding work.
Bridge creative and technical teams: Acting as a translator between design and development fosters alignment, efficiency, and better final outcomes.

Sponsor for this episode…

EO San Francisco

This episode is brought to you by EO San Francisco.

The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is a global, peer-to-peer network of more than 14,000+ influential business owners with 198 chapters in 61 countries.

If you are the founder, co-founder, owner, or controlling shareholder of a company generating over $1 million a year in revenues, and want to connect with other like-minded successful entrepreneurs, EO is for you.

The EO San Francisco chapter enables leading entrepreneurs in the Bay area to learn, grow, and achieve greater success.

The EOSF chapter was founded in 1991, and today we have over 100 members in industries ranging from marketing to agriculture to tech and professional services.

To learn how it works, or to come do a test drive come join us at www.eonetwork.org/sanfrancisco/.

This episode is also brought to you by my company, Pacific Crest Group.

Pacific Crest Group provides outsourced CFO, Controller, and bookkeeping services. You can learn more about us at https://www.pcg-services.com/

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