Brand isn’t just a logo or a marketing line item—it’s the foundation of your business. In this episode of Beyond the Billboard, host Greg Wise sits down with Bill Kenney, CEO and partner at Focus Lab, to unpack what it really means to build a brand that sticks. Drawing from 15+ years leading a B2B branding agency, Bill explains why brand is not a marketing expense, but a business pillar. He outlines how performance-only thinking creates a short-term hamster wheel, and how companies can break free by investing in identity, culture, and long-term affinity. From Series B tech startups to M&A transformations, Bill shares what signals show a company is ready for a rebrand—and what red flags say otherwise. For marketers trying to earn executive trust, this conversation is a roadmap to internal alignment and sustainable growth.

👤 Guest Bio

Bill Kenney is the CEO and partner at Focus Lab, a B2B brand agency helping high-growth startups and venture-backed companies define and express their boldest, most original selves. He brings more than 15 years of experience evolving businesses from generic design shops into strategic branding partners. Bill is also the author of Conquer Your Rebrand, which outlines Focus Lab’s full branding process for CMOs and CEOs.

👉 Connect with Bill on LinkedIn

📌 What We Cover

• Why performance marketing alone creates a rat race of short-term returns
• The evolution from creative-led marketing to finance-driven metrics—and back again
• How brand drives recruitment, internal alignment, and long-term customer affinity
• What brand really means beyond the website—"it's literally everything"
• Focus Lab’s analogy of branding as building a house, not just decorating one
• Key pain points that signal it’s time for a rebrand (e.g., M&A, growth-stage gaps)
• What happens when internal teams don’t have the time or alignment for brand work
• Real client stories from Totango, TrustedSec, and Marketo
• Why Bill thinks of LinkedIn as his own out-of-home billboard

🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Scrappy ABM Podcast
• Conquer Your Rebrand by Bill Kenney
• Focus Lab