Founders Inspiring Founders: Hernan López

“A great idea just needs a good question to be found. Be creative in the questions and you can be more creative in the solutions.”

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Hernan López, CEO & Co-Founder at Mr Branding.

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What inspired you to embark on the entrepreneurship journey and become a founder?

For years I worked in traditional agencies and found a significant gap in brand management. While many agencies excel at executing tasks, they often fall short in truly understanding the strategies and purposes of the brands they work for.

I strongly believe that brand management teams should not operate in isolation from clients and their businesses. The work methodology should not just be about giving briefs, having creative meetings, deadlines and executing. I aim to work on a business model where the whole team involved in the management of a brand, including creatives, strategists, planners, executives, and others, can understand the businesses behind the brands, their objectives, and challenges, and work together to create brand experiences that genuinely capture the essence of our clients' brands. This approach will respond to both the business objectives and the constant creation and positioning of the brands.

This concept inspired the foundation of Mr Branding almost ten years ago, not as an agency or a consultancy but rather as a branding solver company. We believe that managing a brand goes beyond providing specific services, and we are committed to offering integral and comprehensive solutions that enable us to manage every aspect of our clients' brands.

Reflecting on your journey, what has been the biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

Our biggest challenge has been the market underestimation of branding's true impact. Many brand decision-makers still view their efforts solely with short-term objectives, neglecting the long-term brand-building process. Still, whether intentional or not, every aspect of a business builds its brand. Therefore, companies must be aware of the brand perception in customers' minds and ensure it aligns with the desired image.

At Mr Branding, we adopt a dedicated brand team model that offers our clients a more comprehensive and business-oriented approach. Each team is selected based on their affinity towards our clients' brands and ability to understand and prefer them. We strive to comprehend their customer journey experiences, familiarise with their processes and understand the reasons behind their brand.

Could you share one or two key pieces of advice you'd give to aspiring entrepreneurs aiming to become successful founders?

Today, the abundance of content suggests that entrepreneurship just needs to take the first step. Well, that is true, but I always remember a phrase I read a few years ago: "Startup is not a sprint but a marathon." Every step is critical, and the focus should be on the long-term perspective. Entrepreneurship is not about having all the answers before starting. Rather, it is about having a clear vision, acting decisively, and being willing to learn and adapt in a long-term way.

In your opinion, what makes a founder a successful founder?

A successful founder must be, besides other skills, a good listener and a translator. By being a good listener, they can understand every aspect of their business, their target audience, and the ever-evolving market forces. By being a translator, A founder needs to know about every discipline required for the company to exist, including entrepreneurship, business management, customer service, economics, technology, manufacturing, administration, branding, etc. Yes, one must rely on specialised people to empower every business aspect, but a founder has to understand their "languages" and act as a bridge between them.