Building a Brand Worth Fighting For

Branding is everything when you’re building a company from the ground up.

In the Army, we brand our units with genuine pride - unit shirts, patches, challenge coins, the whole nine yards. The most powerful symbol of that brand is the unit guidon. Those pieces of cloth on 8-foot poles have directed and rallied Soldiers for hundreds of years. They are a proud emblem of unit identity. These experiences taught me that branding runs much deeper than logos or slogans. It’s about creating something people believe in - something worth standing behind and defending every single day.

Branding often works in the background. You feel its impact long before you can clearly see it. It’s subtle - until you stop and reflect on the experiences it creates. That’s when you realize how powerfully it shapes loyalty, culture, and identity. The same principle applies to your business. When done right, your brand becomes something your team and your customers are proud to stand behind - something worth fighting for.

Rules of Thumb

There are plenty of rules of thumb in business, but two stick with me in regards to branding:

The classic “Rule of 7” says a customer needs to see your brand at least seven times before they buy. I believe it’s much higher now - closer to 10-20 impressions. Everyone has a Facebook page, business cards, company shirts, and wrapped trucks. These days, a plain white van actually stands out.

The “3-second rule” is the one I take most seriously. You have roughly three seconds to make a strong first impression and build trust. Whether it’s a job site, a supplier meeting, or someone seeing your truck - be quick, be sharp, and be professional.

My Introduction to Branding

Once you lock in your logo, slogan, name, colors, and overall theme, the real work begins: branding everything you touch.

My favorite example came from my time with B Co 2-4 GSAB - “the Clydesdales” - at Fort Carson, Colorado. Our PT shirt design on the back was pure genius. It took me months to realize it was a clever spin on the Coors Banquet logo. We replaced “Coors” with “Clydesdales,” “Banquet” with “Horsepower,” added Chinooks with horseshoes on the aft pylons flying over the Rockies, and tied it all together. The whole company bought that shirt. It was that good.

Our official unit logo was more serious but carried the same power. It wasn’t just a design on a shirt. It represented our history, our mission, and the Soldiers who came before us, served with us, and would come after us. Wearing that shirt, I practically peacocked. I wanted everyone to know exactly what organization I represented - because we truly believed we were the best.

Bringing It to Yorktown Tools

Yorktown Tools branding hits me on that same level. When I look at our logo - the red, white, and blue, the gold (yellow), and the George Washington - mascot - I feel deep pride, the kind that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It connects directly to my entire military career and my love for American history.

As a kid, my grandmother used to take my sisters and me to Williamsburg, Virginia, on vacation. I was fascinated by the reenactors, the battles, and the stories. Today, living in the historical triangle, this place still gives me that same giddy feeling.

These places are living reminders of why we serve, why people gave their lives, and what the American way of life truly means. That’s why the branding feels right. It resonates not just with me, but with the area and the industry.

Around the Historic Triangle (Jamestown, Yorktown, Williamsburg) and beyond in construction, contracting, and government work, people respond to that patriotic pride. These are the men and women actually building and protecting the country.

Real-World Tweaks

Of course, even strong designs need adjusting in the real world. My original George Washington mascot looked awesome on my website, but the full Revolutionary War backdrop didn’t work well across every application. I kept the original spirit but tweaked it into a cleaner, enclosed design that performs much better on patches, stickers, and embroidery.

The main logo also needed refinement. The sew shop struggled with the light American flag backdrop - the faded colors looked pink and light blue on certain Swag. We had to adjust the design so it would embroider cleanly without losing the classic feel. These small, practical changes make a big difference when you’re trying to look professional at scale.

SWAG That Matters

I learned early in the military that putting your brand everywhere signals pride, standards, and professionalism. It even helps keep your own people accountable. I remember being stationed in Hawaii with D Co 2-6 CAV (Kiowa Warriors). We had this old crusty Command Sergeant Major who would yell at the top of his lungs during the Aloha Run: “If you fall out of this eight-mile run, you better take that unit shirt off! We don’t want anyone knowing you’re with us!” It was harsh, but it stuck with me. That’s how much the brand meant. It carried real weight.

That’s why I work with Mrs. V - a former Soldier and current Army Civilian professional who now makes swag on the side - for all of my needs: stickers, coffee mugs, bottle openers, and more. I’ve already ordered hundreds of stickers with different designs. I hand them out at every opportunity and stick them on walls at breweries and restaurants.

I’ve also replaced most of my personal clothes with company T-shirts. I stay on brand at all times.

My goal is simple: make Yorktown Tools sticky. I want people saying, “I see Yorktown Tools everywhere.” More importantly, I want future employees to feel the same pride I felt wearing Clydesdale gear - like no other tool company even comes close.

Don’t Be Rigid

One of the biggest lessons these last eight months has taught me is this: you can’t be rigid in the beginning. I haven’t been stubborn about designs, but it still stings when something you personally love doesn’t resonate with customers the way you hoped.

So my advice to you is to try new things. Always test in small batches before spending real money. Remember, shirt fits vary wildly by brand, colors look different on different materials, and what works great on a sticker might fall flat on a hat. Listen closely to your customers. Just because you own the company doesn’t mean you own the brand. Once people start talking about it, the brand becomes what they say it means.

Final Thought

Branding takes time to build, but it can be destroyed in moments. You have to be deliberate with the message you want your employees and customers to take away. When done right, it attracts like-minded people. The goal is for your team and your customers to be proud to rep Yorktown Tools even when you’re not around.

I’ve already started hearing people casually mention “Yorktown Tools” in professional meetings and around town. That’s when you know the brand is getting sticky.

These are Tools Worth Fighting For!