It’s the story…
Some businesses have a compelling story to tell. You may not know the origins of that story, but it’s clear in what the company is and what it stands for. If you had to imagine how the company came to be from what it stands for now or if you had to imagine what the founders were like from what their companies look like today you would probably come very close.
Think L.L. Bean and Eddie Bauer. They both happen to be stores that sell outdoor gear and are named for their founders. Even if you don’t know much about the founders or how the businesses came about, if you’ve experienced either company you can probably make a reasonably good guess about the story each business tells for its customers.
That’s good storytelling. It’s a little bit branding, too, but I argue that the success comes from the underlying story.
What lessons can other companies, especially those in other industries, take away from this?