Your Unique Brand Story.

Fast and Affordable.

Define what sets you apart in one transformative workshop.

Guided by a human brand expert - and powered by AI.

For startups and small businesses.

Use the brand story to…

  • Inform the content on your website and sales materials.

  • Develop an onboarding module on company purpose and uniqueness.

  • Craft persuasive messaging to recruit top talent.

  • Articulate your “about us” blurb and press release boilerplate.

  • Create a social media content strategy to ensure “on brand” topics.

  • Train content creators, such as external agencies and consultants.

  • Easily craft your investor pitch deck.

Shannon sitting on a stool in front of a bookcase, smiling

The humans behind the machine

Hi, I’m Shannon!

I’m the founder of Brand Story Machine, a streamlined solution that distills 20+ years of branding experience into one powerful package.

As co-founder of branding agency Global Brand Works, I respect traditional branding—interviews, research, competitive audits—but not every company can invest in that.

Many settle for just a logo, missing the strategic “north star” that aligns teams and drives decisions.

Enter Brand Story Machine.

It's built for companies short on time and resources, but hungry to stand out.

AI accelerates the process, but the real magic is human-powered—backed by decades of hands-on branding experience.

Julia smiling and sitting on a staircase outdoors

Hi, I'm Julia!

With over 20 years of software development experience in Silicon Valley, I've built SaaS and e-commerce solutions for tech startups and Fortune 500 companies alike.

I'm thrilled to bring this expertise to Brand Story Machine to help revolutionize the branding process.

Our tool streamlines each step and adapts to every business’s unique vision—making branding accessible, affordable, and impactful for startups of all sizes.

COMPANIES WHO’VE TRUSTED SHANNON WITH THEIR BRANDS

LifeLock by Norton logo with check mark icon
Visa logo in black and white
SFMOMA logo, black text on white background.
Equinix logo, black and white design
BlackRock logo in black text
Kettle Brand logo in black and white
PayPal logo in black text
LifeLock by Norton logo with checkmark symbol
Visa logo in black and white
SFMOMA logo with bold black letters on a white background.
Equinix logo with geometric icon and text
BlackRock logo in bold black text on white background.
Kettle Brand logo in black text
PayPal logo in black text

What You’ll Get

Colorful blocks representing brand components: Positioning, Brand Personality, Attributes, Benefits, Core Offering, and Purpose Statement.
Star-shaped icon labeled "Messaging"

How it works

Horizontal timeline with four circular icons evenly spaced along a white line with an arrow at the end. Icons depict a pencil, sun, clipboard, and a mountain peak. All icons are orange and enclosed in circles.

Before Workshop / 10 mins

Each member of the client team completes an easy 6-question survey.

Workshop / 90 mins

Facilitated by a brand expert, create your own unique brand story in a fun, compelling and team-galvanizing workshop, assisted by skillfully programmed AI.

After Workshop

Receive your Brand Story, ready to put into market or further finesse with internal teams.

Bring your Brand Story to life

Depending on your priorities, create website content, press releases, social media, sales materials, pitch decks, in recruiting, onboarding, training, and more.

Add-on brand consulting services are available for an additional fee.

What to Expect From The Workshop

Check out this one-minute video to see real client reactions during the workshop.

Testimonials from real customers of Brand Story Machine

Comparison chart between "Brand Story Machine" and "Traditional Way" for branding. Brand Story Machine takes days, requires minimal staff time, and costs $3,400, while the Traditional Way takes 6-12 weeks, requires extensive staff involvement, and costs $20,000-$80,000. Both emphasize the necessity of a strong brand for business success.

Featured Clients

Our process is industry agnostic and can work for new brands, rebrands, product lines, and even event themes.

Color flower turbines with the Flower Turbines logo on top in white

  • Catalyst
    After nearly a decade in business, this mid-sized company had never formalized its brand identity, resulting in internal misalignment on priorities and decisions.

    Outcome
    With a robust brand platform and messaging in hand, Flower Turbines is refining their sales approach and materials to a format that is clear, consistent, and relevant.

    “I’m going to use it starting tomorrow!”
    - Hani Gera, VP Business Development 

Brand Pivot, B2B Established Business, Energy Sustainability

Flower Turbines

Nancy leaning up against a unfinished wall holding a hard hat with the Nancy Built logo on top in white

  • Catalyst
    After more than five years in business, this woman-owned general contractor sought to reposition its brand and services to underscore its commitment to sustainable construction.

    Outcome
    Nancy and her team are leveraging the messaging toolkit to develop fresh website content and refine their sales materials, all in preparation for a strategic relaunch of the business.

    “Important and highly valuable.”
    – Nancy Madymski, Founder

FlowChart symbol with three red icons: a lock, a rocket, and a gear, with text "Hello, world! John Doe | FlowChart Designer for Squarespace" in black.

Nancy Built

Teenager girl singing into a microphone on a yellow background

  • Catalyst
    The founder of this startup had a surge of ideas and needed a concise format to organize them as she finalized her product and offerings.

    Outcome
    The brand story is inspiring the development of a book title, the offering itself, and a pitch deck.

    “It is genius how quickly something so distinctive and concrete is generated into a tangible and immediately useful tool.”
    – Kelli Peterson, Founder

Brand Development, Consulting Startup, Training & Education

Storytelling for Kids

Close up of bracelets with colorful stones, the Fandangle 'F' on top in white

  • Catalyst
    The founder of this newly established jewelry company needed a clear strategy to stand out in a crowded market—especially on Etsy.

    Outcome
    The new brand story guided package design and the “unboxing” experience, served as the basis for a one-page flyer for local retailers, and informed the copy for her Etsy store.

    “All I can say is WOW. I had no idea I even needed this until I saw the output.”
    – Kelly Grogan, Founder

Red icons for task management, project launch, and settings

The Fandangle Shop

Rolling hills leading up to a vineyard with the Yorkville Highlands logo on top in white

  • Catalyst
    Founded 16 years ago, this wine appellation brand hadn’t ever set itself apart from other well-known Northern California grape-growing regions, resulting in low brand awareness.

    Outcome
    With their first-ever brand articulation, the Association is refining its website and social media messaging, emphasizing its distinctive qualities compared to Napa and Sonoma.

    “It moved us behind a major sticking point by giving us a coherent story to tell.”
    – Cindy Paulson, Owner, Hawks Butte Vineyards

Brand Articulation, Established Association, Grape Growing Appellation

Yorkville Highlands

Hills of Marin leading up to the ocean, Zero Waste Marin logo on top in white
Three red icons: a memo pad, a rocket, and a gear.

Zero Waste Marin

  • Catalyst
    The mission of Zero Waste Marin is to protect natural resources by promoting reduction of waste.  In preparation for a new advertising campaign, the brand needed to be defined in a modern, relevant way.

    Outcome
    The new brand story informed the development of a new, bold visual identity system and a social media strategy campaign that moves the brand beyond the functional to more emotional territories.  

    “It provided the perfect guardrails so we weren’t off into the ether talking to ourselves.”
    – Casey Fritz, MSc, Senior Planner

How a strong brand drives business

  • Increases awareness, recognition and recall

    Consistent and clear messaging and tone across
 channels makes your brand easy to stand out in a crowded marketplace, more recognizable, and remember.

    Business Impact
    Build trust

    Increase loyalty
    Streamline sales cycle

  • Better Connection with employees and customers

    By communicating in a compelling and relevant way, a strong brand establishes meaningful relationships with customers and inspires alignment with internal teams.


    Business Impact
    Advocacy and championship
    Repeat business
    Galvanized internal teams

  • Maximizes marketing efficiencies and impact

    A strong brand sets clear expectations, reducing the need to invest in explaining. A strong brand also provides clear direction and efficiency when developing content.

    Business Impact
    Cost savings

    Faster time to market
    Communicate consistently

blue asterisk symbol

A brand is defined by its purpose, not just what it sells.

Green geometric shape with curves and pointed edges on a white background.

What people are saying

  • "Very valuable. VERY valuable. This process delivered on far more than I expected. It really helped our team align after years of swirl."

    Timothy Mathewson Wood, Upper Ranch Vineyard

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