No matter how the industry changes, how is it that some businesses stand the test of time? In this podcast I discuss the difference between a business and brand, exploring the world-leading companies that continue to defy gravity decade after decade. Scientific research from Stanford University highlights the power of a brand and how taking that step to elevate a business into a brand can be the difference between becoming a world-leading name and staying a stagnant startup never quite breaking through. So how do you do it? In 30 years of business, I have learned that there are some very specific building blocks to every single successful brand. In this episode I share those and answer the question: what's the difference between a business and a brand? Key takeaways: The difference between a business and a brand Why you can't build a brand overnight What links the world's most successful businesses - like HP, Disney, IBM and Gillette? The building blocks of the world's greatest brands Where to start building your business's brand. The power of brand feeds into every area of the business and provides the core foundation for your business’s marketing strategy. For a startup getting these blocks into place is absolutely essential. Looking at the names that we see every single day – from Disney to Coca-Cola, to McDonalds – there are certain key characteristics that differentiate them from their rivals. These build into the recipe for stratospheric success. No matter how the industry changes, a brand evolves. It’s not about the product or service, it’s who you are, what you believe in and how you make people feel. About Lawrence Jones MBE With more than 30 years of doing things differently, Lawrence Jones MBE is an ambassador for British business with a truly unique entrepreneurial mind. Lawrence is founder and CEO of cloud technology firm UKFast. His business portfolio includes a Swiss ski hotel, a construction firm and head-hunting company. In 19 years he has lead UKFast's phenomenal growth from a startup in a spare bedroom to a £400 million enterprise. Today, Lawrence continues to mentor and inspire huge numbers of people including professional athletes, musicians and fellow entrepreneurs. Lawrence’s blog is read by more than 200,000 people every month and his podcast is one of the top-charting business podcasts on iTunes.