Finding Your
North Star

Strategic Context

Brand strategy is your project’s red thread–the connective tissue that unites every touchpoint, from your product’s UI to your community engagement. In crypto, where innovation moves fast and competition is fierce, a clear brand strategy is more than a nice-to-have, it’s mission-critical.

It’s not just about a catchy tagline or a sleek logo. It’s about building trust in a trustless ecosystem, cutting through the noise of hype cycles, and crafting a consistent narrative that users and investors can believe in. Without a brand strategy, your project risks becoming just another voice in the crowd, lost amid countless similar claims of decentralization, low fees, or security.

Mantra: Make it clear. Make it credible. Make it last.

• Purpose: Your brand strategy defines why your project exists, who it serves, and why it’s irreplaceable.

• Approach: Lead with the problem, define your unique advantage, and build a vision that matters.

• Execution: Connect every element—problem statement, USP, mission, vision, and values—into a coherent, actionable strategy.

• Outcome: A brand strategy that is a living system. It should guide your product decisions, shape your community culture, and clarify your messaging at every stage.

1. Defining the Problem Statement and Hell Statement

A brand without a clear problem to solve is irrelevant. Your problem statement sets the foundation by articulating the pain point your audience faces. The hell statement amplifies the stakes, showing what’s at risk if the problem remains unsolved.

Problem Statement:

Define the pain your audience experiences—be precise and user-focused.

• Template:
  “We solve [Problem] for [Audience].”

• Example:
  “We solve the problem of slow, expensive cross-border payments for emerging markets, where users lack affordable access to financial services.”

Hell Statement:

Show the real-world consequences of ignoring the problem.

• Template:
  “If we don’t solve this, [Negative Outcome].”

• Example:
  “If we don’t solve this, billions of people will remain excluded from the global financial system, trapped in slow, costly, and unreliable payment methods.”

Problem Statement & Hell Statement Worksheet

• What problem do you solve?

• Who suffers because of this problem?

• What happens if the problem is ignored?

• Write your Problem Statement and Hell Statement.

2. Crafting Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Your USP makes your project stand out. In crypto, where many protocols claim the same benefits, your USP must cut through with clarity and impact. It’s not enough to be better, you must be different.

USP Components:

• Unique: What sets you apart?

• Simple: Can users understand it in under 10 seconds?

• Compelling: Does it solve a problem they care about?

Template:

“Unlike [Competitor], we [Unique Solution].”

Example:

• Unlike traditional payment networks, Stellar provides fast, low-cost cross-border transactions that anyone can access, with the transparency of blockchain.

USP Worksheet

• List your top 3 competitors.

• What are they saying in their messaging?

• What is the one thing you do better?

• Write your USP using the template: “Unlike [Competitor], we [Unique Solution].”

3. Crafting Your Vision Statement

Your vision defines the future you’re building—your long-term ambition that inspires users and guides decision-making.

Template:

“To [create/enable] a [future state] where [benefit for people or the world].”

Example:

• Stellar: To create an open financial network that gives everyone access to affordable financial services.

Vision Statement Worksheet

1. Think Long-Term: What world do you want to help build?

2. Make it Aspirational: Your vision should be big and bold.

3. Keep it Clear: Avoid vague statements, make it precise and motivating.

4. Validate with Your Team: Does it resonate internally and externally?

4. Defining Your Mission Statement

Your mission is the bridge between vision and execution. It’s not just what you do—it’s why you do it and who it’s for. A great mission statement rallies your team, guides product and GTM decisions, and tells the world exactly what you’re here to change.

A strong mission statement is:

• Clear and concise (20–25 words, max)

• Purpose-driven (why you exist beyond making money)

• Audience-centric (who benefits and how)

• Actionable (you can build toward it)

• Differentiated (your competitors shouldn’t be able to copy-paste it)

Template:

“We exist to [core action] for [target audience] so they can [core benefit].”

This keeps it simple, memorable, and aligned with what matters.

Example:

• Stellar: We exist to connect global financial institutions, wallets, and payment providers through a decentralized network so anyone can send money quickly, affordably, and securely.

Mission Statement Worksheet

Use these prompts to stress-test your draft:

1. What’s the enduring problem we’re solving?

2. What’s our unique way of solving it?

3. Who are we serving, and how does their life improve?

4. Can our team use this to prioritize what we build and say no to distractions?

5. Would this sound generic on another company’s website? If so, make it sharper.

5. Establishing Core Values

Your values are more than brand slogans—they’re the behaviors, beliefs, and boundaries that keep your team aligned, especially when the market shifts or pressure rises. When used well, values shape how you hire, build, communicate, and grow.

→ If your vision is your North Star, your values are the compass.

Great values are:

• Authentic: You actually live by them, not just list them.

• Non-Negotiable: You’d rather pivot the product than violate them.

• Behavior-Driven: They guide actions, not just ideals.

• Differentiated: They say something unique about you.

Examples:

• Default to Transparency: We share early, openly, and often—across code, decisions, and communication.

• Design for Access: We prioritize users historically left out of the financial system.

• Move with Precision: We value speed, but only when it serves clarity, reliability, and impact.

Top Web3 Core Values and Their Real Meaning

Core Values Worksheet

Use this framework to define 3–5 values that truly matter:

1. What do we actually reward or reject in team behavior?

2. What would we protect, even at a cost to growth or speed?

3. How do these values show up in product, culture, and community?

4. Would our users or partners feel these values when working with us?

5. Can our team use them to make tough calls without asking permission?

For each value, define:

• Name: Short and memorable.

• What It Means: A sentence that explains the belief.

• How It Shows Up: A few bullets showing real-world application.

6. Crafting Your Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is your quick, clear answer to "What does your project do?" It’s your brand in a nutshell.

Template:

“We help [Audience] solve [Problem] by [Solution]. Unlike [Competitor], we [Unique Feature].”

Example:

• Stellar helps individuals and businesses send money across borders instantly and at a fraction of traditional costs. Unlike legacy systems, Stellar is open, secure, and lightning-fast.

Elevator Pitch Worksheet

• Who do you serve?

• What problem do you solve?

• What makes you unique?

Write your pitch using the template: “We help [Audience] solve [Problem] by [Solution].”

1. Craft Your Hook: Capture attention immediately.

2. Be Concise: Keep it under 30 seconds.

3. Test for Clarity: Can a non-expert understand it?

4. Refine for Impact: Make every word count.

7. Establishing Your Timing Case (Why Now)

Your timing case shows why your project is critical right now, not later.

Template:

“In the last [12-24 months], [market shift] has made this possible. If we wait, [missed opportunity].”

Example:

• As cross-border payments exceed $700B annually, and emerging markets demand cheaper, faster options, Stellar’s blockchain network provides a solution that is faster, cheaper, and more transparent than traditional systems.

Timing Case Worksheet

1. Identify Shifts: What has changed that makes your project timely?

2. Create Urgency: Why is now the moment to act?

3. Back it Up: Use data or examples to validate your timing.

4. Integrate with Pitch: Make your timing clear in every communication. Write your timing case using the template: “In the last [12-24 months], [market shift] has made this possible.”

8. Product-Market Fit (PMF)

Product-Market Fit is the ultimate test of your brand strategy, it’s the proof that your project is solving a real problem for a growing market. In web3, PMF means you’re not just building cool tech—you’re building something users actually want, need, and will advocate for.

PMF Components:

• Market Size: How big is the opportunity?

• User Pain: What problem are you solving?

• Solution Fit: Why does your solution solve it best?

• Proof of Demand: Evidence that users want what you offer.

Template:

“We are solving [Problem] for [Audience] in a market worth [Market Size]. Our solution is [Unique Value], and we have proven demand with [Proof: user metrics, partnerships, revenue].”

Examples:

• Stellar provides fast, low-cost cross-border payments in a $700B global remittance market. Our solution is a decentralized network with proven demand from 5 million active users and 100+ network partners.

PMF Worksheet

1. Define Your Market: Calculate your Total Addressable Market (TAM).

2. Identify Your User Pain: Ensure it’s a critical, unsolved problem.

3. Validate Your Solution: What makes your approach uniquely effective?

4. Collect Proof: Use user data, testimonials, partnerships, or revenue.

5. Refine for Clarity: Your PMF statement should be concise and actionable.

Final Checklist: Your Brand Strategy in One Page

Purpose: This checklist ensures that your brand strategy is clear, complete, and ready to guide your project’s growth.

✓ Problem Statement: Clearly defines the user pain you solve.
✓ Hell Statement: Amplifies the consequences of ignoring the problem.
✓ Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Defines what makes you different and better.
✓ Vision Statement: Paints a bold, inspiring picture of the future you’re building.
✓ Mission Statement: Clarifies your plan for achieving the vision.
✓ Core Values: Defines the principles that guide your project.
✓ Elevator Pitch: Summarizes your brand in 30 seconds or less.
✓ Timing Case: Proves why now is the perfect moment for your project.
✓ Product-Market Fit (PMF): Validates that you are solving a real problem in a growing market.
✓ Consistency: Your problem, USP, vision, mission, and values are aligned.