In this episode of Work in Progress, hosts Paula Wehmeyer, Partner at General Catalyst, and Helena Meyer-Schönherr, Managing Director at Ten More In, sit down with Kyra von Mutius, co-founder of Partners Creative Consultancy, to unpack the art and impact of brand strategy in the startup world.
Together, they explore how brand building goes far beyond logos and colors – and why it’s essential for early-stage companies to define who they are, what they stand for, and how they communicate their story.
Kyra shares her personal journey from traditional advertising at Heimat and M&C Saatchi to co-founding a boutique consultancy focused on fast-growing tech companies. Along the way, she and her co-founder Nico created a new category: brand consulting tailored specifically to startups.
Key Topics:
- What brand strategy really means – and why it’s 90% story, 10% design
- How Kyra translates founder vision into positioning that sticks across culture, product, and comms
- Building a new market category: brand consulting for early-stage companies
- Why strong branding matters before Series A – and how to avoid generic messaging
- The founding of Partners Creative Capital and how Kyra combines advising with angel investing
- Examples from work with companies like Tacto, Formal Skin, Deploy, and more
- Practical insights on working with ambitious founders, emotional brand moments, and crafting narratives that last
- Reflections on AI, creative work, and why great branding can’t be automated
About Kyra von Mutius
Kyra von Mutius is the co-founder of Partners Creative Consultancy, a boutique strategy firm that helps early-stage startups build brands with lasting impact. Since 2021, she and her team have worked with over 50 fast-growing companies to translate founder vision into clear narratives and strategic positioning.
Before founding Partners, Kyra served as Chief Strategy Officer at HeimatTBWA\, one of Germany’s leading advertising agencies, where she led brand strategy for both established and emerging brands. Her earlier roles include strategy positions at M&C Saatchi Berlin and as Marketing Director at Redi in London.
With deep expertise in storytelling, positioning, and cultural insight, Kyra brings a sharp strategic lens to the fast-paced world of tech and venture.
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyra-von-mutius/
About Helena Meyer-Schönherr & Ten More In
Helena Meyer-Schönherr is an experienced leader in venture building, organizational strategy, and scaling high-growth startups. As Managing Director at Ten More In, she focuses on launching and growing new ventures, leveraging her expertise in company building and strategic development.
Ten More In is a leadership platform for women founded in 2022 by Lea-Sophie Cramer and Lia Grünhage. The company's core mission is to ensure future leadership levels reflect gender representation proportionally across economic, political, and social domains.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helena-meyer-sch%C3%B6nherr-41160955/
Website: https://www.tenmorein.com/
About Paula Hübner Wehmeyer & General Catalyst
Paula invests in technology companies that enable or rethink large industries. Paula's focus is on startups in the areas of commerce tech, i.e. digital support for trade, as well as purchasing and logistics. Previously, Paula was a consultant in the Berlin office of McKinsey, where she supported well-known consumer goods and retail companies in matters relating to e-commerce, purchasing, and internal process optimization.
General Catalyst is a US-based venture capital firm that makes early-stage and growth-stage investments. The firm has invested in global companies including Airbnb, Kayak, Datalogix, Datto, Livongo, Gusto, Buildkite, Warby Parker, Oscar, Deliveroo, Lemonade, Stripe and Snap.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulasophiehuebner/
Website: https://www.generalcatalyst.com/
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