You’ve grown. But your brand HASN’T CAuGHT UP
That’s why everything feels so much harder than it should.
DIY got you this far. The Founding Protocol takes you further – with a brand you love, strategically built for growth.
Clearance for November 3 cohort is now open. Spots are limited.
Identity upgrade required
If DIY was going to get you there, it would have by now.
The Founding Protocol is a 4-week, live, small-group program for founders and small business owners ready to stop circling in confusion and start building a brand that works.
This is not a passive course you’ll ignore or a template you’ll abandon in your Google Drive. It’s guided, psychology-backed brand work with:
Live workshops where you’ll do the work in real time.
Tactical assignments that apply clarity directly to your business.
Personalised recorded feedback so you know your messaging actually lands.
A custom brand toolkit you’ll use every time you pitch, post, or sell.
By the end, you won’t just “know more about branding.”
You’ll have a brand that feels like you, excites you to use, and finally supports the growth you’re working toward.
Filing fee: $1,600 (including GST).
SPOTS ARE LIMITED TO ENSURE PERSONALISED FEEDBACK.
Symptoms of
Most DIY brands don’t fail because the founder isn’t talented. They fail because the messaging is messy.
If any of these sound uncomfortably familiar, consider yourself officially in violation.
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You’ve launched, you’re earning, but your words don’t reflect your work.
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You avoid sharing links because you know they don’t do you justice.
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You’ve tried every template but without the right words, frameworks become just another blank page.
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Your content doesn’t sound like you, and your audience can tell. Generic captions, awkward emails, and language that falls flat.
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You know your offer is good, but no one else does. Every pitch feels like starting from zero.
If left unchecked, these symptoms lead to missed opportunities, wrong-fit clients, endless spirals every time you need to promote your business.
The Dept’s recommendation: Submit yourself for protocol training
To ensure quality of coaching and feedback, this program is strictly capped at 8 people per cohort.
outcomes
By the end of The Founding Protocol, your brand record will be permanently updated.
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Words that don’t reflect your work. Messaging feels stuck at “past you.”
Cringing every time someone asks for your website or bio.
Wasting hours trying to force-fit your ideas into templates that don’t fit.
Content that sounds generic, robotic, or nothing like you.
Knowing your offer is good, but failing to explain it clearly, consistently, or confidently.
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Messaging you can actually use. Sharp positioning and a brand voice that feels like you now.
Confidence on demand. Proudly share your site, pitch, or elevator line without hesitation.
Consistency across platforms. From Insta captions to sales decks, your brand sounds like you. Everywhere.
Ease in content and sales. Frameworks that make posting and pitching faster, clearer, and less painful.
Momentum and traction. Instead of circling “what do I even say?”, you know how to move forward with clarity and energy.
Imagine this: someone asks “what do you do?” and instead of spiralling, you give a sharp, confident answer that sparks instant interest. That’s the difference brand clarity makes.
DON’T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT
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It honestly felt like she stepped into my brain and pulled out what I was trying to say, but made it 10x better.
Working with Liv felt like hiring a copywriting spy- in the best way. She fully stepped into my brand’s voice and mindset, then wrote content that felt like it came straight from my own head… just sharper and smarter.
Everything was clear, clever, and full of personality without sounding forced or overdone.
Liv just gets it. It honestly felt like she stepped into my brain and pulled out what I was trying to say, but made it 10x better.
Phi Vo, Founder
(Catalyst Migration) -
It’s like a second brain for my messaging…
“It rounded up all my ideas into an organized set of instructions and guidelines, with concrete actions I can use. It’s like a second brain for my messaging… a decision-making tool that takes the mental load off. Perfect timing before I start pitching investors and customers.”
Jami Kahnl, Founder
(Dancecard) -
The process was excellent from engagement to handover.
The process was excellent from engagement to handover. Liv combines creativity and clear thinking. She took the time to understand what we were about and turned that into copy that just felt right for us. She also handled a tricky team of internal voices with patience and good humour, keeping us all on track.
Ben Webster, Co-Founder
(With Agile)
OPERATIONAL DETAILS
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Live workshops + tactical assignments + personalised feedback
Objective: Restore brand clarity and prevent further violations
PHASE
Identity Intake (Week 1)
Identify your core values and learn how to actually apply them.
Live Session: Work through core values identification exercises, map out real-life business applications.
Assignment: Apply the changes identified in the session and submit for feedback.
PHASE
Brand Voice Reset (Week 2)
Shift your tone from generic to magnetic.
Live session: Explore voice, cadence, and personality guardrails.
Assignment: Apply your voice to bios, headlines, and sample content so you can hear the difference immediately.
PHASE
Behavioural Mapping (Week 3)
Decide how your brand “shows up” in different scenarios.
Live Session: Explore how your brand acts under pressure, in client interactions, and across touchpoints.
Assignment: Create behavioural guidelines that make your brand feel human, consistent, and trustworthy.
PHASE
Content Strategy (Week 4)
Turn your new clarity into a system for visibility and growth.
Live session: Follow my proven content framework for sales and visibility.
Assignment: Create a piece of content from each of your core message categories and submit for feedback before sharing.
Feedback Protocol:
Show up to the live coaching calls each week to receive recorded notes on your work, plus the chance to learn from your cohort’s progress.
Optional Upgrade:
Require additional clearance? 1:1 intervention available.
Initiative: for the CULTURE
Every cohort of The Founding Protocol includes one fully-funded scholarship place reserved for a minority-owned business.
This initiative exists to ensure access to brand clarity isn’t limited by financial gatekeeping. If you’re a founder from a minority or disadvantaged background, apply for the scholarship.
Selection is based on fit and readiness, not your ability to pay.
Investment
The filing fee for The Founding Protocol is $1,600 AUD (incl GST).
3 x early bird spots available at $1200 AUD. First come, first served. Code is on the checkout page.
FOR CONTEXT:
A full-service brand strategy project with The Identity Dept starts at $10K+.
Another year of DIY-ing in circles will cost you more in missed clients, undercharging, and wasted hours second-guessing your message.
With The Founding Protocol, you’re getting agency-level tools, live guidance, and personalised feedback, for less than a tenth of the price tag.
With The Founding Protocol, you get:
Agency-level tools, tailored for small business owners.
Live workshops and personal feedback.
A custom toolkit you’ll use every time you pitch, post, or sell.
Accessible enough for early founders. Serious enough to ensure you show up and do the work.Spots are strictly capped at 8–10 participants per cohort to guarantee interaction and individual attention.
LOVING WORDS
FAQ
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Courses give you 10 hours of video you’ll never finish. The Founding Protocol is live, interactive, and comes with personalised feedback. You don’t just “learn about branding” — you build your foundations in real time, with expert eyes on your work.
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All sessions are recorded and uploaded within 24 hours. You can still submit homework for feedback and catch up on your own time. Interaction > watching replays, but you won’t fall behind if you miss one.
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Nope. You just need something real to work with– an offer, a client, proof you’re actually in business. If you’re still in “idea mode,” you’re too early. If you’ve launched, made sales, or served clients, you’re ready.
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Yes. Show up to the coaching and feedback calls for personalised feedback. Can’t make it? Submit your work and I’ll address it in the session so you can catch up on the recording.
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You’ll leave with a usable messaging foundation and the tools to keep applying it. No more spiralling at the blank page. If you want deeper custom support, you can upgrade to 1:1 strategy.
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Small enough that you’ll get interaction and feedback. Big enough to benefit from seeing others’ brands evolve. Participants are strictly capped at 8-10 per cohort.
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Live sessions run 75 minutes. Assignments take 1–2 hours. If you can give this process 3 hours a week, you’ll leave with clarity that saves you dozens of hours down the line.
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Yes. The frameworks are psychology-led and work across industries. Previous participants include coaches, consultants, and product founders, all applying the same tools to different contexts.
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The program is built to be hands-on. If you show up and do the assignments, you will leave with a usable toolkit. If you’re worried about risk, start with early bird pricing. The cost of waiting is higher than the filing fee.
This is your moment for clarity. You’ve done the hard part: building something real.
Now it’s time to give your brand the clarity and confidence it needs to grow.
In four weeks, you’ll move from messy messaging to a brand that feels sharp, magnetic, and undeniably you. A system you can use every time you pitch, post, or sell.
The next cohort begins 3 November. Spaces are limited to 8 founders ready to move.
Dept Advisory:
Failure to comply may result in ongoing cringe, missed opportunities, and excessive use of generic templates and AI generated ‘fluff’.
