Building Brands That Stick: Work in Progress – with Partners Creative Co-Founder Kyra von Mutius

 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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