John Scianna on Building an Authentic Enterprise-Grade RIA Brand

Between Now and Success · May 7, 2026 · 58m

In the early 1980s, Al Ries and Jack Trout published the seminal marketing book Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind. They argued that marketing wasn't simply about products or services; it was about capturing a specific space in the consumer's mind. Think of Volvo and you immediately think of "safety." Think of Walmart and you think, "Low prices." If you want "fast food" you'll probably start looking for the nearest McDonald's.

These principles of brand positioning still endure. For most people, Google is "search," Amazon is "shopping," and Apple is "cool tech." And these "spaces" can be…