Van Rais + Behavioral Branding

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05. Analysis:

AI RACE for MOAT in 2025 is ON.
How to build AI DEFENSIBILITY with new BEHAVIORS

Stakes are high. AI companies with a chance to scale-up are companies that will succeed in solving one small problem really well. Strategic plan to systematically scale and become a trusted business partner for every day operation.

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Part 1 of 3

Key BEHAVIORS that are holding back AI founders in FINAL COMEDOWN for MOAT 2025.

We are limited in the context of accelerated technological development. Primarily limitations are in processing complex issues with limited time and resources. For the same reason these are most common behaviors that lead founders in dilemma and errors.

The bottleneck now is
time scarcity

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Assuming vs knowing and reflecting, are killers for moat position. Limited time and resources and ability to understand non technological expertise. Ability to see beyond obvious risks and biases, strive for a more comprehensive, objective and holistic leadership perspective on business and brand. “Oh, thank you, but we are very busy and we are already doing all that. Being aware of Dunning-Kruger effect*, is to look for additional resources and a true opportunity to scale-up.

Planning positioning to win
instead of leading

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Error in thinking that only large organizations have those privileges or resources to be positioned to lead. This is a proposition against the rise of amateurs, technocrats with skepticism in traditional and psychological expertise. AI founders need to position their products effectively in customers' minds. Clear, strong claims of market lead and product differentiation are essential. Founders often prioritize product, conversion and marketing sale over brand development due to a lack of expertise and tunnel vision. Dormant fallacy*, is a killer of long term planning for defensibility.

Confusing winning
with leading

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Sometimes we confuse winning with leading because of how we shortcut those terms in our mind for cognitive efficiency. Winners are not leaders, and vs. Winning a technology game does not mean leading customers' engagement. We should understand that becoming a leading team, winning multiple games is the way to win a championship. The same way we are confusing differentiation with defensibility, and this might cost you an opportunity to scale-up.

Good enough

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This is simplistic, an superficial understanding of complexity issues with accepting “good enough” where answers are not simple, accurate or helpful. Social media leaders are about “packaged answers”. Those insights might sound great, but in reality those “packaged answers” are preventing us in our own criticality for finding accurate answers. Like, why those are right, and why these answers might be wrong.

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Part 2 of 3

BUILD indispensable RELATIONSHIPS is BUSINESS DEFENSIBILITY.

If errors are behavioral, solutions must be behavioral too. Good news is that psychological solutions are by far more effective than traditional economics solutions. Those are alternative ways to win and lead. Plus to find more additional resources for winning moat.

Stay’n alive with AI

behavioral technologies

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Technology is innovative only when it creates new behavioral values for customers, beside utility values. If not, new innovative technology is simply obsolete by another more evolutionary technology or it is translated to another technology fad. All technological advancements are fundamentally psychological or behavioral; they have shaped human evolution (surviving) over a long period of time to get us where we are today.

Additional value to your technology is in new behaviors that are irreplaceably beneficiary to your customers. These are the key characteristics of behavioral technologies to keep you alive and apart in the marketplace to survive and scale. Behavioral technologies create value through their actions, fostering genuine bond with customers. In the eyes of customers, this represents a shift from transactional interactions, one time only (wedge) to strategic, friend-like, continued interaction with businesses. Beyond being useful, and differentiated, behavioral technologies create competitive insulation in a fragmented, content-saturated market (moat).

Focused on trust and

business will flow

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Centralizing new behaviors into business processes is to become the default, trusted system, making it hard for customers to switch whether through deep integration with indispensable loyalty. Gain strong relationship trust, to innovate into related workflows with new behaviors, that are indispensably valuable to customers (instead of staying in a narrow wedge specific niche).

Additional value to your technology is in acquiring new behavioral capabilities to strategically build systems from inside out. Mitigating investment risks in technology innovation requires an approach that leverages psychology as well as differentiated product technology. Purpose of technology alone is to commoditize itself, but when projected as trusted human relationships it becomes an indispensable resource for leadership.

Psychology of

business models

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Additional resources for success. Consider business models that are based on psychological principles and justified/explained in economic monetary terms. What follows psychological or behavioral principles is successful. Applies to foundational business models, brand, services, product integrated with technology. Adaptation of brand and product with technology components to fit human nature is how they succeeded.

This is an important find in my research to justify the incredible success of behavioral brands. Most important is to find an amazing technology fit for customer problems and after it into a psychological business model.

Ask for research. Send me a note.

van.rais@gmail.com

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Part 3 of 3

5 BEHAVIORAL BRANDING additional RESOURCES for building scalable AI BUSINESS.

Why are we NOT connecting defensibility with indispensable? Winning trust starts with doing one thing way better than anyone else (product wedge). But solving a problem brilliantly doesn’t build an indispensable relationship at scale (behavioral brand), and it doesn’t mean a company is safe from competition to copy all your advantages.

Positioning for lead is one of most
undervalued resources

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Traditionally founders are dismissing planning, even if it takes no extra time or financial investments but just a simple plan. Not planning, or not investing in a brand while building a product is an unacceptable mistake very visible and measurable with ROI. It holds back investors, often cautious about committing capital to something so speculative and are more inclined to invest in established industries with proven track records. In “Crossing the chasm”, Geoffrey A. Moore* emphasizes the importance of strategic targeting, and organizational alignment to achieve long-term brand successes. From early adoption with product wedge to moat with brand lead.

Behavioral technologies
centralize behaviors

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Centralized behavioral system is very similar to a long lasting relationship. While the product is a transactional one time only relationship. This adds up as additional resources for accessing moat position. Behavioral technologies are useful beyond providing genuine service, utility, and value to their customers' lives, measured by the new behaviors they inspire and the reliable outcomes they deliver. Indispensable relationships are built business moat. Translating what customers can’t tell, identifying evolutionary survival root / cause problems, and amplifying what really matters to customers create additional value.

Build a behavioral brand for
proof of scalability

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Social proof can significantly reduce the perceived risk for investors. Strong customer validation and partnerships. Having strong trusted customer relationships, strategic partnerships, or industry endorsements can validate a company’s technology and open doors for future opportunities. Positive feedback from early adopters would help investors feel more confident about the company’s market fit. For investors, the key to feeling confident in an AI investment is clarity, transparency, and proof of scalability.

Behavioral Branding changes
conversation about ROI

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BB provides solid, scientific evidence-based answers to questions about risk management, differentiation, and long-term viability. This goes a long way in building trust and attracting capital. Provide evidence of measurable results, market opportunity, and a clear path to profitability, the more likely they are to secure investment.

Consider psychological
business modeling

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While the technology might be impressive, the path to monetization can be unclear. Many AI startups still don’t have proven, sustainable business models. Because it is hard to build a business with technology without accurately understanding customer psychology (wants and needs).

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About Van Rais

He successfully brings together strategy, high-end design, and applied behavioral science into a unified system for transformation. His expertise lies in business and brand development, leading Behavioral Branding initiatives for Microsoft, GE, Starbucks, and various scale-ups. His love for art and pop culture makes him feel alive, living in New York City.

Thank you!

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