Chapter 1
Brand Pillars and the Relationship Vision
There is a particular kind of relationship dissatisfaction that is very hard to talk about, because it comes with no obvious cause. The bills are paid. Nobody has been unfaithful. There are no dramatic arguments. From the outside — and often from the inside too — everything looks fine. And yet something is missing.
What you are most likely experiencing is the consequence of something that almost no couple ever does, and almost every couple needs: a shared and clearly defined vision for what your relationship is actually for.
In business, operating without a sense of purpose and shared values would be unthinkable. Your relationship needs the same thing.
The Framework
The Brand House
Roof — Vision
Where you are going together. Your shared aspiration.
Pillars — Values
3–5 principles that define how you operate as a couple.
Foundation — Purpose
Why this relationship exists. What it is fundamentally for.
The brand house framework was developed to give organisations clarity about identity at every level — from day-to-day decisions up to long-term direction. The same structure maps directly onto a relationship, because the underlying problem is identical: how do you keep two people genuinely aligned around something they both believe in?
The exercise that follows will take you through the brand house in three stages: foundation, pillars, and vision. Complete each step individually before comparing notes — the differences are often as revealing as the common ground.
© 2026 Dr Chas Spradbery & Dr Anna Kenyon. All rights reserved.