Founder Story
The Story Behind FutureTribe
A JOURNEY FROM CONSUMPTION TO SUSTAINABILITY
As a young adult, I studied for a master’s in economics at CBS. There, we were taught that consumption was good — the more we consumed, the more we could keep the wheels turning and provide jobs worldwide. So that’s what we did. I was educated in marketing and branding and have spent my life creating seductive brands, storytelling, and sales.
I was born in 1970 — the last year humanity did not consume more than the planet could regenerate. Since then, things have gone downhill. In 2025, six out of nine planetary boundaries have already been breached, and Earth Overshoot Day occurred in Denmark on July 24.
When my mother passed away in 2020, and we had to clear out her belongings, we discovered 200 pairs of shoes — about 25% never worn. It was absurd. So many resources wasted for nothing. This, among other things, made me reflect. It made me think about how I might be able to make a difference, so that in the future there will still be a good and safe place to grow up for my children, grandchildren, and generations to come. I have been wondering how I can use my experience in marketing and branding within a new business paradigm, not necessarily to sell more brands, but to create better and more Sustainable Brands.
FROM BRAND BUILDING TO SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION
After many years working with brand building, innovation, and entrepreneurship — as an entrepreneur, mentor, associate professor, and consultant — I noticed a gap. I missed a toolbox that could bridge the gap between sustainable innovation and Sustainable Brand building. While sustainable innovation exists, there was no clear toolbox to bridge it with Sustainable Brand building.
The Brand Value Circles toolbox was born from that gap and from a deep belief in branding’s potential to drive real change. Working with brands, designers, entrepreneurs, and students, I kept hearing the same questions:
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“How do we know if what we’re doing is truly sustainable?”
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“How can we combine storytelling with substance?”
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“How do we avoid greenwashing and greenhushing while creating real impact?”
THE BRAND VALUE CIRCLES TOOLBOX
The Brand Value Circles Toolbox was developed during my Executive Master in Sustainable Leadership at DTU. It is an A-Z guide, with 15 canvases and tools organized in a three-step process, it helps organizations innovate and develop true Sustainable Brands.
A true Sustainable Brand:
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Built on a sustainable business model
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Operates sustainably
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Leads the transition to a Circular Economy with integrity, evidence, and impact
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Engages and encourages users and consumers to a more sustainable consumption and lifestyle
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Creates long-term benefits for the planet, society, business and individuals
The toolbox combines theories and methods from sustainability, innovation, and brand building — refined through research, expert interviews, and practical iterations.
FUTURETRIBE - A PLATFORM FOR TRANSFORMATION
FutureTribe is where the Brand Value Circles toolbox comes alive. But FutureTribe is more than a platform — It’s a hope for the future and a knowledge hub where innovation, sustainability knowledge, and brand building merge. My vision is to unite dreamers and like-minded innovators to share ideas and fuel each other, helping organizations embed sustainability into their DNA, and where branding is a a tool for transformation — from overconsumption to care, from plentitude to plenitude.
Together, we can build better brands.
CEO & Founder
Bettine Ortmann
