Frequently Asked Questions
Updated Apr 26, 2026
BranStory — The Operating System for Network Operators
General
What is BranStory? BranStory is the operating system for network operators. It gives network operators a single platform to manage members, run a verified business directory, publish events and deals, and generate recurring revenue — all under their own brand. Think of it as the infrastructure layer that powers your community, invisibly, so your members only ever see you.
Who is BranStory built for? BranStory is built for operators who run an organized curated member-based networks — whether that’s a founder-led business community, a chamber of commerce, a franchise network, a master-planned community, or a business association. If you have a defined group of members and want to deliver more value to them while generating sustainable revenue, BranStory is your platform.
What kinds of networks does BranStory support? BranStory is designed for any operator running a local, regional, or national network with a defined membership base, including:
- Founder-led and peer business networks
- Chambers of commerce and business associations
- Master-planned communities and HOAs
- Franchise and multi-location business networks
- Branded community networks launched by operators (including networks launched and operated by BranStory itself under its own brands)
Does BranStory run its own networks? Yes. In addition to licensing the platform to independent operators, BranStory launches and operates its own community networks under distinct brand names. These networks are fully powered by the BranStory platform and serve as both real communities and live proof of concept for prospective network operators.
What is the relationship between BranStory and Brandmerce? BranStory is a product of Brandmerce, LLC — the company behind the platform. When you sign an agreement or receive an invoice, Brandmerce, LLC is the contracting entity. BranStory is the brand and product name your network members will never see (they only see your brand).
Is BranStory the same as Freshmes? No. Freshmes is a separate platform under different ownership, focused on a different market. BranStory is its own product, built and operated by Brandmerce, LLC.
How is BranStory different from Facebook Groups or Nextdoor? Facebook Groups and Nextdoor are general social platforms you have no control over. BranStory is private infrastructure you operate under your own brand. You own the member relationships. You set the pricing. You control who joins, what gets posted, and how revenue flows. No algorithm works against you–your private network generates its own algorithm based on your members’ activities inside your network. No ads from outside your network appear. Everything stays inside your community, under your name/brand.
How is BranStory different from Circle, Mighty Networks, or other community platforms? Most community platforms are built for content creators, online courses, and interest-based groups. BranStory is purpose-built for commerce-minded networks — verified business directories, deals, events, social discovery, sponsorships, and recurring revenue from member subscriptions. It’s the difference between a discussion forum and an operating system for economy driven networks.
Platform & Features
What does the BranStory platform include? Every BranStory network includes the core infrastructure to launch, run, and grow a private branded community:
For Operators (the Command Center):
- Member management — add, invite, approve, and manage residents and businesses from one dashboard
- Business verification queue — review business licenses and documents; issue verified badges
- Announcement system — send messages across in-app, push, and email from one action
- Events engine — publish events, track RSVPs, send automated reminders
- Deals and engagement tools — manage exclusive offers from businesses to residents
- Review moderation queue — approve or reject community reviews before they publish
- Real-time network analytics — total members, active businesses, deals redeemed, events RSVPed, and revenue
- Billing and subscription infrastructure — Stripe-powered, automated, with a member-facing customer portal
- Role-based team permissions — scoped access for admins and staff
- CRM — member and relationship management in one place
- Automated alerts — get notified when businesses sign up, payments are received, or verifications are submitted
For Businesses (inside your network):
- Rich business profile with photos, hours, contact info, and team members
- Deals engine — create exclusive offers with expiry dates and redemption tracking
- Events management with RSVP tracking and external ticketing links
- Analytics dashboard showing profile views, deal claims, endorsements, and engagement
- Multi-rep profiles — invite team members with individual profiles
- Job board listings
- Verified badge (upon admin approval)
For Community Members (inside your network):
- Personalized discovery feed shaped by what their fellow community members save and endorse
- Favorites — a personal speed dial for local businesses, organized by Work and Life
- Deals and events browsing with push and email reminders
- Friends and social graph — see what neighbors are recommending
- Reviews and endorsements
- Weekly community digest email
- Business suggestion tool — nominate businesses not yet in the network
For Sponsors:
- Named sponsorship infrastructure — a sponsor with naming rights can take ownership of the entire network’s identity with featured placement across the platform
- Sponsored deal slots in the resident feed
- Featured banner and profile placements
- Analytics on sponsor visibility and engagement
Is BranStory white-labeled? Yes, on eligible plans. Your members see your brand name, your colors, your logo, and your domain. BranStory powers the infrastructure invisibly. The degree of white-labeling depends on your plan tier — contact us for details.
Does BranStory have a mobile app? The branded iOS and Android native app is an optional add-on. It is only available for our Enterprise tier. It includes App Store and Google Play submission, push notifications, and ongoing updates.
What is the Verified badge? The Verified badge is a trust signal for businesses in your network. It means a business has passed a KYC (Know Your Customer) document review — confirming their business license, tax identification, and address. Admins manage the review queue. The badge appears automatically on approval.
Does BranStory include AI features? An AI Assistant is available as an optional add-on. It is only available for our Enterprise tier.
It helps members find relevant businesses and opportunities, answers common questions, supports onboarding, and reduces repetitive admin work. Pricing varies by usage and network size.
What automations does BranStory run in the background? BranStory includes 36 built-in automations — from welcome emails when a member joins, to deal expiry alerts, to event reminders, to subscription renewal notifications. These run without any manual effort from you or your team.
Pricing
How is BranStory priced? BranStory pricing is customized based on your network’s size, feature requirements, onboarding scope, and rollout model. We don’t publish one-size-fits-all pricing because no two networks are the same. Request a consultation and we’ll build a proposal around your specific situation.
What are the plan tiers? BranStory offers three primary plan tiers:
- Growth — For smaller or early-stage networks getting organized. Best for networks with 250+ members looking to centralize their operations, directory, events, and communications.
- Professional — For active, growing networks focused on engagement, referrals, and measurable member value. Includes advanced business profiles, friend-first discovery, deals, monetization tools, and priority onboarding. Best for networks with 500+ members.
- Enterprise — For scaled networks including chambers of commerce, franchise systems, master-planned communities, and large organizations. Includes full white-label options, advanced roles and permissions, sponsorship infrastructure, API access, multi-location or multi-network structure, custom onboarding, and dedicated support.
Are there setup fees? Yes. A one-time onboarding and implementation fee applies, scaled to your plan tier and network complexity. This covers platform configuration, data migration, training, and launch support.
Who pays BranStory — the operator or the members? The operator (you) pays BranStory for the platform license & fees (based on your customized plan and subscription tier you choose). Your businesses and community members pay you — not BranStory. You set your own pricing for memberships, business tiers, deals, and sponsorships. All fees along with pricing structure will be based on your scope.
Is a branded mobile app included in all plans? No. *Only available for Enterprise tier. The branded iOS and Android native app is an optional add-on available that is only available for our Enterprise tier. It includes App Store and Google Play submission, push notifications, and ongoing updates.
Can I start on a lower tier and upgrade? Yes. Plans are designed to scale with your network. You can upgrade your plan as your membership grows.
Onboarding & Launch
What does the onboarding process look like? After signing your agreement, BranStory works with your team through a structured launch process:
- Import your directory — Upload your existing business list. Profiles are pre-seeded so no business starts from a blank page.
- Businesses claim their listing — Each business owner receives a branded email with a magic link. Their profile is pre-filled from Google Places and the web. They’re live in minutes.
- Subscription activation — Each business picks their tier. Stripe handles checkout automatically. Their dashboard unlocks on payment confirmation.
- Verification — Businesses submit their license and ID. You review in the admin queue. The verified badge goes live on approval.
- Residents discover and engage — The personalized feed, deals engine, and events surface the right businesses at the right time.
- You get paid every month — Business subscriptions, ad placements, deal promotions, and sponsored content all generate recurring revenue, automated.
How long does it take to launch? Most networks can go from signed agreement to live platform within a few weeks, depending on the size of your existing member list and the complexity of your configuration. Enterprise networks with custom requirements take longer.
Do I need a technical team to run BranStory? No. BranStory is designed to be managed by a non-technical operator. The admin Command Center is a no-code dashboard. You don’t need developers to run your network day-to-day.
Can BranStory migrate my existing member data? Yes. If you have an existing business directory, member list, or subscriber base (on another platform or a spreadsheet), BranStory supports data migration as part of onboarding.
What if I already have a Stripe account and existing subscribers? BranStory can integrate with your existing Stripe account. If you have legacy subscribers on another billing system, your onboarding package includes a migration playbook to move them to the new platform without disruption.
For Members of BranStory-Powered Networks
This section is for community members, businesses, and sponsors who are members of a community network powered by BranStory.
I’m a member of a local network. Is that network run by BranStory? Your local community network is operated by the network operator — the organization that invited you to join. BranStory provides the underlying platform technology. Your relationship (membership agreement, pricing, support) is with your network operator, not with BranStory directly.
I’m a business. How do I claim my listing? If your business has been pre-seeded in the directory, you’ll receive a branded email from your network with a magic link. One click and your profile is pre-filled. If you haven’t received an invitation, contact your network administrator.
What’s the difference between the app and the website? The experience is the same — same features, same data, same login.
The web app works in any modern browser without a download. You can also install the web app on your phone’s home screen via your browser’s “Add to Home Screen” option.
*Mobile app is an option only available to our Enterprise tier. (iOS/Android)
I have a problem with my membership or billing. Who do I contact? For billing, membership, and account questions, contact your network operator — they manage member support for their community. If you’ve been directed to BranStory for a platform-level technical issue, email info@brandmerce.com.
Trust, Security & Data
Is BranStory secure? Yes. BranStory is built on enterprise-grade infrastructure. All data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest. Authentication is managed by Supabase with industry-standard session security. Payments are processed by Stripe’s PCI-compliant system — payment credentials are never stored on BranStory servers.
Does BranStory sell member data? Never. Member data is never sold to advertisers, data brokers, or any third party. Operator data is used only to operate and improve the platform.
Who owns the member data in my network? The network operator owns their member data. BranStory processes it as a data processor on your behalf. This is formalized in a Data Processing Agreement included with your service agreement.
Can I export my data if I leave? Yes. Operators retain the right to export their member data. Data portability is included in your agreement.
What compliance standards does BranStory follow? BranStory is designed with GDPR and CCPA principles in mind, including data minimization, encryption, access controls, and data subject rights. For specific compliance requirements, contact us at info@brandmerce.com.
Support
What kind of support does BranStory offer? Support included with each plan:
- Growth: Standard onboarding and email support
- Professional: Priority onboarding and priority email support
- Enterprise: Dedicated account management, custom onboarding, and direct support
How do I contact BranStory?
- General, Operator, Legal and privacy inquiries: info@brandmerce.com
- Request a demo: branstory.com/contact
Last updated: April 2026 BranStory is a product of Brandmerce, LLC. Nocatee, FL.
