Consistency is valuable after a brand has something distinctive to repeat. Before that point, consistency can simply make generic choices more efficient.
The first task is to identify a signal that belongs to the position: a verbal tension, visual behavior, material logic or experience rule that competitors cannot adopt without looking derivative.
Once the signal exists, systems matter enormously. They protect recognition while allowing the brand to adapt. The sequence is decisive: define what deserves consistency, then build the machine around it.