Between analysis paralysis 🫥 and mindless hustling 🫨 lies a sweet spot for decision-making. But first, let’s address both of these ways people often react to feeling stuck and overwhelmed.

One thing I've noticed for myself, when it comes to courses that are meant to help my business, is the primary reason I sign up is because I'm feeling lost in some way. I hit a wall and someone has framed the solution to my struggles in a aspirational (and time-sensitive) box with a lovely purple bow on top.

You don't actually need another course. You just need to implement what you know.

What does a $10K month actually mean for you? Beyond just a number that everyone seems to be striving for these days.

Non-negotiables are the things that you consider to be vitally important and on which you are unwilling to compromise.

It may be easy enough to figure out non-negotiables when they have to do with your personal practices, but when it comes to your brand and business, the thought process is not so different. 

I've been learning French for what feels like ages. Recently, I realized a few aspects of language learning that can be lessons for all areas of life. But of course, in this case, I'll tie it back to branding. C'est parti !

I find sometimes it’s easy to “overpack” your brand, and often it happens in sneaky ways. Mostly, it’s due to fear and lack of clarity.

We're so concerned with what we may miss out on if we don't "overpack" that we forget how much lighter our suitcase (brand) would be if we just focus on the essentials.

I used to have a lot of judgements around my pacing. I tend to process things a little slower. Sure, I can be impulsive with smaller decisions, but when it comes to the pacing of my life, I find myself needing more slowness and room to let things sink in and settle. I ponder more. I like when I don't have a super tight upcoming deadlines all the time. This used to bother me because I was constantly faced with rush requests from clients and fellow brand designers that had inconceivably quick turnarounds.

Melinda Livsey, a fellow brand strategist, recently added an Un-Certified Manifesto to her site. I thought it was pretty brilliant because while she doesn't believe certification is inherently a bad thing, it can add a lot of unnecessary pressure to how we run our business.We believe creativity comes from curiosity, not expertise, she says on her page.

I'm sure you've heard about a Mood Board. It's a collage that pieces together images that you love to help you communicate what you're trying to create.

Recently, I created a Brand Vision Board, one that represents the feeling of how I see myself running and being in my business. I gotta say, I really enjoyed doing this for myself and thought I'd share what mine looks like.

It's always exciting when a new prospect reaches out to you. But by  contrast, it's a little frustrating when you find out they're not a good  fit. Why are you not resonating with your ideal clients?

Most people at this point immediately want to create new graphics or change their visual brand. And that may be part of the reason depending on how your visuals represents you... but let's take a look at a few  other steps to take before you invest money on design.

You have an idea of what you want your brand and business to look like. But how do you get from where you are now to that vision you want to grow into? That’s where brand strategy comes in. While brand strategy can take various forms depending on who you work with, I wanted to define what it looks like working with me. I have a clear process that I take you through and it looks like this…

We get a sense of achievement from just the act of setting goals. Before we’ve even taken any action. But after that initial excitement is gone and you’re actually having to do the work, what’s going to keep you going?