When I decided to blog every weekday in January, I intended to craft a few more personal, casual posts. But, I quickly defaulted to value, education, and knowledge. Aka, what this blog has always been about.

It wasn’t until I was deep in my client’s brand strategy that I stumbled upon something (and had a little digital entrepreneur breakdown – it happens) that I knew I had to share. 

One of the reasons this sentiment resonated with me so deeply was because it feels so aligned with this current client. 

I’m developing the brand & messaging strategy and working on the website copy for Wild Kind, a Showit template store. One of Wild Kind’s greatest uniquenesses is that their founder, the wonderful Rachel, is so candid about her experience. 

She’s the website template designer who’s experienced the messy middle, battled the overwhelm, and is now helping other freedom-seekers do the same. She doesn’t approach things with shiny rose-tinted glasses or futile hacks. Instead, she’s honest, upfront, and incredibly supportive of her customers.

There’s so much to say about Wild Kind and their brand & messaging strategy. But I’ll have to come back to you when it’s published. 

For now, I want to take you back to the market research I was doing for said strategy: 

I had a million tabs open, scrolling, analysing, and making notes on each one.

And it didn’t take long for me to start thinking, “Wow, these brands are really cool. I love the vibe.”

“They’re professional yet fun. I really admire what they’re doing here”.

“Maybe I should buy from them?” (Influencing myself)

“Maybe I should redo my brand like this…or this…or this?”

Pretty soon I had a list of things I needed to “change” in my business (despite having created a brand I adore, pouring time and money into my online presence, and knowing the direction of our growth – oh, and an overwhelming to-do list written in my planner).

I finished work, took a deep breath (I’d managed to get myself into a bit of a frenzy), and checked up on my scheduled blog post.

I scrolled through my website, read my copy, and admired my logos.

“Oh, I don’t need to do any of those things. I’m building something true and purposeful right here. This makes sense to me. I’m proud. And I know what the future of this brand looks like. I know how to get where I need to be”.

The weight of those tabs I’d been lost in lifted. I ditched the mental to-change list and delighted in what I’d built.; how clear and confident I am in this journey.

But I haven’t always taken this approach. A year ago, I probably would have made all those changes and pushed myself further away from my truth and purpose.

Time, perspective, and (mostly) developing a strong strategic foundation in my brand & messaging strategy and website got me there.

Hiccups and second-guessed happen, especially in the eco chamber of the online world. But you don’t have to build your business like theirs. In fact, you shouldn’t.

You should build the brand and the business only you can. And remember, sometimes stepping back and reconnecting with your why, your vision, and your purpose is the most powerful business tool you have.

Did you find value in this business pep talk? I share more candid truths about brand building here. But I should probably do it more often. Let me know if you’d like to see more content like this on the Cupid Blog here.