Recently our car boot stopped working. It was stuck shut and there was nothing we could do. So I took it to the garage where a new switch was fitted and now it opens and closes perfectly again.
Isn’t it annoying when something stops working?
Isn’t it great when it’s fixed?
A good while ago now something wasn’t working in my business. I felt disconnected with it. So I did some work. I hired a coach and she helped me work through this, creating a business plan and I realised that I needed to work on MY brand.
When I started my business I’d sorted out a colour (just one.. a maroony sort of colour) come up with a logo which was literally my favourite font at the time (Optima) and that was IT. Rubbish. I’d had a week to get it together along with all the other stuff you do when you start a business because I just needed to get going. I created templates as I went and added to it over time and it was OK to start with but it really wasn’t cutting it – especially as this is what I DO – I neeeeeded to do better. It was really about prioritising what mattered and setting aside the time to fix it.
So I did.
I started with all of the important stuff that matters – the questions I’m always banging on about, going through my own process to discover what my brand really was about – and then I created new visuals and they made me waaay more excited about sharing posts, handing out cards, showing up.. a confidence boost.
Over time I’ve tweaked what I did then. I’ve added illustrations, I’ve mostly stopped using the textures and patterns, I’ve changed my fonts – but the logo and colour scheme has stayed the same (with some minor tweaks) and I’m still happy. More importantly I’ve embraced strategy more fully and implemented that into my own brand as well as more with my clients.
Strategy gives you the answers before you even get to the visuals. It sets you off on the right path. It gives you all the information you need to make the right decisions for your whole business – because your brand is important to consider at every point in your business not just when you open up Canva.
When things are fixed – when everything is in alignment – it’s so much easier to find your brand bravery.
Have you found yours?