Moving Toward Brand Clarity & Alignment
(When You're Feeling Stuck)

In yesterday's message I shared with you some of the clues that can tell you if a brand or business is off in some way. Did you resonate with anything you read?

Today we are going to go into ways you can move toward clarity of vision and purpose. I'll share with you some of my favorite tools for moving forward.

Tomorrow, I will close the circle as we evaluate the role of alignment and flexibility in our business and brand.

Let's carry on, shall we?
 

Passion Drives a Successful Brand

When you are passionate about what you do, you are filled with divine inspiration to pour love and beauty into all the touch points of your business and, as a result, your brand will sing with ease. Even the dreaded imposter syndrome will be kept at bay, because your enthusiasm just won't let it take the reigns long enough to do any real damage.
 

It's Time Get Out of the Quagmire of Ambivalence!

So, is it time for you to evaluate if you are apathetic or ambivalent about your business? Is it sparking the joy you need to shine and show off your passion?

Hey, don't fret if you're getting that sinking feeling. Let's get you to the other side, to inspiration and enthusiasm, shall we?
 

Here are my tips for easing your way out of the quagmire of business and brand ambivalence.
 

1. Listen to your curiosity.
   
   Aside from frequent urges to visit Facebook during the day, what are some gentle curiosities that have emerged as a theme in your life? Is there something awesome you are exploring in your personal life that you're not giving yourself permission to weave into your business model?
   
   While some of us may want to hold our hobbies and creative pursuits apart so we can focus on doing them without joy or obligation, some of us may need to bring a bit of that curiosity into our business model to make it sing. It doesn't have to be an overhaul, either. In fact, the more gradually you test the waters and adjust bit by bit, the better off you'll be.
   
   

2. Ask your inner twelve year old what she wishes you'd do.
   
   Now, we can't always fully listen to and employ the advice of our inner child (otherwise I'd be on an adventure with the Ninja Turtles right now), but if we've lost touch with our curiosity after a long bout of ignoring it out of a sense of pragmatism and personal responsibility, sometimes our child self can remind us what interested us when we were less burdened by obligations.
   
   Long ago, I remember when my sophomore year of college was winding down and it was time for me to consider a summer internship. I had worked so hard that year and lost touch with my curiosity. I got quiet, looked inward, and found myself asking, "What did I want to do when I was a kid?"
   
   My inner twelve year old piped up loud and clear. "Work at LucasArts!" I'd spent many a late night playing their story-rich and puzzle-filled games as a kid. It seemed ridiculous to me in the moment to think I could get an internship there, because I was studying as a graphic artist and I assumed they probably only hired concept or texture artists for those coveted creative positions.
   
   I didn't let that thought stop me. When I went to the site moments later to investigate, I was amazed to discover one graphic design internship listed as available. It felt as if it was meant for me!
   
   Over the following month, I busted my buns with a renewed curiosity and excitement, creating a stellar portfolio with my best work yet. It paid off -- I was hired! While working there, two separate supervisors shared that a stream of incredible synchronicity had gotten me into that position, starting with the fact that my immediate boss had had the random thought to hire a graphic design intern for once, when they had never done so before.
   
   Thanks to following that twelve year old's voice, I got to spend a summer in San Francisco at my (to that point) dream job, all because I listened to her when I got stuck and followed her curious yearnings.
   
   Side note: As a result of that experience I realized the video game industry wasn't for me, but I had a blast that summer and enriched my professional experience in a myriad of ways and got to see my work prominently displayed in an internationally-sold Star Wars game. You don't have to fully commit long term to what your inner twelve year old tells you, but she very well could get you out of a rut and help you take a more informed next step.
   
   

3. Ask your most trusted friends what they are noticing you doing and not doing.
   
   Girlfriends (the ones who really get our soul and can be trusted to support us through all of our explorations with love and genuine acceptance) can be the best mirror in the world. How often do we know something important about the highest good next step for someone else but hold it to our heart because we respect that they have their own path to travel to get to their destination?
   
   If you're ready and willing to hear what a great girlfriend has to say, she may have noticed ways you have been unconsciously limiting yourself and holding back your genius, leaving untapped prosperity and enjoyment on the table.
   
   A girlfriend may have noticed a gift, tendency, or curiosity you are leaving out of the equation that could really get you on the right track. Take note: you must be ready to receive the input.
   
   • Ask your question
   • Be quiet
   • Listen fully
   • Resist the urge to argue against her points!
   • Say thank you before you either choose to think it over (and maybe make the choice that it isn't the right path for you), or then discuss the finer points of how you will take the next step.
   
   The thing to keep in mind here is that we often have a tendency to refuse things out of hand when we are afraid to take a risk. While someone else may not know precisely what's right for you, be willing to consider that they have some information that could help take you to the next step.
   
   If you're not ready to really listen to input at this time, maybe because you are at too fragile a place or need to hold an idea close to your chest, that's fine! It's best in these situations to refrain from asking until it feels right and you're ready to hear the answers you receive.
   
   

4. Stop overthinking things so much. Just get started.
   
   Something I've noticed from intellectual and spiritual people is that we can overthink every damn thing. We can hold two simultaneous positions on something that are diametrically opposed. Dang, but does that lead to apathy, inaction, and long bouts of depressed naval-gazing. Not fun!
   
   If you find that this is something you do, then consider this: say "hello" to your two opposing positions, and choose to align your actions with the one that is a "yes" for momentum, enthusiasm, exploration, and possibility. Even if you have no freaking clue how it's all going to come together. If you say "yes" to the direction of inaction, not only are you not proving anything one way or another, you also aren't giving yourself a chance to succeed.
   
   If your quagmire is a moral dilemma, chances are good that feelings of ambivalence are actually a sign that you may be using a false story of morality as an excuse to hold yourself back. We can come up with all kinds of reasons not to move forward when we're in actuality simply scared to act!
   
   I think about the notion of the "artist sell-out" in this equation. Artists use this fear of selling out all the time as an excuse not to thrive or explore new pathways. The truth is, the idea of selling out is just a story and everyone's definition of success, and pathway to it, is going to be different.
   
   If you have some kind of limiting belief in this vein, you may not be able to trust friends to shake you out of it—chances are good they have similar beliefs and are going to confirm your limitations! So reach outside of your circles or at least find friends who have a different approach who will help you explore nuances to your position. Or better yet, take a risk, give it a shot, and see what happens.
   
   The best thing you can do is fail. That's right, it's the best thing! When you fail, you get data, and can then refine your direction in a meaningful way, rather than not doing anything at all thanks to false assumptions you've made so far.
   

Do any of these tools or ideas resonate with you? Which one do you think would be best to try out for where you are feeling stuck? Will you turn to your curiosity, your inner child, trusted friends, or simply step out and take that action you've been holding back on for awhile? I would love to hear from you if you have a moment to share.

There's another step beyond this one, and an understanding to tap into to really go the distance with creating a successful brand, and I'll share that tomorrow. We will go into the subject of alignment and how you can use this tool when evolving your brand on your own constantly-evolving journey.
 

In my work, I talk a lot about alignment. Having the showiest, sexiest brand isn't always necessary, and it's certainly not the most important aspect of creating your brand.

Brand alignment is the crucial component for a successful brand. Alignment with your values, with your authentic style and way of working, with your ideal audience, with your energetic state of being.

Of course brand alignment calls for professional imagery, content, and a strategic online presence, but before you can get to brand alignment you must have business and personal energetic alignment — especially as a solopreneur.

For the next three days I will go into the nitty gritty on how to achieve brand alignment. It might take some surprising turns and lead to you ask yourself some interesting questions about your own business and brand, so I hope you'll join me on this journey!

Brand Alignment Concepts I'll Share This Week 

In day 1 we will talk about all the ways that our lack of brand alignment can show up in the world. This will help you clue into some of the behaviors that might be indicators that your business or brand need to be adjusted.

In day 2 we will discuss ways to step around brand and business ambivalence. I'll share some of my favorite reframes and tools for moving forward when I feel stuck.

In day 3 we will talk more about alignment and how it can add so much juiciness to your brand and business. You'll learn why a brand needs room to breathe just as you need space to travel along your business and brand journey.

Sound good? Let's get started!
 

"No One's Buying It"

Have you ever had that experience where you met someone at a networking event or a party, they told you what they did, and you thought to yourself, "Huh, I'm not buying it"?

Not only are you not convinced that what they have on offer is fully legit, but you are literally "not going to buy it." What's the root of such a feeling?

Usually it stems from the fact that we either:

A) don't think the business direction is well-formed or clearly communicated,
B) the person lacks confidence in themselves or their idea, or
C) the person's boredom with their own business is showing, even if only subtly.

And, let's face it, who hasn't been at this place in their business one time or another? There's nothing worse than hustling just to pay the bills and going into a client attraction opportunity feeling like you're not even sure you want the business in the first place. Or worse yet, being plagued by imposter syndrome and having that sabotage all your efforts to express your deeper passion with a potential client!

Business Boredom = Bad Branding 

Your brand is actually the culmination of all the touch points of your business in the world and these kinds of interactions can have a negative impact on your bottom line. Who wants to work with someone who is bored or ambivalent about what they do, the product they offer, or the clients they're serving?

There can be any number of nuances and combinations of a lack of clear communication, focused business direction, or business ennui that can sabotage a business endeavor.

Let's look at the ways this can manifest in your business image through common client and audience touch points. Signs of Business Ambivalence

1. You don't get back to new prospects in a timely fashion.
   
   This could be a symptom of overwhelm, but overwhelm can be a product of procrastination (stemming from lack of interest or focus) or an overloaded schedule (stemming from a poor business structure or again, lack of focus in what you do that is contributing to burnout.)
   

2. You rattle off your elevator pitch by rote when asked what you do, or the opposite—you ramble without focus.
   
   You can be really clear about your offer and explain it without passion. (Yawn.) Or you can have no clue how to tell someone what you do. (Points if there's passion, but no good if they have no idea why they should call you!) Or you could be so afraid that you look like an imposter that you just don't shine. (I'll tell you now — this one hits us all at some point or another, so take comfort in its normalcy and try to simply let it go!)
   

3. You underperform or fall behind consistently on your work, missing the days when you felt on point with quality products and great customer service.
   
   Again, overwhelm can be a culprit here. As illustrated above, overwhelm isn't always just about having too much work on your plate. Maybe you're not feeling challenged or are no longer engaged with your idea. We all go through periods of feeling off! Maybe you just aren't attracting the kind of clients that are truly aligned with your work. If you have experienced a period of boredom or dissatisfaction for a year or more, consider that there may be deeper issues to address.

Your Personal Energy = Your Brand Energy

When you are an independent business owner or solopreneur, you are often a key component of your own brand image. Creating professional, clearly-communicated materials is very important to growing your business. Your own alignment is even more important if you are interested in creating a compelling, successful brand.

In my 20 years of experience in this industry, I have evaluated a lot of brands and websites. In all my travels, I've come to associate unclear, unfocused and poorly branded materials with unclear, unfocused, and uninspired businesses or business owners.

Sometimes the brand issue stems from lack of budget or resources, and other times people are so successful in their business that their brand simply lags behind. Most of the time, though — even in a case where someone is too busy to keep their brand vibrant and alive — there is some kind of mis-alignment at the root.

I part 2 we look at ways you can get out of that feeling of ambivalence or mis-alignment and find your way back to business and brand clarity! Continue below.

Many of the people I work with day to day are empaths, healers, artists, and keepers of the flame. Over all the years I’ve been working, I’ve had countless conversations about working through that “ick” feeling that high integrity people get about branding and marketing themselves.

I’ve been a freelance brand and web consultant and designer for eleven years. I’ve been working in the industry for twenty. So perhaps it may come to you as a surprise that, for awhile and up until a few years ago, I had a really complicated and sometimes ambivalent relationship myself to branding and marketing my own business.

The False Security of Referral Marketing

I’ve been pretty blessed to get so much business through word of mouth. For the longest time, I didn’t need to really market myself too much to keep a roof over my head. Even now, I could probably get by without a list, maybe without networking in the heart-centered communities I contribute to (but that’s debatable). However!

There is a big difference between getting by and thriving.

In order to thrive, I learned I had to learn to get to the bottom of my ambivalence and heal it.

I would often feel like I was at the mercy of whatever random job came my way. Sometimes things were a perfect fit, sometimes not. But when you’re trying to pay the bills, you sometimes make compromises to get by. And often those compromise projects would end up taking longer than my other jobs, have more complications, and take me away from sometimes even being able to accept the perfect fit jobs that would show up. I had filled my schedule up too full with too many things that I didn’t quite want.

In short, I wasn’t taking control over my own business or taking responsibility for my true desires.

Run Away or Take the Reigns?

But, even though I still got some great clients that way, a referral-only strategy was undermining my ability to achieve my biggest goals.

Ultimately my own marketing ambivalence was setting me up to have too many days where I felt like I wanted to run from my business, because the trials inherent in not being intentional outweighed the joy I experienced with some of the very special people I had the opportunity to work with.

I felt so lost, I even went to work for a company for a year. I inevitably came back to my business with a whole new appreciation for my sovereign life and the soulful work I was able to do through it.

Maybe you can relate to falling for this temptation to leave it all behind out of frustration? Maybe you have left it all behind, too, only to realize what you had before? What did you learn that brought you back and aligned you once again with your joy? How are you using that today in your brand?

I finally knew without a doubt that I needed to get to the bottom of my ambivalence and take the reigns in my business, once and for all.

I was determined to thoroughly enjoy my work and work with people who were a perfect fit for my services.

Look at Brands You Like for Inspiration

I talked to people I respected, people who were making achievements in business using high integrity marketing. I began to more closely watch people I admired, like Danielle LaPorte and Marie Forleo.

They were marketing their services. Why was it okay for them to market themselves and not for me? What was the difference?

First I looked at how they marketed their offering and what they were selling. At the end of the day, I realized that I was drawn to brands that not only rang of authenticity, but were also down to earth, heart-centered, and seemed to be genuinely focused on improving the lives of others with grounded strategies.

Think about these things when evaluating your own business’s relationship to the world of branding and marketing:

• What do the brands you like edify?

• How do they inspire you?

• What do you like about their marketing?

When thinking of what I didn't like, I knew that, “Do This One Thing to Triple Your Income,” and “six figure” language totally turned me off. Between dumb (but sometimes admittedly funny) Geico ads and this online “get rich quick” model that had become so prevalent, I had come to associate marketing with something akin to desperation and money-grabbing.

And I had done this despite the fact that there were plenty of examples of people doing it well and with heart. I had spent too much time focusing on what I didn’t like instead of what I did.

Forget About Integrity

Imagine how undermining that was for someone in my industry. If a client ever shouted, “But, integrity!” I really couldn’t make a strong enough argument to make them step up fully, because I wasn’t stepping up myself.

The funny thing was, I loved the people I worked with and believed in what they were creating so much that I actually had no problem helping them brand and market their services. I believed wholeheartedly in the effort and the need for it. But I still kept making excuses for why I wasn’t doing it myself.

So what was really going on? The truth was that there was a more insidious fear at work. The integrity story was a red herring, a disguise for the real problem.

The Real Root of Branding and Marketing Ambivalence

The real reason I was uncomfortable with marketing was because, on some level, I was afraid to be seen. Afraid that if I became too visible, too known for a specific point of view, that I might eventually be attacked for that point of view. Or lose clients for simply following my own voice and perspective in my work.

Deep down, I was afraid of getting trolled or going broke.

How Past Life Pictures Undermine Our Present Day Opportunities

If you are an empath and healer, I believe this mental picture of being lambasted online or becoming a bag lady has a deeper fear behind it. Many of us probably have past life pictures or a past trauma around either literally or figuratively being persecuted or being forced to go into exile for who we really are.

So it’s no wonder that we don’t want to shout too loudly about our point of view or be seen by too many.

The word of mouth method is probably how we did it in those past lives. Have some healing herbs to provide a poor, sick populace? Don’t talk about that too loudly, you might get labeled a witch. Better to let people quietly recommend you when they’re in need and let them in through the back door in order to avoid the potential pitchforks and torches.

Are You Visible or Are You Still in Hiding?

At the end of the day, we on the fringes people — healers, artists, change makers — are often so worried about getting kicked out of the village or being persecuted that we content ourselves with the seeming safety net of referral marketing.

And, it's true — you could Law of Attraction your way into a steady stream of work. However, if you do it without focus, intention, or a willingness to be seen, even that referral river will turn into a trickle at some point.

A thriving business requires you to learn to find more ease in being visible.

Talking Down the Fear to Get to the Real Work

Time and again I’ve seen that the criticism people expect to get by going visible in a big way almost never surfaces; even if it does it’s such a small minority that it’s not even worth fearing.

And yes, you may lose some clients, but the new ones you gain are going to love you so much more for being you.

Being fearful of "going public" is distracting you from the real challenge — how to market yourself effectively to get the results you want.

Or even more importantly, how to structure your business and brand in such a way that you get to do exactly what you love doing and reach enough of the ideal clients looking for your offering that you can actually thrive doing it.

I guarantee, if you are in any way ambivalent about getting out there, then whatever money you spend on branding and marketing will likely prove to be a waste. The Universe does respond to our energy, and without inner alignment on this issue, your brand will end up off kilter and unsupportive of your goals.

Your Challenge, Should You Choose to Accept It

If you do feel that ambivalence or even aggression against marketing and branding, then I challenge you to go deep and suss out the deeper reasons for your feelings. Trust that your integrity and passion will lead you to make the highest good choices, for yourself and for others.

At the end of the day, branding is really about taking what is inside of you and sharing it with the world. If you don’t share it, then we won’t know about it. And I know that you have a gift that we need. Let go of being the best kept secret and be willing to be a well known and loved resource.

Right now the world needs the healers to step out of the shadows and show us how it’s done.

Are you ready to shine your light fully so we can all be warmed by it?