When things in your business hit a wall, do you find another wall to push or do you lean into the one in front of you?
When we start a new business, we usually have the excitement of a kid on the last day of school. We’re itching for the bell to ring so we can get going. We rush out into the marketplace, start looking for clients and think of all kinds of ideas and products for our new venture. However, somewhere along the way our enthusiasm runs low.
Maybe clients aren’t flowing in as quickly and regularly as we thought they would. Or we experience a slump in our creativity. This is when the doubt monster creeps in and wreaks havoc on our confidence. When we start to feel insecure, one of the first things we do is look at what we can change.
Sometimes change is a great way to breathe new life into a business and sometimes change is just a knee-jerk reaction that results in a jumbled mess. We get frustrated so we start looking around at what everyone else is doing. We think if this big guru is doing things a certain way, that must be the right way for us. We borrow a little here and a little there and morph our business so much that it no longer looks like our business. It just looks like a watered-down amalgamation of someone else’s vision.
So what’s a girl to do?Instead of working so hard to keep up with what everyone else is doing, we should be looking more closely at what we have to offer. Instead of looking to the outside for inspiration we need to do an exploration of our interior design.
Most of us worry if we dig deep and put the core of who we are out there, we will be painfully rejected. Here’s the hard truth. If you are brave enough to be truly authentic, you are going to get rejected by lots of people. The good news is when you fully embrace your uniqueness, you will become like a lightening rod for people who resonate with your brand, and voila, you have a tribe!
Think about the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Sure it’s a pretty building, but no more beautiful than a multitude of other structures in Italy. The reason millions of tourist go each year to see it is because it is unique. If it was standing straight and tall like all the other buildings, no one would care. You don’t want to be like all the other brands out there. The more authentic, unique and different you are, the more interesting and exciting your brand becomes.
When things slow down or you feel stuck in a rut, instead of immediately starting to make changes to your business strategy, try to look for ways lean into the core of your brand. It might make you feel uneasy at first, but don’t worry, you will not topple and fall. You might just be surprised at how much your audience appreciates you!
As always, I love hearing from you. What is YOUR unique opinion about leaning into your brand?
What scares your most about bringing more of who you are into your business?
What has been your coolest response to leaning into your authenticity?
Post your answers below in the comments or find me on Facebook. 
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I’m still trying to find my brand and myself within my brand. It’s scary to step outside the box and be different from those around you who are successful. But I know that by being me when I meet clients, that is how I book them. Now, if I can only let that carry over into my brand, hopefully I can attract more clients and more of the right ones!
Yes, the more you can bring your authenticity into your business, the more you will start to attract your ideal clients. If you are an entrepreneur, you ARE the brand behind your business. It can be really scary to break away from the pack of those who are already successful, but great brands are never copies, they are innovative. If you are not sure of your brand, it really helps to have someone to guide you to your true path. If you’d like to get more feedback, I’d be happy to chat. Just shoot me an email at heather@clearvoicebranding.com