At the end of the day, it’s just you and your brand. You and your brand sleep in the same bed at night, whether it’s been a great day, a mediocre one, or a really, really bad one. You gotta take it home with you. In fact, you are your brand.

When you look in the mirror, you should see a reflection of your brand. The brand you create should be a direct extension of you and reflect your values and standards. If these aren't the case then you and your brand need to have a talk.


But my brand isn’t me, it’s just what I do, right?

Well, what you do is you. If you build a brand, even if it’s not your “personal brand,” it still is personal.    But, both brands should be personal to you. They are interconnected, whether you realize it or not.

In fact, as you build your business brand, you are also building your personal brand. In our social media-driven world, it's more important than ever for leaders of a brand to build their own personal brands to give a face to the business brands. People today demand more personality and humanity from brands. So, your own self reflects on your business and vice versa, even if you don't want it to.

Really, all a brand is at the end of it all is the idea that other people have of you in their minds. It’s what your business represents. So, you should be able to stand behind what you want your brand to be one hundred percent.

If you feel that you and your business brand are separate entities, you will find it slip away from you. That's true with your personal brand, too For some people, it's really one in the same, but both are still connected.

Even if you're building a business you later plan to sell, you need to stay connected and in tune with both your business and personal brand. Otherwise, one or both are going to get away from you and rebuilding either one the way you want it to be may become out of reach. If it’s a good one, someone will be happy to take it over for you.


So, should my brand and I have a sit-down and chat?

If you feel that you and your brand are out of sync, then you are out of sync yourself. No matter the reason, you do need to step back and refocus. What are you all about? How can your brand become an extension of what causes and ideas are near and dear to you?

By asking yourself these questions, you’ll build a much stronger brand. You'll also become a much better person, by staying true to what you are and letting your brand become a vehicle for those things. While staying true to yourself sounds cliche, people don’t really follow that advice.

It’s even more rare that a brand is truly used as a vehicle of self-expression and to further ideas and causes. Yes, it happens. A lot of those brands are wildly successful, because they are authentic. People like authenticity, and people love when you take that authenticity far as you can possibly take it.

Those who are willing to make major sacrifices for their brands are the true Brand Heroes. Doubters will eat their words when they see your success if you never stop moving and taking your brand with you. Your brands, no matter how many you have, are like your vehicle. Built, driven, and maintained correctly, they can reliably put you on cruise control to whatever your destination might be

Remember, you are your brand. Have that conversation with yourself. Know that you and your brand are one in the same. Never give up on your brand and never give up on yourself. Only then will you and your brand truly be in tune and become a force for good and whatever change you want to make in the world.

~ Phoenix <3


Want to become a Brand Hero? But, not sure where or how to start? Contact the branding experts at Brand Shamans and we’ll show you how!

Your job has ordered workers to complete their tasks from home or you’ve been laid off or let go and need to start your own business - but from home. Whether due to new rules at your job or a personal preference to work from home, you need help getting into the swing of things. You’re new at this work-at-home thing and need a few pointers to make it work effectively. As someone who has been running her own business from home since 2005, don’t worry! I can help. Here are 4 tips for new work-at-homers. 

Relax. Breathe. Release.

This is the very first thing you need to do before doing anything else. Relax your mind. Take a few deep breaths. Think about what is going on and what your goals are. Let it sink in and then release all negative energies surrounding it. Some may use healing jewelry for this purpose. Yoga is another great way to clear the mind and get prepared for change. Working independently can be difficult for some not used to work from home positions. Relaxing your mind can go a long way in prepping for this change.

Set Up a Comfortable Effective Workspace

Even if you only plan to be working from home temporarily, you still need a place to do it. When your workspace is comfortable and contains everything you will need for work, it’s much easier to get your job done correctly. Consider the type of work that you do when creating your space. You can create this spot as a section in an existing room or if you have one you can use, convert an entire room. 

No matter how large or small the space you have to work with, make sure it has everything you need to do your job effectively. Most jobs will require at least a desk and some office supplies. After you choose the correct desk for your specific use, consider other essentials your job may not have supplied you with and be sure they're within easy reach. You may also want to decorate this space to make it an enjoyable one. Even if not required for work, be sure to have some way to communicate with the outside world from home.

Don’t Panic. You Can Do This. 

If I can work from home as a mother of 7, running 20 websites, a web store, making handcrafted items, and doing tons of services daily (like content writing, consulting, and publicity) while making sure a baby, toddlers, and teens are all taken care of, you can do it with hopefully a smaller workload than I have. I don’t recommend starting off with my kind of workload, unless necessary. I’m an experienced pro and have mastered the art of multitasking properly without taking away from people or tasks. The point is if I can get to that level, you can get to whatever your level is too. 

Consult With Experienced Work At Home Professionals

This one is a must, especially if you are having issues getting started, staying on task, or finishing on time. Join work at home support groups online, such as Business Success Tips And Support Group on Facebook. Ask questions in those groups or of people you already know who work at home. Don’t be afraid to reach out if you need help. We all start somewhere and there is always someone to help. Social distancing doesn't include online spaces and there are always people in reach.

If you have no idea what business to start or what direction you should go in, feel free to get on a consulting chat with me. Learn what business you should start based on a variety of things revealed about yourself by consulting with us. 

Questions, tips, or commentary? Feel free to use the comment section below. We're here for you!

LAST UPDATED 2/8/2023