I got my astrological chart read once by a talented astrologer.
They pointed intently at one section of the chart with burrowed eyebrows and whispered, "Well, looks like there's something unique going on here. You're going to be deeply successful in a creative field. To spread inspiration, beauty and truth. You are not the person who will choose the easy way. It may always seems like you choose struggle but in the end it'll be so much more worth it. Not everyone has this quality." Yep. Sounds about right.
The branding process is similar to the astro chart: distilling the core essence of a business down to its true purpose and tactfully inspiring the people behind that business to live that truth over time. A brand must express itself clearly to the world and create positive action and thinking. Though things always change down the line, the essence, or the core, should always remain true.
So many of us choose a path of fear of admitting to ourselves who we really are, whether we be the faces of strong-willed entrepreneurs or CEOs of mega-corporations. Working with many different clients, it's interesting to see how often folks stretch the truth about who they are in order to garner more attention in growing their brand. What's ironic, of course, is that they should really be doing the opposite: SCREAMING who they really are to the world and letting the brand fuel them to be free to express it. On a freaking loudspeaker! Love your brand. LIVE it. It's you!
Embracing who you are is the essence to growing your brand. Just like a talented astrologer sees who you are in your chart, a smart brand strategist should be able to distill your brand down and help you grow. Doing this takes openness, patience and trust.