From Corporate to Creative: My 30-Day Quest to Build an Authentic Brand
Thirty days ago, I embarked on a personal branding adventure, sharing my thoughts with the world for the first time on my own blog. As a creative, I found myself pulled in multiple directions, yearning to own my narrative and express myself authentically. I wanted to build a brand beyond my corporate identity—one that would reflect my true self and elevate my professional presence.
Starting with this simple Squarespace website, I focused on defining my brand values and crafting stories that would resonate with my audience. With over 20 years of diverse career experiences, I felt I had valuable insights to share with fellow marketers. So, I set a bold goal: to publish a blog post every day for 30 days.
Setting the Guardrails
I value the importance of self-reflection, strategic thinking, and staying true to my own voice. By sharing my successes, challenges, and learnings, I aim to provide practical guidance and inspiration for others on a similar journey.
Mistakes & Hot Takes
The journey was not without challenges. Writer’s block and lack of motivation struck at times. To overcome these hurdles, I developed strategies like creating extra content on inspired days and embracing the power of iteration. I learned to lower my standards when necessary and sought inspiration through generative AI conversations to break free from mental barriers.
Three Key Takeaways
Confidence grows with action. Mistakes and hot takes aren’t really that different. Each published post strengthened my belief in my ideas and unique perspective.
Separate brand personas can coexist. Creating distinct identities allowed me to explore different facets of my expertise while maintaining a cohesive overall brand.
Iteration is a superpower. Setting smaller, achievable goals and consistently taking steps forward led to significant progress over time. Deadlines prioritize what really matters.
More on that last point
Perhaps the most profound realization was that goals are not meant to be stretched like taffy, endlessly chewed until perfection. Instead, they are best approached as a series of gradual steps. Each step brings us closer to our destination, and even if we stumble, we only lose a little ground—making it easier to regain momentum and keep moving forward.
Power in the Ellipses
Admission: I needed a favicon and it was my first time creating one. To keep things simple, I quickly researched the requirements and decided to use punctuation rather than symbols or art. I chose an ellipsis (…), inspired by my color palette and fonts. Choosing the ellipsis was spontaneous, but it now symbolizes my branding philosophy: self-discovery, reflection, refinement, and the excitement of possibilities. It reminds me to enjoy the journey that is writing, one sentence at a time…
Express Yourself
This behind-the-scenes look at my brand journey is just the beginning. I have more ideas, theories, and stories to share. Join me in the digital rebel’s manifesto: Marketing is a mindset, and together, we create.
