Be mysterious and private. Actually no, be real and vulnerable.
Speak from scars, not from wounds. Actually no, don't talk at all.
Reveal all your skills and secrets, be a girl's girl. Actually no, gatekeep as much as you can.
Contradictions like these have been flooding my timeline the past weeks. It's tough finding the right marketing path and listening to all kinds of business advice, while building a brand that is based on personal identity.
Some marketing experts say that customers don't respect brands that tell their story. They argue that transparency undermines authority. While others insist on strategies that value authenticity and a connection to the people behind the brand.
And to be honest, it's confusing as fuck.
When I took a founder class back in March, there was one topic that always came back: The key to success is framing yourself as a founder, instead of a small business. The general attitude of the group leaned towards the infamous phrase: Fake it 'til you make it. Even if you are a small business - do not show it! Think bigger! Perform bigger!
And it never sat right with me. Because if you start a business from scratch, alone, and without any assets or a wealthy background, you automatically start small. And there is no shame in that - at least to me. You can be a founder and a small business owner at the same time, because eventually you'll grow into that role anyway. So why pretend to be a big corporate player (yet)?
I want to use my brand as a catalyst for community and trust. I don’t want to use community and trust as catalysts for my brand. That feels like betrayal.
So I asked myself: Are small brands allowed to grow in this economy, without risking their business?
I don't have an answer yet.
Obviously I want to sell, grow and ultimately make a living out of my passion. But there comes a day, when every founder eventually has to decide what they're willing to trade for growth.
Privacy. Authenticity. Control.
And I'm still figuring out which of those currencies I'm willing to spend.
