Inspiring Greatness: Michelle Phan

Michelle Phan
A decade after posting her first video on YouTube, Michelle Phan’s name is synonymous for influencer-turned-entrepreneur. I am super thrilled to add her to my Inspiring Greatness: Women who are changing the world! collection.

Michelle Phan is the first woman to build a $500 million company from a web series.

She is truly a woman that inspires greatness! She launched the beauty subscription company Ipsy at the age of 24! In June of this year, Michelle transformed her Youtube channel from the make tutorials it was known for to 24/7 Magic Hour Radio. Below read a snippet on how she speaks about her motivation to follow her passion and create a life her mom would be proud of.

I uploaded my first video in 2007. Social media wasn’t even called social media yet. It was a place where people would just go online and congregate and share ideas and videos and content. YouTube was just my creative outlet. I didn’t have sponsorship money, I didn’t have people giving me free products. I had to go out and buy my own makeup products.

I was very motivated at a young age to find a better life, for my mom’s sake. She wanted me to be a doctor, but I didn’t see myself in that future. I promised her that I would take care of her but I would still pursue what I loved.

Then I got this really amazing offer from a big beauty brand. When they told me how much money I was going to be making, it was so big – as much as a doctor would have made. The first person I wanted to tell was my mother. She’s the reason I work so hard, and she inspires me so much. I said, “What are you doing?” She said, “oh, I’m still at work, I’m doing someone’s pedicure.” I told her that it would be the last time she would ever have to do anyone’s pedicure and she won’t have to work the next day because I would take care of her. We both started crying It was a moment that I’ll never forget. I want more people to have moments like that.

To read about more amazing and inspirational women, head over to the Inspiring Greatness archives!

I would love to hear from you, who inspires you? Who do you feel is a woman who is changing our world? Let me know in the comments below or on the Studio’s Workshop Community.

Website vs Blog – Or Do You Need Both?

Creating a website for a new business? If so, you may be wondering which is the best choice – website or blog. The answer isn’t as complicated as you may think. Here are a few things to consider when choosing for you and your business goals.

Business model and purpose

Both websites and blogs, particularly a WordPress blog, can support just about any type of business model. WordPress developers have created plug-ins that can turn any WordPress blog into an e-commerce site, a membership site and more.

However, these plug-ins and add-ons can be more of a hassle than it’s worth. And finding the right plug-in may be a trial and error process. Believe me – I have gone through a lot of trials and made a lot of errors!

If your business model relies on the publishing of timely information, then a blog is likely better. However, if your business is meant to sell a product or service, then a website may be a better choice.

Maintenance and time

How much time do you have to devote to the upkeep and maintenance of your business? A blog still relies on consistently publishing content. Despite contrary “rules” about blogging, you don’t have to blog every day or several times a day.

Just keep in mind, people who subscribe to blogs do expect regular installments of new content. You can schedule your posts. However, it does require a bit more maintenance on your end. Whereas, a website can be left alone for a month or two without any issues.

Blog versus Website

Personality and ease of use

Some of your decision will be based on your personality. What format do you prefer to use? A blog is straightforward and easy to update and utilize. You may need help to find, install and set up the right plug-ins. You may also need help customizing a theme or adding a custom header. By and large, blogs are very easy to use.

Websites can be trickier for some. That being said, many website developers and design software make the user interface quite simple. You can modify pages and add content without needing to learn or understand a design language.

Goals

Quite often a blog and a website work well together. A website sells. A blog drives traffic and brands the business. A blog can speak to a niche within your niche.

For example, General Motors has a central website. They also have a blog that is car talk. It’s for car enthusiasts and its run by a head honcho at GM. He loves cars. The blog helps brand General Motors and it connects prospects and customers to the business, it also builds a community.

Before you decide whether a blog or a website is right for you, consider the above. What’s the purpose of your site? What will offer the best customer experience? What will be most comfortable for you to use and maintain? Finally, what will best help you achieve your goals?

If you decide that blogging is in your future, check out these 52 Blog Ideas for your business to help get you started!

If it is a website you are after, check out these 30 Tips for Building Your First Business Website off of smallbiztrends.com to get you started.

To your success!

9 Principles for Successful Women

Defining Your Brand Identity

Starting your own business and becoming your own boss isn’t a pipe dream, it isn’t exactly a fluffy daydream either. It is stressful and demands a lot of your time and focus. That being said, once you get into your groove, it is fulfilling and a wonderful experience. So, let’s have some fun creating your brand identity! Defining Your Brand Identity

“A brand is the way a business is personified in the minds of consumers.”
Melissa Bolton

Once you have a business plan, a mission, and a vision for your company and you are ready to jump in, you will have to start thinking about your company brand. Aside from what service or products you offer your brand is going to play a very large role in your success. Ms. Bolton is right, your brand is a visual representation of you to your customers, which is why it is imperative to put together a good strategy.

You should have a solid strategy in place and implement it so you will have an edge on the competition. Your brand will be derived from who you are because you are the only thing that no other business has. Therefore, you want to make sure your brand is a strong and genuine representation of you. So, when building your brand there are a few things to keep in mind.

Be authentic.

It is hard to try and be someone or something you are not. It is a lot easier to be yourself than to try and be someone else, not to mention how much easier it will be to keep it consistent. So, just be you. Because you are a real person and your brand is a reflection of who you are; build your brand on things that you believe in. Your values, your beliefs, what you stand for, and who you strive to be. Your business should have the same values, beliefs, and passion. As you grow as a person, your brand will grow and be more successful.

You probably already have an online presence, to stay connected with friends, family, and to express yourself. So, why not put your business out there? Create social media accounts, pages, and profiles for your company. Have these link back to your website, and vice-versa. A website isn’t 100% required to be successful in business, however in today’s day and age, it is a good investment because you don’t know how long each social media platform will stay on top.

Know your ideal client.

If you follow any of my work, you will know how important I feel knowing who your customer is. Now, asked yourself “Who is your ultimate client?” You have done the research on who you are going to market to, now implement this into your brand strategy. How will your brand appeal to them? What do they want? What do they care about? If your target audience is the DIY Mom, you do not want to go out and build a brand that uses girls in bikinis on cars for any part of your strategy.

Chose a name that delivers your message.

When deciding on a company name be sure it is in line with your business message. There is no secret formula for choosing the perfect name for your business. To make matters worse, once you have decided on a name that you are100% happy with, you will still second guess yourself. So when you start planning the company name, it should be simple, to the point, and easy to remember.

Be sure to avoid annoying, random words with no meaning, double meanings, awkward puns and spelling no one would consider. If Siri can’t spell it, your audience probably can’t either.

Use professional design for your brand identity.

If you are just starting a business or looking at tweaking one that is already up and running, I can understand being on a budget. However; using a professional-looking logo and design is imperative when creating your business brand. If you are able, hire a brand strategist, such as AW Design Co., to create the perfect logo and brand style that fits the vision of your business. If that is not an option, look into purchasing a pre-designed brand and logo packages from a designer or community website like www.creativemarket.com.

Just keep in mind when you are purchasing a pre-designed package, there may be others that have that exact brand design and logo. So do not just buy the first one you like, keep digging! It is a budget-minded option, but it may not be the absolute best. You do not want to look like a box store brand, so be sure you make the right decisions for your business and your brand moving forward.

Be sure to choose a defined colour palette.

Having a defined colour scheme for your brand is just as important as your name. No matter what stage you are at in your business, your brand colours will create consistency and easy brand recognition. To do this, make sure you minimize your colours for maximum impact. Your goal is to have your chosen colours be associated with your business. For this, I suggest narrowing your colour choices down to two main colours with only 1 accent colour.

When you choose three different colours, not shades but colours, try using the 60-30-10 rule. By this I mean use your main colour 60% of the time, your secondary30%, and the accent only 10%. Following this rule will provide a simple way to create a professional colour scheme for your brand.

Do not fall into the 'me too' mentality.

When starting a business it is common, and smart, to check out the competition. You want to know what the leaders in your industry are doing to be successful but you do not want to be just like them. As I mentioned before, you are the one thing no other business has. Use that to your advantage. What makes you different from your competitors, and how can you use that in your branding? Focus on being unique so you will stand out amongst the crowd.

Try not to forget that branding is a lot more than creating a logo and colour scheme. It is a representation of your business and it is how you intend your business to be perceived by others. Having a strong and professional brand will make your business memorable and will help build trust with your audience. So, when you are creating your business’s brand identity remember to be authentic, know your audience and choose your name wisely. Try to work with a professional design, define your colours with purpose and follow your own path.

If you already have a brand in place, step back and look at it. Ensure it is a genuine representation of you and your business values.

If you are just creating your brand and are in the planning phase, get planning! Peek at leaders in your industry and head over to Pinterest for inspiration!

Be sure to follow the Studio’s Facebook Page, leave a comment and tell me all about your personal brand! I’d love to hear from you. The page is a free space where you will find business-focused training and support for female entrepreneurs, as well as inspiration and Studio updates!

This is a Premium Article, more like this are available only inside the Entrepreneur Essential library! If you are not a member, don’t fret! You still can be AND it is totally FREE!

Sign up below, if that isn’t your thing, I still want to help you the best way I can! So be sure to check out other available resources I have that will help you grow your business!

ing Your Brand Identity

Defining Your Brand Identity

5 Essential Tips on Branding

“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
– Jeff Bezos

Aside from what service or products you offer your brand is going to play a huge role in your success. Mr. Bezos is right, your brand is a representation of you, which is why it is imperative to put together a good strategy.

Use this infographic and remember these 5 essential tips when building your brand.

5 Essential Tips on Branding

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