Entrepreneur Essentials

Entrepreneur Essentials Premium Article

An empowered woman walks through the world with confidence and grace. She pursues excellence in all aspects of life and does not settle. She has a clear vision of her dreams and is fearless in making them a reality.

We are all capable of being empowered women, women who build amazing businesses and achieve our own vision of success. The thing is, for most of us, this doesn’t come naturally and we need to make conscious decisions to be in an empowered and entrepreneurial mindset at all times, which, is not always easy.

Our mindset plays a big role in determining our success, in both business and in life. So, if we want to be empowered, achieve success, we have to do it on purpose.

To help you along your journey, below are three things you can do to help you get into the entrepreneurial mindset.

Be a risk-taker.

Entrepreneurship is all about risk-taking. To truly be empowered and reach higher levels of success, you absolutely need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. There is no direct path to success and you know as well as I do, that there is no certainty of it.

Creating your dream life and starting your own business means betting on yourself and not looking back. Taking risks that both scare and excite you is usually a sign that you are on the right path. Learning to love this discomfort will take you much further than any safe feeling ever will.

Redefine your definition of success.

The definition of success is ‘the accomplishment of an aim or purpose’. I know many people in the entrepreneur space that define success as a monetary amount, yes this financial success is important, being driven by money will not help you succeed. This way of measurement will burn you out faster than you could imagine. Define your success by the people you help and the progress you make in your business, not by comparing yourself to the success of others or how much money is in your account.

When you define your success this way, it will ensure your accomplishments are much more satisfying and reinforce your mindset that you are heading in the right direction. Not to mention, what may seem like failures will be viewed more as learning opportunities that help you to be more empowered in your business and a successful entrepreneur in the long run. Empower Your Entrepreneurial Mind

Celebrate Every Little Win.

When you take time to celebrate every success, big or small, it will build your confidence and will help you take it to the next level to reach those large-scale goals. Not to mention, a celebration will give you closure on the goals you’ve been working hard toward. So, when you hit that publish button, empty your inbox, call a client, any accomplishment, stand up and do a little dance! Give yourself the credit you deserve for the time, effort and energy you are putting into your business. Keep the momentum going and make every success a celebration.

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!

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