So what do I care about? Who am I?
I care about what other people care about – businesses (vehicles to do the things in the world), jobs (how we make the things happen), passions, hobbies, interests and people.
I care very deeply and passionately about looking at and doing things in a way that’s right for us – not necessarily “the way” we’ve all been told.
I care about the larger picture of every single one of my actions, so I can find a way in the world that’s right for me, that feels true to me.
And I care about helping others in that same way if they wish – in every thing I do.
I am not a brand.
You are not a brand.
We may have “brands”, but we are NOT a brand.
We are human beings – we have businesses, jobs, passions, hobbies, interests and people we love. (Some of these things might have brands attached to them that we like and some that maybe we don’t – that’s life.)
We are human beings – we have amazing skills, talents, dreams and desires. We help others with those amazing skills, talents, dreams and desires.
We are human beings – we have to tell people about those skills, talents, dreams and desires so we can find our people and they can find us.
We may have “brands”, but we are NOT a brand.
You are yourself – it is those quirks, those opposing desires, those things that “don’t fit in” a brand plan that make you you. And that’s how we do things.
People do business with people. And people do business with people outside of that branding (hopefully now more than ever.)
The brand is just the icing on the cake (and I argue some cakes don’t need icing at all if you are doing it right.)
Let’s keep being people, people.
I am not a brand.
You are not a brand.
But we can stand for things.
Standing is much more important than branding.
That’s how you find the people, the business – that’s what matters. Not the colors, the font, the postings, the guides – sure, use branding to support your standing but never forget what’s driving the bus.
And is it a bus you want to be on? And have the capacity to have others come with you?
That’s what it is all about. The rest can be figured out and upgraded along the way. (And you might find you don’t need any of it like you thought you did!)
