If you’re struggling with your brand story, this might be why…
A lot of clients feel a bit stumped when it comes to their brand story. Sure they have amazing products but there needs to be something else, something that hits customers on an emotional level and makes them buy into you. Which is the reason you need to tap into the emotional part of your business journey, what is really driving your “why” – and how does your story reflect that?
When people start a business, we rarely talk about what an emotional time it can be. It's something that definitely took me by surprise when setting up Smart Beauty Creative. I gave birth to my firstborn over a year ago, and there was so much rhetoric about the rollercoaster of emotions you go through (which is of course true). But having recently set up my own agency, there are less conversations happening around feelings and emotions – aside from general stress – perhaps because entrepreneurship is seen a more 'masculine' pursuit and therefore emotions aren't seen as relevant. "It's just business, it's not personal, etc."
But business IS personal, especially when you decide to bet on yourself and create something of your own. My hormones might not be going haywire anymore, but founding SBC, I noticed a similar emotional shift to when I had a baby, involving periods of reflection and coming to terms with things, as with any big life upheaval. Starting something new can also signify closing a significant chapter on the past and leaving part of your old self behind.
I've been working with a business coach, mainly focusing on the everyday nuts and bolts of running a business, but a lot of our sessions have unexpectedly almost turned into therapy sessions. Especially when it comes to finances and the values that were instilled in me growing up, together with the stress I experienced as a child as a result of money being tight.
Here’s a prime example of what my business means to me: yesterday I was getting the tube with my toddler son from London to meet his grandparents who live in Hertfordshire. I boarded the train, only to find out the tubes weren’t running beyond Wood Green, so we had to disembark and catch a replacement bus to Oakwood. (Few phrases fill Londoners with a sense of dread like “replacement bus service.”) It was swelteringly hot, my son was hungry and restless. I was anxious about my parents having to wait for us, having no idea when we would turn up and how long the bus would be in the busy weekend traffic. In my frazzled state, I ended up getting on the wrong bus.
My son was grumpy and grizzling, so I was in the middle of trying to soothe him, while trying to ignore the frosty stares of the other passengers. I only realised my mistake when I glanced down at Google Maps and saw to my horror, that we were travelling in the opposite direction. If this had happened when I was a child, there would be shouting, crying, lots of aggravation and panicked, tearful phone calls from the adults around me. Instead, I calmly got off the bus at the next stop and ordered a taxi. I was fortunately in a financial position to do so. Yes it was annoying and expensive, but it meant nobody was stressed out and tearful, and we got to where we needed to go in a decent amount of time. This is my “why”, why I get out of bed every morning and why I’m building my business. To be in a financial position to successfully navigate tricky situations so that my child and I can both live happy, stress-free lives.
There's a lot of deprogramming and rewiring that goes on when you become a parent and the same goes for running a business. Like motherhood it can feel overwhelming, you can have crippling doubt and imposter syndrome and feelings of despair that you're not doing enough and that it's all going to come crashing down. But it can also feel euphoric, it can give you a similar sense of joy and purpose and can be incredibly and surprisingly healing in a lot of ways. It's definitely an emotional time for sure and it's important to acknowledge that and for your brand messaging to reflect that in some way too.
I hope the above story resonates. If you would like to learn more about us and what we do, email us at hello@smartbeautycreative.com or click here to book a Discovery Call.