When you work for yourself you wear many hats.
Working for yourself doesn't mean you work alone.No one strikes out on their own just to give themselves another job.
This is Solo(ish), a resource for solopreneurs, focused on the art and business of being self-employed.
Social Media: A Marketing Tactic or Strategy?
While social media platforms provide tactical tools, they are just a part of a comprehensive marketing strategy. By expanding your tactics arsenal beyond social media, such as leveraging email newsletters, advertising, and engaging in speaking opportunities, you can connect with a broader audience. However, the key lies in adopting a strategic approach.
To DON’T List for Startup Brands: Avoiding Pitfalls of Building a Strong Brand
Launching a startup brand can be an exhilarating and challenging endeavor. As you embark on this journey, navigating the path carefully and avoiding common pitfalls hindering your brand's success is crucial. By keeping these branding "don'ts" top of mind, you can...
5 Tips for Building a Strong Brand for Your Small Business
Branding is a critical aspect of any business, as it helps differentiate you from your competitors and communicates your unique value proposition to customers. While some of the biggest brands in the world, such as Nike, Harley Davidson, and Starbucks, have massive marketing budgets, effective branding is possible for businesses of all sizes. Here are five tips for building a strong brand that resonates with your clients.
7 Tips For A Mid-Year Brand And Marketing Checkup
As we approach the halfway point of the year, now is the perfect time to take a step back and evaluate the effectiveness of your brand and marketing strategy. It’s a good idea to do a mid-year checkup to ensure you’re on track to meet your goals and make any necessary adjustments before it’s too late.
From Unknown to Unforgettable: Creating a Strong Brand for Your Startup
Creating a brand from scratch can seem daunting, but by following these steps, you can establish a powerful and effective brand that sets your startup apart from the competition.
The Fundamentals of Developing a Strong Personal Brand
Managing your personal brand is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and effort to build and maintain one’s brand image. But doing so can significantly impact career success and professional relationships.
Lessons learned working in-house that helped me be a better consultant
By the end of 2015, after being an in-house creative director for nearly 8 years and working in this field for over 20 years, I found myself self-employed for the second time in my career. Now, as I enter my fourth year as a brand and creative strategy consultant, I attribute some of my success as a business owner to my experiences and the lessons I learned by working in-house. Reflecting on that time being in-house, I can also say that my consulting mindset, and teaching instincts, also attributed to my success leading in-house creative teams.
10 Ideas To Build Your Small Business brand
Many small business owners I talk to already understand that branding is essential to their business, but a surprisingly high number of them don’t really know why.
Does My Small Business Really Need A Brand?
I think maybe people get hung up on wording. If you were to replace the word “branding” with “reputation” instead, I think I might get your attention. You care about your reputation, right?
The Changing Relationship Between In-House and Outside Agencies
In recent years, there has been a shift in power in the creative industry regarding who “owns” brand and creative work in corporate America. In-house creative teams have emerged as important players, producing some of the best creative work in design, advertising, photography, and video. This shift has led to corporations leveraging their in-house talent more than ever, with in-house teams taking on the responsibility of managing outside agency relationships.
Do You Need To Rebrand Your Business?
Business owners are more in tune with the principals of branding than ever before, some spending millions of dollars to brand or rebrand, depending on where they’re at in the business lifecycle. A brand represents everything about an organization, from its market position to company culture.
Four Simple Strategies to Keep Your Brand Consistent
Business owners are more in tune with the principals of branding than ever before, some spending millions of dollars to brand or rebrand, depending on where they’re at in the business lifecycle. A brand represents everything about an organization, from its market position to company culture.
Why You Need To Conduct A Design Audit
We all understand how important brands can be. There are brands that signify all over the world. Nike. Harley Davidson. Starbucks. These are companies that are more than just the products they sell. They’re lifestyles. They’re statements, both about the company...
Not the same: Brand Positioning and Brand Purpose
There was a period between about 2016-2017 where many brands seemed to combine purpose and positioning. During these two years, it appeared society had an awakening that manifested in multiple, intersectional ways: A significant refugee crisis was happening in Europe;...
How Much Does Branding Cost?
If you ask around for quotes on branding projects, you will get fees ranging anywhere from $1,000 to $50,000 and even higher, and this often is just for design work. You might find a freelance designer online who says they can do it for less than $500, and you can even get a logo for as low as $5 on fiver.com. The real price of branding though, is not doing anything consistently.
3 Ways To Grow Small Brands On A Limited Budget
We all understand how important brands can be. There are brands that signify all over the world. Nike. Harley Davidson. Starbucks. These are companies that are more than just the products they sell. They’re lifestyles. They’re statements, both about the company...
When Is It Time For A Name Change?
So when should a brand look at changing its name? If you want to signal a change in strategic focus, and if the name change will serve greater meaning, resonance, and value for consumers and customers, then do it.
3 Career Paths: Agency, Freelance or In-House?
As a design professional with almost 25 years of experience, I have worked in various roles, including as a freelancer, in-house creative services leader, creative director, and educator. There are three career paths available to creative – agency, freelance, and in-house – and choosing which one is right for you depends on four factors: stability, money, advancement, and passion.