Guest Blog: Building a Brand by Joshua Ladner

Joshua2

When you think about it. Our every move is calculated into a "brand" category. Whether you are a biz owner or not, you determine what you decide to be and why people may "follow" you. I realized when opening my first location in 2013 with my husband and business partner that determining our WHY, how we are different and what would make people show up was extremely important. We live in a world where it has become so natural to share our everyday lives with people. I think this can be an amazing experience and sometimes a catastrophic explosion of misinterpretation. When focusing on a biz, knowing WHY you are there is the main focus. Yeah, it's crazy, right? It seems so simple, but when you break it down to a consumer point of view, it can be intimidating and frustrating.

Let's break it down.

Every entrepreneur has that moment...frustration. It may be by a boss that just wasn't what you expected in a leader, being shot down too many times or possibly working so hard and never getting the credit you believed you deserved. Now, get to that place. What would you do differently? More importantly WHY and how would you do it differently? These moments in the beginning of your "brand" will allow you to make standards that will guide you to get the biz rolling.

Image.

What does your brand look like on social media? What do you talk about? Is it relevant? When creating our brand Join the Hair Journey. I spoke it before it even existed in a location. I stayed positive and always was the "nice" guy. All together, I was genuine. When you create a brand, it's bigger than you,  especially if you have team members and want to create a guest following. What brands do you follow? Why? It may be the image of their products and services. It could be because it makes you feel good. People want feeling. People crave warm fuzzies, so making a brand that makes people feel nice is a must-have for a successful brand.

Call to Action.

Did you think this was just a blog? Well, I want to be someone that can lead you towards a life of entrepreneurship. What I would love for you to do, whether you plan to open a biz or just want to look at your social media as a brand, is determine WHY you want people to "follow" you. Determine your mission and write down a list of what you enjoy in a service that is close to what you want to focus on. Once you have that complete, we can move forward. You got this! I promise. I'm living it every day.

Joshua1

[Images courtesy of Joshua Ladner]

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