By Laura Bull | Contributor
Reflecting on the past decade, I can hardly believe where I am today. Ten years back, I transitioned from my corporate role amidst the Great Recession and launched my consultancy from the ground up, starting with no clients in sight. It was a daunting yet exhilarating experience. My previous career revolved around promoting global music icons, and while I mastered the art of turning individuals into successful brands, I faced the new challenge of doing it for myself.
Taking on the role of an entrepreneur is no small feat. Managing a home office can be particularly challenging, especially with children around. There will be sleepless nights, and anyone who claims otherwise is mistaken. Nevertheless, after navigating a decade filled with ups and downs while running my business, becoming an adjunct professor, and publishing my debut book, I have some insights to share with fellow mompreneurs that might help ease your journey.
Understand that marketing differs from branding.
If you’re contemplating a side hustle or establishing a full-time enterprise, it’s imperative to craft a robust brand identity. This will serve as your business’s cornerstone. Your brand identity influences every choice you make regarding your product or service, distribution methods, marketing tactics, and target audience. It conveys your business’s essence to your team and investors, and like industry leader Nike, it should maintain consistency throughout your enterprise’s evolution.
Marketing pertains to what you aim to communicate in the short term; branding focuses on your long-term message. You might achieve a hit through an impactful marketing strategy, but building a lasting career demands a sound branding approach. Before diving into your business plan or seeking investors, dedicate time and effort to developing an authentic and competitive brand identity. This groundwork will help you avoid self-doubt and shield your confidence as you manage daily operations.
Your passion fuels you; your purpose drives you.
The surge of interest in positive psychology has made these two concepts prevalent in business discussions. However, many seem to conflate the two, making it important to clarify both your passion and purpose from the start.
Passion embodies the joy you find in your work, supplying you with energy and optimism. In contrast, purpose entails the deeper motivation behind your efforts, frequently linked to an intent to benefit others. While passion is vital for developing skills and ensuring your business thrives, clients, investors, and consumers are often drawn to a profound sense of purpose.
For example, numerous individuals adore painting; that’s passion. These artists can create various styles or teach their craft. However, consider a painter whose mission centers on capturing fleeting moments between mothers and their newborns. This artist offers clients more than just a painting; they sell an emotional experience, fostering a connection that encourages audience engagement and business growth.
Defining both your passion and purpose is crucial for your business and should be part of your brand identity. Here’s a tip: strive to cultivate a passion for your purpose. This alignment will instill the resilience needed to navigate the inevitable challenges that arise in the years ahead.
Your personality shapes your narrative.
Traditionally, branding involved assigning personality traits to products to connect with consumers sharing similar interests. For example, the Jeep Wrangler is marketed as adventurous and fun to resonate with its target audience.
We now exist in the Age of the Narrative, where consumers are inundated with messages and crave genuine connections. A compelling narrative can effectively market a product. Thus, rather than attempting to craft a message tailored to consumer desires, simply express what is innate to you. By integrating your traits and values into your brand identity, you achieve authenticity and maintain consistency in the long run. It’s a win-win situation!
I’m not suggesting that developing a brand identity is effortless; however, approaching it thoughtfully will streamline your business operations and lessen potential stress. This creative process may vary from weeks to months for different individuals, and there’s no definitive timeline. If frustration arises, remember that our creativity flourishes when we’re in positive states of mind; so crank up the music, take a stroll, or simply allow yourself to rest on it.
from INDIVIDUAL TO EMPIRE: A Guide to Building An Authentic and Powerful Brand by Laura Bull
$17.95 | ISBN 13: 978-1-63299-261-1
$8.99 | eBook ISBN: 978-1-63299-262-8 | January 27, 2020
Business & Economics/ Personal Success
RIVER GROVE BOOKS, River Grove Press
Available through Amazon.com, Ingram, and laurabull.com
ABOUT LAURA BULL
Laura Bull rose through the ranks at Sony Music Entertainment, becoming one of its youngest executives by age twenty-eight. In her decade-long tenure, she led marketing and artist development for acclaimed talents including Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, and Johnny Cash, among hundreds from Arista, RCA, Columbia, Epic, and Monument records. A seasoned expert in the music industry, she has contributed over ten years to the National Advisory Board for Musician’s On Call.
Specializing in transforming individuals into impactful brands, Bull imparts invaluable knowledge on what it means to become a powerful “influencer.” While marketing discussions often revolve around influencers’ power, few examine what it takes to achieve that strength. Bull redefines the concept of an “influencer,” expanding its meaning beyond the digital realm, emphasizing positive psychology principles in branding and sharing the proprietary Brand Matrix to aid entrepreneurs in uncovering their authentic and competitive brand.
As a consultant and speaker, Bull has spent the last six years teaching marketing and music business courses at universities, including SMU’s Temerlin Advertising Institute. She holds a BBA from Belmont University’s Mike Curb School of Music Business and a Master of Liberal Studies from Southern Methodist University.
Currently, she lives in Dallas with her husband and daughter.
