*(GRAB THE FREE BRAND WORKBOOK AT THE END)

There's something I notice over and over again: entrepreneurs will invest in a beautiful new logo, redesign their website, pick the perfect color palette, and yet… their message still feels off.

The problem? They're mixing up two completely different things—and they don't even know it.

Most small business owners conflate brand strategy with personal brand strategy. They're not the same thing. One builds your business, the other builds you. And when you don't know which one you're actually building, your message gets lost in the noise.

Here's the thing: fixing your brand isn't about changing your colors or your tagline. It's about understanding the foundation of your business and the connection you create with your audience.

Let me break this down for you.

The Big Idea: Two Strategies, One Powerful Brand

Your brand strategy defines how your business is positioned in the market. It's the blueprint, the architecture, the foundation everything else is built on.

Your personal brand strategy, on the other hand, is about you—the face, the story, the energy behind your business. It's how you show up, connect, and build trust before anyone ever buys from you.

Both matter. In fact, when you blend them together strategically, you create something unstoppable: a brand that's not just professional, but truly powerful.

Think of it this way: Your business brand builds structure. Your personal brand builds connection. Your personal brand is the voice that speaks through your business's megaphone.

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What Is Brand Strategy? (Hint: It's More Than Just Visuals)

Most people think brand strategy is about design. It's not. Brand strategy is direction. It's the strategic framework that tells your audience what you do, who you serve, and why it matters.

Here's what a solid brand strategy actually includes:

1. Vision and Mission

Your vision is the big-picture end goal—the change you want to create in the world.

For example, my vision has always been to help women become bold and powerful voices and claim their space with confidence. That's what I'm here to do, and it shows up in everything I talk about.

Your mission is a bit more granular. It's who you're here to serve and what you're going to do for them tactically.

Together, these two anchor everything else.

2. Brand Values

What do you actually stand for? What principles guide your business decisions?

For me, it's knowledge, community, togetherness, and boldness. These aren't just nice words—they inform how we operate, who we serve, and how we treat people. When someone is aligned with these values, we're the right fit for each other.

3. Brand Personality and Voice

If your brand was a person, what would they be like? Serious? Playful? Formal? Casual?

This is where solopreneurs often find overlap with personal branding—because often, your brand personality is you. But for larger businesses, this might be a distinct persona separate from the founder.

Your brand personality shapes your tone of voice: what you say, what you don't say, whether you use abbreviations, your humor style, even whether you swear. It's how you present yourself and connect with your dream client.

4. Brand Archetype

Think of archetypes as universal character types that people intuitively understand. There are several: The Rebel (think Harley Davidson), The Every Man (IKEA), The Caregiver (Johnson & Johnson), The Sage (the wise one), The Magician (transformation).

My brand archetype is the Sage and the Magician. I love sharing research-backed information (the Sage), but I also believe in manifestation and the possibility of transformation (the Magician). I blend the “woo and the do.”

When you understand your archetype, people connect with your identity, not just your services.

5. Your Ideal Client and Client Personas

This is where research becomes your superpower. You need to deeply understand:

• Who is your ideal client?
• What are their pain points?
• What do they believe about themselves?
• What are their objections to buying?
• What do they want for themselves?
• What keeps them up at night?

This isn't just surface-level demographics (“women aged 25-45”). This is deep psychographic understanding.

In my first year of business, I interviewed over 100 women to understand why they weren't being courageous, what held them back, and what stories were limiting them. That research was transformational for my business. It meant I could speak directly to my audience's real struggles, and they'd say, “It's like you're reading my mind.”

The best part? I'm still listening. In every coaching call, every event I speak at, I'm listening for the language my ideal clients use. That's how this very content was born—from questions I got asked at a Melbourne event about what to do when you don't know what to say.

6. Key Message and Competitive Advantage

What are you here to say? What makes you different from everyone else offering similar services?

Are you the premium option or the accessible option? Are you Kmart or Chanel? Your positioning determines your pricing, your language, and who you attract.

7. Voice of the Customer

When you do your research, collect the actual words your clients use. The phrases they use to describe their problems. The language they use for their desires. This verbatim language is gold—it shows up in your sales copy, your website, your messaging.

8. Your Standout Bio

Based on all of this, who are you? Who do you serve? How do you help? Where are you positioned? What's the outcome?

Think of your standout bio as what an MC would say when introducing you at an event. It's a powerful nutshell version of you that gives your audience instant clarity.

Why This Matters: Your Brand Strategy Is Your Foundation

I always explain it like this: Your brand strategy is the slab and foundation of your house. It's what everything else is built on top of.

If you start your business without a clear brand strategy, you're building on nothing. Eventually, everything crumbles because there's no structure to hold it up.

Your brand strategy keeps everything aligned—from your website to your social posts—so your brand feels consistent and intentional.

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Personal Brand Strategy: The Human Behind the Business

Now, personal brand strategy is where the magic really happens. This is all about you—your story, your energy, your unique perspective.

A strong personal brand strategy includes:

1. Personal Brand Vision and Goals

Think about who you want to be to your clients and community. Are you the leader? The cheerleader? The inspirer? The guide?

For example, Brené Brown has her business (which has a traditional brand strategy with structure and vision), but her personal brand is defined by authenticity, empathy, and wisdom. When you watch her on podcasts, TED Talks, or speaking events, you're experiencing her personal brand. That's what fuels the connection people feel.

Your personal brand goals might be: getting podcast invitations, keynoting stages, building community, attracting ideal clients, or creating a brand that sells for you.

2. The Hill You're Willing to Die On

This is your conviction. The thing you believe wholeheartedly about your industry or your clients.

For me, the hill I'm willing to die on is this: There are exceptional women in the world who have so much to give, but they don't have the confidence to get visible. If they did, the impact they'd have would be massive. I'm on a mission to help them find their courage, their confidence, and their platform.

What's your hill? What do you believe so strongly that you'd stake your reputation on it?

3. Your Unique Message and Brand Lexicon

What do you talk about? How do you say it? Do you have catchphrases or coined terms that are uniquely yours?

Your brand lexicon is the phrases, words, and terms that are so much a part of you that people recognize them. They become synonymous with your name.

4. Your Enemy: What You're Fighting Against

This is powerful. What are you seeing in the market that makes you want to take a stand?

For my clients, common enemies are imposter syndrome, comparisonitis, and the belief that women need to stay small. I'm fighting against these things. When you're clear about what you're against, you become known for taking a stand.

5. Your Brand Story

Why do you do what you do? How did you get here? What were the aha moments?

Your brand story shows people your conviction. It's why you're standing on that stage saying what you're saying. It's the fire behind your mission.

I genuinely believe we underestimate the power of brand story. When people know your story, they're invested in your journey. They're cheering you on. They trust you because they understand why you care.

6. How You Show Up and Build Community

Are you a coach? A connector? A teacher? How do you show up in your community, and how do you want people to feel when they interact with you?

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The Magic: How to Blend Brand Strategy and Personal Brand Strategy

Here's where it gets really good. When you combine both strategies intentionally, you create a brand that's not just professional—it's irresistible.

Step 1: Anchor Your Brand Strategy

Get crystal clear on your niche, positioning, and core message. This is your foundation. Don't skip it.

Step 2: Layer Your Personal Brand Strategy

Share your story. Show your personality. Let people see the human behind the business. This is where connection happens.

Step 3: Align Your Communication

Make sure your visuals, your tone of voice, and your offers feel cohesive across both sides of your brand. Everything should work together, not against each other.

Real-World Example: Oprah

Let's look at Oprah as an example. Her business, OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), has a clear brand strategy: vision, mission, values, structure. It's organized and intentional.

But Oprah is the captain of that ship. Her personal brand—authenticity, empathy, wisdom—is what fuels it. People don't just watch OWN because it's well-structured; they watch it because they feel something when they engage with Oprah. The business has direction, but her personal brand creates connection.

That balance—direction and connection—is what creates a brand that converts.

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Why This Matters: When It All Clicks

When you understand both your brand strategy and personal brand strategy, and you blend them intentionally, everything changes:

• Your website copy gets clearer
• Your content finally connects with your audience
• Your offers sound like you
• Clients start saying things like, “It feels like you're talking directly to me”
• You stop competing on price and start attracting ideal clients

This is the power of clarity. And clarity creates confidence. Confidence creates clients.

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Your 24-Hour Action Plan

Ready to get clear? Here's what I want you to do:

1. Grab a piece of paper and draw two columns
2. Label one “Brand Strategy” and the other “Personal Brand Strategy”**
3. List what you already have in each column
4. Notice what's missing

You'll instantly see where your brand feels unbalanced. That's where you need to focus.

If you're ready to fill in those gaps and create a brand that's consistent, clear, and client-attracting, you have options:

• Grab the free BRAND STRATEGY WORKBOOK download from my website to get the full framework
• Join Brand Builders Academy for the complete framework, templates, live coaching, and personalized support

Remember: Your brand isn't just what you say. It's how you make people feel.