In this mini blog series we have been defining brand because for most people brand is at least an abstract concept that they know is important but don’t really understand. But for many more, it is completely foreign. So far we have taken a good look at Personal & Corporate Branding. Today, we are going to dive into what I am calling Authentic Business Branding which is the kind of branding I specialize in. Authentic Business Branding (ABB) takes from elements of both Personal and Corporate branding to create something new that is refreshing and so important in this emerging business market.
ABB is for those of us who dream of running our own, lucrative, exciting, passion filled businesses. Whether you are someone who is thinking of leaving the corporate world to follow your passion or you are just graduating college and unhappy with the job options available to you in today’s lame economy, I’m here to tell you you can have your cake and eat it too! This is where ABB comes into play. No matter how boring you think you are, or how much cooler you think other people are than you, you’re wrong. Plain and simple. You are an amazing person with a story to tell that is inspiring and encouraging and most important, that people can relate to. You were born to inspire and help other people, you just need to believe it!
ABB is about building a business you are excited to wake up everyday to run; a business that reflects its owner’s values & personality. Take my friend Erin Giles for example. She got really pissed off about sex trafficking after watching the film Nefarious and instead of just talking to her friends about it, or worse yet, doing nothing, she decided to start End Sex Trafficking Day in 2012. Her event and subsequent book of essays inspired Erin to launch an entire (and extremely successful!) business dedicated to teaching businesses and entrepreneurs how to effectively integrate the causes nearest and dearest to their hearts into their companies.
So Erin gets to spread the message about sex trafficking, AND teach other people with similar passion how to do the same thing… for a LIVING! Not only that but when you look at her photos, website copy, font choice, logo, graphics, videos etc. they all fully align with who she is as a person! They show the fun & whimsical nature of her personality! Erin Giles makes doing good in the world fun, lucrative, and doable! What an amazing business she gets to run!
What makes your heart beat fast? What have you always said would be your dream job? Is there something you want to change in the world?
For me, I knew that I would never be happy working a conventional job (this became even more clear after I had my baby boy). I also knew that I needed to do something significant with my life that would raise awareness about the issues I care about. You see, I traveled to Swaziland in Africa the summer after my freshman year in college. At that time, Swaziland had the highest AIDS rate in the world. We went into the public schools and taught about HIV/AIDS, promoted abstinence, and planted gardens (the reason being that its pretty hard to tell a young girl who is the sole provider for her family not to have sex with the man who gives her food every week in exchange for her body). The people I met there and the work we did changed me forever. It is because of these beautiful people that I started Kelsey Rae Photography & my 5 for 5 Campaign.
I built my business around who I am. From the colors & logo, to my passion for making a difference in the world. I absolutely love my company, I am proud to run it, and I am overwhelmed that I get to help other entrepreneurs how to do the same.