I’m always saying that building a personal brand is really not that different than deep personal growth work. And this week’s guest, Kimra Luna, personifies that. In order to lift themselves and their family out of generational poverty, Kimra tapped into mindset work- in particular, their own gut instincts vs a coach they spent thousands on who was teaching a “right” way to do things. Kimra and I are aligned in our belief that there are limitless ways to build a business and a brand, and the only “right” way to do it, is your way. Which, yes, generally takes quite a bit of trial and error, but that’s the journey, right? AND why it’s so important to do the personal work alongside the business work. Listen in to get Kimra’s take on building a business aligned with your values, connecting with your audience, and why they view community building as such an important asset when it comes to business.

The Brand Spanking You Podcast- where we talk about how branding your business is more related to personal growth than you realize. In this week’s episode, we explore the notion of “talent.” Is it something you’re born with, or something you develop over time? (Hint, nobody is born with the ability to win grand slams or paint a masterpiece…).So if talent can be cultivated, what does this have to do with personal branding? Turns out, a lot. Because if you’re holding yourself or your brand back for lack of talent, you’re selling yourself short. And denying the world something totally unique and inspiring - YOU.

Have you ever thought that creativity is reserved for just artists, musicians, painters, writers, etc.? Not so. And in this episode, I have an inspiring conversation with Caroline Scruggs who knows a thing or two about all of this. Caroline is a singer/songwriter and musician, and after years and years of creative struggle and torment, Caroline had an epiphany. She realized that in the process of turning her creativity into her business, she completely lost her spark. She was miserable, and unsure what to do next. She dived deeper into what it meant to “be a creative” and came out the other side with a renewed purpose, and a knowing that within all of us lies an untapped superpower. What if, creativity wasn’t just for a few “chosen few” artists, but instead, was a way for every single human being to tap into a wealth of intuitive knowing, purpose, and unrealized potential? She recognized that this creative superpower that we all have is a way for us to find fulfillment and propel ourselves to new heights. And now she teaches others how to find their own version of it. We’re taught from a young age that you’re either an artist, or you’re not. But this, quite frankly, is one of the biggest lies and beliefs we’re asked to swallow. Because every single problem in the world requires creativity and imagination to solve, whether you’re an artist or not. And cutting ourselves off from this creative flow because we’ve believed the “I’m not an artist” lie, could be one of the biggest things keeping the world stuck. Caroline has such a light-hearted, playful approach to inviting people to rediscover their childlike wonder, and this conversation revealed to me- once again- just how powerful creativity is, and why its vitally important for all humans to expand their imagination and, in the process, their creative problem-solving skills. In this conversation, we challenge the notion that business and life are all about practicality and following formulas. While both of those are nice, they also keep us stuck and miserable. On the flip side, creativity & imagination help us break free from those confining boxes to discover true meaning, purpose, and happiness.

How many times have you said to yourself “that’s it! I’m done with Instagram forever!” only to scurry back to it, tail between your legs, expecting that THIS time, things will be different? If you’re anything like me, this cycle repeats itself over and over. But do we NEED Instagram for our marketing and business? Obviously, there are lots of people who have wild success with it. But increasingly, there are more people who don’t and are fed up with it. As freelancers, solopreneurs, and small business owners, it’s vitally important that we optimize one of our most valuable assets: our time. So IS Instagram still worthy of investing valuable time into? The answer will be different for everyone. But after having a love- and mostly hate- relationship with Instagram over the last several years, I’m deciding to go all-in on a different experiment. One where I free myself mentally of ever having to post or use the platform for business at all. And instead, replacing those with other marketing strategies that, quite frankly, have been far more effective for me in the past. Some of those strategies include: Blogging & Pinterest- mainly for their long-term SEO benefits In-person networking, and fostering real-life connections and partnerships with others Encouraging testimonials & referrals from past clients & customers. My gut has been telling me for years that this marketing channel is just not aligned for me, but I still keep at it. Why? Mostly because I’m scared of not doing it. I’ve bought into the belief that if I’m not good at Instagram, somehow I’m not good at business. And that’s complete BS. That if I could just figure out the algorithm, that would mean I could control the flow of money, customers, and clients in my business. As if. We’re told over and over by online marketing guru’s that we “need” to be there. But I could show you many examples of people who aren’t but are still wildly successful. So do we need to be there? Really? I think not. I’m starting this experiment with a 3 month Instagram hiatus, and we’ll see where it goes from there. If you’ve ever felt like saying no to Instagram yourself, maybe this is the nudge you needed. Listen in as I go in-depth talking about this decision, and how I’ll market my business instead.

We’re often told that we need to change our thoughts and beliefs in order to hit the goals we set for ourselves, or realize the success that we know we’re capable of. Easier said than done though, right? What if you can’t even identify the thoughts or beliefs in the first place? Trust me, you’re not alone on this. Pinpointing subconscious beliefs and sabotaging behaviors is a lifelong process. There are layers to it- just like peeling an onion. And that’s why I was so excited to have this conversation with Wil Carlos. Wil has an interesting approach with his clients because he uses his gift of Claire-Audience to help his clients see exactly where they have been subconsciously staying safe so that they can shift from overwork to ease and fun as they become more of themselves in their business. This unique ability allows him to tap into the energy of what is ACTUALLY keeping people stuck so that they can clear it, and do the work they’re desiring and meant to be doing. Wil has a refreshing perspective on so many things, including procrastination, imposter complex, setting boundaries, and the role of self-doubt (this one might surprise you!) when it comes to building your business.

low engagement mindset tricks, setting low-bar habits, & content creation as an artform

What if, instead of letting comparison-itis stop you in your tracks, you could use what others do as PROOF that you could do it too? That’s exactly what this week's guest, Bari Ackerman has done over the past 20 years as she’s built her painting, fabric design, art licensing, and home decor business. Whenever she saw somebody else doing something, she allowed herself to believe that it meant it was possible for her too. And this attitude has served her well. She now has her celebrated, signature floral style licensed on furniture (Joybird), rugs (Loloi Rugs), fabric (Art Gallery Fabrics), wallpapers, bedding and more. She’s also been featured in House Beautiful, HGTV Mag, TodayShow.com, Better Homes and Gardens, House and Home, Phoenix Home and Garden, AD Italia, and many more. Bari’s most recent book, Bloom Wild (Abrams 2020), is on the Book Authority list of 100 best interior design books. This was a delightful conversation, and we meandered through so many juicy topics. This episode discusses topics like… How getting fired from her job over 20 years ago may have been the best gift ever How the mindset of “if somebody else can do it, so can I” has propelled her into achieving things she couldn’t even have imagined at the beginning of this journey Battling with body image issues, but not letting that keep her from showing up on social media. What “paint through the ugly” means, and how you can apply it to your own business & life whether or not you’re a creative. The massive uplevel she went through creating her home decor book, and the lessons you can learn from it.

Are you waiting on permission in your business? Let me explain: perhaps there’s something you want to let go of or stop doing. Or maybe, it’s something NEW you want to try that might not make a lot of sense, but you feel completely lit up by trying it out. If you really got quiet and listened, you might realize that it’s ok to stop the thing or move forward, but the thing that’s been holding you back is waiting for someone to give you permission. Well, guess what? You can give it to yourself. This seems like such a simple concept, but it’s something I see a lot of my clients struggle with. And the minute I tell them things can be done however the heck they want- that it’s 100% A-OK to use their creativity and imagination to build things in a way that aligns with their energy levels, values, and purpose, waves of relief wash over them. But it’s not my- or anyone else’s- permission that anyone needs. It’s your own. That’s the only way it truly works and empowers you to create something amazing in your own vision. This is a lesson I learned years ago when I went I decided to leave my marriage and get a divorce. (Something a touch on in this episode.) After months and months of therapy, books, endless conversations… I realized I wasn’t going to get any new information. I was simply waiting for permission to leave. So I gave it to myself, even though it was one of the hardest decisions I ever made. And this lesson has stuck with me over a decade later as I apply it to just about every other aspect of my life.

This episode discusses topics like… The huge gap Erica saw in the marketplace for her clients, and why she decided to shift her entire business model in order to fill it. Her thoughts on managing your mindset around other people’s opinions of you if you use social media to grow your business. How Erica comes up with a seemingly endless stream of unique offer/business ideas simply by contemplating the question “what are people ACTUALLY asking for that doesn’t seem to be available on the market.” How mindset work and ideas are great, but that she was seeing people were still having issues executing- and what her new business model aims to do about that. Why Erica is such a big fan of collaboration for business growth and how she builds it into her business.

I've been thinking a lot about the creative process lately, and how the creative process is really messy. And if you’re starting or building your own business, you gotta get really good at embracing this creative, messy process. And you may argue with me that you’re not creative- BUT, If you're starting or running a business, I guarantee you are creative. Because you have to tap into all of the same skillsets that artists, musicians, and writers use in order to market yourself and show up in a way where you’re solving problems creatively. Embracing this messy, creative process is important, especially now as we’re constantly bombarded online. Told that if you just follow certain strategies or tactics you can’t fail. That the launch or offer will be a slam dunk. That you'll be bringing in 10 K 20 K 50 K months within a couple of months. But that’s a lie most of the time. Because it takes time to figure things out. You never really know if something will work until you get it out there and you start testing it and start collecting data. And even then, it may not be the offer, but the messaging, or audience, or timing of it. That’s why it’s messy. That’s why it requires experimentation. But you will get better at it. Listen to the full episode to learn how to embrace + get better at this process.

Our brains have evolved to seek out the safety of community and connection. And part of that safety involves blending in with the community. A function that served our ancestors beautifully. But us, as business owners and entrepreneurs? Not so much. This default operating system that is brilliant in terms of social connection, can actually become a hindrance when building and growing your personal brand. The good news? Once you’re aware of it, you can decide to step out & stop blending in in ways you didn’t recognize you were before. You'll learn how building resilience around being rejected will help you connect on a deeper level with the people who your message is meant for.

Well, here we are at the very first episode of the Brand Spanking You podcast. So I thought it would be great to give you a little overview of what you can expect from this little ol’ show. As a lifelong creative- who’s created work for some of the world’s biggest brands + became an entrepreneur herself- I’ve discovered that the entrepreneurial journey isn’t that different than the creative process itself (no surprises there probably!) To be successful in business, and to put yourself out there online, you’re going to have to dig deep into your mindset. And in the process, you may find out that starting a business becomes the biggest personal growth project you’ll ever take on. It’s a messy journey, but one you won’t want to trade in. Because in the process of building your online business, you’ll discover things about yourself you never knew, and find out that you’re capable of incredible things. If you’ve ever struggled with figuring out how to brand yourself, or got confused by the mountains and mountains of information, online courses, and programs out there, you are not alone. With new solo and guest interview episodes coming out weekly, we’re going to wade through all of it and discover how you can build a brand and business YOUR way. In a way that aligns with your bigger purpose, values, and mission.