My Top 5 Takeaways from the Focused Brand Challenge
I hope everyone has someone in their life like Caitlin Horton. She is another example of someone I met through Instagram, and I am so lucky to now call her a dear friend. Originally from Memphis, she is now living overseas in Shanghai with her husband, recently completed her MBA, and owns Horton Brand Strategy where she provides branding and consulting services for entrepreneurs. So, basically she's superhuman. If you aren't yet, please go follow her on Instagram so you can live vicariously through her overseas travels, and pick up some great business insights along the way.
Caitlin has a way of presenting all facets of business in a very streamlined and easy-to-understand format. She's the queen of processes & systems, and when she gives advice, I always listen up. It was her notecard method that helped me work through my ideas that eventually led to creating all of the content for Own Your Why.
When I heard that she was launching her Focused Brand Challenge a few weeks ago, I knew it was something that I wanted to dedicate time to complete. As with all of her stuff, this challenge is full of actionable advice. I walked away feeling more inspired than I have in months, and the best part - I had a plan, too.
That's what is so magical about Caitlin, she will encourage you to push yourself farther, but she doesn't leave you hanging out there all alone. She provides you with the practical advice so that you can turn your ideas into a plan.
Here's a glimpse of how powerful it was for me, and my Top 5 Takeaways:
Define your Statement of Purpose: I believe in the work I do, and I stand behind the results I provide my clients. However, there are still times when someone asks what I do, and I feel like I’m caught off guard and not sure how to respond. This exercise built up my confidence, as I explained what I do in multiple different ways to really find one that feels like the best fit. Although this was probably the hardest exercise for me to complete (actually had to step away a few times and come back to it), I think it will continue to be the most powerful.
Determine what you do & don’t do: As creatives, we aren't lacking in the ideas department. However, we do struggle with deciding on what is most important to focus on next. Being your own boss has so many great opportunities, but it also opens you up to #allthepossibilities. This can be paralyzing at times not knowing where to focus our time and energy. This exercise gave me the clarity I needed to show me what services are draining my energy, versus which ones are replenishing it. This exercise also primed me with a framework to use so that I could decide which ideas I should move forward with as I continue to grow my business. Which leads me to...
Brainstorm all new offerings: After setting us up with a solid foundation of how we should be thinking about what activities fuel our business, and our soul, Caitlin then gives you the time to brainstorm any new possible offerings. After getting clear on my Statement of Purpose and determining what I will and won't do, I was ready to make those decisions that have been alluding me for weeks. Now I know what projects I should be spending my time and energy on, and finally feel like I have real direction and a growth plan for MaggieGentry.
Find your pricing sweet spot: It’s always a tough question, especially for service-based entrepreneurs. Her approach is much more thoughtful than the typical: Take your ideal annual salary and divide by 12. If you've been struggling with how to objectively set your pricing, then this is a great first step into looking at how to do so without getting your emotions wrapped up into the process. And rumor has it Caitlin has another offering that will go into more detail about pricing... so stay tuned!
Get to know Caitlin: This Challenge gives you a glimpse into what it's like to work with Caitlin, and you get access to all of her business tips & resources, which are invaluable. It's personable, actionable, and encouraging all at once.
I seriously cannot gush more about this, and she has thought of everything! You can take the Focused Brand Challenge for free, and content is sent to you over the course of 30 days. Or you can do what I did and set aside a day to focus on getting through all of it. If you choose to do it all at once, it is $19 - but it's really worth a lot more than that!
If you're considering it, let me know if you have any questions at all. I would be happy to talk about it more with you.
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