Defining Yourself Defines Your Brand
Once you have decided the type of business you’re building, you need to define your brand. This is the most important piece of business; your brand says everything about who you are and what you’re doing.
Another way to describe this? Your “WHY”.
Why are you starting this business?
What is your purpose?
Why do you need to do this?
What will your identity be?
And most importantly, who are YOU?
When I started this journey, figuring out who I was as an entrepreneur was very difficult. I have lots of things I am interested in but nothing I felt I was really an expert at. Honestly, it probably took me 5-6 months to figure this out!
What did I finally decide?
I am someone who wants to change my life, my career and am not a spring chicken.
My brand? ANYONE CAN CHANGE
The answers to the questions I posed to you?
Why am I starting this business? Because I knew that I didn’t like my job anymore and I was stuck in a place I didn’t want to be anymore. People spend so much time working, that being unhappy and unfulfilled was ridiculous. When I was considering changing careers, I could find articles about a few people who followed their dreams but no one jumping around saying “THIS IS GREAT! DO THIS!” One exception was a video Gary Vaynerchuk posted on Twitter Sept. 2nd about 35-99 year old people being entrepreneurs…it was awesome if you want to look it up. I know I can’t be the only baby boomer who feels stuck in their career, confused about what to do.
What is my purpose? To be fulfilled, happy and feel like I am making a difference to other people who want to change. Whether it is changing careers, or change from what others think you should be, change is important for happiness.
Why do I need to do this? I didn’t want to be depressed and unhappy anymore.
What will my identity be? Helping other people make a change in their lives and find their way online. It has taken me way too long to figure this out and helping others realize it’s never too late is important. I have learned so much in the last 8 months, understand more about working online and want to share my journey. Many times I felt as if I was spinning my wheels…one step forward, 2 steps back. I don’t know if it was my lack of understanding about the technical side, or just being scared of “putting myself out there”. I have always had lots of ideas on things to do, but never took action because I didn’t know where to start. The internet can be a scary world for a baby boomer but it is definitely the way of the future!
Who am I? I still struggle with this. I have worked so long (about 40 years) in one career that changing my thoughts about my work identity are still difficult. But I am starting with what I know best: a person that needed a change, found internet marketing, went out and did it.
Finding a new career, a new definition,a new brand.
And I know I can help others do the same.