By Jennifer Lawhead

Any business can brand themselves. But being an intrinsic brand requires intentionality, a willingness to go inward and the courage to tell meaningful stories. 

Sounds easy, right? Not so fast. Where most intrinsic brands in the making get stuck is in what we call the make it real phase. It’s the moment where all of the inner work you did to discover your brand is introduced to the world. 

It’s a grand moment for our fearless clients. How did they do it? Many of them focused first on telling their story in a bold and belief-based way. 

Here are several examples of how our clients are using storytelling to share their heart, connect with others and invite them to become a part of the movements they’re creating. We hope by sharing these stories that you will be inspired to have your own make-it-real moment with your own branding. 

Robina Bennion – “I believe every person has a moment when their soul will no longer be denied. That moment either stalls them out or wakes them up. I believe this because I have been there,” Robina starts her story. Robina pens a powerful anecdote about the moments in her life that led to her purpose, using her life experience to tell how she is expertly poised to be a coach for “your soul, your self and your wealth.” Read her full story here.

Mike Williams – Mike bravely shares about moments in his life where he was out of alignment with his true self. “My journey really began in earnest with deep dissatisfaction with the direction my life was heading,” he writes. For him, this looked like chasing big paychecks in his life only to find that he was miserably unhappy. Several aha moments inspired deep change on his transformation journey, and he now helps others when they are stuck – physically, emotionally and spiritually. Read his story here.

Dr. Serena Goldstein – Serena begins her story with vulnerability and reflection, starting with some of the false beliefs she felt as a child. As she matured and began challenging these old beliefs, she shares her challenges have been preparing her to help others on their health journeys. Read her full story here.

Each of these stories represents a moment where our clients were ready to share their brand with the world. By being vulnerable and sharing lessons learned and challenges on their way, they invite others in and add a level of credibility that otherwise would be missing. 

The common themes that made these stories memorable?

1. Vulnerability. These clients described a major challenge or a feeling of being lost, what that looked like for them and what they did about it. Imagine the opportunity they would lose to connect to others if they had chosen to only focus on their accomplishments. 

2. Growth. Readers had a real sense of growth each of these clients have been through, which tells a sub-story of their commitment to learning, ability to reflect and now teach others what they know. 

3. A Purpose Connection. Sharing your purpose is best done by telling a story. Robina, Mike and Serena each detailed — through story — why they are so committed to their work. For them, their careers are a culmination of their experiences, the lessons they learned and what drives them to help others. They masterfully connected their past with their purpose. 

When our clients use their make-it-real moment to be authentic, as these examples show, it is the ultimate differentiator. No one else shares their story, and this branding moment becomes theirs, and only theirs, to fully embrace.

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