161: How to create a powerful brand online that attracts the right audience with Gemma Storey

In this episode of Online Business Uncovered, I’m joined by branding expert Gemma Storey to talk about what it really takes to build a strong, authentic online brand and personal brand in today’s online business world.

We go beyond logos, colours and fonts and explore how branding is really about the way people experience you online, the message you share, the stories you tell and the emotional connection people feel when they discover your business.

Gemma shares why so many entrepreneurs and course creators hold back from showing their true personality online, how comparison can lead to misaligned branding and why your brand should both attract the right audience and repel the wrong people.

We also talk about burnout, building audience connection, creating visibility online, the power of personal branding and building trust in an AI-driven world.

If you’re building an online business, creating digital products, memberships, online courses or services and want your branding to feel more aligned, memorable and authentic, this episode will give you plenty of practical insights and inspiration.

Tune in now to learn how to build an authentic brand that helps you stand out online, grow your audience and create a business that truly reflects who you are.

Gemma's Details

🔗 Website: Infinity Creative: https://infinity-creative.co.uk/

🔗 Instagram: @Infinity.Creative.Realm : https://www.instagram.com/infinity.creative.realm/

Transcript

Speaker A [00:00:00]:
Hello and welcome to Online Business Uncovered. This is episode 161 and in today's episode I'm going to be talking about what it really takes to build a strong online brand with branding expert Gemma Storey. We're going beyond just the logos, the colors and the visuals. So let's jump right in and let's get started.

Karen [00:00:27]:
Welcome to Online Business Uncovered, the show that lifts the lid on what it really takes to turn your brilliance into digital products, passive income and time freedom. I am your host, Karen, an online business strategist, course creation expert and your go to for building a business that works for you and not the other way around. If you are an ambitious entrepreneur, feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or maybe you're just ready for a smarter, more sustainable way to grow, then you're in the right place. Because each week I'll be bringing you inspiring conversations, practical strategies and step by step guidance to help you create scalable, repeatable digital products that sell even while you sleep. So if you're ready to stop trading your time for money, reclaim your time and finally build a business that gives you the freedom that you deserve, hit, subscribe and tune in every Thursday. Let's uncover what's truly possible for you, starting now.

Speaker A [00:01:29]:
Hello and welcome to another episode of Online Business Uncovered. I am your host, Karen and I really do appreciate you hitting the play button to listen to this episode. Now, I've got a special episode today because I am joined by branding expert Gemma Storey to talk about what branding really means when you're building an online business. Because the truth is, branding is so much more than just logos, colors and fonts. Your brand is about how people experience you online. It's the message you communicate, the feeling that people get when they land on your content, and the reason someone chooses you over everyone else offering something similar. And when you're creating digital products, memberships, courses or online services, having a clear, aligned brand can make a huge difference in how confidently you show up and how consistently your business grows. So inside this conversation, we break it all down and we talk about what makes a brand work online, the biggest branding mistakes that entrepreneurs make, and how to build a consistent brand without having to constantly react.

Speaker A [00:02:52]:
Invent yourself. This episode is honest, it's practical and incredibly empowering for anybody who wants to create a business that feels aligned, sustainable and memorable online. So let's jump right in and let's get started.

Karen [00:03:10]:
So Gemma, welcome to today's episode. Do you want to start by introducing yourself and and telling the listeners who you are, what you do? You know, because. Because you do some great stuff.

Gemma Storey [00:03:25]:
Yeah. Well, hey, Karen, thank you so much for having me. So, yeah, I'm Gemma. I call myself a brand alchemist. So essentially I work with female entrepreneurs that are wanting to build a personal brand. But I guess the sort of the alchemy comes from my sort of witchy process that I like to use. So I like to use self discovery tools like astrology and my own sort of intuition. I feel like one of my strong points is I'm able to sort of get the essence of who I'm working with and turn that into a creative brand that people can use to build their business with.

Gemma Storey [00:04:01]:
So I know I'm biased, but I certainly believe that your brand is very much the identity of who you are online. And so the more you put that out there in an authentic and consistent way, that's what builds your dream clients and magnetizes them to you. So I call that sewer line branding. And that's pretty much been my mission along with other things like Canva. But yeah, that's me in a nutshell.

Karen [00:04:25]:
Yeah, I love your brand. I have to say we were talking just before we came on and I was saying to Gemma that her branding is so unique and different that it really stands out. And I think if you want to see how somebody uses their personality to really communicate who they are and what they're about, then go and check out Gemma's branding because it is very different. And I can imagine, actually it isn't for everybody, but. But you're not trying to target everybody, you're trying to target the ones that align with you and what you're about. And I think you do brilliantly with your own brand.

Gemma Storey [00:05:10]:
And did you know that actually the brand that you see now wasn't how I started? And actually it was the total opposite. So if I go back a few years, about eight years ago, I had a huge burnout at my old job, which was a design agency, which I was very grateful to have. But I think slowly as I got into that, I realized it, it wasn't lighting me up. So as you can imagine, I was the only female in a male dominated environment. The projects were aviation and banks and doctors and all these type of things. And then so when I eventually left the agency and wanted to go solo, I felt I had to emulate that corporate brand to be professional. So it was very much black and white, very much like serif fonts, and nothing. What you see today in terms of the witchy pastel lilac aesthetic and unfortunately, what that does do.

Gemma Storey [00:06:03]:
It attracts misaligned clients. They weren't wrong people in the site. It just wasn't people who are. That lit me up in terms of my best work or the project. And so I think it was around 2020 that I decided to do a bit of a rebrand at the time I decided, I decided to hire a brand. Sorry, a business coach. And. And she said straight away, you are holding back.

Gemma Storey [00:06:24]:
And I said, it's because I'm worried about putting my true authentic self out there, because I'm worried people will see me as hippie, dippy, or not professional enough. And I thought, if you can't be yourself, what's the point? And so I went full in. And if anyone remembers the TV show Sabrina the Teenage Witch in the 90s, that is me to my core. I've even got a cat called Salem who literally talks. And so that has been the whole inspiration of my brand. Yes, it's witchy, but it's also fun and magical and just warm. And that's what I wanted to get across. And so that's been my.

Gemma Storey [00:06:59]:
My mission with other clients is please just brand who you are, regardless of what people think or any sort of mindset things that we worry about.

Karen [00:07:09]:
Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it, because I'm smiling, because I had exactly the same thing when I left. So I like you, I used to work at a design agency, and when I left to start my design business, that's exactly what I lent into was the. The corporate feel. And mine was my very first one. My freelancing identity was dark gray, charcoal gray, and lime green. And when I look back at it now, I'm like, that's not me at all. And then, and then they kind of got a little bit softer. But it, but it took some time to really get comfortable and to.

Karen [00:07:55]:
To kind of be expressive in your own identity, to let people know what you're about. But I remember exactly feeling like that, you know, you come out of a corporate environment, you're. You're almost carrying their identity. You don't have an identity of your own. And then it's like, oh, what am I about? How do I need to be seen? And then of course, you kind of go to what you know, which is that, that, that past sort of corporate feeling and everything. So I think, I think being able to express yourself and to really capture your personality and your brand is, Is something so incredibly powerful and it is exactly what stands you out.

Gemma Storey [00:08:41]:
It does.

Karen [00:08:41]:
And, you know, and we met at networking and didn't where you were given the talk. And I remember seeing your design and thinking, oh, wow, that, I love that because it was so different.

Gemma Storey [00:08:56]:
And that's the thing, like what you were saying, it's quite vulnerable to put yourself out there as a personal brand. And you're absolutely right in saying it is different. And that was my biggest worry. But actually what I've come to learn, and this is a big lesson of mine, is your brand is actually meant to attract and repel. You know, sometimes I get the odd DMs where someone says to me, you know, can I talk to you about Jesus? What you're doing is demonic. Or it seems, you know, those sorts. I'm not gonna attract those people and nor would I want to work with them. So it's, that's the beauty of having an aligned brand is it does the heavy lifting for you.

Gemma Storey [00:09:33]:
It attracts those like minded people and repels the people that you just wouldn't be able to help anyway. But it does, it's a vulnerability thing and it's definitely an ongoing process. You just have to start somewhere and just trust that you know where you're going.

Karen [00:09:48]:
Yeah, I, I agree with you. I think your branding is an evolution and I think as you grow in your business and you grow personally, you become a bit more fearless, you know, when it comes to being able to express yourself and demonstrate that through the identity of your business.

Gemma Storey [00:10:09]:
Yes.

Karen [00:10:09]:
And I know myself, I've gone through reiterations of my own branding, but when I launched my branding studio, Pink Lem, that was highly creative because I wanted to, I wanted to demonstrate the personality behind the brand and what it all kind of meant and all of that. And obviously that the branding can be fun as well. It doesn't have to be that, that boring corporate, you know, very like monotone colors, you know. Yeah, yeah, that's it. You know, everything's so serious and you know, this should be fun. You know, as I said, you're expressing yourself. You know, it is about being brave and being a be being comfortable with, I guess, putting yourself out there in a, in that creative way. So, yeah, I mean, I guess you come across a lot of clients.

Karen [00:11:03]:
I would imagine that they probably have that, that sort of fear around all their identity.

Gemma Storey [00:11:10]:
There's one story that I'd love to quickly mention. This is before the pandemic where most of us met in person for meetings and before I even met her online. She was a va and from her website it looked very corporate. It was grays and dark blues and very Sort of professional corporate vibes. When I met her at the local cafe to talk about a rebrand, she had, like, bubblegum pink hair. She had, like, flashing trainers, you know, bright pink, sparkly lipstick. And I'm like, hang on a second. Like, you are not matching online.

Gemma Storey [00:11:43]:
I'm like, why are you holding this magic bag? And she said exact same thing as me. She thought it wouldn't be professional enough and no one would hire as a va. But what I want to say even more so now, the power of a personal. Your personal brand is far more important nowadays with the rise of AI because people don't trust as much nowadays. And we are always questioning, is this real? Is this fake? And the best way to sort of counteract that is just putting yourself out there as your true, authentic self. And so when I delve deep back into that, that lady who I met at that cafe, she reminded me of a flamingo, because is that that baby pink? And then I thought, vas, what do they do? They bring balance to your life. So flamingos, they balance on one leg. And so that became her.

Gemma Storey [00:12:30]:
Her logo. And now, even to this day, her nickname is the Flamingo lady. Because it's brought up that consistency that they remember her. She's got a nickname. She stands out in a sea of vanilla VAs that are using the same corporate blues and Grayson. And that really is the power of a personalized brand.

Karen [00:12:47]:
Yeah, 100%. I mean, if you want to be remembered, you've got to do something or show something that's gonna get people remembering you. And, you know, and it does absolutely start with your. Your, you know, your branding and how you present yourself. A lot of entrepreneurs think branding is merely just a logo and some colors, and you and I both know that it goes deeper than that. So from your perspective, what actually makes a brand work online, especially when somebody is selling digital products or services?

Gemma Storey [00:13:29]:
Yeah. So for me, the pivotal moment that made me realize, like, branding goes far deeper than hex codes and logos and fonts is I stumbled across a fantastic TED talk by Simon Sinek, and he talks about the power of why. And he did, like, an example of, like, a company that leads in from the what's in the house, which is all the. The tools and features, compared to someone who led with the why, which is their whole mission and values. And that is what us humans connect with more. So our brain is built on, like, a limbic and neocortex. So I think the neocortex is where you appeal to their emotions. So that's through things like your stories, your why, your mission, your vision, and your values.

Gemma Storey [00:14:13]:
So think of that as like a foundation to a house. Once you've done that inner work, as I call it, then that's when it makes it super easy to choose colors and fonts and logos. So that's kind of like the inner shell and building it from there. I think if you don't work on that, it creates uneven foundation for a brand to build on. And often you'll see that where people keep rebranding every three to six months is because they haven't done the inner work. And it's not the most fun or flashy stuff, but it's the most needed, for sure.

Karen [00:14:43]:
Yeah, 100%. I think laying those core foundations at the very beginning, when, before you even dive into how your brand needs to look, I think it is really important. I know when I. When I was running my branding studio, one thing I would always do with clients is I would do a brand discovery workshop. Yeah. And that was gold because it gave them clarity around their business and the brand that they were creating and what that meant and how did they want to be perceived and all of those key details that end up influencing the. The actual final identity. So you need to do that work.

Karen [00:15:24]:
It's so important. And I think you're absolutely right. I think understanding what your why is and the mission of your business gives you direction so you know where you're going. And. And I. And I don't know about you, but. But I. I do come across a lot of people that you can tell instantly they've not done those foundational pieces.

Gemma Storey [00:15:45]:
Definitely. I want to tell you a quick story that ties in really well with talking about your why. About five years ago, I came across a client who. She's like a children's entertainer. So she dresses up as, like, Elsa from Frozen or, like, yeah, you know, Rapunzel or Beauty and the Beast, that sort of thing. And so just like you. You want to get into the, you know, under the hood and really find out what is their mission and why. It turns out if we go back to her.

Gemma Storey [00:16:13]:
Her story, when she mentioned when she was growing up, she. She had a little sister called. Well, I won't name names, but she had a little sister, and unfortunately, she was going through leukemia. And so at the time, we have. I think we still have a charity called Make a Wish, which is basically a grant, you know, dying children's wishes. And this. This client of mine, she basically said she didn't really remember childhood because her parents were so focused on getting, like, her little sister better. Anyway, one of the wishes was to go to Disneyland, Florida to see obviously, all the Disney characters and the magic of the kingdom.

Gemma Storey [00:16:49]:
And she said back then, it was the first time that she felt like she could live her childhood and not have to worry about all the things that were going on behind the scenes with her sister. Hospital visits, that sort of thing. She then reflected back as she got older that that trip was gifted because, let's face it, it's an investment expensive to go to somewhere like Disneyland, Florida. And so when she grew up, she was already a naturalist, singer and dancer. But what she wanted to do, she wanted to bring the magic of Disney to people's doorsteps who couldn't afford it. So bringing in that fun. And unfortunately, her sister did pass away a few years afterwards. And so in the branding, we actually had a nod to her system because in the Disney World, when someone passes away, they turn into a star.

Gemma Storey [00:17:35]:
And so that's what we did. We put a little star inside the snowflake because she, she really bonded with Frozen because of the two sisters. So it was a snowflake with a star in the middle. And only she knows that. But that is why I love to do what I do is to bring that kind of symbolism in. And she knows that she's carrying on that legacy remembering her sister. So that's just one example of, like, why it's so important to really understand your why. And I just, when I worked with her, like, it just.

Gemma Storey [00:18:01]:
Oh, it gave me chills hearing her story. But it was just nice to know that we could still keep that legacy going.

Karen [00:18:07]:
Oh, my God, I love that. Even when you're telling that story, just think, God, how powerful is that? Yeah. Because like you say, she's carrying the memory of her sister with her through the work that she's doing.

Gemma Storey [00:18:19]:
Yeah.

Karen [00:18:20]:
And this is. It goes way, way deeper, doesn't it, than just having some pretty aesthetics that make your business look good. It's really kind of getting to the heart and soul of what, what, what you're about. Yes. And why you want to do the work that you're doing and, and how you are going to be different with that work. And I think a lot can be said by the, you know, the, the elements and the, the sort of the things that you choose, but they, it has to connect to something.

Gemma Storey [00:18:52]:
Yes.

Karen [00:18:52]:
You know, because that's the thing, like,

Gemma Storey [00:18:55]:
you've got to have that feeling of impact and something that either lights you up, gives you joy or passion. Or something just, you know, fuels your fire. If you're doing that, then, you know, you're in alignment. But I think that's why it's called like, the star, isn't it? Is it? It's that alignment of like, am I doing everything in my business that is pushing me forward to my bigger vision and mission? I mean, just for my own story when it comes to my why. I remember just thinking back at my design agency job, thinking how miserable I was, thinking I should be the happiest girl ever. I've just graduated, I've just got this job and working with like global brands. But why am I so depressed and, you know, taking it out on my family at home and just dreading the day, Especially when Sunday came around and eventually that my health really gave out to the point where I just totally collapsed in the foyer. And it wasn't even like a are you okay? It was more like, when can you get back to work? And I often jokes like, I should have myself sleeping bag under my desk, so working till about three in the morning most days.

Gemma Storey [00:19:55]:
And so I just thought, this isn't life. Surely this is not what I've worked hard for. Just to be in this monotonous routine of unhappiness. So I started looking outward and seeing all these, like, female, you know, solopreneurs doing their own design jobs and seeing how happy they were and like having like the, you know, the, the control over their own life. And so when I handed in my notice, both my male creative directors refused it. They thought I was being too over emotional and maybe I should think about it for a week. And I was like, okay, I humored them because I was only like, I don't know, 24 at the time. And so a week later, I said, no, I still would like to leave based on health reasons.

Gemma Storey [00:20:36]:
And then fast forward a month to my leaving doom. And one of my creator directors got a little bit tipsy and came over to. To me and said, do you know what, Gemma? Female freelancers just don't do that well in the world. Why don't you just come back to work on Monday?

Karen [00:20:50]:
Oh, my God.

Gemma Storey [00:20:51]:
And I just thought like a swear word came to mind. I was like, I'm gonna prove you wrong. And I just said, right, I'm out of him. And what sort of fueled it for me was at that same time, I had a friend of mine, a school friend, who was just. Who was going for a bit of a messy divorce. And so she was trying to create a bit of a side hustle for herself. And she was really good at sewing. And so she was taking people's baby grows and turn them into teddy bear keepsakes.

Gemma Storey [00:21:16]:
And at the time she was like, I just need a logo. Didn't obviously understand the power of the wife, but at the time it was just to get her going. And I remember charging something like £15 to do this logo. But I got so much more joy and fulfillment working with her than I did at the corporate job. And that was kind of my, my why I wanted to prove that women can be successful on their own creating a business. And that's why I only work with women because of my, my own experiences has kind of led me there. So that's only one sort of string to my why but just it helps kind of reframe the alignment of where you're going.

Karen [00:21:51]:
Yeah. 100. I, I love that, I love the fact that you've used your experience for good. And I'm sitting there smiling because our, our experience is not too dissimilar because I, I, yeah, I was working at a design age, all men and at the time I, so I got the job after I had my children and I went back, I went, I was four days after I had, when my, when my daughter was starting school and I was working on these projects and, and it was heavy that this, we were in the construction sector so, so it was a lot of, you know, not greatly interesting work but, but it was design work and that's what I wanted to do. And I remember wanting to go out to client meetings and be involved in the, the pre sales and, and that side of things. And because I had young children, I was actually told by my male bosses that I, I couldn't, I needed to be home by a certain time to be there for the kids and I wasn't going to be promoted for, for quite a considerable, considerable amount of time because I had to be there for a period to, to really prove myself. And I, it was the whole attitude. It was, I was the only woman and it was like essentially I was being told that go and sit in the corner and just do your work.

Karen [00:23:28]:
That that's essentially what they were saying to me. And I remember waking up one day and like you like it really got to me because yes, I'm really passionate about the work I was doing and I really wanted to do good. I, I was really committed. But they'd made it clear that because I was a mom, yeah. And I had young children, there was no growth but the foreseeable future. And I, and, and like you, that just really affected me. And I just remember waking up one day and I just said to my husband, I'm going at line, I'm starting my own business, I'm not dealing with this anymore. It wasn't the first time that I'd come across those kind of barriers, but it was going to be the last time because I didn't understand why.

Karen [00:24:11]:
Because I was a mum, I was less capable when I'd proved my worth. Yeah, there is, you know, so many times, you know. Yeah.

Gemma Storey [00:24:21]:
This awful stigma about women. Like I remember them asking me like, do you plan on getting married soon or having children soon? Because it's. And they shouldn't be asking those questions, but I know what they're doing. They're trying to work out, are you actually going to be working here? You'll be committed enough. And so I can totally relate to that. But did you have a good support system when you said that? I want to leave the agency.

Karen [00:24:43]:
My husband is amazing so he has really supported me in every stage. So I did my degree at 28 because I had another career in London beforehand. I was working in communications and so when I was, I'd done sort of night school five years learning the art of design. So I did typography design and visual thinking. And yes, every course that I could do at London College, communication, I went and did that after my job. So I did that five years and then I left to do a diploma at the Mary Ward center in, in central London where I built my portfolio. And then at 28, I was able to then leave and pay, pay for university for three years and put myself through university. So I actually qualified as a official graphic designer at 31.

Karen [00:25:39]:
But right through my London career I was doing design work and I'd, I used to work in that agency where I would do their, their designing and stuff like that. So for me my degree was more about getting that final, you know, sort of, you know.in the eyes crossing the T's. But when I got my first job at 31, officially as a graphic designer, because that was what my dream was. Yes, I, and it's really interesting that you said it, that you had worked really hard to get into a design job thinking that you were going to be really happy and then you finding that not being the case, that was exactly what happened with me as well. It was that it was the moment I, I, from my degree I walked into my first job which was for a national brand and very quickly I realized that it wasn't quite what I thought it was going to be and I think a university. I because it was a vocational degree. So I did a foundation, I did a B.A. i was doing a lot of project based work but it was vocational so it was sort of industry led.

Karen [00:26:46]:
Yeah. So I was, I said, you know, I was doing these creative projects and I was creating these amazing brands and having such fun. And then I walked into my first job as a graphic and web designer and for quite a corporate, you know, company and it wasn't fun at all. And I just remember the disappointment and feeling that I'd been sold a dud.

Gemma Storey [00:27:13]:
And the thing, well, they won't like access you until you have that degree like you. I tried to get into design work and try and work away from the bottom but it was always, yeah, you haven't got a degree because come back later. So you have to. Exactly those educational courses to be taken seriously. The reason why I asked about the support system is because I remember when I wanted to leave the, the job my partner was very supportive but my parents weren't, they were very much like, well they're, they come from an age where it's like you, you get a job, you stay in it for life, you get your pension and that's it. So they were like, why are you leaving this safe job when you've just, that's what you've worked your whole entire educational years for. Why do you want to leave after two years? And I just, to me happiness is way more important than putting yourself for a job that is bringing you utter misery. And ultimately these jobs aren't always safe.

Gemma Storey [00:28:04]:
So you might as well do something you enjoy, you know, that's why life is short. You really have to go for what lights you up regardless. Even if your own family don't see the support they are now because obviously they can see they've been doing the last eight years. But like most parents, they're worried, aren't they? And they just thought you, you got that job, you should stay in it. But I just couldn't. I honestly I just couldn't.

Karen [00:28:25]:
Yeah, and I think the whole idea of going self employed is not everybody sees it for what it is. And yeah, it's interesting. I was at networking earlier today and we were having this discussion about how people perceive people that work who are self employed and you know, people don't think you've got a real job and it's like, but I do have a real job. I'm earning money, I'm doing. Yeah, but you're not. You're not really working, are you? Yeah, yeah. You're being a hobbyist and it's like, no, no, I, I'm actually, you know, I'm, I'm doing this work which is really important. That's making me happy and lighting me up.

Karen [00:29:05]:
Yeah. But it's not really. You're not really earning what you should. You know, you probably could be earning, are you. You know, it's that kind of attitude.

Gemma Storey [00:29:12]:
This blows my mind because the, the irony. Most of them are actually earning more money than they could at, you know, conventional job anyway. The fact that we can call the shots in the sense of, like. So I'm more of a night owl, so typically I like to do most of my work when everyone's sleeping. But that's the, that's part of the, the plus of having your own business is you can be the captain of your life. So I used to resent having to ask my two bosses, oh, can I take this week off here? Oh, you can't. Sandra's got it. And I just, I hate little things like that.

Gemma Storey [00:29:41]:
I need freedom. I think that was another part of my why is. I need total freedom over my life. And I've noticed in networking, when you speak to other female entrepreneurs, that is a running pattern. It's just this like, I need total freedom.

Karen [00:29:56]:
Yeah. 100. I think especially if you're creative as well, it's very difficult to cage somebody that's creative because you see the world through a very different lens. Yes. And even now, I mean, I, I'm a digital nomad, really, because I, I take my laptop and I pop up wherever. I'm never at home. I'm always out and about working. But it, but it fuels my creativity in the way I am able into work.

Karen [00:30:25]:
And I love it because I feel free. And so I think when you're, when you're, when you're feeling trapped and you feel like you have to be somewhere because you've got to pay the bills. Yeah, it's, it's, it can be very difficult and it can be very sort of disheartening and, and, and you feel like you're at work a long time.

Gemma Storey [00:30:47]:
I mean, that's the thing. I used to sit there and think, God, I'll be in traffic for an hour just getting there. And I only live about 20 minutes away from the agency because it's rush hour. You just sat in traffic. By the time you get to your office, you feel absolutely frazzled. You're under fluorescent lighting, fake plants, and then Your creative director comes along, plonks a brief on your desk and says, I need that done by midday. You look at the clock an hour away and as a creative, your mind just goes blank. Nothing inspiring me because I'm just amongst all these skyscrapers outside.

Gemma Storey [00:31:15]:
Whereas now, like you say, you can go and take yourself off to a local cafe, to the woods, the park, the beach, get inspired, come back to your desk and then every. The creative juices are flowing. That is exactly what you mean, isn't it? Is where you.

Karen [00:31:28]:
Yes.

Gemma Storey [00:31:29]:
We can't be put in the. These rigid things. You have to let it kind of flow naturally.

Karen [00:31:34]:
Yeah. 100. I cannot sit in an office. I just before lockdown, I actually got my own office in. In sort of shared office, shared office space. And I was really excited. This is when I had my branding studio because I had a team and the idea was that it was going to be a central half job for my team to come together.

Gemma Storey [00:31:58]:
Yes.

Karen [00:31:59]:
And I moved in in the January and it was such a massive step. But over Christmas, my husband and I, we decorated the space, made it all very lovely and, and very on brand. And then of course, lockdown here at the end of March. And so I was in the office for about three months before obviously we then had to close. And then throughout lockdown, we. As soon as we had those periods where we can get out and work, I chose to go to cafes, I chose other environments other than being contained within that office space. And then as soon as lockdown opened up, I then closed my office because I. I realized that actually I wasn't.

Karen [00:32:47]:
It did. It didn't work for me.

Gemma Storey [00:32:50]:
Yes.

Karen [00:32:50]:
Having that containment. My bet, my best work comes from me being out and about. And the. I think now, and the ideas that I have are so much bigger because I don't feel. I don't feel trapped. Is that the same for you? Do you find that you need to have that. That freedom and flexibility?

Gemma Storey [00:33:11]:
There is something about it, and I can't describe it or put it into words, but there's something magical that happens when you step away from something. So when you're in this kind of like rut or like blank screen and inspiration just tends to like, halt, the best thing you can do is just get out of your four walls, whether that is a local cafe and just being inspired by people watching or going to the woodlands and hugging trees or whatever it is. Every time I've done that something, it's like an energy. It just. Everything just unblocks and you just have like Total clarity. And I think it just comes back down to being humans. We need to be out and about connecting with nature. So especially as creators, we need that constant inspiration.

Gemma Storey [00:33:54]:
There's a reason why a lot of authors will take themselves off to these retreats when they want to write a book. They need to be out of their four walls, their own environment and they just dedicate and it's usually in these beautiful areas with waterfalls and lakes and animals around. So yes, absolutely. It's the best thing you can do when you feel like you're stuck in a rut.

Karen [00:34:12]:
Yeah, yeah, definitely. I, I, I 100 agree with you. It's just, just, it's so important. So what do you think the biggest branding mistakes are that you see other entrepreneurs make when they're trying to grow their business?

Gemma Storey [00:34:29]:
I think it's the comparisonitis. I think that's the worst thing that I see all the time is like I'm seeing X, Y and Z. They seem to be doing really well. Therefore I'm just going to brand how they are because that must be the magical formula when actually we know it's because of their personality and how they bring their personal influence throughout their branding. So what I would say is try to avoid trends or comparing yourself to your, your direct competitors because you're at a totally different chapter, you're in your own lane. And so really the biggest advice I can give to counteract that is to ask yourself, what do I like, who am I? What represents me? And you know, I see people go, well I've chosen red because that seems to be what the industry color is. But actually I can't stand red. And you look at color psychology and it's like, say they're a wellness brand.

Gemma Storey [00:35:22]:
Like, say they're like, I don't know, homeopathy, that sort of thing. Red is not going to work. You know, you really have to look at the psychology of color and think what influences calmness and well being and tranquility. So I think it is that it's this comparisonitis like and another thing I see a lot is because they're starting out, they're comparing themselves someone who's been in it for like years. So never Compare your chapter one to their chapter 20. It's very much like just trust who you are and fuel that and pour that into your own brand because ultimately it's going to make you stand out. The last thing you want to be is a carbon copy of someone else or just another vanilla person who's just, just emulate. I think people can feel that more now they know it's not authentic.

Karen [00:36:07]:
Yeah. 100. I think, I think you touched upon it earlier when you sort of said that as humans we want to connect. Yeah. And equally we want to do that with the people that we're following online. And it's really interesting because there are people that I've come across online that are quite well known in their space. But then you look at their, their online identity and their branding and their logo and all of that and, and it isn't actually very good. It's almost like they've skipped over that stage of things, you know, which, which I find really interesting because you're putting all this effort in to be invisible and present.

Gemma Storey [00:36:45]:
Yes.

Karen [00:36:45]:
But forgetting the foundational pieces.

Gemma Storey [00:36:48]:
Yes. It's like I always remember when I, when I left the design agency and I was trying to build my business, I literally had zero clients. So I'm looking for things like networking, that sort of thing. And I came across this lady called Anna Dauer and she's basically a design mentor for graphic designers. And she's kind of that in between at the time. The bridge between what they don't teach you at uni. She teaches at the business practice. But the reason why I was so drawn to her is because once she was like repping a flower crown in her brand photography.

Gemma Storey [00:37:23]:
She was using red and white pink, which is very. At the time, you just didn't see it in like designer people. It's very like more of the corporate edgy. And she even had a podcast called the Uncool Designer because she talked about a story of like not fitting in. And, and she had a great blog which I really resonated with as a plus size woman. And it was along the lines of you can be fat and successful. So she's using like these really deep stories that connected me to her. And ever since then, I've always been her world.

Gemma Storey [00:37:52]:
I've always bought from her because she is her true authentic self. And yes, she totally stood out, but in all the right ways. So that was just one of many examples of like why I like to interact with brands like that. As you say, you can feel it when someone's just putting on a mask or a facade because they think it's the right brand to hide behind, when actually it's just being honest with yourself and saying, who am I? What do I want to be known for and how do I fuel that into a brand?

Karen [00:38:20]:
Yeah. 100. I love that. I love the fact that you've obviously picked up on her authenticity and that she's been able to inject her personality and beliefs into the work she's doing and then that's coming out through her aesthetics and the way she presents herself. And that is so incredibly powerful because that's the thing that does make you stand out and make you be very different. When I, when I launched my branding studio back in 2017, so my business called Pink Lemon Branding and Design and I wanted something really, I wanted something creative being, being a creative, but I wanted something that kind of was a nod to my two girls because they were the reason really that I went into self employment in first place. But yeah, my why. But I wanted something that was fun.

Karen [00:39:14]:
Yeah. And my branding was very different because it was pink and yellow. It was, it was pink lemons. So, so there was a lot of pink and a lot of lemons and this whole belief about how lemons can infuse, you know, what you do and, and they've got a real health, you know, aspect to it and they could, they, they can actually rebuild and there's so much, many positive things to. Lemons are so, so incredibly powerful. And I liken that to sort of the power of branding and how your branding can, can really speak to the hearts of your audience and can and make that connection. And so that my brand then was, it was kind of a little bit out there, not, well, different to yours, but I suppose a similar approach. Yes.

Karen [00:40:04]:
But, but, but in me I needed that because I needed to stand out because I always remember when branding companies local, when I was doing that research before I launched and at the time my business was very local so I was building it in my town. Yeah, I had to have an angle that really stood me out so that people could remember and, and yeah, so I focused on that creativity and trying to infuse my personality and, and why I was doing what I was doing and stuff like that and I always remember going, networking and then people would be like, you're that pink lemon person, aren' that that pink lemon woman? And you know, all that pink lemonade or yeah, but, but it, but it kind of landed. It landed and it worked. And you know, and so I saw firsthand.

Gemma Storey [00:40:56]:
Yeah.

Karen [00:40:57]:
The power of, you know, just kind of being different in a way that aligns to who you are because everybody is so different.

Gemma Storey [00:41:07]:
Do you think it's because people just have this kind of line, for a better phrase, this sort of sheet mentality of like, I just want to fit in, I don't want to be too fleshy because I might be, you know, targeted out. Does it come from, like, that primitive mind of, like, we must be kept low or keep ourselves small to be safe? I wonder if it's something to do with like, that psychology of like, our primal brain, if that makes sense.

Karen [00:41:31]:
Yeah. I think we are conditioned in society to be a part of the herd. And it's. It starts at school level, you know, when you go to school and even, even now, you know, you can sort of see when I go to my daughter's school, you know, they're expected to behave certain way. They, you know, they want them talking a certain way. There's. There's expectations that are put on people. And I think, I think without realizing it, I.

Karen [00:41:59]:
As you grow up, I suppose you just become constrained within these boundaries that society have put in place. Yeah. And unless you are an extrovert, where you want to really be different, if you're not that way, naturally you're going to lean into. I have to fit in because fitting in is what keeps us safe.

Gemma Storey [00:42:27]:
Exactly. Yeah.

Karen [00:42:28]:
So I agree with you. I think there is a primal instinct there to want to blend in.

Gemma Storey [00:42:33]:
Yes.

Karen [00:42:34]:
The problem is, as entrepreneurs, we can't blend in. We have to stand out. So that shift in mindset is very much needed because in order to be visible and to be remembered, we have to position ourselves differently. So, so it's that I. I feel like I should blend in, but I know I shouldn't, and I. But I don't know. And then I feel uncomfortable.

Gemma Storey [00:43:03]:
And yes, I think that's how they start, isn't it? Is. They start by going, well, that person's doing that type of brand. So I'll start off by just emulating those colors and fonts because therefore I feel safe. But then they start to feel this misalignment. They attract the wrong clients. They don't feel they're being themselves. And then there's like a. A detachment.

Gemma Storey [00:43:23]:
They start to resent their brand and therefore they don't show up. The visibility drops, and then they have this whole identity crisis again. But I have to touch upon. So it just happened recently, actually. There was a client I worked with back in 2020, and she, she does, like, she's quite witchy herself. And so she won this kind of magical candle business and she went for like this navy blue and gold. And now six years later, she's told me all she sees now in the witchy candle business is navy blue and gold. So now she's on the opposite end.

Gemma Storey [00:43:55]:
She's seeing other people, emulate her. And now she's like, I need to change my colors and fonts to stand out. So it's like, how do we help those people? You know, I mean, I think it comes back down to pushing you into the brand more because they can't replicate you. They can replicate your colors and your fonts and logo. They cannot replicate you. So that's been kind of. My advice is like, you know how you see on Tick Tock more so because video and they talk about their story. So, like, there was this guy, he's on the Isle of White and he makes fudge.

Gemma Storey [00:44:25]:
I'm sure there's loads of fudge makers on the Isle of White and around the south coast, the uk. But because he's there with his, like, little brimmed hat and he's got his cool, like, pastel pink apron on, he's talking about his story and his family popping. No one can replicate that. So maybe that is the superpower for brands for 2026 going forward is like, yes, you're going to get your copycats, but actually putting you into it is going to help you, like, set them apart.

Karen [00:44:49]:
Yeah. 100. Because you're right. Nobody can replicate you. And it's that uniqueness that you bring to it that actually is what people are buying into.

Gemma Storey [00:45:00]:
Yeah.

Karen [00:45:00]:
You're always going to get those that are going to copy.

Gemma Storey [00:45:05]:
But it.

Karen [00:45:05]:
But it. But they can't copy your personality in that. Jenna Kutcher, who is obviously in the online space.

Gemma Storey [00:45:14]:
Yeah.

Karen [00:45:14]:
I think she does this really well where she talks about things relating to her life.

Gemma Storey [00:45:20]:
Yes.

Karen [00:45:22]:
And her favorite things. And she kind of infuses that in the work that she does. So there are certain things that if I was going to describe her as a person, I would pick up on because she's. She's brought that into the work that she does. And. And I think you're absolutely right. I think it's about owning our story and, and not being afraid to share and also the, the things that make you different. You know, like, I talked earlier again, I was at this networking and we were talking about working from home or being out and about.

Karen [00:45:59]:
And I completely, like, own the fact that I am. I see myself as a digital nomad because it's just me, my laptop and that's my world, you know, through my working den. I love it. It's not for everybody. And there was a time when I had my branding studio that I felt the other way. Like I had to make myself look bigger.

Gemma Storey [00:46:24]:
Yes.

Karen [00:46:25]:
Loads of people in my team and It's a we, not an eye. And all of this, I think these days I'm just trying to own it is me. It is like this is what I'm creating. It is me that I'm here to, to help. And. And when people come to my MAST class or they buy a product or they join my membership, whatever, it's me. It's nobody else. It's me.

Karen [00:46:47]:
They get me. Yeah. You know, and then everything that I build is off the back of that, so to speak. But yeah, I think it is just really owning who you are.

Gemma Storey [00:46:58]:
I think as you touched upon with Jenna Kutcher, it's. It's bringing the stories because as humans we love a story. That's what we've been doing for many, many, many years. And I have to mention like, the more that I've infused more of mine, I guess story or even just certain vulnerabilities, it allows my audience to connect with me more. So like give an example. I talk about my word of the year and I tend to do like an email or a social media post around December time what my reflections are and what I want to do more in the upcoming year. And I just. And I.

Gemma Storey [00:47:32]:
I always do newsletters, but this particular one, I kid you not, I had 10 replies on it because I talked about my health struggles, you know, my desire to, you know, start a family, my PCOS and all the hormonal issues and stuff like that. Just explaining that that's been a background thing because I find people like to separate their business from their life. So they'll have like a personal account and a business account. Yeah, I think it's a blend of both. I think if you can blend the bow, that's what really like elevates your personal brand. And I have people saying, oh, I've been through the exact same thing as you. Like I recommend this or I'm so glad you talked about it. It's not talked about enough in the online space or you many feel seen.

Gemma Storey [00:48:14]:
So I think if people just drop the guard down a little bit and just talk about their life, whatever that is, whether it's the good, the bad or the ugly, I think that is the superpower. I think that is the biggest. This sort of key emphasis, isn't it is when it comes to branding is influence all parts of you. Whether it's the messy side. I think people like to see the messy side because it's real and human, isn't it?

Karen [00:48:37]:
Yeah. 100. I think we resonate with that. I think we like to I think we're nosy, like just by default. We like to look in to other people's worlds and see how they're doing it and what's going on and, and I think from it, from a human to human point connection piece is really important. Yeah. And I agree with you. I think it's about infusing your, you into your business because you'll be.

Karen [00:49:09]:
Because when we're building a personal brand, I'm not, I'm not talking about building a company brand. I'm talking like solopreneurs, entrepreneurs that are building online businesses are usually on their own doing it.

Gemma Storey [00:49:22]:
Yes.

Karen [00:49:24]:
And in order for, for people to really kind of understand what they're about, they have to infuse their personality and share about them. Because I don't think it works when you've got this whole faceless marketing and stuff like that. I don't know about you, but I would never buy from somebody that I don't trust.

Gemma Storey [00:49:44]:
Exactly.

Karen [00:49:45]:
And I think trust this is such a huge thing. It's, it's building that trust online.

Gemma Storey [00:49:50]:
I'm so glad you mentioned that because we are literally going through a trust recession right now because. Because of AI. Really. And as much as I love AI, I would recommend you use it more in the back end of your business rather than the front ends. I don't know about you, but have you seen a lot of people are starting to do brand photography through AI and I'm as much as it probably comes across as like a bit of fun, what you're saying is like, this is not me and you can't connect with a fake photograph because that subconsciously tells your prospective clients what else is going to be fake in this business. So by all means, use AI in the systems and automations of your emails and whatever else. But I think when it comes to you, especially you as the brand and you're using AI for your brand photography and your logos, it's just not going to cut the mustard. I think that is literally death to your business.

Gemma Storey [00:50:41]:
It's a very quick way to kill your business off.

Karen [00:50:43]:
I believe I agree with you 100%. I was at a networking and this gentleman, he was talking about his podcast and he was, I think he was sort of leading a discussion and he got really excited because he was showing us how he's launched this podcast. But it's not him. It's, it's, it's an automated AI bot delivering his content on this podcast. And I was sitting there and I, I just, I just felt I had no, it just didn't resonate with me at all. I. If I thought for a moment I was listening to a bot through a. I wouldn't, I wouldn't waste my time.

Karen [00:51:29]:
People listen to podcast. I know, but people listen to podcasts because they want to connect with a human. They want to hear what that human has to say. And the moment we start replacing ourselves with bots, like you say, we're stepping into that. That fakeness. Yeah. And it's just. And I think it's all about integrity and having integrity for yourself as well.

Karen [00:51:59]:
And I think if you're going to share, like, you know, people buy people. It's cliche, but it's true.

Gemma Storey [00:52:07]:
So true. You know, I've actually unsubscribed from a lot of things that I've seen online. So for example, if I follow. Oh, what was it I saw the other day? It was like Lad Bible where they used to do, like funny videos. Now.

Karen [00:52:19]:
Yeah.

Gemma Storey [00:52:19]:
Creating their funny videos through AI. And you can tell it's AI because it's all warped fingers and things like that. Unsubscribed straight away. Because why would I want to fuel my mind with fake content? Like, as you say, I would hate the thought of listening to a podcast knowing there's not a real human behind because. Not real thought. So that takes away the whole art of podcast, which is what we're doing, like storytelling discussions and sharing anecdotes to know that's coming from an AI thing. It just gives me the ick.

Karen [00:52:52]:
Yeah. 100. 100. It's complete, sort of. It just complete turn off. Really. And yeah, and I, I feel really strongly about that. I think when you're representing your brand, you have to be really careful how show up and what you share with your audience.

Karen [00:53:12]:
And if you're putting fake stuff out there that, that is not you. It's like the whole Avatar thing. I don't, I don't get the whole avatar thing. I just, I. I don't know. Maybe I'm in the minority. Let me know, guys. Am I in the minority? I just don't get it.

Karen [00:53:28]:
I don't want to be an avatar. I'm a real person and I want to present myself as a real person. Yes, I'm a real person behind my emails, behind the dms. But like, you know, I just feel that is a. It's, it's a point of trust. So why would you replace that by having something fake? And you know, it just that I think we have to be really careful where we go with this stuff.

Gemma Storey [00:53:56]:
Yes. I mean I've watched things like design summits and I remember last year going back to Anna Dow, she runs these design summits and so she gets other designers to talk about anything that they want to highlight. And this one lady, she has really embraced AI in her graphic design business and I can see why she does it because she's trying to show her artwork in a mock up so I can see where there's certain areas where it could be helpful. So she does a lot of like bottle packaging or like sweet packaging. And so she wants to mock it up on a beach or where there's like lemons and things like that. That's where I can see AI being really helpful. But the other person that I saw this wasn't in the summit, someone else. She was teaching people how to upload their photos into this software and it like scans your entire body in phase and generates you in video format or photo format.

Gemma Storey [00:54:48]:
That's where I think I draw the line because I wouldn't want to interact with a video or a photo that isn't solely you because now AI is getting so good it's very hard to tell. And to know that I feel like I'm interacting with a photo that feels like you but isn't you. Again, it's, it's given subliminal messages of like what else is going to be fake in her business, interacting with their services. But it's good and bad to everything, isn't there?

Karen [00:55:12]:
Yeah, I think it's going to get to a point actually that the businesses that stand out and kind of win at the game are going to be the ones that, that keep that personal connection, that keep that human interaction in their business. And, and, and I think you're right, think AI absolutely has its place. I, I love me a bit of chat, you know, I can chat all day to chat and we have some great conversations and, and, and whatnot, you know, and brainstorming and things like that is, is, it's so powerful. But I think there is a line between using it as a tool to help you with idea generation and coming up with content ideas and things like that to bring an AI into your business where it is basically you. I feel like then when you talk

Gemma Storey [00:56:02]:
to chat, do you like say like please and thank you just in case if robots do take over, they know that we were kind to them in the beginning.

Karen [00:56:09]:
Yeah, I do, I do. But what makes me laugh, I was having a laugh with my friends about it the other day because we were Talking about chat, I'm part of this accountability group and we were sort of saying how we've incorporated chat in, in our work and I love the way it gives me this positive reinforcement, the end. So I'll, I'll, you know, I'll give it an idea I like something I'm thinking about and, and we'll work through this idea and then it will say to me, you're doing such a good job, Karen. Carry on. I'm like Pat on the back from chat.

Gemma Storey [00:56:46]:
Yes. Yeah, that's it.

Karen [00:56:48]:
I'm that even if nobody else agrees with what I'm trying to do, I know the chat yoga cheerleader in chat. So I, I, I absolutely, I think there's definitely a place for AI, just, just not.

Gemma Storey [00:57:00]:
Have you also noticed the big players in the online space are actually reshaping the way they've done courses because of this? So I've noticed now they're turning their evergreen courses where you can just buy offline to now guided. So now the person. So say it was someone like Jenna Kham, she may have had a course where you could just buy it off her shop and you just go through yourself. Now they're bringing, bringing them into the course where they guide you over the modules and weeks. So I've noticed that's also been a byproduct of, of the AI world, is bringing you back into your, your signature courses.

Karen [00:57:37]:
Yeah, yeah, definitely. It's interesting actually, because at the moment I'm creating version 2.0 of my membership, so I've decided to switch platforms and the platform that I'm sort of building, honestly, it's, it's so much work, but it is going to be, it's going to be a good move. But this platform has AI capability, so to the point where, and actually I really like this aspect of it. I can be the bot in the platform, but every piece of content I have in this platform and I've got so many hours of content, it's ridiculous. Whenever somebody asks a question and does a search, it will only present them with my content, but I'm the, the, the bot delivering that content. So it's like the Karen bot. So I thought that was pretty cool because it's my content. It's not gone and swept Google or somebody else's content.

Karen [00:58:43]:
It's all to do with my content and then presenting it to the member. Yes, because that's obviously, that's obviously what they're looking for. But it's really interesting how AI is kind of being infused into these Platforms. Platforms. And there's some really cool stuff happening. I, I just think we have to be mindful at how much are we going to let it in to, how much are we going to be there to, to, to, you know, support as well. But, but yeah, it's going to be, it's going to be interesting in the next sort of five, 10 years where this leads to. So, yeah, especially in the world of design as well, it's interesting.

Karen [00:59:25]:
I've had people show for their courses, so I talk about course logos and, and building out your environment and branding it and making it, you know, really personal to your brand. And I've actually had people present me with logos that have been AI generated. What do you think about that?

Gemma Storey [00:59:45]:
I mean, if you are literally at the start of your business and, you know, money's tight because you're putting in other things, I guess it's a starting point, you know, I'm not going to sort of poo, poo that, but I think for longevity reasons, it's probably best that you do invest six months to a year later in a proper sewer line brand, as I would call it, because it really is the identity of everything. Like you just mentioned about courses, people don't think to brand a course. They think I've just got one logo that would do. When actually everything is a brand touch point, whether it's a course, you know, even a zoom background could be a brand touch point. A business card, card, you know, your photo on LinkedIn, whatever. Everything needs to feel branded. So in the sense of just getting going and it just gets you out there, then fair enough. At least that is gonna get the momentum going.

Gemma Storey [01:00:32]:
But I do think long term you should eventually reinvest that into a proper personal brand.

Karen [01:00:40]:
Yeah. And I think actually, in all the investments you can make, I think this is one investment that is really going to set your business up.

Gemma Storey [01:00:51]:
Yes.

Karen [01:00:51]:
And set you apart from everybody else. Especially if you've got somebody like you, Gemma, that kind of works from the inside out. And that, like you say, aligns it very much to who they are and what they want to achieve in their business as well.

Gemma Storey [01:01:09]:
But equally. And I, I know it's going to sound really odd of me saying, but I actually wouldn't recommend someone invest in a full brand identity at the start of their business purely because when. This is what I've noticed, when you start a business, you don't really know who you are, who you want to work with or what your niche is. So I would say that probably the better thing out of AI is maybe go for something a bit more of an edible template, because that way at least you can infuse a bit more of your control of your colors, whereas AI is just going to do a very flat pixel jpeg. It's going to be awful because in those six months to a year in your business, you'll soon quickly realize who you don't like working with, what you want to actually offer. Because we always start with a laundry list of services. If I look back when I started, I offered like social media and, you know, brand photography as well as websites and branding. And actually over those first couple of years, I realized that not only was I not.

Gemma Storey [01:02:08]:
I was attracted to wrong clients with my corporate branding, but I was offering services that didn't light me up and burnt me out. So I would definitely say start something small like a template. If it has to be an AI logo, fair enough, but use that year as like a bit of a gauge to work out. Actually, I'm going to get rid of that. This is who I am. And like, like you said, it's that core identity work that needs to be the main emphasis in the year. In the first year of business, for sure.

Karen [01:02:34]:
Yeah. Yeah. And I absolutely agree with you there. I think that first six months to a year, it should be very much spent figuring who you are and what you want. Yes. You know, I, I think for my first nine months in business, I didn't have anything. I was just working as a freelance web designer. And then it wasn't until I'd, I'd been networking, I'd had conversations and, and I, I got a feel for, for the landscape that I was working in.

Karen [01:03:06]:
Yes. And how I wanted to, to present myself.

Gemma Storey [01:03:09]:
Yeah.

Karen [01:03:10]:
That's when I then started to kind of think seriously about my identity and how I needed to present my business and stuff. So 100. I really do agree with you there. If somebody is listening right now and feels like their brand doesn't reflect who they are anymore, because let's face it, in business, it's a constant evolution. What's a simple first step that they can take, take this week to realign it?

Gemma Storey [01:03:37]:
Well, I would literally get a pen and paper and I would draw literally a compass and I would, I would divide it into quarters and I would call one of them your. Why? The other one would be your sewer line client, the other one would be what you offer and the, the last one would be how you do it. So the first one I would start off with is, is literally map out your why Is it it freedom? Is it fun? More time with your family? Is there something else that is just driving that mission? If you can really just spend a good day just working on your why, that will fuel the next part. So once you figured out your why you want to figure out, who do I want to work with? Who do I love to work? So for me, I knew it was definitely women. I wanted to come away from that male dominated environment because I saw there's a gap. Women don't back attack themselves as much as men.

Karen [01:04:27]:
Yeah.

Gemma Storey [01:04:27]:
So I knew that was my ideal client. And like you just said, it's a brand evolution. So start with something because I guarantee over the next few years it's just going to get more and more and more refined. But it's a starting point. Once you've mapped out your ideal client and you figure out where they hang out, you know, what are their pain points, you know, why do they need you? That's where you can move on to the next segment is what you offer. So what are your skills, your expertise, everything that you can bring to the table that's going to help that transformation of your client? And the last one is just how are you different? How do you bring that unique start, as I call it? How are you going to perform that transformation? Is it your process? Is it just who you are in business? In my case, an example, I love astrology, so I present branding through the lens of astrology. So it's just all these little things that you can do that just make you feel more unique and more in alignment. So your why your ideal client, client, what you do and how you do it, that's really the best thing that you can do to start off with.

Gemma Storey [01:05:26]:
If you're stuck at the, the early signs of your brand journey.

Karen [01:05:29]:
Oh, that's brilliant. Yeah, that's absolutely great because that, that gives people something concrete to work to. And, and like you said, these is so important. These are foundational steps that need to be in place so that you can then build on there going forward also

Gemma Storey [01:05:47]:
just quickly as well. Have you heard of Icky Guys Guy?

Karen [01:05:51]:
No.

Gemma Storey [01:05:52]:
So Icky Guy. So I always talk about this, but there was this NETFLIX documentary I watched about four or five years ago and hopefully it's still on there because it's literally left that big impression on me. It's called live to 100. And it's basically this guy who visits the blue zones in the world because he's like, why are these people living to 100? Is it their food? Is it the environment? What is it? Turns out there's of lots. Lots of things but there was one running pattern and it's this icky guy which is this feeling of having a purpose. As humans we need to have a fulfillment of a community that we are giving impact and that is a sense of purpose that we can liken that to the, the North Star compass of that.

Karen [01:06:34]:
Why?

Gemma Storey [01:06:35]:
What is your purpose? What gets you up in the morning? What makes you feel like you're making an impact that is going to make. Make you feel so much in more alignment once you nail that down. And that's what makes little 100 because they're just so happy and content. That's why it all these patterns kept coming up. So definitely there's in the Japanese world they call it icky guy which is very similar to what we talked about where they, they work out. You know what you need more in the world, what are you good at? That sort of thing. So if you can Google ikigai that'll give you another helpful direction when working out your who, what, why and how.

Karen [01:07:11]:
Yeah, yeah. I, I 100 agree there. I think, I think really nailing your purpose and getting aligned with that I think so important. I'll check that out. I've not heard of that. That's really interesting. Yeah I, I often think, you know, when people retire and, and they just sitting there waiting to you know that they're probably not going to live as long as somebody that's out there doing stuff with a real focus and a being and, and I think a huge Humans we need, we need that purpose. We need to.

Karen [01:07:42]:
Yeah. 100 need to be a part of something because there was a story where

Gemma Storey [01:07:47]:
this is like they're in like Sardinia or some sort of like Italian island. And the woman that the elderly lady was in like an old people's home and her health was just rapidly going downhill. And most of the Italian culture they actually believe having the family all around they just sort of build upon the house. As soon as they brought the. The elderly grandmother back into the home it was like she just had a 180. Like she just totally changed. Her spark came back. She was cooking for the family, she was reading bedtime stories to the grandchildren.

Gemma Storey [01:08:15]:
So there's something about being in a community and that's why we love networking because you've got to find your tribe as we call it and that sense of purpose of like looking after family, nurturing with food, looking after the grandchildren, we can apply that in our business. How do we feel we're Giving back. How are we helping our clients? That is what's going to fuel you and your soul. That's what's going to bring the most happiness.

Karen [01:08:38]:
I agree, I agree. I think it's really important to find your, you find your tribe like you say. And I know with entrepreneurs that are running businesses, it can be really lonely because, because you're, you're, you're building something and not everybody understands that, especially if they're not, not in the world of business. So being able to surround yourself by like minded people that are, are similar in what they're trying to achieve, I think really kind of it brings in a different layer and, and a different energy that can really help to fuel you and keep you focused. So I think that's such a great piece of advice actually. If you are somebody that is feeling lonely, feeling like you create this business, but you're just finding that you spend a lot of time on your own and you're feeling very disconnected, then find a networking group or find a community of people that get you, that understand what you're doing because it will go a long way to keeping you focused and on track.

Gemma Storey [01:09:47]:
There's something about being in a room with women that get it because as I said this podcast, I wasn't around family that really supported, supported that mission of mine. As soon as you get yourself in these rooms, whether it's networking conferences, business retreats, you are just supported because they get it and they understand it and what that does is that elevates you all. Yeah, we are on something really special. And that's the beauty of putting yourself in those rooms. Because sometimes I don't know if you hear this from your clients, they're saying, oh, I don't feel ready or that those per, these people are more successful than me. I don't care. Yeah, get your ass in that room because then you'll feel more confident and you'll just keep doing it.

Karen [01:10:25]:
So 100, 100. You know, confidence comes after action, not before. So I remember like at the very start of my business journey, the one thing I didn't know, anything. So I started my business very naive. No one in my family has a business I don't know. I didn't know anything about business. All I knew is that I had a desire to, to work for myself and call my own shots. But the one thing I think that really stood me in good stead was that I knew I needed to go networking.

Karen [01:11:00]:
And even before I was making any money, I put myself in a room of other business Owners. And I was scared. I mean, I felt, talk about imposter syndrome. I definitely felt like I did not belong. But through conversation and, and building those connections, I started to learn. And then I started to do. And then I started to become confident because I felt supported. And I think that's the key thing.

Karen [01:11:30]:
Get yourself in with other people that are like minded, that do not necessarily what you do, but are in a similar space and have those conversations and be open to building those relationships. Because amazing things happen when that, when that happens, you know? Absolutely.

Gemma Storey [01:11:49]:
You have to push through that level of discomfort to get to that other side of growth. Because I remember the first ever networking experience before the pandemic where we actually met in like hotels and did it. Yeah, I sat in my car with like clammy hands, just like, you can do this, you could do this. The door's just there. Get out your car and walk into that room. And I just remember just feeling like, oh, hot and sweaty and nervous. But after a period of time, these women were my biggest supporters. I mean, it's not always about who's in the room.

Gemma Storey [01:12:18]:
It's about that six degrees of connection. They know someone, they know someone. And when you're networking, all you're doing is you're building relationships with ultimately build your visibility and fuels the growth of your, of your business. So, and just to touch upon what you said about imposter syndrome, everyone has that all that is, is your brand brain's way of keeping you safe because we don't know what to expect. So it's trying to keep you safe by going, well, this could go wrong or that can go wrong. You got to tell your brain, and I often call it the mean girl because it's just, it says nasty things. You say, thank you for your opinion, but I'm going to do it anyway. And then once you've done it, you've told your brain we've survived, therefore it's a safe place and it just gets easier and easier.

Gemma Storey [01:12:59]:
So definitely give your imposter syndrome a neck name. If you give it a name, it really helps and just push through it anyway.

Karen [01:13:07]:
Yeah, definitely. Unfortunately, I think the reality of building a business means that there's a lot of discomfort because there's a lot of things that you're going to have to go through in order to kind of push through to get, you know, to achieve the success you want. And, and it's just embracing that. It's almost, it's getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. I think that's probably the best Way to say it, because it, it just whatever level you're at, there's just a whole load of new discomfort to go through, you know, but that's where growth happens.

Gemma Storey [01:13:40]:
And equally that chimes back into finding a great networking group because when you have those wobbles or those new levels, new devils as I call it, you've got that support group to go, oh my God, I've just experienced this. Has anyone else gone through that or has any advance eyes? You've got that sounding board. So that's why there's as a solopreneur who's building a business, your network really is your worth.

Karen [01:14:02]:
Yeah, 100 I agree with you and we met at network, didn't we, with networking event and you know, I've made, I don't know about you, but I've made some absolutely brilliant connections and had some wonderful collaborations with people and it really does help. So I do recommend my listeners, even if you are building a business online, it doesn't replace human connection. So find whatever you need, whether it's an online group, an in person group and go and build those connections and have those real conversations because they're the things that are going to help you stay focused and stay anchored so that you can actually achieve your goals. And that's the point. So, so Gemma, thank you very much. Now if, if my listeners are interested in finding out more about you and I highly recommend checking out Gemma's word because she is incredible, where can they find you?

Gemma Storey [01:15:08]:
Yes, I've got a couple of options. So if you are looking just to start your branding journey, then head over to my website which is infinity hyphen, creative.co.uk and we where I can provide some solar line branding. But if you are starting out and you're a bit more of a DIY want to learn it yourself, you're more than welcome to join my Canva coven which is a Canva learning membership where I teach lots of workshops and tips and tricks and things like that. So that's on template emporium.co.uk but I can send Karen some links and things to follow up. So that'd be the two places I recommend.

Karen [01:15:43]:
Yes, I'm going to put all the links in the show notes mode so that my listeners can find you and visit and hopefully sign up for your free community in that. Yeah, so yeah, because as I said, I think, I think the work that you do is incredible and even if people just go and see how to do it, like from you, I think, I think it, it's definitely worthwhile. So so Gemma, thank you very much for coming on today's show and for sharing your tips and your wisdom and everything. I really appreciate it. I've really enjoyed this, so thank you.

Gemma Storey [01:16:23]:
So I've really enjoyed our chat and just thank you for having me. I've really enjoyed it on your podcast.

Speaker A [01:16:28]:
Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode. I hope this has given you some clarity and sparked some new ideas for your business. Now, if you found this help helpful, I would love you to share it with a friend or a fellow entrepreneur who is also building their online business because this might be what they need to hear today. And if this episode has you thinking that you're ready to start turning your expertise into income that works for you, then I would love to invite you to join my membership. Head on over to my website, www.sellyourbrillianceonline.com/membership. I will be back next week with another episode, but until then, have a wonderful week.

Karen [01:17:16]:
Thanks for tuning in to today's episode of Online Business Uncovered. If today's conversation has sparked an idea or gave you a dose of clarity, then please make sure to check out the show notes for all the links and resources mentioned. New episodes land every Thursday, so hit follow or subscribe to stay in the loop. And if you're loving the show, a quick rating or review goes a long way in helping more brilliant entrepreneurs like you find this show. Until next time, keep showing up, keep sharing your brilliance, and remember, freedom in business is possible and it starts with taking the next right step.

Gemma Storey [01:17:55]:
Sam.