Episode 8 Laura Pulliam

In this episode, we have a discussion with Laura Pulliam, a brand photographer on the process of her rebrand. From the decision to rebrand, to the grieving process of her original brand, and where she took her business to the level that finally matched her beautiful photography. It is all here in this transformation episode.

Thank you for listening! If you think it is time for your rebrand, or with any questions about my artistic process, please visit me at jmmartistdesigner.com or reach out at instagram.com/jmmartistdesigner

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SPEAKER_01 0:14

Welcome to Brand Transformations, the podcast where we dive deep into the real stories behind rebranding. I'm Jess Mercier, a brand strategist and designer, and I've had the privilege of guiding incredible entrepreneurs through the journey of stepping into a brand that truly reflects their vision. In this series, we'll explore the struggles, breakthroughs, and unexpected wins that come with rebranding. Because a brand transformation is about so much more than just a logo. Let's get started. I am beyond excited to introduce you to this next client of mine. She and I met uh, I don't know, probably two years ago at a networking event. And then a friend of mine was like, You need to meet Laura, you need to meet Laura. And finally, when we connected, it was something so incredible, something really clicked. Um but without further ado, I want to introduce you to Laura, who is a strategic personal brand photographer. She's located in Spring, Texas. Uh her words-first approach to photography ensures her client images aren't just pretty, they're purposeful and customized, not only for their visual vibe, but their business goals as well. She believes a picture is really worth a thousand words and loves delivering images that attract dream clients for owners she supports. Welcome, Laura.

SPEAKER_00 2:02

Thanks for having me. I'm so excited to have this conversation. I know, me too. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do? Sure. I've been a hobbyist photographer for 20 years, and I started my business, gosh, maybe four years ago. Um, and because I was a hobbyist, I wanted to continue to grow my skills, work with different people, see what kind of photography uh most spoke to my soul. And so I did everything. I did families and children and mini sessions and um indoor and outdoor photography. I did real estate, I did product photography, and then I started dabbling more towards um brand photography. And I think the reason I headed that direction is I've always been a communications nerd. I've done nonprofit communications for 15 years. I was a commercial copywriter uh for seven years. And because I love words, like I'm ultimately at my core. I am just a nerd about communicating things well. And that is not just words, it's images. And so when I started dabbling in brand photography in the kind of photography that needs to produce ROI for a business, it was like something clicked, and all of a sudden I was I was in it. So that's that's kind of how I got to where I am.

SPEAKER_01 3:22

It's been such an interesting journey for you because you do so many things. Um, so can you tell us a little bit about you know what your brand was in the beginning and if you worked with a designer and what you thought that that was gonna be, um, and then sort of take us to the the present where you decided it was time for a rebrand.

SPEAKER_00 3:47

Sure. So funny story. When I lived in San Antonio like eight years ago, my mother in law, my mother-in-law and I were going to start a vintage wedding rentals business. This was like a wild hair that we had, and we were going to call that business simple vintage. And then we ended up moving to Houston. My husband, you know, we changed jobs like there was a lot of upheaval. And then when I started this commercial copywriting for a company in DFW, they said, well, we need to, we need you to be a business. We need you to have a DBA so we can basically make these checks out to you. So I was like, Well, I don't know, I'll just call it simple vintage. And so it's almost like I started my photography business with this accidental DBA that I already had. And I was like, simple vintage, like in my mind, I made it make sense. It was a cute name for a portrait photographer. Um, but the deeper I got into um not not just, you know, it's not just that it was not a great name for a business photographer, it's that I started to feel like it was a pseudonym for the work that I was doing and I was proud of. You know, when a when a novelist puts out their first book, they're often um encouraged to write that under a pseudonym in case it tanks. And I think deep down, I started my business not under my name because I like I was afraid to put my name behind it. And I'm not saying that all businesses need to have their name behind it, but as an artist in particular, um there came this point where I was just feeling a lot of tension with my brand as it was. And and I did all the brand design myself. Like I dabble, right? I'm an artist, I dabble in everything, don't we all? So I did it myself. I was pretty happy with it, but you know, I just did like most people, I did it in Canva. Um, even, you know, four or five years ago, like it wasn't that recognizable what the fonts were and stuff. But you know, five years later, it's like, oh well, everybody, this just Canva fonts. Everybody's using these. Um, and it just it didn't feel like I felt like everything that I produced for my clients was so custom and so hands-on and handmade. And and I tinkered with the the little minutia of delivering just the right thing to my clients. And I felt like when I took a step back and I looked at my visual brand, my images were great because you know, I'm a photographer, that's what I do. My copy on my website, all of that was really good. And I just feel like there are these three pillars, and there's probably more than I'm forgetting. So chime in here. But there's like these three pillars to your brand, you know, your your copy, your images. I felt great about those, but I just felt like this third leg of the stool, this visual brand identity, you know, my colors, my typography, my icons, they were just stock icons. That leg of the stool did not match with the other ones. And so, what happens if you've got a two-legged stool and one leg or three-legged stool and one leg's too short? There's a lot of wobbling. And I felt like there came this point where I was just wobbling and it made everything feel like it did not fit.

SPEAKER_01 7:05

It's so interesting because I remember looking at your logo and it was really cute, you know, like, and it felt, you know, it felt like it had an essence of you. And I was like, okay, like I want to know more about why she wants to change because oftentimes something that's cute and good just isn't who you are anymore, or it just needs to be, it needs to be more aligned with where you're going. And I think that that is a huge part of keeping a brand for so long that you out you can outgrow it. And I think that that's what happened was simple vintage was really, it was really pretty and it felt like you in the beginning, but you have truly, I mean, I've had a back seat uh just following you as a you know, as a client and as a friend, um to the enormous amount of d growth that you've had in the past couple of years. And I think that when we have a brand that doesn't match, you know, who we are on the inside and where we're going, there's a disconnect.

SPEAKER_00 8:16

Yeah, yeah. And I was definitely feeling that disconnect. And I mean, to start the story at the beginning, I think for for my actual rebrand process with you, I had to look back at my calendar. You know, we met exactly like one year almost to the day ago. So I had asked you out for coffee, or I think we had just been chatting in DMs, like, hey, I probably need to have this conversation. This is coming up in the next year, is probably what I told you. And so February 8th, I looked at my calendar. Oh my gosh. Last year we met up for coffee to just like have a conversation about what I was feeling about my brand. Um, and at that point, I think I had even transitioned my website to, you know, if you go to my homepage, you don't see portraits, you only see um brand and commercial photography, headshots, that kind of um marketing-minded photography. And then here's like simple vintage at the top. And it was just, I was just explaining to you why I was feeling this kind of upheaval about this. And I think by the end of that coffee chat, I was like, let's do this onboard me. And you're like, Are you sure? I was like, I think I've been sure for a while, but I just needed to say it out loud.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

Like, yeah, yeah, I remember I and you are a you are a planner. Yes. You are a thinker. And I'm not gonna say overthinker because I classify myself as an overthinker, but you are very strategic in the ways that you do things. Um, you have a lot of qualities that we have a lot of qualities that are similar, and we have a lot of qualities that are like very, very different. So when it came to the two of us collaborating, um, and by the way, Laura has done uh some of my beautiful photos. So um in in the ways of deciding who to collaborate with, um, tell me a little bit about like, okay, this is the kind of person that I want to collaborate with and why this, why you and I felt like a good fit because we are so similar and and so different.

SPEAKER_00 10:28

Yeah, definitely. Well, I think for one thing, I am if you follow the like working genius model, um, I'm one of my working geniuses is discernment. And that's what makes me good at my job. Um, that I can look at someone else's business, I can chameleon my brain to fit their business and I can make amazing images for them. The downside of having, you know, according to is it Mike Pacchioni? I don't remember who wrote the framework, but if you, you know, are really good at discernment, the the challenge for those people, they cannot discern for themselves. And so I cannot discern for myself all the things that I do for my clients, I can't do it for myself. So I knew going into this rebrand that I could not design my own logo again. I couldn't pick my typeface, I couldn't do it. Obviously, I would want a hand in it and a heavy hand. I'm picky, I'm opinionated. So I knew I needed someone who could do the discerning piece for me, who could shoot me straight and say, This is what you need. Nope, don't do this. Um, but I also knew I needed someone who wouldn't just be like, here, I churn out logos in my sleep. I I wasn't gonna go to dribble or something like that. And I've done that for other brands, like that has worked, um, other businesses that I've helped in the past, like even my church, like I just picked a designer. But but when it came to me, my business, it was too personal. And I knew I needed someone who could really help pull me in at times, which you absolutely do. We'll we'll get to that part of the story. Um, but I think the the absolute clincher for me, Jess, was and I I follow a lot of designers because you know I'm always connecting people with people. And usually what happens is when something comes up in my feed, I look at the look at what pops up and then I look who posted it. And usually I can tell, you know, the the marks of a designer, like, oh, I know who designed that. That looks like, you know, Courtney's work or like whoever. And then I think I think the clincher was when you did some work for We the Plumbers, and I'm gonna put them under the bus because that came across my feed, and I was like, that is some legit design work. I wonder who did that, and that just not like it was its absolute own thing, it looked like its own thing. It it's not that it didn't have your mark on it, but but when I saw it was you, I was like, you put yourself completely into this business, and then this is the fruit of your artwork on their behalf. And it was just like, okay, if you can make something that amazing for a plumbing company, like put me next in line. So that I think that for me was that moment of like, I need someone who can do that level of discernment for my business.

SPEAKER_01 13:31

That's incredible. And thank you for that compliment because I I realized a a long time ago. I mean, when I first started, if somebody didn't like something I made, it was like I got real butthurt, you know, like, uh, like, oh, why don't they or my feelings got hurt or whatever. But um, I learned a long time ago that I am a catalyst for other people's businesses. And it's not about me, it's not about my work or whatever comes to my creativity. It's about using myself as a tool to let other people's businesses shine. And if I can be that kind of chameleon that doesn't have a style, you know, that can work with plumbers and pool companies, but also work with creatives and photographers and copywriters and and coaches um and and you know, strong women-owned businesses, I like being able to be that chameleon and not have that like, oh, that's Jess's style, you know. Not that that's a bad thing. When when when a when a designer has a certain type of style, um, then they have their niche. They know people know when they go, they want that style that go to them. Um, but for me, it's really important to um to try to be as much of a chameleon as I can and and remove myself from the process.

SPEAKER_00 15:00

Um, and I agree. I think there are people out there that are looking for like, like, I want this design. I'm going to find a designer that does this design. But and that works sometimes. That totally works. I just knew when I was going for my rebrand, I I wasn't, I didn't know what I was looking for. I needed someone to be a catalyst for me in a way and for my business in a way that I couldn't even pick. Like I couldn't go scroll through and be like, oh, this is my style. I didn't know what it was. I needed someone else to come alongside me and really look hard into my business and my vibe and say, have you considered this? And I think when we started talking about the rebrand process in that, you know, in that coffee shop moment, that's why I was like, okay, just invoice me. Like, when can we start? It wasn't like, okay, well, we're gonna start in six months, but like I cannot wait to start now because I know this is not just, I'm not ordering a logo. You know what I mean? Like, I didn't need a logo, I needed a a partner in discernment for determining how best to visually convey my business to my ideal clients, like to do the same thing on that arm of my business that I do with photos. So yeah, it was, and I think it took us like months. It wasn't a fast process, which I really appreciated. You might have been tired of me by the end of this because I did so many revisions, but I felt like I needed um it took me time to like grieve this starting point of my business and flip the switch to excitement for it. It was not about a logo, it was not even about a name change, it was about realizing oh my gosh, I am becoming this thing that I didn't even know existed four years ago.

SPEAKER_01 16:58

That's so incredibly powerful that you actually brought up the word grieve because people may not understand that this is a huge transformation, especially for somebody who's a solopreneur and a creative that has started this business from scratch and you're kind of like me. You're like, oh, I'm a hobbyist, like let's make this into a business, and then all of a sudden, like it's like you know, when you first started, you're like, Yeah, I know how I'm gonna do this and whatever. And then all of a sudden you're like reaching higher and you're doing more, and you're like really, you're really in it, and then you look back and you go, Oh my gosh, what have I done? What have I built? You know, some days. And and yeah, I think the the fact that you brought up grieving that that place where you had started and that place that you've built from. And that's that's such a heavy word, you know, and people don't think of oh, when when like rebrand, they think logo, colors, whatever. They don't think about that being a grieving process. And um, and I think there's a lot of discomfort um that you may have faced during this process.

SPEAKER_00 18:22

I definitely do. I like I like lost sleep over it. Like it was not, it was not like ooh, fun. This is gonna be I mean, parts of it were fun, but it was a process. It was a growing process. And you know, I've I've got little kids, so like I'm becoming reacquainted with like, oh, growing hurts. There are nights when my kids lie awake at night and they're like, my knees hurt or this bone hurts. And it's like, those are growing pains, like, yeah, they hurt, and it means your body is growing. And I definitely felt like about the rebrand process that there were there were parts that were exciting, and then there were parts that were kind of painful because I was having to get in touch with my own insecurities about, okay, like, and especially I think in my case or any business owner's case when they're having a name change. Um, and for me going working under my own name, like there were many nights when I was laying awake going, well, should I just, you know, should I, should I just scrap the whole process? Should I give up my deposit and just be done? Like there were nights when I was so ready to do that because it was just fear, like fear of showing up in a in a much bigger way than I had before. And, you know, coming into my own name. Like, like I have my name is on my sweatshirt. Like, I just people recognize my brand. And it's like, I think deep down, some of us just want to keep hiding, even if we're doing amazing work. And so yeah, I mean, for for me, there were definitely nights where I'm like, I the I kept thinking like I'm wasting Jess's time because we kept going over and over. Like you would bring me an iteration of something, and I'd just ask 20 questions, and then it'd be like, Okay, let's meet again next week. You were so chipper about it, like, okay, well, let's just meet next week and I'll have more options. And and then I had to say no to like five different things before I knew that my yes was like a hard yes. Yeah. Um, and and I I think that I I mean, you were probably like, This is all normal, and me, I'm overthinking it, going, Oh my gosh, what's wrong with me? My why can't I just make a decision? And I'm sure there are business owners that like it pops up and they're like, Yep, that's my thing, and they don't use lose a bit of sleep. But I think there are probably people out there like me who it's it's personal. Like if you have a personal brand, especially, it's personal.

SPEAKER_01 20:46

So yeah, yeah, it's uh there's there's there's lots of different people, you know, everybody's different. And I go into every process just knowing that I want to do my best. And again, removing myself, you know, if I haven't gotten it right, I'm just a person too, right? And I'm also not a mind reader, and I try really hard to, you know, show people what it is that I think could be perfect for them. But that's I think I'm one person's perspective, right? And I bring in all of the, you know, marketing and the considerations of who your ideal client is. I don't want to say just, oh, this is me and all of my stuff. But um you know, in putting these puzzle pieces together for my clients, there is so much back and forth that I need. Um, and and to be honest with you, in the thick of the moments, sometimes it's like, oh man, I can't get it right. You know, like it's like, what have I done? What am I doing wrong? You know, I do all of the same things because I'm the creative in this process, like helping you. And when I go back and I think about some of the more challenging projects, it is always better in the end when my client really, really digs deep and really kind of pushes back on me because that pulls even that goes even deeper. And the more pushback I get sometimes the deeper I go. And then again, it's just it's just the process, you know? And I never ever ever would let somebody pick something because oh, well, I just want to be done with it. Like that's good enough. Good enough is not in my vocabulary. You know, we go until you get that turning point, that breakthrough moment until you're like really truly ready. Um, and some people can look at his design and they go, Yep, that's it. That's great. I love it. Don't envy those people. I mean, um, and then there's other people that want to take a weekend or a week that they want to they need to sit with it, you know, they need to process it. It's like, I don't know, it's like I always say branding, like always the metaphor of like new clothes, right? So you go shopping for a new a whole new wardrobe and you're like a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl, and you go out and you put on an evening gown, you know that evening gown is stunning. And you know, maybe it was made specifically for your body, and and it's like to the max the most incredible thing, but you've never been to a gala before. Yeah, and like you're gonna put this thing on and be like, I don't know how to walk in these heels, I don't know what to do with my hair. It's gonna feel super uncomfortable. It doesn't mean that it's not for you, it just means that it's for a different version of you that you have to grow into. So that's kind of where I come into play is I do try to push you out of that comfort zone. Um, because it's that fear line and that comfort zone. We don't want to get out of that as humans. And I think we need somebody to push us to be that version of that elevated version of ourself instead of resting in what's comfortable.

SPEAKER_00 24:22

Yeah, for sure. I mean, I definitely felt that like it wasn't it wasn't a hard, like you have to change, but it was like you're you're already living this way. Your brand is representing this way. The only thing not there yet is, you know, where we were starting, your typography, your logo, your colors. Like I remember us having a full like 20-minute conversation about shades of green, right? Because I was like, oh, I really like my green. And you were like, it's a it's a soft green, and you need a strong green, and this is a strong green, and like I just remember us having an extended conversation about shades of dark green, and probably most people would be like, wait, what? I don't even see a difference. But for a photographer and a graphic artist, like we could have that whole conversation and you could go there with me. Like, that's what I loved is you could go there with me and explain this is why you've outgrown this shade, and this is why we're gonna adjust it. Um, I I just thought for me, that was it was feeling like someone could talk my language and understand my neuroses about different shades of different things, you know.

SPEAKER_01 25:28

Yeah, and I there's nothing better than somebody that can speak your language because you can nerd out for as long as humanly possible. I remember um another client that was very similar to to that, and we nerded out over fonts for and you and I did too, but yeah, oh yeah. But when, you know, it's much different than when I go and I tell my husband about what's going on in my day, and he's like, you know, there's nothing, there's nothing happening there.

SPEAKER_00 25:57

But when you're working green, huh?

SPEAKER_01 26:00

Yeah. But when you're working with somebody that's truly, truly passionate about their business and understands all the nuances about branding and what goes into it, it's it's really fun like digging into that place with people.

SPEAKER_00 26:15

I remember us also having a pretty good laugh about like how words don't even convey like colors. So like I said at one point, because you I think in an original rendition, we had like a little pop of red, and I was like, can we make it a little more watermelon? And then the next week it was like it was like a hint of hint too much orange, and I was like, no, just like back off the orange. It's like we can just we I felt like so much of the sometimes it was like we would pop something up on the screen for a preview, and it would just be like boom, done. And other times we would we would fine tune until the frequency was just right. Just right. And I appreciated that that we could do both, you know. It was like one day it's like perfect, that's great, let's go. Like the um the cursive typography. I don't think we went through any iterations. You were like, I think this is your font. And I was like, I think this is it. I think I love it, and it's perfect, and it was made for me. And then some of the other ones, it was like we went through 10 renditions, and I think we probably came back to one of the originals.

SPEAKER_01 27:20

That happens too. And I think that some people, you know, need to see more choices or they need to see, can you try this and see what it looks like? And then we try it and then we go back. That happened with your icon. Yes. We were like, I want it even more simple. And I was like, at one point I did put my foot down. I was like, no, because then it just looks like something that you pulled from the internet, and we're not doing that. You deserve, I remember, I was like, you deserve this to look handcrafted for you. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 27:52

You were like, okay, okay, okay, let's do it, let's do it. And it's like, yeah, I remember there was a turning point where I was just ready to throw in the towel. I was done, and you didn't let me be done. You're like, nope, this is the plan. We're gonna take a break and we're gonna come back. Or I don't remember exactly where we went. I just blocked that part out. But I do remember wanting to just quit at some point and be like, I don't know if I can do this. Like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 28:20

This is I remember, I remember your energy that day, and I was like, uh-oh, like but then the next time you came back, tell me about that day.

SPEAKER_00 28:30

The next time I came back, I was like, we're gonna do this and we're gonna make it happen. Like, I just and and it was like we hit flow state. We went from me, I don't think my my brain was fully in the space yet. Like, I don't think I was fully ready to embrace this change is happening. Again, I think it was the grieving process. I was, I was, I was growing pains, grieving, whatever you want to call it. And then I tried to quit. And you're like, nope, can't do that. I'll see you next week, or tomorrow, or whenever we met the next time. And I think I just came in on fire that next time because I think we finished up very shortly after that. So I I mean, I do think there's at some point, I don't know if everybody experiences this, but I had a breakthrough moment when I realized this is who I'm becoming. I'm gonna put both feet in because I don't think I had both feet in before. Um, I kept feeling like I was, you know, wasting your time and I was wasting my time and I was wasting it, it was never like it was an investment. It was a significant investment for my business, but I think more than that, it felt like a um a fear of investing in myself, if that makes sense, because that seemed like presumptuous. But but now that it's out, it's live in the world, I constantly have people saying, You show up so professionally online. Like I I had someone um sit across from me who owns a multi-six-figure business, and and they were just like, What you have for your business, I want that for mine. Just because I started showing up big and bold and with confidence, and like I said, I always had the pictures to go with it, but then I would slap my old typography and colors on it. And when alignment is not there between your, you know, I could say this for for my business too, when alignment is not there between your your visual brand and the images that you're putting out there, which mine was not, there's there's discomfort. And usually the result of that discomfort is you just stop showing up. And when you stop showing up, the inquiries stop coming in. And when you the inquiries aren't coming in, you're doubting yourself, your income goes down. Like it's it's this snowball effect. So, like, while I thought, oh, my business name and my my little DIY logo, it's not holding me back. In hindsight, it was holding me back. It was not letting me show up the way that I wanted to show up in every other way. It was like that one thing holding me back, like a weird little anchor that I didn't even realize was there until it was loosened. Do you miss it at all? I do, but not in the way I expected to. I expected to be like, oh, I miss it. I miss putting that on things. Um, but I miss it now more in like a nostalgic way, like, oh, look at where I started and look how far I've come. Uh, we were just talking the other day about how, like, for you, it feels like we just did my brand like a hot minute ago. But for me, it feels like that was an entire chapter or two ago. And that was only a few months. Like it was probably what, six months, six, eight months ago? Like it wasn't that long ago. But in my mind, my headspace, that feels like it happened ages ago, like in a different me. Isn't that weird?

SPEAKER_01 32:00

Yeah. No, it it's it's so true because I mean, I I have, you know, time blindness sometimes when I was like, wasn't it just yesterday? Like everything was just just just a few days ago, you know? And when I was um uh when we were scheduling this uh recording, I was like, oh yeah, it was it's probably time for Laura. And I was like, oh my gosh, it's definitely time for Laura. Um, but I think it's also been so nice to it's nice to check in with people once they've really sunk their teeth in, you know? And watching the content that you put out and the branding that you're using, and really now that it has fully enveloped everything, you're no longer in the rebrand process. You have rebranded. Um, and it's just so inspiring watching you and watching the things that you put out. And it's just like I I'm like I'm like the proud the I'm like the proud mama over here, like, oh my gosh, like you fully embraced everything. Um, and I just love I remember the day that you came and your face this was like right at right at the end, and your face and your whole persona was so different, and you had become excited. And then that excitement, you really just like the fire inside of you, and we named your red Ember, which was so so cool. Um, that really just lit something inside of you, and then I saw you and you went in such an amazing way. Um, do you feel like that like fire inside of you was lit? And how was the process after you know we worked together, you got your tools? How did it feel when you were putting everything all together and and really going for it?

SPEAKER_00 34:01

Good question. My husband and I have this saying like, if you feel the energy, you should run with the energy. Like it's like running downhill, like it's easier to run. If I'm gonna run, I want to run downhill, right? And I felt like there was so much energy that came off of the rebrand process. Like it's literally what I tell people about getting brand photos, like you may not need them every six months, but if you get them every six months, you're gonna have a lot of like marketing energy behind that. So I took the energy from the rebrand and I just I knew I was gonna have that excitement and energy from it, and I just ran with it. So I, you know, I updated my website and all my emails and um my booking platforms, and um, you did those amazing Canva 10 plates for me, and of course I'm a piddler, so I had to like piddle with them a little until they felt like they had my fingerprints on them. But I mean, it wasn't 99% what you had given me, and I just all of a sudden could just start plugging and playing um with you know my content. Um, my Instagram glow up was like amazing. Um, it was just yeah, and I mean that was all that was not why I did a rebrand to have all that marketing energy and the Instagram glow up, those were just like side effects of stepping into a brand that was truly aligned with my myself, my business, my other work. Like it all just felt suddenly the stool wasn't tipping anymore, right? Like everything was level, and so I felt like I could just run and go and play, and I am still using all of it. I did a glow up for all of my um photo shoot session guides, like everything. I think in probably 60 days, I did everything just because I had so much energy. It was like, well, I might as well capitalize on all this energy that I got as a result of this process.

SPEAKER_01 35:55

So yeah, it's so fun. I mean, even when I am putting a brand together, I test all of it. You know, how is this gonna look if I put it on this? Or how am I let me pop it into Canva, you know, get out of Illustrator for a minute and use it the way that my clients are gonna use it. Um, and that is it is essential to my my part is like, yeah, you can take this color palette and these these fonts and all in even the logos, and I could hand that to somebody and I could do the same, and they could look completely different. So, you know, how it's like it's still all of these puzzle pieces, but like really what's the true vision? And I think that that was one of the fun things that we continued to work on was, you know, working on those templates and those brand examples for you so that you could have kind of my vision as to like, you know, how can this be put together? But I also do love that it's your business and you're creative and you, you know, understand design. So you then went in and still kind of tweaked them and made them your own. Um, and I remember you came back to me and you sent me a couple of things and you're like, oh, how does this look? And I'm like, yeah, like try it like this.

SPEAKER_00 37:14

Yes, yes. There was like a coaching process to be like, and you know, do this. Because I I've loved it for you, it's not just about what's the aesthetic, but is it readable? Like, can someone see this easily? Is this going to be scroll stopping? It's not scroll stopping if you've got a cutesy font that's not legible. And so just I I think for a little bit I was getting spun up in like, oh, this looks pretty. And you would point out, like, okay, well, do this or do this to make it readable and make it noticeable. So I I really appreciated that coaching process. So uh that was a helpful piece for me.

SPEAKER_01 37:51

Yeah. Recently, my I've been like harping on contrast and color contrast and making sure that you're, you know, the colors that you're pairing are super readable. That's my like latest soapbox is like, yeah, your colors can be really pretty, but do they have enough contrast? So yeah, I like to, you know, I I like to school people as much as I can on, you know, being successful. Like I'm not just in it to develop a package for you and send you off on your way. Like it's my goal for this to be as successful as possible. Um, and you know, you I've you're like you A plus.

SPEAKER_00 38:35

Well, I appreciate the off ramp felt very gentle. It wasn't like an abrupt, okay, or you know, our business relationships over. Here's your your kit and you're off on your way. Like that it was a gentle off-ramp, and it helped me feel like I could be very successful with what we had invested in. So I I loved that. Um, I I had to like discipline myself to not change my templates every 20 minutes because it's like I could do this and this and that, you know, it's like it's like all of a sudden you have all these fun little puzzle pieces to play with. And I loved that, like, like you talked about with contrast, things that I didn't even consider until I was seeing it in real time, that you know, even my colors can be combined in different ways. And so I was wanting to change colors on everything and stuff. And it's one point I was like, I need to use what I have for like six to 12 months. Yeah, that it's recognizable. People know it is mine. And now I get compliments all the time from you know, at networking events and um from clients and stuff going, oh, your brand is so recognizable. Like I see it and I know that it's your work. Um, and something that I had been doing, kind of like every other portrait photographer out there, is just like, here's a bunch of cute photos, you know, and just I'll assume that you know they're mine. But you challenged me even to be like, no, like show more, be the thought leader, have some content on there that's thought leadership. Put, you know, if you're talking about headshots, don't just put a headshot on your feed, like put it, put a few headshots. And um, I've gotten really great feedback on that. Um, what one of the templates I used um to just talk about like, here are different types of photos I'll take at your photo shoot. Use one of the templates, use copy that I already had on my blog, plugged it into that template. I had someone book and say, Oh, I just booked because I saw that post, and it was a kick-ass post. That's exactly what they said. I was like, okay, so what we're putting out there matters, and not just, oh, I don't want someone to think less of me, but like it matters because we're getting business from it. It's noticeable, it's scroll stopping, it's um, it looks professional. So yeah, huge turning point for my business. And that's not why I went into the process. I went into the process because I felt like, you know, like I was constricted in a little chrysalis and there wasn't enough room and I was ready for something, but I needed some help. And so the the pain, the the um constriction feeling led to the rebrand. But what happened afterward was just beyond what I anticipated.

SPEAKER_01 41:23

Just like hearing people say that just makes me so happy. I mean, it it uh it's just such a it's just such a pleasure and a blessing to be able to uh help people, you know, and I feel like that's what you do as well, you know, you help people get out of their comfort zone. And I think um in all honesty, I was a little bit nervous at the beginning of of our of your brand journey because I knew how talented you were and how um thoughtful you were and how hands-on you were, and I just wanted to make sure that I was doing it justice, and I really do feel like this was just a match made in heaven, and this collaboration means so much to me. Um, honestly, that you chose me to work with out of any anybody. Um, and I think that, you know, I may I may not be the designer for everybody, and that I think that that's great. I hope that everybody finds somebody that you that they mesh with as well as, you know, I put a lot of thought into who I who I take on. And um, I knew, you know, the on the multiple times that we had met before we even talked about doing a brand that that you were somebody that I was I was hoping to work with. Um, so it's been it was an it was an incredible journey for me. All the ups and downs.

SPEAKER_02 42:55

Yes, it was quite a journey.

SPEAKER_01 42:58

Um but there was there is a feeling um in in the end when I saw your excitement that was like, okay, we've we've done it. This is this is good stuff. So it was do you have any advice for business owners that are considering a rebrand?

SPEAKER_00 43:20

Definitely. I mean, I would say start with the conversation. Say the thing out loud. My background is in education, and so one of the things we talk about, uh especially for kids, but it applies to adults too, is that you know, you've got your right and left hemispheres of the brain, and your big feelings are in your right hemisphere. And and a lot of times you are feeling things about your business a long time before you say them out loud. So whether it's and for me, like that's where I was at, you know, I had been feeling these things about my business for a long time that I hadn't said out loud to anybody until I said them out loud to you when we were at the coffee shop. Um, and then that started. Something that I didn't plan for. Like you said, I'm a strategist, like I'm a planner. I didn't plan for what happened this past year, but I don't think I could have planned it as well as it happened. So my advice for anybody considering a rebrand or refresh or just wondering what the next step is for their business, like no strings attached, just have a conversation. Whether it's with you or with a trusted business friend or a business coach, take the things in that right hemisphere, make your whole brain cooperate on the project. When we put things into words, we're making our left hemisphere cooperate. And so when we put our whole brain on a topic, we're gonna get something better than if we just let it mull around. So if you are feeling that tension, that constricted feeling in your current um brand, say the thing out loud. Say it out loud. And you offer, if I'm not mistaken, like it's not just because we were friends, you went out to coffee. Like you offer like a free discovery call and someone may get on that call and say the thing out loud and be like, no, I actually think I'm supposed to stay here for another year or whatever it is. Like it never hurts to say the thing out loud.

SPEAKER_01 45:06

Yeah, absolutely. Um, I think that there's a whole part of us. Um, and I think that that's why when people create their own brands or create any really anything for themselves, I think that it's really important to have a conversation with another person or another professional because you can only take yourself so far because you're in this, you know, this chrysalis, as you said. And I think that even if it's just a conversation with another business owner or a friend or somebody that you trust um to to to talk about stuff. Um, I think some we we all need some sort of a mirror when it comes to growth because we can only see our perspective, but it's nice to get an outside perspective on, you know, what other people are thinking. And um it's it's really good to sort of have a uh another person to bounce ideas off of. Um, so yeah, and yeah, I do. I I I have people that book um consultations or discovery calls, and then it ends up not turning into anything. But I hope that at some point, you know, they think of me or they think of the right person. I mean, I tell people, I'm like, you should, you should probably uh talk to like two or three different designers, you know. Um, I'm I'm a little bit intense and I'm a little bit I'm a little bit in into feelings and stuff. So if that's not right for you, then you know.

SPEAKER_00 46:40

Yeah. No, if someone's just looking for a a brand kit, like a pre-done, like a template, like they're they're gonna find someone. But if someone is looking for someone to like dig deep into their business and ask all the questions and then turn that process into a collaboration, like they need you because not every designer is willing to honestly invest the emotional energy that you invested in mine to get the results that we got. Like, I I don't I can't think of another person who would have walked through that with me, but the results speak for themselves.

unknown 47:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:17

Well, you are an absolute inspiration. And this is this was, I feel like this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, and we still keep in touch. Um, so uh can you tell people what you have happening in the future or where they can find you if they're interested in your services?

SPEAKER_00 47:39

Yeah, definitely. Um, I say that I like to help people simplify their marketing through strategic brand photography. I think just kind of like having the right kind of type kit and visuals for your business makes marketing, made marketing easier for me. Same thing goes if you've got business images that you're excited to share about your business and how you serve people, um, it just helps you run with the motivation. It helps you get it done, it helps you get more inquiries. Um, so laurapolium.com, P-U-L-L-I-A-M.com. And uh I offer a free discovery call too, because I I'm kind of in the same boat as you, Jess, that I my process is a collaboration. And if someone's just looking to show up at a studio and take a bunch of headshots and then go about their business, like they'd probably find someone better than me because I want to get my I want to get both hands in your business. I want to feel around and see what's there and then craft a photo shoot that is going to help say that to the world. And so that's not everybody's cup of tea, but it's my cup of tea, and that's how I serve the world.

SPEAKER_01 48:41

So I love that. I love more than anything working with business owners that are as passionate as you.

unknown 48:47

Thanks.

SPEAKER_00 48:47

I love pretty great.

SPEAKER_01 48:49

We're a great team. We're a great team. Awesome. Well, I have a feeling that maybe you'll be back. I want to talk a little bit more about photography with you, Laura. Would you be would you be open to that? I think we can do that. I think we can do that. All right, all right, everybody. Well, thank you so much for listening today. Thank you, Laura, for being here. Um, and that's the end of this episode of brand transformations. Bye, everybody. Bye.