Introducing Caroline Joy Photography!

January 18 • 1 Comment »

Client

Caroline Joy

We met Caroline at Making Things Happen Maui. This video, shot just over a year ago, tells the story of her beginning. “I want to break through…” Through a transformative year, pushing her art to the limits, Caroline is a new woman. Recently married to the love of her life, her new brand shows the world just how deep and wide her love and care runs for everyone she meets and how much value she places on marriage and vibrant relationships. Ms. Joy most definitely broke through!

Words cannot express how it feels to hand someone a business card and be PROUD of that thoughtfully crafted business card and the well-edited website it will direct that person to. My new brand makes me proud all the way down to my toes, and that feeling has transformed me and my business.

I’ve embraced leadership. I’m not just trying to keep up with “the competition” anymore. I’ve learned how to leave that behind to pursue a vision that I wholeheartedly believe in. My business has a clear mission statement now, and since I’m so passionate about carrying that out, I’m blazing new trails in the industry and growing into a leader. A mover. A shaker. ☺

First, I’d say you should be a little afraid! ☺ I understand how daunting it is to put your company’s identity in someone else’s hands. I’d been branded twice before with two different companies and my experiences left me disappointed. But, the great news is, you don’t have to be afraid when you let Lara and Emily take the journey with you. Lara and Emily invested so much time and energy in getting to know my business and helping me define the heart of it. The resulting brand is not only visually gorgeous, but most importantly, it’s a genuine reflection of what I stand for. They equipped me with a plan of action to implement my brand in a meaningful way. They gave me a true brand, not just a trendy logo. They took the heart and soul of my business and translated it into something my clients can connect with.

I was continually astounded at how consistent Emily and Lara were in their timeliness and punctuality. Never was a deadline missed. Never did a question of mine go unanswered for days. Every promise was kept. I know Emily and Lara have many clients to serve, but they genuinely made me feel like I was their only client. You can’t help but respect a company that practices what they preach, and Emily and Lara did to a T. They were a living example of “how to treat your clients.” That inspiration alone was priceless.

CAROLINE’S NEW SITE

CAROLINE’S NEW BLOG

MORE FROM CAROLINE ON HER REBRAND

Posted in Brand Transformations | 1 Comment »
The New 2012 MBH Experience: 3 new branding options! + a GIVEAWAY!

January 11 • 51 Comments »

Client

YOU!

We are so EXCITED to announce the all new 2012 Making Brands Happen experience: three branding options designed to create your powerful, strong, authentic brand from the inside out. Each Tier offers a different experience and can be built upon with our brand new menu of A La Carte Additional Services. We are so unbelievably thrilled to offer these new options to our 2012 clients!

Tier Three, our signature service, offers a totally comprehensive experience. Your new, powerful brand built from the ground up. Tier Three allows our clients to really get to the heart of their brand. By determining the authentic story at the very root of the business, our Tier Three clients are able to build each little detail (from pricing to copy to marketing to visual elements to collateral and client experience and everything in between) on top of a solid foundation for a brand that is limitless, real and powerful beyond measure.(Above: a snippet from the custom, twelve page Lookbook/Pricing Guide we designed for Gem Photo).

Tier Two offers an experience that allows our clients to build their new, powerful brand at its foundation with a beautiful, authentic exterior (visual brand and collateral) as well as a strong, clearly refined interior. Tier Two is a wonderful option for clients interested in building a truly game changing experience with this strong foundation as well as additional services from our A La Carte Menu of Additional Services. (Above: New brand designed for Engaging Concepts)

Tier One is our base level of service and is a wonderful way to kick start a new brand with just what it needs to really hit the ground running. (Above: Gorgeous collateral designed for Jennifer Chase Photography including hand torn, cotton, foil stamped Arturo stationery from Italy, custom DVDs and jackets, foil gilded business cards and gift labels. Collateral image by K+K Photography).

If you’re ready to make 2012 YOUR YEAR and would like to know more about our new 2012 Making Brands Happen experiences, including specific deliverables, process and pricing for each tier, send us a note. ITs time to GET BRANDED. Our calendar is nearing full for 2012, so reserve your start date early! We’re so thrilled and excited for all of our upcoming client projects and can’t WAIT for whats in store for each!

Emily + Lara

And to kick start a FABULOUS new year, we’re giving away a $500 credit towards a Making Brands Happen experience OR a $200 American Express gift card! How can you win? Well, there are three ways! Each is a separate entry.

1) Share our new branding options with your friends via Facebook! Be sure and link to Making Brands Happen so we can see your post! Comment here to let us know you’ve posted.

2) Share this post on Twitter! Be sure and link to this blog post and mention @PowerfulBrand! Comment here so we can see your tweet.

3) Share your experience, excitement or big goals involving Making Brands Happen and our new options on your own blog! Feel free to borrow our top graphic! Post the link here.

Big high fives to everyone making ENORMOUS things happen in 2012! We can’t wait to dive in soon! Winners will be announced NEXT FRIDAY January 20!

Posted in Branding Advice, News | 51 Comments »
Introducing Brit Stewart Weddings!

January 11 • 5 Comments »

Client

Brit Stewart Weddings

Brit Stewart came to us via Making Things Happen. With a strong background in business, Brit wanted a gorgeous visual brand that reflected her sophisticated, solid, energetic business savvy. After a company name change and an exciting process, we are thrilled reveal the new Brit Stewart Weddings!

Ahh. What’s not to love? The thing I absolutely love the most is how absolutely “me” my new brand is. It matches my personality, my style, my business and my wedding style. Classic. Modern. Beautiful. Colorful.

I think what has changed for me personally is really just a clearer direction and better focus. I know exactly the type of client I want to work with. The style of wedding I want to work on. And, how I want to run my business. The entire Making Brands Happen experience has really reinvigorated a lot of the things I knew about myself, but never really paid attention to.

Be true to yourself. In every possible way. Trying to be something or someone else will get you nowhere. You have to own who you are, and know that YOU are ultimately what is going to attract clients. At the end of the day, you want everything about your brand, the entire experience, to be a fit with who you are.

I honestly never really had many fears about the process. I more or less just had questions, and a strong desire for getting to the bottom of who I am.

My experiences with Lara and Emily have been amazing and rewarding. It sounds odd coming from the client-end of things, but between the both of them I have been fortunate to learn so much about myself, but also about where I want to take my business and my life. The fact that these two were able to nail my style dead-on is beyond me. Their excitement over establishing my new brand was so infectious. Honestly, when my collateral arrived in the mail, myself and friends were ecstatic and over the moon at the result. Everything was so beautiful. So “me.” So perfect. Plus, they were able to really listen to my business goals. Knowing that being eco-friendly was important to me, they designed and created collateral that really fit those ideals, and did not push anything beyond that. I couldn’t be more grateful for their understanding. I loved every second about MBH. The design part. The exploratory part. The consulting part. Every piece and the process really got e excited and helped me to identify every aspect of my business from a client experience perspective, which I appreciate completely. I could not be more thankful for having met Emily and Lara, let alone getting the chance to work with them. There are not enough words, hugs and thank yous that can truly express how I feel and how grateful I am for having them in my life.

Every single day is exciting for me because I get to continually introduce my new brand to so many people. Besides me absolutely loving my new brand, I have received so many overwhelmingly positive comments and feedback. Everyone loves the new logo. Everyone loves the color palette. And, my closest friends have continued to comment on how “me” the new brand is. The fact that Emily and Lara captured that just leaves me at a loss of words. How did you feel before your new brand transformation? How do you feel now? While I did like my brand before, it definitely was not me. The brand was the brainchild of my former business partner. What that fit her personality much more than mine. So, when given the opportunity to start over, I knew I wanted something that captured the essence of me. Now, I am literally so excited to show of all of my collateral and the new logo. It has me itching to launch my new website!

So much. Honestly. With me just having moved to a new market, it really gives me the opportunity to fine-tune my opportunities and better identify my ideal clients. I am looking forward to launching my new website / blog, establishing my business in Colorado and all over, building a team, and further growing as an individual. What I do is my passion, and I love that I have been given this opportunity to really make it mine in every possible way.

Truly an amazing experience!

BRIT’S NEW SITE

Posted in Brand Transformations | 5 Comments »
Introducing Tanya Necole Events!

January 10 • 1 Comment »

Client

Tanya Necole

Tanya Necole Walker wanted to make a splash in the coastal Southern wedding market. After an in-depth study of her ideal client and market base, a beautiful new brand was created to help her take things to the next level. What a remarkable transformation!

I am so happy with the end result. I had an idea of what I wanted but I wasn’t sure if I was conveying that to Emily and Lara when we talked. After discussing my brand identity, they nailed it! My new brand is everything that I asked for and so much more. I can’t wait to show everyone!

I now have a very clear direction of where the Tanya Necole brand is going and what it will encompass.

Take the leap….just do it. I was scared of change, because I really wasn’t sure if it was what I needed. Also, have patience. Branding takes time, and it is not a process you should rush through.

Honestly, my biggest fear about the process was whether I would be spending precious dollars on something that I either didn’t like or something that was a cookie-cutter version of most other planners. I’m relieved to see that the money was well worth the result, and my brand is UNIQUE.

This experience has meant a lot to me because the consulting sessions with Lara really helped me to sit down and focus on who I was targeting and what exactly I was offering. I know it sounds silly, but I hadn’t really done that before. Emily is so sweet! From the moment we first spoke I was instantly at ease. She really listened to what I did and didn’t like aesthetically, and took the time to make sure the brand reflected not only my business image, but my own personality as well. She totally rocked it on the first try. Ah-ma-zing.

Before my new brand transformation I was really unsure of a lot of things. After planning events as “Exceptional Events”, I wasn’t sure if I was ready for a name change and what that name would be. I wasn’t sure what logo/color scheme would reflect the image that I wanted to project, and I wasn’t sure of the direction of my company or target market. I feel so much more confident now knowing that I have a new image and a solid identity. I feel like everything is moving in the right direction with a solid foundation.

Wow, what doesn’t the future hold? I have big dreams for my new business, and I plan to take them on one day at a time.

I just want to say that I’m so glad that I did this. I had so many insecurities, doubts, and moments of indecisiveness that I didn’t know how this would turn out. I’m so happy that we stayed the course. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

COMING SOON - TANYA’S SITE IS STILL IN THE OVEN!

Posted in Brand Transformations | 1 Comment »
Introducing Cyn Kain Photography!

January 4 • 1 Comment »

Client

Cyn Kain

We met Cyn at the Making Things Happen Intensive in Houston in 2010, where she expressed a deep desire to break out of her shell. Her transformation has been incredible! Inside and out – in her brand and in life – Cyn emerged as a true leader this year. Her happy spirit and beautiful imagery shine brightly in this new framework and business structure. The new Cyn Kain is driven, confident and so ready for continued greatness ahead!

I am so thrilled that this brand is me…ALL ME…it fits my personal style, it represents my personality and it is exactly what I envisioned for my new brand. I am most excited about my future with this brand. As many of you have heard over and over from Lara – YOUR LOGO IS NOT YOUR BRAND. While I am head over heels in love with my logo (especially my little owl) – I am so thrilled to have a cohesive brand that might start with my logo + website, but I carry every inch of detail through to the final package being delivered to my client.

Through the process I will say I absolutely developed a more distinct voice + clarity. I can be indecisive at times and I finally realized that this is MY brand, MY business and MY passion – and that needed to show. I also gained clarity in how I wanted my business to run, how I wanted my clients to feel…but most important – I pinned down who my ideal client was.

If you’re scared about “branding” you really need to sit down and do some serious honest talk with yourself and/or a loved one. Decide if you’re happy with where you are and what your brand represents. Chances are if you’re considering rebranding you need to do it. I will be honest, I was nervous and there are times where you might hit a wall, I know I did…but you will break through it and it will be totally worth it. You are not going to run the business you dream of or have the opportunity to work with your ideal client if you don’t whole-heartly believe in your brand and what it has to offer…and if you don’t feel that way how can your client?

My fear was that it was too soon – that It was wishful thinking – that I was too new to the industry to spend money on branding – that who was I to think I can work with my ideal client when there are so many awesomely talented people out there. As I saw my brand transform one step at a time, those fears faded. For me, yes there were days of second guessing, but that is where your support system will help you through it.

Lara and Emily truly went above and beyond for me. One of the most important aspects of working with Lara and Emily for me was they encouraged me speak up about what exactly I wanted. Yes, they gave their opinion every step of the way, but ultimately they were there to guide me and and lend me their expertise on the market I wanted to succeed in – they never overshadowed me or pressured me into something. They truly wanted my brand to be authentic and I love that about them.

I was seriously over the moon with excitement for a week after I officially launched. I of course shouted my news from the rooftops and was overwhelmed with responses from family, friends, colleagues and clients. The best feedback that I received was that it was “Totally Cyn – simple and classic”. This came from a previous client and it made me smile so big. I feel excited, energized, and proud.


One big thing I took away from Making Things Happen is celebrating the little and big…this was absolutely one of those moments for me. Goals, lots and lots of goals. With this new brand came so much energy and motivation to make even more happen.

I want to learn more, do more, meet more people….There is just lots more for me to do and experience than to sit still and not live life to the fullest.

Making Brands Happen was a great fit for me and Lara + Emily were the perfect catalyst I needed to step it up a notch. If you’re on the brink – do some serious soul searching, be honest with where you are, what you want and what it will take to get there. Lara + Emily can work wonders (seriously, I think they’re some super gorgeous magicians) IF you are willing to be 100% authentic and honest with yourself and with them. They will push you…they will hold you accountable…and they help you transform and build the brand of your dreams. Lara + Emily helped me make it happen.

CYN’S NEW SITE

CYN’S NEW BLOG

MORE FROM CYN ON HER REBRAND

Posted in Brand Transformations | 1 Comment »
Introducing Luxe Finds!

December 21 • 1 Comment »

Client

LuxeFinds

Phyllis Cheung is a wedding industry dynamo. Featured in Inc., Fast Company, the NY Times and countless leading publications for her innovative wedding tech, Phyllis was stuck in a company name and dull visual brand that had people only focused on her tech savvy. Phyllis’ ideas were much bigger than just tech. After a complete overhaul of her visuals and renaming the company from My Wedding Concierge to LuxeFinds, the company is now ready for big time action. The brand message is clear, the visuals are stunningly attractive and the company growth keeps reaching new international heights!

 

My new brand feels so incredibly refreshing! I feel that my new branding will allow me tremendous growth in the luxury lifestyle market.

Personally, I have renewed confidence in how I market to my target audience. After all the branding exercises, I truly understand who I am and how to direct my energies in effectively capturing the attention of my intended audience. I understand how important it is to be both transparent and authentic in portraying my brand.

Transformation can be a scary process. I was so attached to my old brand, yet I knew that I needed a new one. Just like having a baby, it will never be the perfect time. It is a lot of work and sometimes it will feel like it’s a never ending process. But – after your branding is done, you’ll wonder how you ever were able to operate without it. Lara and Emily are simply amazing at what they do. They truly understand who you are and will work closely with you to define your brand.

Before I started my rebrand, I didn’t have any fears. I’d been wanting to do it for a while, so when it came time to rebrand, I was giddy like a child in a candy store! I knew that I was working with two of the most wonderful women in the industry so I knew I had nothing to worry about!

Lara and Emily truly understand branding and the power behind GREAT branding. They understand the luxury market and gently steered me in the right direction. They are incredibly kind, giving, and some of the brightest minds I have ever worked with. I would recommend them to anyone that needed to rebrand their business!

The most exciting moment in revealing my new brand came when my very hard to impress husband saw it and said, “Wow. This is amazing! This is it!”

I love love LOVE my brand transformation! I’ve grown and learned so much over the last 3 years and I now understand how I can portray who I am through my brand. It is authentic. It is me.

The future – we will continue adding new categories to our luxury search engine – we are building a shopping search engine that will revolutionize how women shop. The most exciting days are still ahead!

LUXE FINDS’ NEW SITE

LUXE FINDS’ NEW BLOG

Posted in Brand Transformations | 1 Comment »
Introducing Michelle Edgemont!

December 14 • 3 Comments »

Client

Michelle Edgemont

Michelle Edgemont’s transformation is one of our very favorites for so many reasons. From the moment we dove into her new company creation and branding, Michelle truly took to our process and worked hard from the inside out. What emerged was a brand new business that lets her incredible creativity come to life and a whole new outlook on life that gets everyone she meets fired up! The new Michelle Edgemont brand (formerly Hey Babe Studio) is packed with long-term strategy, powerful visuals and a whole lot of glitter!

Coming from a place of selling a few crafty items on Etsy for side money, I decided that I need to start a whole wedding design company. So for me, my brand was not a revision of something dated, it was completely NEW. Together, we were building the ground work for a new company, which the most exciting part of all! Similar to gestating a newborn, with each month and each email from Lara and Emily, by brand grew to be better, smarter, stronger, and more defined than the day before. It represents my personality and the vision of my company 110%. It’s me, put into graphics and colors and paper goods, and that is super exciting.

What’s changed is that I’ve launched a full blown, serious, no joking around wedding design business. While before I might have described myself as a hobbyist, I’m now a business woman. I’m completely confident in the visual aspects of my brand and want the whole world to see it. I’m not ashamed to submit myself to magazines and blogs or to post on my personal Facebook page in fear that I won’t be taken seriously due to confusing branding. This process requires a lot of decisions. Let me say that again, A LOT OF DECISIONS. I’m much better and faster at making those decisions now. Lara always says that a full inbox is just a bunch of decisions waiting to be made. I’m much confident in the choices that I make, because I’m no longer letting my fear stop me from making them.

I know it’s scary. I know that you might have to convince your husband through tears streaming down your face to let you borrow thousands of dollars from your savings account for what he sees as just a logo, a few pretty colors, and some business cards. But you know, in your heart and your gut, that it is SO MUCH more than that. That when it’s finished, and that final tweet goes out into the world with your new website link, that that day is going to be the start of the rest of your life. You’ll be proud of yourself for going through the process. You’re brand will scream you. When clients open your website for the first time, it will be as though your hand reaches through the computer screen and pulls them into your awesome little world. They won’t want to leave. You’ll stand out in this over-saturated wedding industry world. And you’ll do it all with the unwavering support of Lara and Emily.

My biggest fear was that the thousands of dollars I just spent was going to be for nothing. That in the end, it wasn’t going to be worth it. IT WAS COMPLETELY WORTH IT. Being a designer myself, I’m kind of a control freak, but I learned to trust Emily. And what she designed is amazingly beautiful and a million times perfect.

Not to be too dramatic, but it literally is the start of the rest of my life. They have talked me off the ledge more times than I can count. Whether I was freaking out about business details or a few craft supplies, they have always kept a level head and gave me suggestions to fix the problem. They go out of their way to not only brand and design, but also to teach. Lara was patient with me with my thousand pricing and business structure questions. Emily implemented all of my little design changes to my look book – there must be 20 versions of that thing! They are a complete JOY to work with. So awesome in fact, that my experience with them has completely jaded my view of each company I work with. To date, no one has had their level of professionalism, excitement, and speed. They have raised the bar. Working with Lara and Emily (and Marissa) has shown me a great example of what a successful company should look like and how a successful company should act. I only hope to be as awesome as they are one day.

Before: confused, scared, unsure, kind of lame, unprofessional, childish.
Now: confident, full of clarity, excited, awesome, ready to take over the world.

We know you have what it takes to make all of your dreams happen! A successful job that I love and the opportunity to create happiness through decorations and flowers everyday. My to-do dream list is three pages long. No joke. My branding and my website are a strong platform to stand on to accomplish my goals. Awesome is going to happen, ladies. WOO HOO!!

MICHELLE’S NEW SITE

MICHELLE’S NEW BLOG

MORE FROM MICHELLE ON HER REBRAND

Posted in Brand Transformations | 3 Comments »
Introducing Jennifer Chase Photography!

December 8 • 1 Comment »

Client

Jennifer Chase

We met Jennifer at Making Things Happen in Las Vegas in 2011. Jennifer is a phenomenal high-end photographer and a compassionate giving woman. She wanted not just a new visual brand, but the business structure and personal confidence to really take it to the next level. Seeing her transform with these new tools has been incredible! The new Jennifer Chase is bold, brilliant and ready for adventure all over the globe!

I just love how elegant, polished and exquisite it is. Everything from the blog to the website to the business cards fits together perfectly. I just received my gorgeous little box of collateral in the mail and I can’t stop looking at all my paper goods. My letterpress gold logo, the hand torn edges, just gorgeous.

While I’m swooning a bit at the business cards the rebranding process really is so much more than just your website and business cards. Working through this process has really helped me to look at the bigger picture and figure out the direction I want my business to grow in. Also, when you’re thinking about branding it’s not just about a logo, it’s about your business, your work, your marketing, your client experience. I think this process is great for thinking about all of the pieces that fit into that.

It can be a big financial decision and I think you should have work at a high enough level that you’re proud to show off, but you don’t have to wait until everything is “perfect” before you do. Working with Lara and Emily can really help define and refine how and in what direction you want to grow.

I was afraid that I would spend a good deal of money and not have something in the end that was really ME. That definitely didn’t happen. We revised and tweaked until we came up with something that fit just right.

Lara and Emily are both just really special people. It’s obvious that they really care about everyone that they work with. They’re wonderfully creative and fantastic business people. Just working with them I’ve learned a lot about taking care of clients. On a personal level they’re great role models and just really positive wonderful people to know.

I had a chance to photograph food, travel and lifestyle in southern France a couple weeks ago. I’ve photographed travel and lifestyle before but never food. I loved it and I realized that while I still love weddings, I want to start doing more travel, lifestyle and food photography also. Coming back and posting my photos, I realized how flexible my new brand was. It shows off my wedding and portrait work but it also looks great with my other work. I think perhaps Lara and Emily saw the direction I was going in even before I was ready to go there.

JENNIFER’S NEW SITE

JENNIFER’S NEW BLOG

MORE FROM JENNIFER ON HER REBRAND AND HER GORGEOUS COLLATERAL

Posted in Brand Transformations | 1 Comment »
Introducing Caitlin Sullivan Photography!

December 6 • 2 Comments »

Client

Caitlin Sullivan

Caitlin is a remarkable, inspiring and just plain happy woman. We met her during the Making Things Happen intensive in San Francisco in 2010 and fell in love with her zest for life. Caitlin wanted more for her life. She wanted to use her gifts to the fullest. Through renewed confidence in herself and in her new brand, she certainly has the platform to do just that now! There’s no stopping her!

What I find most thrilling about my new brand is that it matches me so perfectly. My heart sings each time I post new work and see how it dances with my new brand. The colors, the graphics and the overall feel of my brand now sing Caitlin in a perfect melody and reflection of how you will find me today– bright, bold, confident and optimistic. I’m proud of who I am and I’m proud that my brand is an extension of my heart.

Re-branding can be a stressful process when you are trying to nail down who you are for the world to see. That being said, the process is an experience I wouldn’t trade for a second. I did a lot of work on my heart throughout the re-branding process. For me, re-branding was never just about the colors, graphics and collateral. Creating a new identity meant that I first had to dig deep and figure out who I am and what I aspire to be each day. The most significant personal growth I’ve seen firsthand as a result of re-branding with MBH is that I 1000% believe in my worth and my talents today. I could never put a price tag on that.

Please throw away the self-limiting fears, small and large, that rob you of your potential. Change and growth can be unsettling but are necessary for taking flight. Choosing to re-brand is scary for more than a few reasons, but take the leap! Trust in the process and watch your net appear. You are in good hands. Not only will you come out of this process a renewed artist and improved business owner, most importantly you will come out a better person.

My biggest fear before starting this process was harnessing my potential. I knew deep down that my potential was huge but I was scared and anxious to see that come to life through the re-branding process. From the minute I got off the phone after my first consultation with Lara, that all changed. I started embracing my potential and truly believing in my worth – not only as an artist, but also for what I brought to my work and my business as an individual.

Honestly, I couldn’t think of two better people to have brought my new brand to life. Lara and Emily saw me in a vulnerable state at Making Things Happen. I’ll never forget sitting next to Emily at Making Things Happen and Emily saying to me, “ You’ve got this. You’ve just got to figure out how to get there.” Before the re-branding process even began, these women knew me on a personal level and I knew they were on my team. Lara and Emily saw potential in me before I saw it in myself. Together, we brought that potential to light and it means the world to share this exciting time with these women.

The most exciting moment in revealing my new brand came seconds after my new blog and site went live. Lara, Emily, Cathy and I had spent that long day tweaking and prepping the sites to launch. The second everything went live, the excitement of what was happening set in. I sat in my chair at my desk in silence and I could hear my heart race as my lips curled and my eyes welled up. The thought of sharing my journey with loved ones, dear friends, peers and strangers all over the world in that moment was such a gift. I hope my story inspires others to dream big like the sky and to always, always believe in the beauty of your dreams.

Before my new brand transformation, success scared me and I was worried that embracing my potential was selfish. Now, I’m confident in myself and in my abilities. I look forward to the opportunities and challenges ahead and I am ready, willing and ecstatic for what is in store.

When I envision my bright future, I see happiness, love and success. I look forward to watching my business and my heart continue to blossom as I navigate each day with a shiny new brand. A brand I couldn’t be more proud of…

Life really is too short. Do that which scares you most and watch yourself soar!

CAITLIN’S NEW SITE

CAITLIN’S NEW BLOG

MORE FROM CAITLIN ON HER REBRAND

Posted in Brand Transformations | 2 Comments »
Introducing Heart Love Weddings!

December 1 • 2 Comments »

Client

Heart Love Weddings

Alexandra Beauregard came to us with a big vision and a company name and brand that just didn’t let her shine (formerly BWed Exclusive). After a total overhaul, including new marketing and strategy, Heart Love Weddings was born! Alexandra went from small-time to truly being on the map in the blogging world. Her new brand is grounded, authentic and bubbling with personality!

 

 

Honestly, I love everything about the Heart Love Weddings brand. It’s ME. The old brand (bWed Exclusive) really wasn’t bold enough, sassy enough, sparkly enough, me enough. It didn’t fit our focus, the direction I wanted to take the blog, or the future of my business. When we crafted Heart Love Weddings – it was like I grew wings. I was finally able to show who I was, what I’m passionate about, what I love in every aspect of my blog, which also happens to be my livelihood. The name itself is pure perfection. It just fits. It fits me (the heart behind the blog), our niche (love stories), and our main focus (weddings). It’s perfect.

When I first started with Emily and Lara, I was rather timid. I had all of these big dreams and ideas, but I was lacking momentum. Lara and Emily pushed me in many ways to be better, to be excellent, to better my ideas and dreams, my business, my thought process. DREAM big and DO bigger. And DO every little thing with love. Because there is no other way to do it.

Rebranding your business is nothing to take lightly. You have to be 100% committed to tearing apart every aspect of your business (down to the bare bones) and building everything back up piece by piece. Whether you are branding for the first time or rebranding (like I did) you have to be committed, you have to be prepared to fall flat on your face, and you have to work hard. You have to be passionate about what you do, because if you’re not, no one else is going to be. No matter how long or bumpy the road may be, you WILL get there. But you have to BELIEVE that. You have to believe in yourself and what you do. And once you do that, the jump isn’t that scary after all. In fact, the jump is the best thing you could have ever done. Anybody can create a new logo for you, but going through the process of branding, making it your own, implementing it, and carrying it through all aspects of your business is what Emily and Lara do. It’s a full, cohesive, well-rounded package.

What didn’t I fear is the real question here. I was afraid that I would put my heart, soul, and savings into this brand and business, and have nothing left. Nothing left to give because I would be so burnt out or nothing left to receive. I was afraid that I was a small fish in a really big sea with lots of other really big fish. I was afraid of getting too big, of success. What if I then couldn’t DO everything that I wanted to. And the biggest of all, what if I just out and out failed. One thing that I realized is that you have to spend money to make money. You have to invest in yourself if you expect others to invest in you. You have to believe in yourself if you want others to believe in you. Another thing I realized is that small is the NEW big. :) There is nothing I can’t do. The only thing holding me back is me. And I’m not about to let that happen.

Lara and Emily gave me the wings I needed to fly. They gave me the encouragement I needed at my lowest points. They were there backing me up every single step of the way. Choosing to work with Making Brands Happen was the best thing I could have ever done. They took my hopes, dreams, and really awful sketches and turned them into my new reality. My dream come true.

One of the most exciting moments for me (personally) was seeing my new logo for the first time. I get a little thrill every time I look at it, even to this day. Launching the new brand and website was SO exciting. Seeing people go to the website, look around, and tell me they couldn’t believe how far we’d come, was as exciting as it was humbling. Everyone wants to know where I had everything done – my collateral, my web design, everything. I love that people love the new brand as much as I do.

Honestly, I felt lost. I didn’t feel the old brand was working. And I really didn’t know how to fix it or what my future held. After launching Heart Love Weddings, I don’t feel so lost. I feel like I’ve found home. Everything works and flows and looks pretty doing it. I’m much more confident in my abilities and my future. My dreams are big and I can’t wait to DO bigger! Life is too short to play small, after all.

The sky is the limit. I will no longer hold myself back from excellence. I’m SO ready for all that is ahead for Heart Love Weddings, and me, too.

ALEXANDRA’S NEW SITE

MORE FROM ALEXANDRA ON HER REBRAND

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