Time to Grow (Your Brand) Up

More often than not, there's a serious discrepancy between who a person is and how they show themselves on the Internet. Still rocking that Facebook profile picture from three years ago? Have a logo that’s from 1999?  If you say yes, you're part of the majority.

Here's why I have a problem: If your brand has been the same for five years, then you're basically telling the world that you haven't evolved as a human being since 2011. See the issue? Whether we like it or not, we're shaped by each minute of being alive. There's always something to learn from every article, every interaction, every person we meet - and your brand should reflect that. 

If I had stuck with the same thing from the beginning, my logo would be a TV with antennas (see above). And let’s just say, this would not be tattooed on my body.

Looking at my first to my most recent logo, you might think there's a huge change. But there isn't. That evolution, which can be seen by looking through the journey of my logos, makes sense. Each logo grows from the preceding one. 

Not only is my logo different, but my entire business is too. If I look back to where I was five years ago, my hourly rate was a tenth of what I charge now. I've since realized that my work is extraordinarily valuable to clients - it increases their overall profitability - and my rate reflects that. Did I know this five years ago? I had a hunch, but overall I was in a completely different place. (Plus, if we're going to be honest, I was creating websites without really knowing what I was doing because I was still learning.) 

As my brand grew, so did my logo. To the dismay of my friends and family, I've been known to change my logo annually - and yes, I did require everyone to weigh in on concepts. This isn't because I'm obsessed with rebranding; it's because I'm obsessed with creating continuity between the in-person experience and the online personality. You should set a similar standard for yourself. Just like we all give ourselves a hard look in the mirror come New Year's Day, I want you to stare your brand in the face every year and ask, Does this look right?

Does your brand represent you today? Comment below (and don't be shy).