Blood, Sweat, and Rebrands
The Grit Behind Launching The Brand Dame
So, I launched my new website. Bring on the confetti, drum rolls, and trumpet voluntaries.
It was hard, really hard. But then, hard is a relative term.
I like hard.
This was awful.
I thought rebranding was going to be a breeze. I’d just pop a new name on the site, tweak a few things, and voilà – The Brand Dame would be reincarnated.
Well, it didn’t quite go that way.
You’d think that since I work with branding and websites every day, I’d have this whole thing down. But let me tell you, even I learned some fundamental lessons in the process – lessons I probably should’ve known but apparently needed to learn the hard way. I mean, who needs sleep, right?
Turns out, launching a rebrand and reimagined website is less like a neatly planned project and more like herding a pack of wild cats through a maze. And even though I preach about showing up authentically, keeping your promises, and delivering value, I had to remind myself to live by that during the chaos.
What I realized (while frantically sending emails at 2 a.m.) is that, at the end of the day, despite what others might tell you, branding isn’t just about the glossy exterior or the clever tagline.
It’s about showing up—again and again—doing the work, going above and beyond without expecting anyone to pat you on the back for it. It’s delivering more than you promised, quietly fixing things that no one else would notice, and doing it all simply because that’s what needs to be done.
And yes, even when it feels like you’re barely holding it together, you keep showing up.
And that brings me to something the late Barbara Jordan once said: "There’s nothing new under the sun."
She wasn’t wrong.
The branding world is full of lofty ideas, mouth-watering promises, and ersatz buzzwords. But when you strip all that away, what really matters are the fundamentals. You’ve got to ground those big, shiny branding ideas with real, concrete steps. Stuff that actually matters.
Stuff you can take to the bank. Or the garden (see below).
It’s not about reinventing the wheel; it’s about showing up consistently and delivering on your word, over and over again, until people know they can trust you—without fanfare or a need for hoopla.
Two Branding Truths You Can’t Ignore
Here’s what I learned through this process. You’re welcome.
Show up consistently with value.
Let me introduce you to Jessica Zander over at You Can Do It Gardening. She popped up on my Instagram feed because, in a bout of wishful thinking, I decided to try and learn something about gardening.
Turns out sticking random plants from Stop & Shop into whatever patch of dirt is available isn’t "gardening." (Who knew?) Jessica shows up every day, sometimes more, with 30-second videos that actually teach me how to divide hydrangeas or stop that pretty little weed from choking my yard to death. She’s consistent, reliable, and most importantly, I leave every video knowing something I didn’t before. She’s become a friendly face I look forward to seeing, even if it’s just virtually. That’s branding.
Do the work without fanfare.
Let me tell you about Karen Zachary, my virtual assistant from Anchor Virtual Assistants. Karen has been by my side for years, helping me run my business like a pro. But when it was time to launch my new website (and change the name of my brand, because apparently, I love stress), she became my lifesaver.
Without any pomp or circumstance, Karen dove headfirst into the dark side of my virtual ecosystem, untying all the digital knots I didn’t even know were there. She added value in ways that weren’t flashy but were absolutely critical. Her success was my success. And that’s trust built in a way no words or promises could match.
The Heart of Branding: Consistency, Value, and Showing Up
So, what’s the real deal with branding? It’s not about perfection or having all the answers all the time. It’s about being there consistently, delivering real value, and doing what you say you’ll do.
Branding is built over time—whether you’re dividing hydrangeas or rescuing a business owner from a website crisis. Like Jessica Zander, who’s there every day with no-nonsense tips to help me wrangle my chaotic yard, or Karen Zachary, who quietly worked behind the scenes to untangle my digital mess. Both deliver consistently, more than expected without over-promising, and without needing a spotlight.
At the end of the day, branding is about showing up as who you are—authentic, reliable, and willing to go the extra mile, whether anyone notices or not. It’s about trust, and trust is built by consistently proving that you’re in it for the long haul, with or without the applause.
Now, go build something that matters.
And check-out my new website while you’re at it.
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