Building your Brand

I am really trying to cover all different aspects of branding and marketing with this podcast so today I'm diving into something I haven't covered much: how to attract your dream clients through your brand messaging. I chatted with Kierian Cameron, a graphic designer, brand consultant, and the founder of the UK's first premium print-only business newspaper for brand-obsessed founders and entrepreneurs, Brand Cult. Kierian shares her incredible 'squiggly' career journey—from psychiatric nurse to winning the lottery and starting an education company, which eventually led her to graphic design and launching her newspaper. We delve into brand messaging—what it is, how to be strategic and intentional with it, and what tweaks you can make to attract higher-paying clients. If you've been stuck trying to attract the right clients, this is the episode for you.   Key Takeaways Brand Messaging is Your "Cult Doctrine": It's not just about what you say, but what you stand for, including your brand's vision, mission, and the cause you're behind. Be Intentional and Strategic: Instead of throwing spaghetti at a wall to see what sticks, make a conscious decision about what you will and will not talk about before you speak. This prevents you from diluting your brand. Attract the Right People: When you show up authentically, unapologetically, and say things with intention, you will attract the people that resonate with your message, which gets you results quicker. Develop Branded Soundbites: Create five to eight short, core soundbites or clips of your messaging that you can use over and over again—in your social media, elevator pitch, and all brand touchpoints—to reinforce your message. Convey Confidence to Attract Higher-Paying Clients: Higher-paying clients are looking for confidence and expertise.   Episode Highlights 01:40 - Kierian describes her 'squiggly career' and how she went from psychiatric nursing in NYC to starting a business in Hong Kong. 09:59 - Kierian explains what brand messaging is and the importance of having a 'villain' in your brand's story. 13:34 - The critical connection between strategy, intentionality, and not diluting your brand. 25:47 - Kierian recommends a book for those who want to attract more affluent clients. 28:33 - Discussing Liquid Death and American Eagle as examples of brands with spot-on or intentionally controversial messaging.   About the Guest Kierian Cameron is a graphic designer, brand consultant, and the founder of Cult, the UK's first premium print-only business newspaper. Website: brandcult.uk use discount code: CULTMYSTERY Instagram: @‌brand.cultuk    Mentioned in the Episode Book: The No BS Marketing to the Affluent by Dan S Kennedy Concept: Ikigai (The Japanese philosophy of finding one's purpose)   I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode! This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft lucylucraft.co.uk If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

The topic of AI can be confusing and contenious for small businesses. I wanted to have a chat through the ways in which we need to be aware of how using Generative AI can affect our small business and brand. I look at ways it can harm our brand and ways we can use it that keep us true to our brand. I'd love to know if you've thought about making a statement around your AI usage in your business? If you have already or have a totally different position to me on it I'd love to hear your thoughts. Come find me on instagram where I am @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast to let me know and I hope you enjoy the episode!   Key Takeaways To build a successful business you need to build trust with your audience. Building trust with your customers is similar to building trust in relationships - you need to do the things you say you're going to do. If you use AI to produce an expected outcome for your customer there will always be discrepencies between that and the real outcomes when it comes to what you need to deliver for your clients If you rely on Generative AI for visuals or copy for your brand then your clients aren't going to be able to disguinish between what is truly you and what is AI If you don't do your due-diligence fact-check ChatGPT you could be spreading mis-information   Episode Highlights 0:58 I talk about the foundation for my thoughts on AI for small businesses and branding and why trust should be at the forefront of your brand 03:58 I talk through how AI is potentially damaging brands more than we realise 07:00 Examples of how to use AI effectively in your business that doesn't damage your brand 11:28 Final thoughts   Mentioned in the episode Hannah Isted  Adobe (Aff link)

If you've been following me for a while, you'll know that YouTube is something I've been trying to do more regularly and that's why I was so excited to chat with the brilliant Jade Beason for this week's episode. In our conversation, Jade shares so many practical tips on how to grow your YouTube channel, and she also speaks with such honesty about her own experience—how she got started with no editing skills, what she learned along the way, and the mindset shifts that led to her success. I honestly had a million more questions I wanted to ask her! Whether you're just thinking about starting a channel or looking to get more consistent, this episode is packed with valuable insights.   Key Takeaways Start with Value, Not Gear: In the beginning, your only focus should be on consistently delivering valuable content to your audience. Set a "Commitment Goal": To overcome the initial period of low views and slow growth, set a "commitment goal". Evolve Before Your Audience Gets Bored: A content or thumbnail style that works brilliantly now will likely cause audience fatigue in about six months. Create for Your Audience, Not Yourself: To build a brand or community, you have to switch from creating content for yourself to creating content for your audience.   Episode Highlights [07:00] Jade shares the catalyst for starting her channel: watching her husband go from idea to a published video in just 48 hours made her realise it wasn't as hard as she was telling herself. [15:00] Jade walks through her specific, manual process for researching and identifying trending video topics that have a high potential to be pushed beyond a creator's existing audience. [23:00] Why thumbnails are "incredibly important" and act like an advert for your video . A low click-through rate tells the algorithm that people aren't interested, and it will stop recommending your content. [39:00] Jade's quick-fire advice for anyone starting out, including how often to post , how long videos should be (and the 8-minute monetisation rule!) , and what basic kit you actually need.   About the Guest Jade Beason is a content marketing expert who helps creators build sustainable businesses. She started her YouTube channel in November 2020 and grew it into a full-time career within six months. She is the founder of the creator community The Creator Project and the new agency Social People. YouTube: Jade Beason Instagram: @jadebeason Website: jadebeason.com The Creator Project: creatorproject.com Social People Agency: socialpeopleagency.com   Mentioned in the episode Editing Software: DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere Pro Project Management: Asana Video Collaboration: Frame.io Equipment: Elgato, DJI, Neewer People: Liz Wilcox, Andy Lambert   I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode! This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft lucylucraft.co.uk If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

2025 seems to have been a tough year for small business owners so today on the podcast I am giving us all a little pep-talk and a reminder about why it is absolutely brilliant to keep showing up as best we can in and for our businesses.  I'd love to know how things are going for you and if any of this has been helpful and encouraging. Come find me on instagram where I am @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast to let me know and I hope you enjoy the episode!   Key Takeways As small business owners and creatives it's often when we are under pressure and things feel difficult that creativity grows. Pressure often pushes innovation If you're a small business owner, you're a problem solver, you are a creative, you will find a solution that will help you and help other people As a small business owner, some of the small business magic is that you can be agile and pivot in a way that large companies can't. You have something unqiue to sell or offer as a small business owner because it's YOU who are doing it and there is no-one else like you Where AI is offering us 'perfect' and 'slickness', showing your audience the messy reality of your humanity within your business will cultivate deeper connections, authenticity and trust in your business. Be intentional in the ways that you want to impact the world because you have influence and that impact will grow and spread   Episode Highlights 1:30: I talk about how amazing things can happen under when we're pressure as small business owners 3:21: I talk about the magic sauce behind being a small business owner 5:25: I talk about the beauty of being uniquley you withint your industry and ways to lean into that 7:40: I talk about embracing our humanity as a positive within our small businesses 10:25: Final thoughts on the imapct we have on the world

One of the things I love most about building a brand is the opportunity to explore creative projects beyond my core offering. Whether it's a podcast, a book, or a YouTube channel, these projects allow us to share our work in new and exciting ways.  That's why I'm so excited to share my conversation with Izzy Poirier and Caroline Sarrette, the brilliant minds behind the Ottawa and New York Design Clubs. In this episode, we go behind the scenes on their latest collaborative project: a beautifully designed zine. We discuss the entire process, from the initial idea during the pandemic to navigating difficult printers and securing sponsorship. Izzy and Caroline share candidly about the struggles of managing a huge project with lots of collaborators, but also the incredible benefits and sense of community it has brought them. If you've ever thought about launching a creative project to showcase your work, you're going to love this episode.  Key Takeaways Passion Projects Fuel Your Brand: Running the design club and creating a zine has been a huge undertaking, but it has directly influenced Izzy's business, helping her define her niche in community building and bringing her new client work. Embrace the "Silent Work": A finished zine or a successful event looks effortless, but it's built on a mountain of unseen work, from endless email outreach to speaker rehearsals and logistical planning. It's the underlying passion for the project that keeps you motivated through the long hours.  Challenges Build Resilience: Every hurdle, from finding the right speakers to navigating a tense negotiation with a printer that changed a quote by 50%, is a lesson. Overcoming this friction is what improves your processes and makes you stronger. Print Creates Tangible Community: The zine began during the pandemic as a way to archive creativity happening during lockdown. It has since become a tangible way to showcase artists, create conversations, and even help contributors land jobs. Episode Highlights 05:47: Izzy explains how starting the Ottawa Design Club at the exact same time as her freelance business was a strategic move to build a network and find her niche. 10:04: Discover how the zine began during the pandemic to create a repertoire of the amazing creativity happening in isolation, and how the first edition sold out in just three days. 17:10: Caroline discusses the specific challenges of building a community in a city like New York, including cutting through the noise to find speakers and sourcing affordable venues. 27:53: Izzy shares the incredibly intense story of a sponsorship deal with a printer going wrong, how she navigated a tense negotiation, and the importance of standing your ground for your community. 34:59: Learn about the theme of the latest zine, "Pivotal Moments", which explores the career-defining shifts that creatives experience and aims to inspire readers to embrace change. About the Guests Izzy Poirier is a brand designer and strategist and the founder of the Ottawa Design Club. Caroline Sarrette is a graphic designer and art director who runs the New York chapter of the Design Club. Izzy Poirier: Website Instagram Caroline Sarrette: Website  Instagram Mentioned in the episode Pivotal Moments Zine Adobe Live I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode! This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft lucylucraft.co.uk If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!  

Context collapse online is a huge reason why people can end up misunderstanding or misinterpreting content that you create; small business owner or not! It's also just so easy and lazy to make a comment without first looking for deeper context ourselves. On todays's solo episode I am talking about some negative comments that showed up on a video that I made for a brand and how I felt about them and have used them to move forward in my own personal development. I'd love to know what you think about the comment culture online. Come find me on instagram where I am @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast to let me know and I hope you enjoy the episode!   Key Takeways When we are building visable brands we do expose ourselves to other people's opinions There's often a context collapse when you post snippets of your life online We don't need to justify the way we spend our time just to fit other people's expectations of what holds value or productivity When someone makes a comment bringing you down, it often has more to do with how they are feeling about their own lives than what you're actually doing.   Episode Highlights 1:12 The story of how I got trolled 5:09 The trolling comments 7:04 Talking through my initial response 8:15 The signs of when something is bothering me when I thought it wasn't 10:32 Challenging myself to not over-explain or justify my decisions 11:58 How being trolled has helped me   Mentioned in the episode Jo Hooper - Get Wildly Free Instagram My Adobe ad - The Day In The Life

On this week's episode, I chat with Paul Ince, also known as Biz Paul, about his experience running "Marketed Live," an event he started to help build his brand and business and one I attended as a keynote speaker! We dive into the behind-the-scenes insights of organizing an event, discussing everything from finding a venue and selling tickets to the importance of customer service and food. Paul shares how running an event has significantly boosted his personal brand and offers invaluable advice for anyone considering hosting their own event.   Key Takeaways: Running an event can significantly benefit your personal brand and overall business reputation, even if it's not a huge money-maker on its own. Prioritize the attendee experience by investing in quality food, excellent customer service, and thoughtful details that surprise and delight. Carefully consider your audience and what they would find most valuable. You don't always need big-name speakers if you provide genuine value. Explore alternative sponsorship opportunities, such as tapping into a company's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) budget to fund initiatives like social ticket funds. It's okay to let go of an event or project if it no longer serves your business goals or personal capacity. Sometimes, saying "no" to one thing allows you to focus energy on more profitable or fulfilling ventures   Episode Highlights: 03:15: Paul shares the origin story of "Biz Paul" and how his content marketing consultancy, Like Mind Media, came about. 05:07: Discover why Paul and his friend Tim decided to create Marketed Live and their vision for the event. 09:20: Paul explains how Marketed Live became a valuable asset for Like Mind Media's clients and boosted his personal brand. 17:35: We discuss the unexpected challenges of running an event, including the difficulties of selling tickets and venue issues. 28:06: Paul reveals a clever strategy for securing sponsorship by aligning with corporate social responsibility (CSR) budgets. 37:05: Paul talks about the decision to pause Marketed Live and the importance of knowing when to pivot your business focus.   About the Guest: Paul Ince, also known as Biz Paul, is a marketing strategist and the founder of Like Mind Media. Website: bizpaul.com Social Media: @‌BizPaul (on all platforms) Like Mind Media: likemind.media   I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast I hope you enjoy this episode This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft (http://lucylucraft.co.uk) If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

I recently did a Q+A box over on my instagram and today's episode is me answering the questions that came up. It's so great to be able to answer specific questions from listeners and I hope you enjoy discovering the answers to the questions asked too! If you have any other questions for me, or if the answers sparked more questions come find me on instagram where I am @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I'll keep a list for the next Q+A episode.  Episode Highlights 0:32 Exciting news for the next season of the podcast 3:27 What would have to happen for me to stop podcasting? 5:14 What is your least favourite podcasting task to do? 6:36 You have a client deadline and a podcast deadline clash, which one wins? 10:12 What hasn't worked that you've tried before? 13:30 What's the kindest thing someone has said about the podcast? 14:24 Why haven't we had a live podcast recording/show yet? 15:48 Do you sell products with your hand-lettering on?   Mentioned in the episode My YouTube Channel (please subscribe if you enjoy YouTube content!) Waitlist for the Live Podcast Event If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

It can be hard to know what to invest in and when in your small business. Today I am sharing the recent investments I have made, why I made them and how they have helped me level up in my business. Have you made some recent upgrades or investments in your business? I'd love to know what has really supported you and given you a good ROI? Come find me on instagram where I am @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast to let me know and I hope you enjoy the episode!   Key Takeways Needing hi-tech equipment shouldn't be a barrier to entry for things in your business: start with what you have and build as you go Upgrading your equipment or spending money on support for your business can remove the friction for you   Episode Highlights 0:32 Why it helps to invest in your business 0:56 Leveling up my video tech and why 2:58 The things I have invested in - camera 4:03 The things I have invested in - microphone 5:09 The things I have invested in - teleprompter 7:09 The things I have invested in - coaching 8:53 The things I have invested in - portable camera   Mentioned in the episode Sony ZVe10 camera  Rode podmic USB  Elgato teleprompter Zencastr Paul Ince Business Coaching Osmo Pocket 3

Want to know one of the most clarifying and helpful things you can do for your small business? Define your mission statement. I've come across many small businesses who are doing great things but don't seem to have a clear direction they are going in simply because they missed a step when starting out, which is to determine their mission statement.  On today's solo episode I chat through what a mission statement actually is, we look at big companies' mission statements and look at what's needed to define your own mission statement. I think you're going to find this episode helpful even if you already have a mission statement - it's always a good time to check in and make sure all areas of your business are going in the direction you actually want them to! Let me know if this episode resonated with you. I'd love to know your mission statement too. Come find me on instagram where I am @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode!   Key Takeways A mission statement is an achor and a guiding light in your business When you're clear about your motivation and values it translates well accross in your business and can help you make the right decisions for your business Money as the sole motivator for your business wont help you be clear on the bigger purpose of your business and it will be easy to get lost along the way.   Episode Highlights 0:29 The difference between a mission statement and a vision statement 3:30 Big brands' mission statements 5:56 How to breakdown what a mission statement is so that you can create one 7:56 Making money as your mission statement, is that good or bad? 9:02 My advice for what to think about when writing your mission statement