Creating a public facing brand in this era of cancel culture, performative allyship, and crowdsourced outrage can be tough.
It’s hard to know when to speak up vs. stay silent, stay in your lane vs. veer into another one, and engage vs. ignore.
Long gone are the days of business just being business.
Many business owners–especially small business owners who don’t have large PR teams or deep pockets–are struggling with this.
This is why I wanted to talk to a branding expert about building a brand identity from ground zero, especially in a time where public scrutiny and division is at a serious high.
I found the amazing Jess Avolio, an Ontario, Canada-based creative director, entrepreneur and branding expert.Â
Jess has worked with large companies, new entrepreneurs, and lots of companies in-between to build dynamic brand identities.
When you visit Jess’s website, you’re greeted with this welcome bar:
The bar links to a set of impressive anti-racist resources (included in the show notes below).
Once I saw this, I knew Jess was the right person to chat with about business branding in this roller coaster of a time.
Our wide-ranging conversation starts and ends with building client trust by taking a firm stance against oppression and racism.Â
Jess also provides some serious insights into her own entrepreneurship journey and how new entrepreneurs can create a dynamic and engaging brand from scratch.
Show Highlights
- 01:22 Why entrepreneur Jess Avolio tells people up front that her business is anti-oppressive and anti-racist
- 03:35 Why Jess decided to leave her corporate jobs for entrepreneurship
- 07:20 Two methods for setting your rates as a new entrepreneur
- 11:31 Where Jess thinks new entrepreneurs should start with their branding
- 13:42 Why Jess thinks user experience is a critical part of the brand process
- 18:39 Why Jess believes consistency is so important for brands
- 20:55 How creatives and entrepreneurs can be good clients to their branding professionals
- 22:44 Why Jess thinks establishing customer trust also includes an anti-racist stance
- 28:17 Why Jess thinks brands should use their platforms to support anti-oppression and anti-racism
For more, check out the full episode below.
Show Notes:
Where to find Jess Avolio:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.avolio/
Jess Avolio’s website: https://javolio.com/
Is my biz anti-oppressive? https://javolio.com/anti-o/
Questions and Action: How can you build a dynamic brand identity?
 After you’ve had a chance to watch the video or listen to the podcast episode, I’d love to hear from you in the comments section!
Please answer the questions relevant to your current situation:
1. Are you consistent with your colors, fonts, logo size/shape/aesthetic, and/or user experience?
2. If a stranger finds you online (via your website, social media, etc.), will they find a consistent message on multiple platforms?
3. Have you made a public commitment to anti-racist work in your business? If not, how can you do so in a way that is appropriate for your work?
Please give as much information as you can in response to these questions. I’d be happy to share more tools and resources that help you get what you want.Â
Thank you so much for joining me on this roller coaster of an experience.
I am eternally grateful that I get to do this work with working professionals who are also creators, entrepreneurs and side hustlers like yourself.
                                                                 Let’s continue to make it happen,
