👏 Small Brave Steps Build Big Brands

When you hear the word “bravery,” do you picture someone launching a massive rebrand overnight or strutting onto a stage in front of hundreds of people? Because same. But here’s the truth... bravery in branding usually looks way less glamorous than that.

It’s the tiny things.

• Like finally swapping that five year old headshot for a photo that actually looks like you.
• Or hitting publish on the post that’s been sitting in your drafts forever.
• Or sending that first email to your list after ghosting them for… let’s be honest, years.

That’s the stuff that actually builds your brand. Not the one big, bold move, but the little brave steps you take over and over again.

In this episode, I’m spilling stories from my own business (including the episode I almost didn’t publish), plus real-life client wins that came from those small shifts. And of course, I’ve got three super simple things you can do this week if you’re ready to take a fearless step forward, nothing huge, nothing scary, just momentum-building little actions.

Oh, and because I know sometimes it helps to have a nudge, I’ve even put together a free Fearless Branding Steps Worksheet for you. Download it, pick your brave step, and see what happens when you actually do the thing.

So if you’ve been waiting until you “feel ready” to show up, this is your reminder that done is fearless. 

x Morgan

Connect with me:

• Follow The Fearless Designer on Instagram
  @the.fearless.designer
  
  
• Head to The Fearless Designer Website for more info
  www.thefearlessdesigner.com.au

Transcript

Hello. Welcome back to the Fearless Designer podcast. As always, I am so grateful that you're joining me today for this episode. This episode is one that I have been looking very forward to recording. I think it is because it really taps into something that I talk a lot about with what I do. It's about being fearless. But when we break that down, it's more about bravery. And it's not kind of that big Hollywood glamour bravery, you know, the stuff that we see in the movies.

It's not the reinvent your whole business overnight kind of bravery. It's talking about the small, everyday bravery that really does build powerful brands. And I think it's because, you know, here's the thing, most of us don't wake up one morning and do the big, scary thing. We need to build up to it. We take those tiny little steps, we make tiny choices, we push ourselves outside our comfort zones in small and consistent ways. And over time, it just adds up and adds up and builds up into something incredible. So today we're going to unpack what that bravery in branding actually looks like and why the small steps really do matter just as much as the big ones. And I'm going to share with you a couple of really simple things that you can do this week to take that little, tiny fearless step forward in your own brand.

Hello and welcome to the Fearless Designer podcast. I'm your host, Morgan MacDonald, aka the fearless designer, and I'm here to help you embrace your fears, level up your visual brand, and take your business to fearless new heights. For two decades, I've worked with business owners just like you, designing brands that are bold, consistent, and authentic. I've lived a profesh corporate life as a graphic designer, and I've also spent the last 13 years running my own brand and graphic design business. So whether you're running a six or seven figure business, craving a brand refresh, or just ready to add a little more wow to your visuals, I got you. Each week, we'll dive into fearless brand strategies, design tips that you actually can use, live brand audits, and interviews with fellow business owners who have dared to do things differently. So if you're ready to stop playing small, take control of your brand and lead with confidence, you're in the right place. Let's go.

So when we hear the word bravery, our minds often go straight to really dramatic examples. I know mine does. And it's kind of the things like a business owner doing a complete rebrand with new photos, a new brand imagery, and a new pattern and a new logo and A new website and the whole thing. Or maybe it's even, you know, someone standing on stage speaking to hundreds of people with such ease and confidence. And don't get me wrong, yes, those things are brave, but they're not the whole story. And if that's the only version of bravery that we recognize, then we're missing the hundreds of smaller, quieter moments that make just as much difference. So think about it. How often do we tell ourselves, oh, when we've got the budget or when we have the time, or, you know, when I feel more ready, I'll make those changes to my brand.

We keep waiting for the giant leap, that really big moment when the reality is the only thing that can really help are those little tiny daily choices that are so transformational when they start to happen. I'll give you an example for my own business. A little while ago, I was sitting on a piece of content. It was a post that I'd written and it was more vulnerable than usual. And that little feeling, that little, you know, the inner critic popped up with all the classic things like, oh, maybe this is too much, doesn't tie into your brand values. Maybe people will think differently of me, maybe I should just keep this one in my draf. But I knew this story mattered and it was part of my brand. It was part of what makes me me.

And if I was going to talk about fearless branding, then I had to walk the talk. So I took a really deep breath. I didn't actually publish the post, but I recorded a podcast episode about it and it was called, and it is called my 40 year old rebrand. So I just felt so happy once I pushed publish on that episode. And do you know what? I've had so many people connect and say, thank you for sharing this. I feel the same. I love that episode. And just that little act of bravery on my side, just hitting publish on that episode had really sparked connection and conversation and trust.

So bravery wasn't writing the post, it was letting it be seen. So when I was thinking about bravery and bravery in branding, I put my thinking cap on and I thought of a few examples of some of my clients and I wanted to share them just to demonstrate what they look like. Because I think sometimes it's easier to spot bravery in other people than in ourselves. So the first one that comes to mind is one of my clients had been clinging on to that same corporate headshot for years, and I mean, like five years, and it was really professional, but it wasn't her. Now she looked different, she looked a Little bit older, which is not a bad thing. But her hair was different and it didn't reflect the warm, approachable, fun person that she really is. And she was worried that swapping it for a more casual photo might not look as serious. She also thought, well, maybe people would only recognize me for this profile picture.

But after some encouragement, she did it. And the response was amazing. Her audience felt connected to her. And not only that, she was showing people who she really was. Another example of mine was a client that kept saying, one day I'll send an email to my list. It had been on the back burner. It had been one of those things that had been waiting. She'd been collecting email addresses for years, but she hadn't actually hit send.

And she was so afraid of bothering people that it was to the point that, you know, those people had been sitting on a list for years. So one day she just decided to take that time, tiny little brave step and send a really simple, I think it was two or three paragraph check in. Wasn't anything fancy, but it was in her tone of voice. And guess what? People actually replied. They are real people on the end of those email addresses. And they thanked her for reaching out and connected with her and it shifted her whole perspective. Another example is, and I see this all the time, is people trying to sound polished or formal or professional, but the words just don't feel like them. And I feel like ChatGPT's actually played a hand in this.

Most people rely on chat to put together their ideas and turn it out into posts or emails. But one business owner that I was working with had decided to rewrite her website in her actual voice, the way that she would actually speak. If, you know you were sitting down with her, you're her ideal client and she was connecting with you in person. And it did feel risky. Totally. And it was scary. Totally. But now when someone lands on her website, they instantly get a sense of her personality and that is completely what Fearless Branding is about.

And I have one more. I'm just going to add it to the mix because I feel like this is a really important one, especially as a designer. I had a friend, like a peer that started sharing her works in progress on her social media instead of waiting for the beautiful polished reels or like finished product. And she was so worried that people would judge her, particularly because as a designer, like, for example, for me, I don't like showing people my process because I'm worried I'm going to be judged. But also it feels kind of like Pressure. But when she started sharing some of these behind the scenes, she found that her audience actually loved seeing the process and it made them appreciate her work and the finished work even more. So that little tiny shift built her confidence and deepened her trust with her followers. But it also gave her a really nice point of difference because instead of sharing highly polished portfolio pieces like every other designer, she was bringing people along on the journey, which is so important, especially when we're connecting on social media.

So I know what you're thinking. You're probably sitting there thinking, well, why does it actually matter if I'm brave with my branding? Why do these small acts matter? And it's really simple. It's just that they create momentum. Every time you take a small step, you prove to yourself that you can do it. You start trusting your instincts, you start showing up more consistently, and those it kind of causes that ripple effect. I think the secret to it is, is that your audience usually doesn't notice how scared you were taking the step. They just notice that you did it. They see you showing up, they see you being consistent.

To them, you look brave, confident and put together, even if on the inside you are as shaky as anything. I don't know, you probably have. If you've been on Instagram for a long time, when a new business or a profile pops up that comes into your orbit, if they're confidently posting, they're sharing their journey, if they're showing up, if they've got all of their visual brand in order, it makes you sit up and take notice. So I always love to be practical here and I want to give you some really quick branding steps, three of them that you can try this week if you would like to take a tiny little step forward and build some momentum in your branding. So first of all, let's pick one platform and tidy it up. Update your bio, swap in a fresh profile picture, or maybe try or add your current offer to your links. You don't need to do everything at once, but just one platform and one refresh. Number two, please, please, please, please publish something imperfect.

Maybe it's a post that you've been sitting in drafts, or maybe it's an email that you've written like a hundred times. Hit send, hit post, hit publish. Done is fearless. And finally, number three, please show more of yourself. This could be as simple as posting a behind the scenes story, snapping a photo of you at your desk, writing in your real voice instead of corporate chatgpt speak. Show up as you, not a filtered version of yourself. And here's a bonus one. Tell someone.

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is to say it out loud. Hey, I'm working on this thing. It makes it real. So here's what I want you to take away from today's episode. It is that bravery in branding doesn't have to be loud or dramatic, doesn't have to be a huge rebrand or a viral moment. It can be those little almost invisible steps that you take to show up more authentically and consistently. I think it's because bravery just isn't a one time thing. It's practice.

It's built on everyday decisions and it's those decisions that we make about how we show up in our businesses. So my challenge for you this week is to choose one little brave step and do it. Maybe it's updating that bio, maybe it's sending that email, maybe it's showing your face on stories for the first time in ages. Whatever it is, take the step. Because your brand doesn't get any stronger by waiting for that perfect moment. It gets stronger every time you choose to show up. But before you go, I've got a little something something that I've put together to help you take action on today's episod called the Fearless Branding Steps Worksheet. It's a really simple guide where you can pick one of those small, brave steps this week, do it, and then reflect on how it feels before and after.

It's so amazing to see how much momentum you can build from just one action. And this worksheet will help you see that for yourself and how that feels for yourself as well. So you can download it for free. There's no cost involved. You don't have to give me your email or any of that thing. All those little, you know, things where it feels like people are wanting to get their little hooks into us. It's a link in the show notes and that sheet is yours. So go and grab it, choose your step and let's just start building some of that momentum one small brave step at a time.

And that's it for today's episode of the Fearless Designer podcast. I hope you're feeling really inspired, fired up and ready to go. Make some bold moves with your brand. If you love today's episode, don't forget to hit the subscribe button so that you never miss a dose of fearless branding goodness. And if you're feeling extra generous, drop us a review. It just helps more fearless legends like you find this podcast. If you've got any ideas or questions for future eps. Please slide into my DMs or send me an email.

I would love to hear from you. And until next time, keep being bold, keep being fearless, and remember your brand is your superpower. So go out there and dare to be different. Bye Sam.