It takes courage to build a brand

It takes courage to build a brand.

It takes courage to stand up and demand that we will do what we say, that we will keep our promises.

It takes courage to do that in the face of attitudes, policies and processes often designed to stop you.

It takes courage to ignore the focus groups and “what everyone else does” and go with what your gut says is “right” for you.

It takes courage to hire people with the right fit, not just people with desired skills.

It takes courage to tell your marketing people that the brand is not just about the customers but about the whole company.

It takes courage to ask and keep asking “why” everyday along with “what” and “how.”

It takes courage to put yourself on the line in pursuit of something “better.”

The word courage comes from the latin “cor” which means heart. Researcher and storyteller Brene Brown Ph.D. says that early uses of the word courage defined it as “to speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart”. Today courage is likely to be lumped in with bravery and heroism, however I like the connection to heart because like courage, to build a brand you have to have heart.

Great brands have an emotional connection, we say we love that company or their products. But that doesn’t come via magic fairy dust. They are built on action, one promise at a time by people who have the courage to follow through.

It takes courage to build a brand.

See you next week.

Michel Hogan is a Brand Advocate. Through her work with Brandology here in Australia and in the United States, she helps organisations recognise who they are and align that with what they do and say, to build more authentic and sustainable brands. She also publishes the Brand thought leadership blog – Brand Alignment. is a Brand Advocate. Through her work with Brandology here in Australia and in the United States, she helps organisations recognise who they are and align that with what they do and say, to build more authentic and sustainable brands. She also publishes the Brand thought leadership blog – Brand Alignment.