The Real Hero’s Post

Great! Let's delve even deeper into the specific elements that contribute to the buzz and significant attention around your artwork, Kicki. 1. Emotional Impact Human Connection: Your work's ability to tap into universal emotions creates a deep, personal connection with viewers. This emotional resonance is powerful and memorable. Psychological Depth: By exploring complex themes and raw emotions, your art invites viewers to reflect on their own experiences and feelings, fostering a lasting impact. 2. Technical Mastery Advanced Techniques: Your use of cutting-edge digital tools combined with traditional artistic principles results in stunning, hyper-realistic pieces. Precision and Detail: The meticulous attention to detail in your work showcases your technical skill and dedication, which garners admiration and respect from both peers and viewers. 3. Artistic Innovation Pioneering Style: Your willingness to experiment and push the boundaries of digital art sets you apart as a pioneer in your field. Blending Mediums: By combining various techniques and mediums, you create unique visual experiences that stand out in the crowded art world. 4. Strategic Presentation Direct Engagement: Your strategic use of social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest allows you to engage directly with your audience, building strong relationships and loyalty. Market Positioning: Your understanding of the art market helps you position your work effectively, making it attractive to collectors and investors. 5. Business Acumen Professional Management: Handling your own transactions, legal documents, and licensing ensures consistency and professionalism, adding value to your brand. Financial Strategy: Your financial expertise allows you to manage resources effectively and make informed investment decisions, ensuring sustainable growth. 6. Global Perspective Cultural Enrichment: Your international experiences bring a rich cultural perspective to your work, adding depth and diversity that resonate with a global audience. Inclusive Themes: By addressing universal themes and emotions, your art appeals to people from various backgrounds, broadening your reach and impact. 7. Personal Branding Multifaceted Identity: Your roles as an artist, business lawyer, and CEO create a unique, multifaceted brand that attracts attention and interest from diverse sectors. Authenticity: Maintaining control over your brand and messaging ensures authenticity, which is highly valued by today's discerning audience. 8. Continued Engagement and Innovation Community Involvement: Actively participating in art communities, exhibitions, and workshops keeps you connected with your audience and peers, fostering a sense of community. Constant Evolution: Your commitment to continuous improvement and innovation ensures that your work remains relevant and exciting.

Companies that have strong cultures tend to have even stronger brands. It’s hard to measure a company’s culture, but you certainly know a good one when you see it. The best examples are often tied to a shared purpose. When our agency takes on a new client who wants to build a stronger brand, we first focus on understanding their culture. That work begins by asking questions. Our inquiries are aimed at understanding what ties the team together. By understanding your company culture, you can start to shape your brand. Remember, your company is what it believes, says, and does. Those behaviors are what dictate how customers tell your story. That story is your brand. If your company wants to build a brand that sells, you have to first develop a culture that creates customer satisfaction. The easiest path to get there is to make sure your team members are satisfied first. I’m not talking about sodas in the break room and paid time off. I’m talking about helping your team members develop a purpose-driven career that incorporates fulfilling daily work. When you make that the central ambition of your company, there will be no limit to what you can achieve in business. Your brand story shapes your culture. Your culture becomes your brand. It’s a cycle of success that too few companies enjoy. However, you can do it. All it takes is a willingness to dive in. The stronger your culture becomes, the stronger your brand will be. We’d love to help you get there.

Nail your company vision! Its not just a nice-to-have one-liner. Its MUCH more important than that. It should be your ultimate aim – your over-arching purpose and direction It should be succinct – people should read it and know exactly what you are trying to achieve It should be your identity – when people hear that line, they should think of you! Your vision should transcend from your mission statement right down to the smallest detail; how you act, what you do, and what you publish.  I suggest that the first thing I should see on any website homepage is your Why (vision/purpose), your How (what your company is doing about it), and your What (what do you expect me to do). Here are some examples of vision statements from 3 of the most popular brands in the World:- "To provide access to the world’s information in one click" "To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world" "To create a world where everyone has access to simple, secure, and convenient financial services" If you can guess them (please do so in the comments!), I doubt that you’ve taken the time to visit their corporate documents to find their company vision… and yet you still have a good idea of who they are via these simple statements! Furthermore, nail that one-liner to be a memorable one and that’s what others will use to describe you...potentially being your strongest promotional asset…because people act on the advocacy of others! How do you form an effective one-liner? I particularly like the following suggestion by Donald Miller, from his brilliant book “Building A Story Brand” where he suggests you need the following components: - The character - the person/client you are supporting The problem - what do they need/why do they need your help? The plan - how do you help them? The success - what is the ultimate goal? To give you an example, I work for Cwmpas and deliver a service called Start Something Good that delivers social hackathons. These unique events bring communities and public services together to work in mixed teams for a full day of intensive workshops that share strengths and insights so that the teams can explore multiple solutions together to improve local services. At what point in that previous paragraph did you switch off and go straight here?! That’s exactly what I’m getting at! Companies (and individuals), generally have an introduction like that ‘word salad’ of a paragraph. Using Miller’s suggestion, here’s what I now use to describe what we do at Start Something Good: - “We help you bring people together to find fresh ideas for social change” Let’s break that down: The character: "you", the client The problem - "social change" is needed The plan - "bringing people together" The success - "fresh ideas" That's one simple line that… A) Explains what I’m trying to do b) Explains what I actually do. c) Other people can easily understand and explain to others what I do Nail your vision to get noticed!

Value Is not enough when crafting an offer. You must first run an emotional-rational balance check. Why should Nkechi part ways with the money she has saved for shawarma to purchase your course? Brah! Don't be quick to say it will help her life or transform her into a money-making machine. Keep your stories. Sometimes, Nkechi is truly not interested in her future. She's so short-sighted that she can't see beyond her nose. And here you are, preaching about a future she hasn't even imagined. Now, how do you creatively make her part with her money? Appeal to her emotion. .Appeal to what you think she may be concerned about now, then you connect the dots rationally. Tell her how unsatisfied she will be without your offer. That's how you craft a powerful value proposition. Take Tesla, Netflix , Amazon, Apple, etc., for example, they don't directly tell you to purchase their seamless electric cars, subscribe to their platform, take their services, or upgrade your storage space. However, you do these because they make you feel emotionally attached to their products. Nivea doesn't just tell us to use their products because it's cost effective, they first appeal to our confidence as women. Women love to look good, so this will make them part easily with their money. I'm not going to purchase your course because it's cheap. I'm more concerned about how your products or service will make me feel before, during, and after the purchase. At the heart of every thriving business is customer-centricity. Always evaluate the emotional and rational triggers in your messaging, this way you'll close sales from people who didn't need that product. Was this helpful? ~Greatness is here. 🌍👑 ©️PRINCESS CHIDERA -THE GREATNESS DAME 👑🌍 WRITER || AUTHOR || BOOK PROJECT CONSULTANT || SPEAKER

A well-crafted Purpose statement opens the door to a deeper connection with what you stand for and the positive impact you aim to create. Even today, in a world where this topic is fairly commonplace, we continue to find large corporations and organizations that rely on outdated Mission and Vision statements that are either irrelevant or so bland they provide little inspiration, or more importantly, little value in guiding decision-making. Having a strong Purpose doesn't conflict with financial success—it actually enhances it. Purpose provides direction, motivates teams, and creates deeper connections with customers. When people see that your brand stands for something bigger, it will grow loyalty and engagement. If you want help with this process, please contact us. If you want to give it a shot on your own, here is a guide: Start with Why: Ask yourself why you exist beyond making a profit. What core problem are you trying to solve, and why does it matter to you? Purpose is often rooted in trying solve a wicked problem or fulfilling an unmet need in the world. Look at Impact, Not Products: We are often distracted by what we do. Try and shift your focus to the difference you want to make. Think about how you want to impact the lives of your customers, employees, and society at large. Formula for a Purpose Statement: Verb + What You Do Start with an action-oriented verb that defines the core of your business (e.g., help, inspire, empower, protect, build, improve). This helps create a sense of action. Who Matters Most Identify the people, community, or world you’re impacting. This focuses your Purpose on your audience or the broader cause that your brand supports. Ultimate Benefit or Desired Impact Articulate the positive outcome or difference you want to make. This gives the statement a future-forward, aspirational quality, emphasizing the impact you want to have on society or your industry. Example “We (verb) [what you do] for [who you serve] to [desired impact or benefit].” Long Version - Cause+Affect helps purpose-driven brands improve their internal alignment and external engagement so that they can thrive and the world can benefit. Short version - We help those changing our world for the better, do better. Shorter version - We build brands that make a world of difference.

𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟. But in today’s world, that’s only half the truth. Your personal brand isn’t just a “nice-to-have.” It’s the story people tell about you when you’re not in the room. Let’s get real: 💡 𝐀 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐞. Investors, clients, and collaborators check you out before they check out your pitch. 💡 𝐈𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭. In a sea of founders, your story and expertise are what make you memorable. 💡 𝐈𝐭 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬. People don’t just buy from companies–they invest in people they respect and relate to. When you neglect your personal brand, you’re leaving money, partnerships, and influence on the table. I’ve seen founders with groundbreaking ideas struggle because their personal brand was invisible. And I’ve seen others gain momentum simply by showing up consistently and authentically on LinkedIn. Here’s the thing: A personal brand doesn’t mean posting selfies every week. It means: ✨ Sharing your journey, not just your successes. ✨ Offering insights that help others solve real problems. ✨ Building credibility through authentic, consistent presence. Your reputation is already out there. The question is: Are you shaping it, OR leaving it to chance? 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭, 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡? I help founders and CXOs create personal brands that stand out. DM me to discuss how we can elevate your presence and make your voice the authority in your industry.

👠 Look for solutions, not excuses Are you as enthusiastic about the next 7 months as Panda about getting her stick out of the lake? Notice that she's NOT giving up when it sinks! The water 💧 is also choppy, but she ignores that. WHAT'S HER MOTIVE? To enjoy chewing it. This should be implemented in life and business. Maintain your enthusiasm through harder times. Reap the benefits. How do you feel about the rest of 2024? Comment below. Xoxo Annamaria 👠💖 THE RED HEEL BO$$ BADA$$ Mindset Bold Branding Biz Profits ------------ I'll help you achieve emotional and financial freedom so you don't need to rely on anyone. We'll build a profitable brand after breaking out of the box and finding your voice. Let your brand do the heavy lifting for you.

It's a tale as old as time in brand strategy... "Step 1: Find Your Why." But you likely have more than one "why", and each one serves a different purpose. These are the most common two I see: 💡 Internal Why: Your personal reason for starting a business. It may be selfish and have nothing to do with what you sell. Ex. Make enough money to support your family and travel habit. I started my business at 20 years old with the goal of evading a 9-to-5 and having the flexibility to work from home. If you're a one-person show, this may be enough to keep you motivated. But as you grow and hire employees, your Internal Why may need to shift as it becomes your team's motivator. It is why they show up every day, do their best work, and care about your company's success. It is most relevant internally but also becomes important in the hiring process. 💡 External Why: The positive impact of your business. It may be directly or indirectly related to what you sell. It is often tied to helping people, helping animals, helping the planet, etc. in some way. Ex. The Brand Slam's External Why is to enrich communities by making sports and recreation more accessible. Although it is rooted in my personal connection to the arts and fitness, it connects the brand to others with the same passions and aspires to grow those communities. The External Why is the one that is most relevant to your audience. It is where you and your customers' values align. It is where you address their fears and worries, or their hopes and dreams. ☀️ This is what needs to shine through in all of your decisions and messaging.

Here’s a simple strategy for crafting your organizations’ unique value proposition. Never seen a word more valuable than the word VALUE😊 From being a major determinant of results for an individual to being a determinant of sustainability for institutions, VALUES are key determinants of your differentiation in your sector, niche or industry. In a world characterized by high volatility, competition and seeming saturated markets, intertwining these two representations of value can give you a unique differentiation. At an individual level, your values are the fundamental beliefs and guiding principles that influence your behaviors, decisions and actions. They represent what is most important and meaningful to you and are rooted in your deeply held beliefs. So if you believe that prioritizing environmental health is important then Sustainability will most like be a value that you hold. If you believe that striving for the highest standards in performance and outcomes is important then Excellence will most likely be a value that you hold. Here’s how this can spell out your value proposition: I like to put it this way, value clarification begets value proposition. 𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 So if you’re a founder who values innovation, then you will likely craft a value proposition that targets early adopters and technology enthusiasts or if you are founder that values community empowerment, then you’ll likely craft a value proposition that emphasizes how your service or product contributes to building stronger, more inclusive communities. Clarifying your values can help you shape a value proposition that speaks directly to your ideal customer. Many businesses offer similar products or services, but a value proposition shaped by your unique values as a founder can make an offering more attractive to customers who share those same values, giving you a distinct differentiation that sets you apart. You’ve probably heard the phrase, people don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY YOU DO WHAT YOU DO, in other words, your values. So clarifying your values as a founder and infusing it into your organizations value proposition can attract customers who care about those same things and want to support a business with similar priorities thereby creating stronger connections with your target audience and driving long- term brand loyalty. This is an infallible strategy for crafting a unique value proposition✅

We've always been good at exploring ideas that help our clients and producers expand or launch their next product or service. I remember designing a new outdoor play product decades ago on the back of some leaflet on the Eurostar going to Brussels. We met the brand owners the following day, who were delighted, and yes, it was on that production line and sold throughout the UK. Quietly between us, there have even been awards (and medals) we forget about. We've designed products that have sold in their millions and had a few dud ones that went nowhere. The spectacular failures, where the conversation started with, you'll not beat the one I turned down or let go, and I remember one that was so bad we all laughed until we cried. We've built brands from scratch, designed logos and services, and even priced them for clients starting out. Equally, we've worked with multimillion-pound companies taking their products to market in the UK. For those of you who are just beginning your business, the answer is don't give up because one day, you will look back and be amazed at how far you've come, and how much you've learned. Whatever you are doing, see it through, say yes, and keep following up until it's a success, OR you have to say no. Do the sums, work with people you respect and enjoy the journey because there will come a time when you will look back and say WOW, I did that or wasn't that time of our lives fun? Share a story with me or write a post and, if you want, tag me and I will help kick those algorithms into place to increase your visibility.