5 Branding & Website Lessons from My Rebrand (Including My Chaos-Killing Website Hack)

I’m going to cut to the chase—I have some very exciting news (okay, it’s exciting for me, maybe not normal people): I have a new brand and website! If you follow my email newsletter, you got a little preview last week with my new newsletter template, but now the full look is here on the website and is being added elsewhere over the next few weeks.

This whole process has been consuming a ton of my headspace and forced me to get super clear on something I’m always hounding clients about: What do I want to say?

I’m thrilled with the result, and I want to share a bit about the journey, the reason behind the change, and the key lessons I learned along the way.

The Visionary Behind the Brand Design

This new brand was designed by my long-time friend, sometimes client, occasional collaborator, and all-around incredible human Olivia August, who runs the fabulous small agency, Bold August Design.

Olivia doesn't just do wonderful design work; she's genuinely fabulous to work with. She has a process that feels incredibly personalized. She heard my semi-wacky vision for the brand and didn't even blink an eye. She even raised the bar by encouraging me to embrace a large spectrum of colors (because I’m always working on so much stuff) and incorporating a dog into the brand system. If you want to look like the very best, most authentic version of yourself, get on her waitlist!

Why the Change? Paperwork Became a Catalyst for a Creative Brand Evolution

The rebrand was actually catalyzed by a surprisingly practical issue. About a year and a half ago, I changed my legal entity due to complicated state reporting requirements when I shifted from being a full service agency to smaller consultancy. Honestly, it was simpler to just dissolve the old business and start a new one—a massive fiasco that no one at the State of Oregon could seem to fix!

While the legal reason was practical, it became a catalyst for a creative one. I had been steadily winding down my "one-stop shop" agency model and leaning heavily into being an independent consultant with a more personal brand vibe. My previous brand (which was fabulous and served me well for years, thanks to Elizabeth at Creative Allure Design!) was beautiful and neutral, but it was no longer the right fit for the more personal, opinionated work I was doing.

Getting Crystal Clear on My Brand’s Vibe

Brands play a huge role in communication. While I’m not a brand strategist, doing this work for myself was much harder than I thought it would be! I had to figure out what people needed to understand at a glance when they interacted with my brand.

Here’s what I concluded is most important:

• Everyone is welcome

• We’re going to have fun—even if the work is hard

• I’m committed to personalized, handcrafted strategies

• I really love dogs (thank you, Olivia, for adding this one!)

Once Olivia was done with her brand magic, I designed the site myself, wrote all the copy, and feel pretty good about checking all those goals off as met.

Taking My Own Medicine: Lessons in Website Chaos

Is the new site perfect? Nope! Did I have to launch it before I was ready because my old site was expiring on a Wednesday? Yep!

I definitely got a lesson in taking my own medicine. My old site had gotten a little... chaotic. I realized I needed to deal with that problem, and fast.

I ended up using one of the exercises from my Squarespace SEO Hacks course to figure out the root of the chaos. I streamlined the organizational structure so people needing SEO support, marketing strategy, or business consulting could all quickly land in the right content zones, but without creating silos (which are a nightmare for visitors).

If you haven't really looked at your own website's content in a while, you should. It's unbelievably helpful! (The short story on the technique: Write each page name on a Post-it note and start clustering themes. You'll quickly see the issues—you don't want your website to feel like a menu from The Cheesecake Factory!)

5 Branding Lessons You Can Borrow

Okay, enough about me! If you’re thinking about your brand, even if you’re not overtly rebranding, here are a few lessons you can borrow from my process:

1. Start with the Feeling: Think about what you want people to feel when they interact with your brand way before you make any visual changes.

2. Be Unapologetic: It’s okay to be unapologetic about what you’re all about.

3. Neutral ≠ Professional: You don't have to be neutral to be professional. Embrace your unique personality!

4. Have a POV: A clear point of view helps your ideal client find and connect with you.

5. Be Your Best Self: Your brand should feel like the very best, most authentic version of yourself.

Thanks for letting me show off my fancy new look! Brands are a ton of work, and it always feels a bit anti-climactic when they’re finally released into the wild, so it’s fun to share it with all of you.