Building a Brand Is a Lot Like Finding the Perfect Chocolate Cake Recipe

Recently, I became a little obsessed with finding the perfect chocolate cake recipe. Not just a good one. I wanted the kind I could make on repeat it would be delicious every time while also being a win with my husband (he knows a good chocolate cake!). 

I'll also add, I am slowly entering my Martha Stewart era. Since handing my candle company over to a new owner, I have had more time to bake and try new recipes. I wouldn't have considered myself a great baker before, but I'm learning. I have actually surprised myself along the way and my husband too.

The first chocolate cake was good, but it was missing something. The next time, I added a little more cocoa. I made another small adjustment after that and kept track of what worked. Eventually, I landed on a cake my husband gave a 10 out of 10. As I chipped away at learning to make an amazing cake, I got to thinking: the whole process reminded me a lot of building a small business.

You probably don't need to start over

When I owned my handmade business, I was always making little adjustments. I learned how to take better product photos, changed displays that weren't working and improved my packaging and website as the business grew. I made adjustments along the way that helped me get better at my craft.

If you are a small business owner reading this, you'll probably agree that we are constantly being told what we should change. Try this Instagram strategy. Update your branding. Learn about the newest algorithm. Post more often. Change your website. Follow this trend. Honestly... this is just exhausting. Now, let's go back to baking. Imagine if I changed my entire chocolate cake recipe every time I baked it. Eventually, I wouldn't know which version people actually liked.

I'm gonna shout this from the rooftop for everyone to hear: businesses need room to evolve. A lot of the time the answer isn't starting over (over and over), or having to learn or keep up with all the new things. It's figuring out what's already working and making it better. (Write that one down, it's a keeper).

Sometimes the problem is the story

The same thing happens with content. When it isn't connecting, our first instinct is often to create more (been there, done that). Having experience operating a retail business I can safely say, you don't need more content. You need to notice the stories you already have.

You can have beautiful photos of your inn without ever showing someone what it feels like to spend a weekend in the fishing village outside its doors. A maker can share product after product without telling the story behind why they started. A real estate agent can share listings without introducing people to the neighbourhoods they might someday call home.

For businesses with a coastal core, these stories are literally everywhere. They are in the people, places, traditions and everyday details that make your business feel like yours. The challenge is knowing which ones are worth telling and how to put them into words (this is where I can help, hi!).

Find the ingredients worth keeping

After years of building a handmade business and running a brick and mortar shop in a coastal community, I know how easy it is for storytelling to fall to the bottom of an already very long list. My goal is to help woman-led businesses with a coastal heart find those stories and turn them into thoughtful blog content that gives people a reason to remember them. 

So before you decide you need more content, another rebrand or a completely new recipe, take a look at the ingredients you already have. There might be something really good there.

If you know there are stories within your business but aren't quite sure what to do with them, book a free intro call with me. Tell me a little about your business and where you're feeling stuck, and we can see what stories might be worth uncovering together. 🍰