Well hello there Reader
Before we get into anything, I just want to say thank you for being here. I don't take it lightly that you trust me with your time (and inbox!), and the fact that you're here, reading this, matters more to me than you probably realise. So I just wanted to say I appreciate you.
Also it's my birthday, so I'm obviously feeling a little mushy. ๐๐ค๐พ
Reinvention is something I think (and talk) about a lot, and it's a big theme for me. Not in a trite, "New year new you" kind of way, but I genuinely believe there are always opportunities to reinvent yourself if you are open to it. (Believe me, becoming a YouTuber at 50 was not what I ever had planned! ๐) And more than that - I think it can be incredibly exciting... and can help renew our feelings of purpose and our energy for what we do.
BUT, I'm not going to pretend it's always as simple as soooome people make out. (I'm looking at you social media 'business coaches' selling the 'simple six figure' dream that's really just yet another product to sell at us. ๐คจ) It isn't always simple. BUT - it absolutely is possible!
And actually, for those of us who are a little older, there are real advantages to starting over later. You're doing it with more self-awareness than you had the first time round (or in my case, the first FEW times around ๐คฃ), you know what you don't know, and you know to (sometimes begrudgingly) ask for help instead of trying to be and do everything.
And sure, there are also downsides, but if you're willing to take it step by step, to learn, and experiment, and sit with the discomfort along the way...it's so exciting to feel like you're building something new again, and doing it your way.
So if you are quietly wondering whether it's too late to re-invent yourself, I honestly believe it isn't. Keep going. I believe in you.
Mistakes were made
After many years as an Art Director & Brand Designer, I can spot inconsistent brand materials a mile off, and honestly, it's rarely a skill problem. It's usually one of five small, fixable habits.
This week I'm walking through the Canva Brand Kit mistakes I see most often, from the one that quietly causes all the others, right through to a live example of the same template restyled five completely different ways, just by applying proper brand basics.
Check out the the full tutorial here, and let me know if there is one of these that you'd like me to explore further in a future tutorial.
Meaningful Creations
Speaking of brand consistency, Le Labo have nothing to do with Canva, but everything to do with good branding.๐ With one shop back in 2006, no celebrity faces, barely any traditional advertising, and yet people queue up and pay serious money for their products. Here are 5 things I think we can all learn from them:
1. They said no to everyone, on purpose. Instead of chasing mass distribution, they intentionally kept scents exclusive to specific cities. Trying to be for everyone is usually why you end up being memorable to no one.
2. The product looks raw and unfinished, on purpose. Concrete, plain glass, black cap, a typed label...no shouting. It's confident enough to not need to prove anything.
3. It's personal and human. Every bottle's hand blended in front of you, labelled with the date and city it was made. You're not buying a fragrance, you're buying a moment...a memory.
4. The experience IS the marketing. Their shops, their styling, their materials, their packaging - it all feel like an open lab you're invited into, not just a shop you're browsing...there's a brand story across everything.
5. Consistency without repetition. Scroll their Instagram and every post looks different: a van, a doorway, a hand pouring oil, a scribbled quote on plain paper...and yet it's unmistakably them. Same colour grade on all the photos. Same brand colours across everything. Same typewriter font on handwritten notes (used sparingly). Same feel throughout.
The lesson underneath all of it is that restraint is a design choice too. What you leave out says as much as what you put in. What you don't do makes as much impact as what you do.
โCheck out their IG, and if you have a few minutes it's really worth checking out their branding & locations online. And tell 'em I sent ya. ๐
Have a fab weekend. And don't forget your sunscreen! ๐๐ค
PS: Final Reminder that Teachery's Lifetime pricing increases in just over 24 hours! So if you want to sell courses or digital products, but don't want to commit to another monthly overhead forever, now is your last chance to grab this offer. Click here to find out more.โ
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