Well hey there Reader - hope you're doing well.
When I worked in big global agencies, PR was in its prime, and there was this catch-all phrase for what PR agencies actually did: "reputation management." In other words, making sure everyone thought you were great.π€£
It sounds like something only a CEO needs to worry about. But if we're honest, isn't that just what we all want, for ourselves and our brand? The bit I never liked was that "reputation management" was often really just a nice way of saying "Quick - hide the bad stuff!" Spin the terrible thing the company did so no-one notices...even when (quite honestly) it SHOULD have been called outπ€¨. So often, unethical behaviour just gets waved off as "the cost of doing business." Which is probably why so many people are still sceptical that you CAN actually build a successful brand and be a genuinely ethical & positive force, in a system that so often seems built on exploitation.
I've been thinking about this a lot this week because of the heartbreaking news that Dolly Parton has died. Not gonna lie - this one stung more than I expected. Dolly was a global treasure, and what really inspired me is that she built decades of success - real, huge, lasting success - and never once had to 'manage' her reputation to do it. She earned her place and she just treated people well. Plus she gave back - because she could...not for show.
I'm not saying we all need to be saints (How could anyone compared with Dolly's...um....reputation π). But I am saying we absolutely can succeed, and share that success, without giving in to a world that sometimes feels like it only rewards competition.
Dolly once said something VERY apt for this moment in history:
β"If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, THEN you are an excellent leader."
I'd go one further and say that's what makes you a successful brand too.
I don't even apologise if this comes across as a bit 'preachy', because I honestly believe more and more that small, independent businesses & creators can genuinely change the world. They remember what it's like to be the little guy, and to have to beat the odds to succeed. And I believe wholeheartedly that they need and DESERVE our support. So next time we're scrolling, we should ask ourselves "WWDD*?" and then make sure we drop a like or a supporting comment on a small creator or business's post, so they know someone noticed they were brave enough to put themselves out there.
*What would Dolly do?
The perfect pause.
You've probably seen this one scrolling Instagram or TikTok - something sliding across the screen, and you get one shot to tap and stop it exactly on the line. It's a bit of a game, which is actually really clever as it gets people replaying your content over and over trying to nail it - exactly the kind of thing the algorithm loves. This week's tutorial shows you how to build your own version completely inside Canva, from the cutout and the outline effect through to animating the drop and looping it so it plays on repeat. I'll also cover a few different ways you could use this for your own brand, cos once you've built one, you can swap the object out and have a fun(ky), fresh version ready in minutes. Check it out here.
Meaningful Creations
This week I want to share the work of Beto Val (Roberto Valencia), an Ecuadorian collage artist who works with vintage material, antique scientific illustrations, botanical plates, old engravings and photographs, and stitches them into these strange, beautiful hybrid worlds where human, animal and plant just... merge.
There's a (sur)real sense of fantasy running through it, but it never feels 'random'. And the CRAFTπ€― - he's pulling from all sorts of different sources, different eras, different textures, and somehow makes it look like one single, seamless image. Nothing about it reads as 'pasted together'. It's hours and hours of intentional decision making and work, and it's exactly why it breaks my heart a bit that people now comment asking if it's AI. He's been doing for YEARS, and it's precisely because it is so considered that people assume a shortcut was involved.
It's a good reminder that when you believe in what you do and you enjoy the process, you can create great things...aaaand you're likely to get some critics - none of whom have put in the work you have.π
Go have a look at his work on Instagram or his site, and tell him I sent ya. π
Have a great weekend. I appreciate you. π€
PS: THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who contributed their views on my survey last week - it has been SO helpful and I am genuinely excited about what's next.π€ If you haven't had your say yet, I will leave submissions open for another week at this link.
PPS: Fun (and totally useless) fact: Dolly Parton was the first major artist I ever saw perform live. I was 10 years old. No wonder she holds a special place in my heart.
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