Discovery. Questioning what’s true, what we think is true, and how others see you, collecting stories, identifying new ideas through research, and being honest about what’s not working and what needs to be better.

Evaluation. Considering which opportunities are best for you and what risks we’re willing to take, articulating why it matters, and uncovering how to build real, resonant connections with the right people in your target audiences.

Direction. Deciding who you’re for, who you’re against, how you’ll show up in the world, and what the future you’ll help create looks like.

I am here to remind you of these things whenever fear creeps up during the strategy process.

• Don’t let the discomfort of change trick you into thinking it’s a sign that something is wrong. Change isn’t easy, but it’s essential in this process.

• If you want to compete, you have to play.

• The goal isn’t to be loved or chosen by everyone. That’s not a brand, that’s a utility.

• Conformity is not a sound strategy. Be original by knowing and being yourself.

You’ve probably seen a handful of definitions for brand. This is the one that I find truest and most resonant.

A brand is the external actions and behaviors of your internal values and motivations.

This means that it’s not one thing you can point to in the design or messaging, nor is it just the feeling you create for audiences. It’s the culmination of articulating what your company stands for and then delivering that to people through the way you act — consistently and over time.