Start trusting your instincts.
Forget shiny trends and focus on the humans you’re serving. What makes them smile, nod, or feel like you’re reading their diary? That’s your heart, right there.
Let’s talk about bakin’ n’ brandin’.
My grandma had this maddening talent for making the world’s best chocolate cake without ever measuring a single thing. She’d throw in some flour “until it feels right” or whisk “until it looks like velvet.” All very charming—unless you’re trying to replicate the recipe and end up with something that tastes like slightly sweet drywall.
It wasn’t that Grandma had some magical ingredient only available in a remote Alpine village. Her secret was simple: she knew the principles of cooking so well, she didn’t need measuring cups. She could glance at a blob of batter and know it needed a bit more milk. (She also knew exactly how much cake batter one could safely eat without risking salmonella, but that’s another story.)
Your brand is exactly the same. You can follow all the recipes—download the templates, watch the tutorials, buy the guidebooks—but the magic happens when you stop clinging to instructions and start trusting your instincts. And that kind of confidence? It takes time, a bit of trial and error, and maybe a few metaphorical cake disasters.
Here’s how to get there without burning the whole thing (or yourself):
1. Start with Heart, Not Hype
Grandma didn’t bake cakes to impress anyone or rack up Instagram likes (though her Bundt game would’ve been legendary). She baked them because she loved people and wanted them to feel special—and maybe a bit butter-drunk.
Your brand works the same way. Forget shiny trends and focus on the humans you’re serving. What makes them smile, nod, or feel like you’re reading their diary? That’s your heart, right there.
Takeaway: Ask yourself: What’s the thing you offer that makes people go, “Wow, I didn’t know how much I needed this”? Start there and skip the glitter frosting.
2. Learn the Rules Before You Break Them
Let’s be real: Grandma didn’t come out of the womb knowing how to make pie crust that didn’t double as a weapon. She burned things. She oversalted. She accidentally created a family story involving a smoking oven and an “experimental” casserole.
Before you can improvise, you have to know the basics. Strong branding starts with understanding the fundamentals—your values, voice, visuals, and who you’re actually trying to reach. It’s like learning how to drive before entering a demolition derby.
Takeaway: If your brand strategy feels like one big shrug emoji, it’s time to slow down. Get clear on your core ingredients before you start freestyling.
3. Perfection Is Overrated (and Kinda Boring)
I’ll let you in on a secret: Grandma’s cakes didn’t always look perfect. Sometimes they sank in the middle, or she got a little carried away with the frosting (which, frankly, no one complained about). But they always tasted amazing.
Your brand doesn’t have to be flawless to make an impact. In fact, a little imperfection—some cracks in the icing, a drizzle out of place—makes it real, relatable, and memorable.
Takeaway: People don’t want sterile perfection; they want personality. Lean into what makes you different, even if it’s a bit messy.
4. Trust Takes Time (and a Lot of Cake)
Grandma’s ability to eyeball ingredients wasn’t an overnight skill. It came from decades of practice, a few burnt pans, and probably some colorful language involving flour explosions.
Branding instincts are the same. You’re not going to wake up one morning knowing exactly how to connect with your audience or what your logo should look like. It takes time, experimenting, and the occasional branding flop.
Takeaway: Be patient. Branding isn’t a sprint; it’s a long game. The more you practice and refine, the more your instincts will kick in—and one day, you’ll just know when something feels right.
So, the next time you’re tempted to follow someone else’s branding recipe to the letter, think of Grandma in her kitchen, happily ignoring every rule and still nailing it. Branding isn’t about memorizing steps; it’s about learning the principles so you can bake up something that’s authentically you.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need a snack. All this talk of cake has me eyeing the nearest bakery.
Cheers!
Brad
