She Owns It: 5 Keys On Branding

She Owns It: 5 Keys On Branding

There are so many options when you look into branding. However, there are a few key tips you should know when you are ready to build your brand. Her are 5 to get you started:

 

1. The Buy-in: If you have no idea what you bring to the table or why what you have to offer is important, neither will anyone else. Before anyone ever buys in to your brand they will have to buy in to the creator first. So, how do you accomplish the scary task of being relatable to your target audience, you ask? It’s quite simple, you do the personal work necessary to have a clear understanding of who you are and what you represent, because only then will your actions, words and brand be aligned to connect with true authenticity.

 

2. Create a standard: If you have no guidelines, no values or boundaries that make you unique, what is your niche? Furthermore, what do you stand for? In current day branding for a brand to thrive it must have a personality and opinion. Based on your audience, develop the personality of your brand; create the poster child for “XYZ Brand”. Give her thoughts opinions, ideas and most of all give her freedom to grow and evolve over time.

 

3.Give More: It is easy to take from people that need or desire what you offer. However, if you pour out into the people that support your brand, they will not only return they will be loyal. They will feel appreciated and share their praise of your brand with others… word of mouth is still the best advertisement.

 

4: Understand the difference between a brand and branding: A brand is like sitting in the car and cranking it up. Branding is cranking it up and going across country. Then once you reach that destination jumping on a plane to another country with new car for another journey. There is a big difference and your audience can peep it from a mile away if you are tap dancing with an idea or if you are committed.

 

5. Be Committed: Do not look for the easy way out, nurture your brand as you would a child. Honestly, it is a child. Seek quality services that will showcase all you have to offer, have integrity and be consistent. If you are committed, the return on everything you do will be greater, not because of the product or service, but because of the overall presence of your brand.

 

Until next time… Brand On!

 

Be Inspired,

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You Should Know Her: Katie Marie Fickling Show Us To Over Acessorize Is The Only Way

You Should Know Her: Katie Marie Fickling Show Us To Over Acessorize Is The Only Way

Katie-Marie, Baltimore native is the owner of Over Accessorized, a non-profit organization that supports other non-profit organizations with creative fundraising ideas and marketing tactics. Katie-Marie defines Over Accessorized as “The accessory in which you carry, an illness, a burden a disease. It’s dressed up because we carry it with us; it’s a part of our testimony which was created to destroy us.” But what was created to destroy you, will never define you.

Overaccessorized Girls Night Out is the LARGEST GNO in Baltimore 

Under Over Accessorized Katie-Marie has created the largest shopping day party in Baltimore, MD. She “ghost” markets and writes for over 10 social media pages, counsels small businesses on creative marketing and is an active volunteer in her community. This year she co-created Kickball for a Kick A** Cause, a small group in Baltimore which has made it their goal to supply children with school uniforms, feed the homeless and aid those in need.

“I could talk about all of the things in life I have accomplished, but it doesn’t make me feel accomplished. I will feel accomplished when I have poured all of my gifts into the world and die empty, giving back all that God has given me; that is when I will feel accomplished.”

 

Katie-Marie is led by the vision God has given her with complete conviction.

Connect w/ Katie Marie

Instagram: @karriedaway & overaccessorized_gno

www.overaccessorized.org

She’s A Foodie: Honey Chipotle Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Avocado-Greek Yogurt Sauce

She’s A Foodie: Honey Chipotle Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Avocado-Greek Yogurt Sauce

Honey Chipotle Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Avocado-Greek Yogurt Sauce

Serves 4 as an Appetizer, 2 as a meal

Freeze any leftover chilis and adobo sauce you have – they are excellent mixed into meatballs, burgers, meatloaf, or even mixed with a bit of butter and melted over steak.

shrimp skewers

1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp

2 chipotles in adobo sauce, minced

2 generous spoonfuls of the adobo sauce

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp honey

 

sauce

1 ripe avocado

1 cup 2% greek yogurt

1 clove of garlic, peeled

juice of 1 lime

salt to taste (about 1/2 – 1 tsp)

 

tools: wooden skewers; food processor (or blender); grill (or grill pan)

 

First, marinate the shrimp. Combine the minced chilis, the adobo sauce, olive oil, and honey in a large bowl, and whisk to combine. Add the peeled and deveined shrimp, and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

 

While the shrimp marinates, make the dipping sauce. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flesh of the avocado with the yogurt, the garlic, and the lime juice. Process until the sauce is very smooth and creamy, and there are no lumps remaining. Taste, and add salt to your liking (I used just over 1/2 tsp). Reserve the sauce in the fridge until ready to serve.

After the shrimp has marinated 30 minutes, thread the shrimp on the skewers, about 4 per skewer, making sure that the skewer pierces through the tail and head portions – this will help ensure that they do not swivel around when grilling. Heat your grill (or grill pan) to high heat, and grill the skewers, flipping halfway through cooking time, until the shrimp are slightly charred on the outside and are just barely opaque on the inside, about 2 minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp, and remember they will continue to cook for a minute or so after you pull them off the grill.

Serve the skewers immediately with the cool dipping sauce on the side.

 

Credit: eatandrelish.com

She’s A Foodie: Mushroom Flatbread

She’s A Foodie: Mushroom Flatbread

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 cups Japanese Brown Beech Mushrooms (or other Asian mushrooms like fresh shiitake)

1/2 small onion, very thinly sliced

1 large piece naan flatbread, about 8×14 inches

2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto sauce

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

3 to 4 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

 

2. Heat a skillet over medium high heat, when hot, add the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and the onions, and saute until slightly soft, about 2 minutes.

 

3. On the flatbread, spread the basil pesto, avoiding the outer one inch edge. Top the flat bread with the mozzarella cheese. Add the mushroom and onion mixture; and top with the parmesan cheese.

 

4. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the flatbread is toasted. Sprinkle with the fresh basil.

 

Enjoy! Let us know how this recipe works out for you.

 

Credit: Steamy Kitchen

She Inspires: Finding Your Beat

She Inspires: Finding Your Beat

Music is said to be the universal language. It is said to transcend all boundaries and speak words often unspoken. However, it is the beat that speaks to the soul, the very heart of the person listening. You can feel the beat before any word is said or any hook comes on and it resonates with you. It can be a simple “ooooh that’s my song” , a hand in the air or a clap of your hands. So, the question is how do you take the feeling a favorite song gives you and make your life feel the same way? It’s simple you find your beat! Your beat is unique to you it is a sound that only comes from you. There are 3 simple steps to finding your beat:

 

1. Test your rhythm: When you are faced with a decision do you immediately seek outside help before ever pondering the idea yourself? Do you act first and consult later or do you come to an understanding then reference people or materials before finalizing your decision?

 

2. Lay your vocals: When you speak do you hear your voice first, is it drowned out by others or does it appear to be silent or non-existent?

 

3. Bring the beat in: When you hear the beat does it complement your sound, overpower your vocals or manipulate the vibe you were initially trying to achieve?

 

These steps translate into method of understanding who we are and who we are not. Lets look at “Test Your Rhythm”, when you are pondering over decision or evaluating an outcome you should look at the process that got your there. When you were first faced with a decision did you turn inward or outward? If you immediately checked with yourself first, you have a basic handle on understanding your beat. Meaning you value your own opinion or view first, not searching for someone to tell you what to think, feel or say. If you immediately went to a person or resource (book) you are in the seeking phase of finding your beat. You are unsure of your personal power, this is clear from the lack of self reflection first. You value your opinion secondary to that of someone or something you respect. In order to find your beat, you have to dig inside and pull up all the self doubt, fear, labels, uncertainty, love, inspiration and any other emotion you feel to the surface. In this process you begin to “Lay Your Vocals.

 

During the process of laying your vocals you hone in on your true authentic voice, what it sounds like, when, where and how you project it. All the emotions you have drudged up become noise and it is your job to put it into words. Take your pad and pen and write down everything that is bothering you, everything that brings you joy, what you value and what weighs you down. Once you have all four list go line by line, word by word and ask yourself two questions 1. Is this my voice I hear or it it that of someone who has poured into me (doesn’t matter if you feel it’s good or bad)? 2. How much of my life am I owning and how are my actions being translated to others?

 

The first question is designed to make you confront the things in your life that you bring to the table and those that have been self-imposed due to someone or something else. Through this question you should be able to identify if your voice is the main feature or the background vocals.

 

If it’s the main feature you have two major things to address power and balance. When you have a pretty good handle on your voice you might be closed off to hearing others opinions, this is not to be confused with searching for validation. Being able to filter what others pour into your life and balance that with your own personal power is necessary for the vocal portions of your track. The ability to give and receive creates crisp vocals without a lot of reverb or feedback, ensuring that you are always the main feature on your track.

 

If you are the background vocals on your track the two major things you need to address are confidence and fear. Background vocals are often said to be the secret star, but they fear the spotlight shining directly on them, so they “play the background”. In your life, “playing the background” is not an option. You have to take the reigns of the things that you did not invite and fall in love with the confidence that resides among the sound barriers that you have placed on yourself. You have look fear in the face and release yourself from this factious thing that causes you to squeak by in the track of your life. The first step to moving from the background vocalist to the main feature is confidence, once you are confident that your voice can carry across the message you intend the more empowered you are to step out of the safe zone.

 

The second question is simply self-reflection. How are you impacting your life and are you owning it without excuses. No one is responsible for your life, but you. If you are owning your life, make sure you own the good and the bad, the bitter and the sweet so that you can truly get to the depths of your soul. As you do that you are able to create an environment where you can translate your actions to other without imposing your voice on track. If you are not owning your life, two words come to mind “get busy”. It is your responsibility to do the work necessary to manifest your own greatness. If you do not understand what you voice sounds like your life will be consumed with the sounds of other and you will never get to “Bring The Beat In”.

 

After testing your rhythm and laying your vocals you have to complete the track by bring the beat in. The beat is all the other stuff that goes with your life. It’s the instability of things that you have no control over, the unexpected things happen in spite of pre-planned safety nets or self-reverting back to the familiar. When you put the track of your life to a beat, make sure it enhances what you already bring to the table and amplifies your voice while mixing in the elements that makes finding your beat worth the wait.

 

Be Inspired,

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