If you're anything like me, you can't stand conflict. Tension makes your skin crawl and you'd rather swallow your pride in an effort to keep everyone happy. Being an introvert and a people pleaser, I'm personally inclined to keep quiet while others get loud. However when it comes to running a business, that just doesn't work.

I've heard far too many horror stories of creatives being manipulated and trampled by their own good intentions. Whether they slipped into perpetual “yes” mode, got dragged into an endless cycle of revisions, or never got paid for their hard work, these stories used to terrify me as I toyed with the idea of working for myself.

How could an introvert and people pleaser like me put on a fierce face and be the boss I needed to be? As I've come to learn, the key is to create systems that set you up for success. These 7 strategies have helped bring me out of my introverted people-pleasing shell. My hope is that they'll do the same for you too.

Earlier this summer, my friends from Forefathers Group shared their manifesto on revisions. This post was a bold statement for their business, and struck a serious chord with me. Their perspective falls in line with a lot of my own beliefs on the subject, and I thought it was time to share those with you lovely people.

A few weeks ago, I shared some insight into my One Concept Approach to logo and brand design. Today, I'd like to share why I don't offer revisions—at least not in the traditional sense. But before I share my take, let's chat a bit more about the culture of revisions within design and the psychology behind them.

The more regularly you practice writing, the easier it will get and the more defined your brand's voice will become. You'll start by mimicking others, but over time, your true voice will emerge as you learn to get cozy in your own brand's skin. My weekly blog posts have been priceless for helping my own growth in this area.

Since blogging is a longer form of writing, it can seem pretty daunting and it's hard to know where to begin. What's helped me is to follow the same steps each time, which makes the writing process a whole lot smoother. I'm sharing these steps with you in the hopes that it will help you jump in and start honing your own voice. Now let's dig in!

We've made it to the final part of the Instagram series—yay us!! I started this whole thing off by covering why to separate personal and professional content and how multiple Instagram accounts can help. Then we went deep on the idea of curating what you share and why it makes such a profound difference for your brand.

QUALITY & CONSISTENCY ARE EVERYTHING

The more you share targeted content on a platform like Instagram, the more magic it will work for your business. Today's post is all about streamlining how you share so you can post even more killer content without driving yourself nuts. The key is creating standards for quality and consistency, then harnessing systems to support them.

Please note that I'm sharing the apps I use here. There are many other alternatives out there worth exploring. Do some research and play around, but in the meantime these have worked wonders for my brand's Instagram feed. So without further ado, let's dig in!

Welcome to Part 2 of Harnessing Instagram for Your Brand! In Part 1, I shared the in's and out's of keeping your personal content separate from your brand's Instagram account—why I do it, what my experience has been, and how having a 2nd account has set me free in a lot of ways.

Keeping your brand's feed strictly professional is absolutely one way to practice curating your feed. You're probably wondering, why should you curate your Instagram feed anyway? Well, I'll give you some stellar reasons to start curating today, and we'll dig even deeper into crafting your branded Instagram feed. Let's dig in!

A couple weeks back, I opened up to you guys about my belief that absolutely nothing is ordinary. My theory is that it's just a matter of shifting your perspective to discover the magic in your everyday life. Sounds great, but a bit vague, right?

Well, we're going to dig deeper and explore how you can channel this philosophy into your social media, specifically on Instagram. This is going to be another two-part post (I know! It's been a while) so buckle up. I'll share my own strategy, some practical examples, and recommendations for harnessing Instagram for your own brand.

Many of us consider the final product to be what defines the value and success of our work. When someone asks us what we do, we go straight for the portfolio. The proof is in the pudding, right? Well without a creative process, there wouldn't be any pudding. Without that secret recipe, there's no telling what kind of unpredictable mess you'll end up with.

Your creative process is the key to producing the same level of professional, amazing results every time. In order to harness it's power, you've got to get intentional with it. Use these 5 tips to make sure your workflow is working for you.

You've decided it's time for something about your brand to change. Maybe it's your logo, website, or even your social media strategy. Whatever it is, you know it's time to level up and invest in your brand.

TO SHARE OR NOT TO SHARE

It's embarrassing to admit that something isn't working. If it were up to any of us, we'd love to only launch perfect things, but realistically that would mean never releasing anything at all. The journey of building a brand is messy and far from perfect. The question remains, how much should you be sharing?

We've all been there—continually tapping the home button on our phones, refreshing our inboxes, and waiting for people to engage with us. The reality is that engagement is a game of give and take, and there are things you can start doing right now to foster that flame. So listen up.

Make Yourself Known

Your dream clients won't find you if you're huddled in a cave waiting for them. You have to give them ways to discover and connect with you—I'm talking a trail of brand bread crumbs here. Just think of the last time you had to find an amazing architect or florist or custom jeweler or whatever. There are countless options, and the search can be overwhelming.

To your customers, researching brands and finding the right fit can be a complex maze—no end in sight, walls so high they can barely see the sky. Make this process less terrible for them by making it easier to discover you. How do you do this?