Hi Reader,
Normally, I’m a projects kinda girl. Give me a start date, an end date, and a clear deliverable, and I am on it.
I love the defined timeline, the deadlines, the structure and tasks. Checking something off your list and moving on to the next thing feels like progress and forward motion.
And then when it’s done, you can close it out and move on to the next thing. It’s so satisfying!
But sometimes a project isn’t the right way to tackle a problem.
Sometimes it’s too much structure.
Too much fuss.
Too much pressure.
And sometimes, you end up shelving a finished (or half-finished 🫠) project when actually it needed less intensity and more sustained attention.
For example — last year I really needed to up my exercise game.
So I started walking.
Every morning when I woke up, for 25 minutes, the same loop around my neighbourhood.
I didn’t need a project: Buy new running shoes. Research exercise apps. Map out walking path. Set alarm….
I needed a practice. Wake up. Lace up shoes. Walk. Repeat.
I think the same thing applies to the way we approach branding.
Too often, we treat branding as a project rather than a practice. It’s something we invest every three to five years, launch with fanfare and excitement, and then move on to other things.
In the meantime, our businesses grow. Our vision or focus shifts. Our audience evolves.
And suddenly we find ourselves feeling like the brand is out of date. It doesn’t sound like us or feel like us anymore. It doesn’t reflect our expertise.
What would happen if we treated branding as a practice rather than a project?
Something we worked on regularly at a lower intensity, rather than now and then with these wild surges of energy and investment?
I think this is a more sustainable approach.
It allows for ebbs and flows.
It builds in adjustment.
It offers flexibility and room for growth.
It gives you permission to work in phases and seasons.
Don’t get me wrong — there are parts of branding that will always involve projects. But not everything has to be a project.
And rooting a smaller project (a photoshoot, a new service offering, refreshing your visuals) in the context of a larger practice helps to take some of the pressure off.
If this is resonating with you — if maybe 2026 is the year of building in more practices and fewer projects — I’d like to invite you to an informal live event on Wednesday, February 18th at 3pm EST.
It’s free, it’s casual, and it’s the first in what I hope will be a series of live events for brand-builders and service providers.
I’m really excited about this. This isn’t a hard sell or sales pitch — it’s casual, conversational, with lots of time to ask questions and get to know each other personally.
It’s an experiment in building community around a different and more integrated approach to branding that I think a lot of us are craving right now.
I really hope you can come!
And if you have questions or have ideas about other events, hit reply and let me know! I think this is going to be a good thing.
Until next time,
Kristen
P.S. TLDR; for the skimmers — On Feb. 18 you're invited to a free live event called Building a brand that grows with you: The 4 pillars of a sustainable brand. Learn more and register here.
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