What Meghan Markle Taught Me About Branding

Have you seen “With Love, Meghan?” If you’re a child of the ‘80s, you’ll recognize this kind of show. It’s like Martha Stewart’s show, where it’s both aspirational and doable.

The recipes Meghan Sussex (as she’s now called) creates are simple. They use everyday ingredients and offer some cute little surprises, like flower petal sprinkles. She enjoys food and conversation with friends. She makes homemade beeswax candles using old cups and jars. And, for some of us, a local beekeeper from whom we can buy beeswax isn’t outlandish - I mean, I live right outside a college town, so go fig.

Anyway, it’s a relaxing show, and I highly recommend the third episode featuring Chef Roy Choi. That’s not what this message is about, though. It’s about branding.

Meghan Sussex - By Fuzheado - Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=147256681

I’ve been struggling with my brand lately. I do so many cool things! I’m an energetic business coach, I have two podcasts - one that’s all about living a witchy lifestyle and the other that’s about current events and politics - and I’m putting the finishing touches on my soul work in the form of my book, Breaking Up With Burnout. Oh, and I’m also an Ikigai coach and Reiki Master…Ooh, and I just started an in-person book club.

So, where does that leave my brand?

Back to Meghan Sussex - she’s had her ups and downs in the media. She was on Suits (such a great show, btw), ran her lifestyle blog The Tig, is married to Prince Harry, has two little kids, has done lots of sit-downs and had a Netflix special, had a podcast and has another one coming out soon, oh and she’s got her Netflix show and lifestyle brand, As ever.

Whew!

That woman is BUSY.

So am I.

Granted, I’m not living it up in California on an estate with an actual prince and tons of cameras on me all the time, but her list doesn’t look too different from mine.

And I’m betting it doesn’t look too different from yours, either.

As a multi-passionate woman, I attract other multi-passionate humans. Sometimes, that means we get really caught up in trying to niche down into something, and we get frustrated because it doesn’t work for us. It's a bigger struggle for us because we want to do all the things!

I was perusing Meghan’s Instagram the other day and realized that she’s a great example of being the brand. What I mean about that is that SHE is the brand, not the projects she’s sharing, not the recipes she’s cooking, not the podcasts she’s producing.

So I thought, why can’t I be the brand?

My Instagram is slowly transforming into a place where I share all of my work and life, not just business coaching. It’s becoming a place where I share periodic stories and connect with folks who follow me.

The result? My posts are already getting way more engagement. I’ve had some DM requests to work with me. And it’s feeling a lot simpler.

Because nobody has hours every day to be on social media striving for sales.

Why does this matter?

You can do the same thing. Obviously, if what you’re doing right now is working, don’t change it! You know the saying - if it ain’t broke… However, if you’re struggling to share your heart and show your work (shout-out to Allison Crow for that phrase), then maybe it’s because you’re trying to force a part of your heart and work to be your brand.

Maybe YOU are the brand.

Reread that again:

Maybe YOU are the brand.

Want help discovering your brand - or even embracing yourself as the CEO of your business? Let’s talk!