So last year I thought about changing the name of the business, why so? Well because I felt it didn't fit anymore but after a few chats with some of my creative pals, I decided it wasn't the name, but the brand identity that needed a rework!
I’d never really thought much about my branding, probably because it felt like some awful term used in one of those toxic corporate jewellery companies I used to work for back in the day, but actually, it’s really important.
Now the person I chose to do this brand refresh and give me the brand identity needed I had known of for a while via instagram, indie roller and the creative community and I had always loved her fun, colourful outlook so thought we would be a good fit. Then when I discovered, through watching one of her awesome instastories, that back in the 90's we were dancin (please read in a northern accent) in the same club up north, I was instantly sold. I just had to work with this fab person!
The person in question is the wondrous Fran from Shimmy Shimmy Yay, an amazing creative who makes amazing jewellery, stunning headdresses, homewares and now is a branding bad ass. Immediately Fran knew what I wanted was able to interpret my ideas and rambling and instantly came up with some amazing stuff. It was so good to see, very quickly that we were on the same page, she got my vision, and better still she had the skills to get it out of my head and into the world!
I asked Fran what she loves about the rebranding process.........
I guess it's the whole process…it's getting to know people, getting to understand their businesses, their stories and where their inspiration comes from. I love that everyone's journey is different and everyone has taken different paths and the influences they've had throughout their lives shape what it is they love and how they see the world.
For example, after getting to know you Sara, and realising your love of mid-century art and graphics. Then, as we got more in-depth also hearing the story about that amazing light fitting you used to love and understanding that that is where your love for that particular emblem or 'the starburst' as we like to call it, came from! And then later in the process, creating a brand mark around just that!
Having a design and creative marketing background and using that knowledge to help with my own brand Shimmy was great, but now to be able to share my skills and knowledge with others to help them build the brands of their dreams, just gives me so much pleasure. I guess it's almost like the missing part of the puzzle for me!
Seeing these strong, creative, independent, female entrepreneurs who've built these fantastic companies, often single-handedly from their own homes is just incredible! However, so often, they've been so busy working ‘in their business’, they've been able to the time to stop and recognize their achievements and see how much they've already accomplished. They've struggled to find the time to work on their business. So for me to come in with fresh eyes and refocus them and look back at their journeys to understand where they’ve come from, then to help them look to the future to understand their goals, it's just such a privilege.
And, I guess on a more personal level for me, being someone who has recently been diagnosed with ADHD – being able to work on a variety of projects, at any one point, with different clients and their different styles is just perfect for me and my busy creative brain!