What’s the point of being self-employed when you don’t love the clients that hire you? Running a business is no joke. It’s exhilarating and fulfilling with many ups and a few downs here and there. Hard work, late nights, and sacrifices are all part of the deal. It might sound cliché but life is too short to not love what you do every day. One of the mantras we repeat at RAW Made is live your passion. And, a big part of living your passion and loving what you do is making sure your talent is nurturing a community you believe in.

I recently faced one of my biggest fears. My fear of business cards. And I don’t mean other people’s business cards. Those I’m completely okay with secretly judging. 😈 My fear stems from believing that having business cards printed will jinx by business and forever doom it to the cemetery of failed small businesses. 

It’s the start of a brand new year! While everyone else is rushing to the nearest gym to get a start on their New Year’s resolutions, why don’t you take the time to reflect on what you did for your brand in the past year and think about what you could do better this year?

Brands are multi-sensory strategies carefully researched and designed to engage an audience with the purpose of creating loyalty. Now, what exactly does that mean? It means well-branded businesses make YOU want to want THEM and LIKE it. Branding is the ultimate bad boy effect. You just can’t get enough of them no matter how hard you try to resist. AND YOU LOVE THIS. You do. People love being loyal, because it's one less decision you have to make when it comes to choosing which supermarket to go to, what backpack to purchase, what phone to buy or what beer to order.

What’s your favorite brand of coffee or tea? We bet the first thing that popped into your mind was the image of a brand’s name or a symbol—a logo. However, when you put your hands around that warm cup, you’re not drinking a logo or a company name. With each sip, you’re being an active participant in a larger story—a brand.