181: More Than A Pretty Website: The Strategy Behind The Aesthetic with Cassie Pannier

Sabrina: On today’s episode of the Shoot It Straight podcast, I have my friend Cassie. She is my brand and web designer, and we are talking about the strategy behind the aesthetic of my rebrand. This conversation is so good because it gets to the core identity. There’s a lot of talk about messaging and clarity.

And it’s so much more than just visuals. When you think about a rebrand, you think about a logo and the fonts and the colors, and we did so much more work than that. And this is really a true peek behind the scenes at what went on start to finish, to take me from where I was to where I am now. I am excited for you to get to listen in on this chat, so let’s dive in.

Welcome to the Shoot It Straight podcast, where honesty meets heart and real talk actually means something. I’m your host, Sabrina Gehart, and each week we get vulnerable, practical, and just a little bit bold so you can feel seen, supported, and ready to take the next step in your photography journey.

Let’s go. Welcome back to the shoot at Straight podcast, my friends. This is another episode in the behind the scenes of my rebrand series, and today is really special because we’re chatting with the woman really behind all of this, and that is my designer, Cassie. I met Cassie back when I decided it was time for a rebrand.

I knew Cassie before I had worked with her on some things. She’s been on the podcast before she’s been in my world. But back when I decided that it was time for this rebrand, I got on like a consultation call with you and I was like, I need to just like word vomit all of the things that are coming up for me and that are happening and I need you to like listen and then like.

Pull through the weeds, glean what you can, so to speak, and she, Cassie, you were really able to clear through that mess of I was in such an unknown, uncertain place and you helped me see what I couldn’t see, and helped me find clarity, which has been absolutely invaluable in this process. But before we get too far into this conversation, just in case somebody has not heard you on the podcast before, why don’t you go ahead and introduce yourself to the audience.

Cassie: Yeah, so I’m Cassie, as Sabrina said, and I am a brand strategist and designer. I’ve mostly focused on brands, but I also touch websites for the brands that I work with. And I, like Sabrina said, I, my superpower is kind of just kind of creating that clarity throughout the chaos of most founders’ brains. A lot of times, founders that I work with have these big visions and goals and dreams and all these ideas that are coming at them a million different ways, and I like to kind of find like those through lines and that clarity.

That then can help those founders speak to the world in a way that makes sense to them and makes sense, just like as a, makes the brand just more cohesive and clear.

Sabrina: Yeah, it really is your superpower. I, I’ve been really fortunate this year to work with several women in their zone of genius that women who have come alongside me in different facets of my life and in my business, and I will tell you what it is.

So exciting to work with women when they are in that superpower, in that zone of genius because it is like witnessing magic and just being on the receiving end of it. So many times this year has. It’s been inspiring. It’s also been uplifting. I don’t know. It’s been a really, really cool experience. So I’ve, I’ve absolutely wor loved the process of working with you, and we’re gonna talk about a lot of that today.

So when we first met about this project on back, on this consultation call, and I was like, Cassie, I think it’s time for a rebrand. Let’s chat. I was kind of in a funk. I was kind of an emotional mess at that point. I had loved my previous brand. So much and for so long, and the thought of changing it, it was exciting because I do like change, but it also stirred up a whole lot of stuff that I didn’t even realize was there.

Um, I, I, I felt a little untethered about it. I had been. Standing alongside that brand for so long. It was like, if I’m not this brand, who am I? Right? And it all just felt really, really tender to me. I knew I wanted something that reflected who I was now because my, that, my old brand was, I think it was eight or nine, maybe even 10 years old.

It was, she was old. She was old. But I, I knew I needed something to reflect who I was Now. But I didn’t just want like a shiny new thing, right? I wanted it to be elevated, but more importantly, I wanted it to be really deeply aligned. So when we first started talking about this rebrand and the potential for a rebrand, what did you notice about where I was like energetically, creatively did, did I feel misaligned to you or outdated?

What was your perspective?

Cassie: Yeah, I think, I mean, I think you’ve put the nail on the head as far as like how I felt you were coming to the call energetically, as far as, you just kind of were like lost in the chaos of all of these thoughts and ideas that you were having and you know, that fear of changing things.

’cause especially since you’ve built such a robust brand around yourself, it can feel really overwhelming to change any of that because it’s just such a big undertaking I think. It was very clear though, that your brand had gotten you to where you were at and that you needed to, your brand needed to evolve in order for your you to evolve within your business.

And you were definitely at that kind of like tipping point of needing to evolve in order to like step into that next level. And I think, um, I had to go back to my notes because it seems like it was forever ago, but. The things that stood out to me on that call is that you were just juggling so many different ideas.

You were kind of giving yourself too much to too many different things. You were just feeling kind of a little bit unclear on some offers and. You mentioned on the call that you didn’t have your thing yet, which I usually call that a through line, which is like that kind of one core idea that brings everything together and just makes everything make sense.

You talked about that shift that you were craving into kind of more of a elevated authority led space and, and your current brand just wasn’t supporting any of that. I think just energetically, your brand was holding you in a chapter that you were ready to grow beyond, and it just kind of was like. For me, this is exciting ’cause I can see through to the other side, but it’s just kind of getting you to believe in taking those next steps that, you know, that vision is there.

It’s just, you know, taking those steps to get there. Is it, it can feel overwhelming and scary, but it’s so worth it.

Sabrina: Yeah. Yeah. It did it, it was such a weird emotional period because like I said, it was this untethered feeling where I. I fully agreed that it was time for a change. I had no idea what that change was or where we were going, and I felt a little guilty about setting aside a brand that had done so much for me and had taken me so far, and that I had.

Really felt aligned with for so long. It’s like shedding an identity and putting on another one. But really that’s not what it was. It was just, you know, like I’m still who I was eight or 10 years ago. I’ve just grown up and matured and it was time for my brand to do the same thing. And you did such a good job about like helping me see the other side, but also just, I just trusted you.

I just intuitively was like. I don’t know what we’re doing, Cassie, but I fully trust your vision and I, I fully, you know, I know you’re gonna get me there. And one thing I absolutely loved about working with you during this process was it’s super, you are so identity focused. This is not, let’s come up with a pretty color palette and like a really.

Cute logo. This is core identity focused, and one of the things that you did for me in this process was creating a brand guide. So do you wanna share with the audience what a brand guide is, and then why it was so important for me, particularly at this phase.

Cassie: Yeah, so the, the brand guide or the brand strategy document, um, is kind of like, I like to call like a brand playbook or even, it’s almost kind of like that filter.

It puts your vision that’s in your brain into a document that then can like. Filter everything that you do in your business through that, that I, it’s a document technically, but like by the time you’ve read through it a few times and you’ve worked within it, you don’t even really need the document itself.

It’s just like ingrained in you and I, I love it for teams or, you know, if, if your team is chat GPT, then it is, it’s a perfect tool to kind of feed into chat GPT to help it kind of get your brand right. But beyond like the logos, colors, and fonts. Um, which is what a lot of people think of when they think of branding.

Um, it’s so important to have that cohesiveness and clarity through your messaging and your marketing too. And I think since you came to me with kind of that a little bit of like that chaos of like, I don’t know what this is gonna look like. I know I need to evolve, I just don’t know what it’s gonna look like.

That’s exactly the place that I typically work with founders in because. Through that brand strategy process, we find that clarity. You don’t have to come to me knowing what you want, because we’ll find that together in the, the collaborative process of, you know, creating that brand strategy, crafting the messaging.

Um, basically you kind of, you fill out, you know, the questionnaire form and I download all of that. That’s basically your brain. I download all of that and then I. Distill it into how, what I saw through all of that and through my own research, and I think that’s where the strongest ideas that we landed on were born is through that strategy process where you and I just both dug deep into that vision and that market research.

And without that phase, I think a lot of brands fall flat. But now, yeah, with your brand strategy document in place, you can build your marketing and your messaging on it from like a daily basis instead of like guessing what to post or wondering what’s aligned. And those decisions are already made. So now Jaden, your, your, uh, social media strategist can take those ideas and, and messaging strategies and.

Bring them through to your marketing side and it just is like such an easier way to scale is kind of having that filter so that you are no longer the filter and you can kind of step into more of that CEO role and less of like the operational, having to make all of these decisions for everybody on your team.

So yeah.

Sabrina: It was something, uh, it was part of the process and you were like, I, it’s, you can add this on if you want. You don’t have to do this, but I would recommend this for you. You were basically like, girl, you need this. And I was like, no, absolutely. I wanna do this. Like, we’re gonna, we’re gonna do this right from the beginning.

And that was the very first piece that we did, and it was so fun. To see you filter through the noise and bring me that clarity in a, if, if you, if any of the listeners are out there, are visual. I’m so visual and to, I literally, Cassie, you don’t know this, but I had it printed and bound. It’s like on my desk in like, like I have it printed and bound in a little.

Spiral. It has a little cover. It’s on my desk, um, that I can look through, but I did exactly what you said. I sent it to everyone on my team. I also sent it to my stylist and I also sent it to, um, my brand photographer. So like. Literally we’re all on the same page. And the feedback I’ve gotten from people on my team about it is like, this is incredible.

This is so helpful. You know, and it’s, again, it’s not just the colors, it’s the messaging, it’s the language, it’s the positioning, and it’s was such a cool piece that. Will go with me in the future, even if, if my palate does change or whatever, like the core Yeah. Is there, you know, so a big part of that brand guide, like you said, is messaging, clarity, and I feel like I had Okay.

Messaging. Yeah. It wasn’t horrible. I mean, obviously it was doing a job because, you know, my business had gotten as far as it has with it and I’ve done a lot of things and, and so it wasn’t terrible, but. It wasn’t as refined and clear as it could have been. And so we talked a lot about that. Even though you’re not a copywriter, right?

Like you, we were, that’s still something like pulling in messaging points. And so we did that before we even really dove into like fonts and colors and all the visual aesthetic. Right. Were there in this process, were there themes or words that kept coming up for you as we were refining the voice and the messaging?

Cassie: Yeah, so I think, I guess as far as messaging goes, a huge part of like me kind of pulling the. Ideas for the messaging out is a huge part is the questionnaire and it’s pretty in depth and that’s like pretty intentional is that most of my clients honestly take like a week or two to fill it out because it’s essentially just this full brain download and it’s a huge assignment, but the clarity it brings is worth it, and that’s really where that alignment starts.

And honestly, a lot of founders have their big like aha moments while filling it out because. No one’s asked them these questions before and answering them forces that clarity. It’s not just about helping me understand your brand, but it’s about helping you understand it too. And once I’ve reviewed those answers, I dive into the market research and competi competitor analysis.

And that was a huge piece for me was, you know, I mean the, the coaching industry as a whole, a lot of people can start sounding and looking the same. And one of the things that is always my goal. Is to ha find your unique angle and to hone in on what makes you different. And actually one of the coolest part of the projects is how aligned we were.

I remember reading in your questionnaire that your audience wants more from their life and business, but feels guilty for wanting more. Then almost at the same time, you voice memoed me this idea about giving permission to want more. And we hadn’t even talked about it yet, and we both had the same thought.

And that’s what it feels like to be aligned is these ideas can come to you and just everything clicks into place and it just feels right. And I, I, I don’t know, that was like the biggest. Theme that came up as far as like the heartbeat of your brand, the permission granted. And then also we kind of came up with, you know, the clarity and the chaos and success in any season.

And that messaging works because we got really specific with who you were talking to and when you know exactly that person you’re talking to. I even like to pick out an actual human being that I’ve worked with before or that I want to work with and talk to them specifically. When you have that dialed in, your messaging becomes so much easier, and instead of TA saying.

A hundred things. So a hun, a hundred different ways to everyone. You are saying the right things to that right person, and that’s when you actually are able to make an impact with your messaging.

Sabrina: Yeah, yeah. It was such a fun process to go through with the messaging and honestly, it wasn’t something that I really expected going into this with you, that that was probably one of the biggest surprises and filling out your questionnaire.

It is actually as intense as you make it sound and um, which is good, but I have a hard time. With those kinds of questionnaires. Just me personally, because, and I’ve told you this before, I feel so close to my brand that oftentimes I’m too close to be able to say, I don’t know. I, I just, it, it is the way it is.

Or I feel the way, you know what I mean? I have a hard time putting words to it or recognizing something and I did my best answering and you were still able to pull out what needed to be pulled out, uh, which is absolutely incredible. But going back to the permission. That was so cool because it wasn’t just you and I, it was also Brianna, the Human design, ex experts.

Um, and then also Chatty G got involved and all four of us came up with the same thing simultaneously without discussing it with one another, which is bananas. Honestly, it’s super bananas, and I think I messaged you last and. And at that point you were like, oh my gosh, I have that written down. And I was like, no way.

My mind was literally exploding, you know? Because I was like, this is amazing. So it felt super aligned, like you said that like, okay, this is exactly where we’re going. This makes perfect sense. Which was really, really fun because I feel like that moment was kind of like the first brick and I was like, okay, I can see where we’re going now.

You know what I mean? That just that that right there, that messaging anchor. Gave me the ability to kind of see through the fog a little bit, and I was like, okay, this is gonna be awesome. Um, and I’ve been super, super excited about the process ever since. So after we nailed the brand guide and the messaging, that’s when you started getting into the visuals and the colors and, and all of the quote unquote fun parts of branding.

I would love to know what did we move away from visually from my brand and, and why did we make those moves?

Cassie: Yeah, so I think right off the bat from, I just remember from the discovery call, both of us knew that a few things needed to shift both, you know, the brand was leaning a little bit too soft, a little bit outdated.

It was kind of giving a little bit more of a friendly vibe than an aspirational or authoritative one. And when I dove into the market research as well, I noticed most of your competitors were doing the same thing. They were very soft, very feminine, very nice, and we wanted to move away from that. And really lean into what it actually feels like to work with you, which I feel like you had written in your brand questionnaire, you were kind of like a, their cheerleader, but with like no bs.

Mm-hmm. Almost like that cooler older sister who like hypes you up but also tells you that as like it is and we needed to your brand reflect that same energy. Something that is confident and grounded. And a little bit unexpected. So we definitely, I think, achieved that. And um, we kind of went the opposite direction.

Not the opposite completely, but. We definitely wanted you to stand out both visually and again, we kind of covered the messaging side of things and by like getting rid of some of the, the handwritten fonts and things like that, that so many people that’s like the, the low hanging fruit in the industry.

’cause so many women owned brands think that they need to have. A script font to feel friendly, but ultimately I think that sometimes that can undermine your authority and date your brand really fast. That’s, um, it’s a pretty trendy thing to do. Um, so instead, like we went with that bold and modern look for, you know, kind of that strength and we layered the color palette with, you know, el some elevated tones, but.

And, and some, even some earthy warm tones, but we still kept it really fun so that nothing feels too cold or clinical or even coachy. It just, it strikes this balance between elevated and approachable without falling into that trendy space.

Sabrina: Yeah, that was another thing that was really cool, the brand analysis.

You know, when I think about competitors. I am like, oh, well we’re, we’re all different. But then when you were like, but, but coming from an outside perspective, when I look at their website and their social media and their, their messaging and their headshots and their whatever, everybody’s actually the same.

And it was really shocking to see everybody, some of these really huge names that I had, you know, because you had asked me some more attainable competitors, but then also some like really high achieving women that are really a far reach. And so I gave you names of both. They really all were the same.

They had the same types of, of, you know, branding images. They had the same types of, of page layouts, they the same types of messaging. And so when you did that, it was really easy to see, okay, well these are the ways we could stand out. We’re just not gonna do these things and we’re gonna do these things over here, which seems so obvious, you know?

Um, which obviously not everybody’s doing the homework you’re doing, which is Yeah. Sad. Um, but visually, yes, I agree with everything you said. We. We’re moving from a, I don’t wanna say basic brand, because I don’t think I was as cookie cutter as some. Mm-hmm. But the language was definitely more cookie cutter as far as coachy, you know, um, pulled from like the coaching playbook and it was definitely very, very soft.

So. When we moved forward with the new brand, it was really important to me that I still kept things colorful and fun because those are me to my core. Even if I have grown up, even if I have elevated, even if I have become more successful and whatever, fill in the blank. Color and fun are really important to me at my core.

If you know me in person, if you know whatever. So how did you balance that? Elevated, warm, feminine, fun, colorful, without feeling super trendy like every other brand competitor out there.

Cassie: Yeah, it’s so funny because I feel like so many people, you know, identify, especially in like the service industry, they identify like colorful as like not as elevated.

And I think there’s so many ways to do color in an elevated way. Um, and I think it’s just all about balance. So like we balanced some fun. More bold type faces with, you know, some more like serious type faces. And same with the color. We balanced the, you know, we wanted to make sure we kept your pink.

Because that is like signature to you. I think if we would’ve stripped the pink away, it would’ve felt like a entirely new brand and not like you. Um, and so we kept certain elements that we’re working and that you were known for, but we just elevated them just a tiny bit. Um, we balanced them out with something a little bit more.

Grounded to kind of make everything just feel a little bit more har harmonious together. And I, I don’t know, I think the whole thing just feels confident and colorful and warm, but with like a little bit of an edge. And I think, again, not. Not sticking ourselves to that handwritten font kind of look, I think also helps in a huge way, keep things from not feeling trendy or too soft and feminine, while still including lots and lots of pink in your brand.

So, yeah.

Sabrina: Yeah, the pink was really important. Um. And I, I just, I love my new brand so much. She makes me so happy. Um, she makes me so happy. Okay, let’s move on. From the aesthetics to the website, what were some of the biggest problems that we were solving with this new website design?

Cassie: Yeah. So with the kind of business in the funnel, like ecosystem that you’ve built out, the website naturally had a lot of different pathways that people could take.

Mm-hmm. And that honestly can get really overwhelming, really fast. And you know, we were talking about it before we got on here and. You know, there’s so many pages to a website and you just, honestly, you just have to focus on building the experience from the ground up on what you want people, what pathway you want people to take when they land on your website, and prioritize from there.

So we had a, a. First prep call for our web, the website, and we put in a clear path for how we wanted your users to experience your site so that they don’t get confused. ’cause honestly, if you. I have too many different pathways. People are gonna get frustrated and confused, and they’re probably not gonna convert to anything anyways.

And so making sure that it’s really streamlined and focused on, you know, one or two pathways here and there is really, really important in making sure that everybody’s having a great experience. So we prioritized certain pages that we were gonna make sure got done before the launch and everything else, I think, um, can slowly be changed from there.

I don’t think that a rebrand has to mean. Everything’s scrapped and has to be redone right away. And I think that’s what a lot of people think, but even the biggest companies go through rebrands and they have to slowly over time change things out as they go. It’s never just like a ripping off a bandaid sort of situation.

So I think that we really did build out a site though that leads people to your core, offers an experience that you’re known for and really, um, gives people an idea of what you’re about and who you are. And. Um, yeah, I think, I think everything is supporting that larger strategy on your website.

Sabrina: Yeah. I had, I am fairly proficient in Showit.

I’ve built a ton of pages myself. I’ve done a lot of updating. Um, my old site was, I don’t know, five years old, maybe. I think it was a 2020 baby. And I will say it had gotten to a point though, where I had. A bunch of new freebies, a bunch of new offers, and I had built all those pages and those things were getting downloaded and getting purchased and, and all of that.

But when you and I were going through like, what’s the structure, what’s on the homepage, where are these things linked? I. Those things that I had created weren’t linked anywhere else on my website. Like I wasn’t leading, there was no leading, there was no funneling. It was like you either landed on that page organically or you did not, you know what I mean?

Which is I had just kind of lost sight of, oh, I need to be directing them from different places into different things. And so that was one of the things we worked on is like, okay, wait a minute. What are, what are all the freebies you have? What are all of the offers you have? What are all of, okay, so which ones are the priorities?

Where are we pushing people to from the homepage, from the contact page, from the, you know, et cetera. And making sure that it’s not just a one page, you either land there and find it or you don’t, you know, because that’s what my head site, that’s what my site had gotten to be, this beast that I had just kind of lost track of.

Mm-hmm. Yeah. So with the new website, she’s, she’s so pretty. She’s so pretty. Um, what do you hope someone feels within the first five seconds of landing on this new site?

Cassie: Yeah, so this might be kind of a hot take, but I actually want the, the site to turn away the wrong people right away.

Sabrina: Yeah.

Cassie: Because that’s what it really, they should do.

If, if they’re not the right fit, they should know within the first few seconds because. Um, I don’t know. It life’s too short to, yeah, be working with people who aren’t the right fit, but for the right people, I want them to immediately get what it feels like to work with you and your energy and your warmth and the support that you have to give them.

And before they even read anything, I want them to feel that the brand should be doing that work. Um, before they even have to read a thing, it’s not about saying, okay, here’s what I do here, like presenting it on a platter. For them, it’s about giving them a feeling of like. Oh, this is who I want in my corner.

And especially in a space like coaching where so many brands are starting to blend in, we just wanted this one to feel just really personal and real and feel like you, and I think we accomplished that.

Sabrina: Yeah, I think so too. I can’t wait to hear all of the feedback, um, from people checking it out and all of that.

I’m, I’m really, really excited for that. Okay, my friend, now that we are officially on the other side of this huge project, how would you describe this new brand in one sentence?

Cassie: Oh boy. Um, well, I definitely think it feels confident and fun. Those are the first two words that come to mind, but it also just feels completely aligned with who you are and where you’re going and why people should trust you to lead them.

I think, yeah, that’s, I don’t know if that was one sentence, but Yeah, we, we could probably

Sabrina: get that all into one sentence. Um, Cassie, as the genius behind. Everything start to finish the brand guide, the messaging, the design, the website. What are you most proud of with this final product?

Cassie: I would say the clarity that comes from it, so.

Uh, I think clarity opens doors and it opens up this whole realm of like ideas and processes and everything that comes from it. And I think we hit a point where everything from your visuals to your voice and your offers and all of that feels like it’s all pulling in the same direction now. That kind of alignment can just make your brand feel easier to show up for and easier to sell.

And honestly, just. Easier to grow and scale and reach your dreams and goals and everything that you have beyond it. It’s kind of almost like opening a door to going towards your goals, I think. Yeah. That’s how

Sabrina: they’re, yeah. Yeah. That’s awesome. Okay, so for the listeners that are like, this sounds fascinating, maybe it’s time for them, how, how will they know when it’s time for a rebrand and not just like a little refresh or something?

Cassie: Yeah. I feel like when your brand feels like you’re putting on a mask or a costume every day, like it doesn’t feel like you anymore. It doesn’t feel like a reflection of. Who you’ve become, whether it’s you individually or as a business, that’s probably a sign. A refresh is kind of like tweaking what’s already working versus a rebrand is more for when you, your current brand has gotten to you to where you’re at, but it’s not going to get you where you’re going next.

And so it’s time for your brand. You to rebrand when things start feeling just harder than they need to be. So like when you’re doing a lot of explaining of what you do or convince feel, you feel like you’re having to convince people you’re. Visuals in your messaging just aren’t doing any lift for you.

Um, you find yourself drifting from the brand sometimes and in into like the chaos of Canva land. I call it start just like trying out new templates or fonts because you’re like, it’s there. Maybe this will make me look more professional or whatever. And you just kind of aren’t feeling your brand anymore, so you kind of start drifting away from it.

Yeah. I think when things just don’t feel like they’re sticking anymore and you just don’t feel like it’s reflective of who you’ve become, I think that’s when it’s time for a rebrand.

Sabrina: Yeah. I will also say if it’s been a long time, um, yes. You know what I mean? I, because that’s, that’s kind of the perspective that, or not the perspective.

That’s what happened for me is. I became aware of how much time it had been before I recognized that I was ready. And because this all started in the summer, if you would’ve asked me last spring. Are you gonna have a rebrand? I would’ve been like, no, I love my brand. Um, and it wasn’t until I stopped and thought about it, right?

And I was like, wait a minute, this has been like coming on a decade now. And am I actually still that same person that I was 10 years ago? Of course I’m not. You know, so that, that when it’s been a long time because for me. I still felt aligned with parts of my brand, and it was enough of it that it felt like it still quote unquote worked.

You know, it was colorful, there was pink. It was fairly bold, like visually, and those things felt like me, but when I really sat down and I was like, wait a minute, it’s been like almost a decade. Yeah, I’ve changed a lot since then. And the more I sat with it, the more I was like, crap, it’s time for a rebrand, you know?

And then I, it almost like opened up this whole can of worms. And the further we got in the process, the further I was like, I wish this would go faster. I want my new brand ready, you know? But I wasn’t fully aware of it yet. So I’m gonna say also, it’s been a time and you’ve just been. Operating under the assumption that it all still works.

You might take a solid look at things, who you were then, who you are now, does it actually still align? The other thing I would say is. If your quote unquote brand now is some cute kit you bought and you never went through this kind of process where it is identity focused, it might be time to to do that if you’ve been in business long enough where I, I don’t think that’s necessary for someone in the first couple years of their business, right?

Like you don’t need that kind of an investment. You don’t even really know who you are in business yet, when you’re that new. But if you’ve been in business, let’s say five years or more, and you’ve never gone through this process, I would encourage you to do it because it is extremely eyeopening. Um, and it is so much more than just a cute little cookie cutter brand package, you know?

Yeah. Um, so that’s what I would say. What are you gonna tell the woman who knows that her brand no longer fits, but she’s in that same place that I was, where she’s scared because she doesn’t know what’s on the other side.

Cassie: I would say that branding doesn’t re or rebranding, doesn’t mean that you’re starting over.

It’s just like building on what you’ve already created and it’s okay to outgrow the brand that you got you here. It’s, in fact, it’s encouraged because even the biggest companies in the world rebrand very regularly, probably about every 10 years, I would say, and it’s. Not a sign that something is wrong.

It’s just a sign that you’ve evolved and you’ve grown, and that’s actually good. That is a. A successful business grows and evolves over time. And when you let your brand evolve with you, you’re not just giving people something to kind of like rally around. ’cause rebranding always gets people excited and it kind of gives people like a fresh look at your brand as a whole.

You’re, you’re setting your business up to like function better too. It can feel scary for sure, uh, but usually. Feeling that fear just means that you care and you’re doing something you’re passionate about. And a lot of people can’t say that when they go to a nine to five. So it just means that you’re in the right place and that you’re doing something that matters.

And when you think about what’s on the other side of that fear, which is probably something that you’ve been craving, whether that’s clarity, alignment, momentum, or it’s something very specific like. When I work with like product-based brands and they’re like wanting to get into a specific store or something like that, but they, they know that this rebrand is on the other side of being taken more seriously to get to where they want to go.

They wanna raise their prices, whatever it is. Um, you just have to let yourself take that next step and step beyond the fear and trust that the process will get you to where you wanna go.

Sabrina: Yes, I could not agree with that more. Again, I. Committed to this process, having no clue where we would end up. No clue what we would go through to get there.

And, but I knew it was the right time to do it. Yeah. And I just went forward anyways, you know, and that taking action without the clarity. Is huge because that’s, we gained clarity through that action. If I never would’ve taken it, I wouldn’t be in this clear space that I am now. So, um, I totally agree with that.

Um, Cassie, my friend, thank you so much for coming alongside me in this process. It was such an emotional. It’s time for me. And seeing you work in your zone of genius has been so fun. Honestly, like I said before, it’s like magic. My new brand feels so exciting, but also. Kind of like an exhale, like of course this is where I am.

You know what I mean? It’s like I’m stepping forward into something new, but also coming home to something that is as it always was. It just feels right. So this has been just so fun. Um, I’m so thankful for you and all of your support through, through this whole thing before we wrap. Cassie, tell the listeners where they can find you so they can blow you up and reach out to you about their rebrand this year.

Cassie: Yeah, so I’m just gathering creative on everything. Gather creative.com. Gather creative on Instagram, TikTok. Pinterest, everything. So it was such a pleasure to have a chance to rebrand you. I honestly had it on my vision board. I was like, I don’t know, I, something makes me feel like Sabrina is on, is gonna be needing a rebrand soon, and I’m so glad that it came true and it was.

Definitely a highlight to my 20, 25 year. So thank you so much for letting me be a part of it, and I can’t wait to see where it takes you.

Sabrina: I know it’s gonna be fun. I’m, I’m excited for it, for sure. Uh, that’s it for today, my friends. We’ll see you next time. Thanks so much for listening to the Shoot at Straight podcast.

You can find all the full show. And details from today’s episode@sabrinagehart.com slash podcast. Come find me and connect over on the gram at Sabrina Gehart Photography. If you’re loving the podcast, I’d be honored if you hit that subscribe button and leave me a review. Until next time, my friends shoot it straight.