In each and every moment of your life (including this moment right now) you have an important choice to make. Will you choose to be scared, or choose to be free? In the events of the past few weeks, and the passing of my mother-in-law, I was acutely aware of the choices I had in each moment.

When my husband and I found out how suddenly the end was approaching, it was quite shocking (and untimely). There was a tiny voice in side of me that started going through all of the “what if’s.” What if she passed before David got there? What if I needed to close my business for the week… or cancel my retreat? What if I never got to say goodbye? What if…

As soon as I noticed the contractions around all of the “what if’s,” I realized they were all coming from a place of fear. They were making me feel like I was running scared. I’ve never gone through this before; I didn’t know how to BE or what to do. So, I asked myself, “is this how I want to be feeling right now?” Did I want to be feeling the fear, the frantic energy and the worry about “what if?” Well, the only answer to that question was no.

So, instead I chose to feel free within myself and make decisions from that space. Not surprisingly, grace joined me in that place and we easily got my husband on the next plane out of Baltimore with no problem. (While he didn’t make it to his mom before she passed, he made peace within himself around her passing.) I changed the date of my retreat to start one day later and the attendees adjusted to the change with such grace, as did the bed and breakfast I was holding it at… they had the exact number of rooms I needed for the new dates. My parents quickly adjusted their schedule to watch Janet while I was at the retreat so David could stay with his father in Sacramento for an extra week. And, on and on…

I stopped running scared that I wouldn’t have the time I had planned to prepare for the retreat, and chose to release my attachment to what I “thought” I “needed” to do… and the freedom within me allowed for more grace to unfold in a magical retreat. Instead of running scared about some commitment I had to break, I chose to be free within myself and not beat myself up about having to let some things go so I could be present with my husband and family.

There was so much happening in such a short period of time, each moment was a choice I had to make. Will I run “scared” or will I run “free?”

I invite you to ask yourself this same question right now with whatever is happening in your life. What are you choosing to be your experience? Are you running scared or running free?

Some of you may immediately go to a place in your mind that will quickly begin listing all of the “reasons” why you ought to be scared. Remember that this voice that causes you to feel contracted, fearful, scared, paralyzed, etc… is the voice of your ego. Simply allow yourself to acknowledge the voice. Let it feel heard.

But, as my spiritual teacher says… then turn UP the volume on the voice of your Higher Self. Listen to this voice more closely. Listen for the truth that resides deep within your soul. Your soul sings the song of freedom… no matter what circumstances may be occurring around you. It is YOU that can choose in any moment to allow fear or freedom to determine how you feel.

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Branding Impacts Your Success

Unfortunately, an idea is not enough to start a business. From investment to management know-how, there are thousands of ways a business can find success – or failure. One thing nearly all companies have in common is that they need to assert control about how the public perceives them.

This public perception can be swayed, directed, nourished, and influenced by your branding strategy. And your branding strategy can be used to help your business thrive by creating a professional image and growing with it.

Small Business, Big Image

It’s easy to think of branding as what large organizations need to actively develop. The truth is quite to the contrary – small businesses can make great use of branding. In fact, small businesses need to focus on creating and managing their image just as much as large corporations.

Creating a professional image doesn’t need to be complicated, it doesn’t need to cost a fortune, and you don’t need to own an about-to-go-public company. No matter what the size of your company, creating a professional image will instill customer confidence in your business.

Would you buy a service from a web site that didn’t appear to be professional? The answer is probably no. So, how can you create a professional image for your small company? How can you be pragmatic in your branding strategy, if, for example, you can’t afford to host focus groups, advertise in print publications or sponsor community events? You can be resourceful, both budget-wise and creatively.

Start off by developing a logo and slogan for your business that succinctly represents what you offer. Its main purpose is to show people what makes your business different from the competition.

1) The look and feel of your logo, your visual representation, should reflect the qualities you want the public to associate with your organization and how it is positioned uniquely from other companies. Does your company appeal to a young, party-going market segment? Choose bold, bright colors and funky message. Trying to attract established business? Stay with corporate colors and a benefit message.

2) Creating a big image isn’t just about the graphics you choose, a slogan or tag line can repeatably send your message. Think of tag lines that convey what you want people to associate with your firm: “The name you can trust,” or “Your #1 Source.” Use a descriptive or emotional phrase that may not use these specific words, but communicates a sense of expertise, loyalty, benefit or trust.

To make your business stand out from others, first brainstorm about what your company represents or what people will experience while using your products or services. Craft a slogan that uniquely differentiates what your business offers.

(Marketing Tip: Create a really compelling and useful combination by balancing the logo and tag line – make one emotionally appealing and the other more descriptive of your product or service.)

3) Maintain continuity as you carry your theme into your web site, collateral and signage as well as in the new media marketing tools like an internet video commercial or webinar slide presentation. Innovative and effective tools are a way growing your brand image that others will see as integral to your corporate image.

Act The Part

You have created your logo, defined your slogan – what is next? To develop a brand, you need to follow through with good practices so your customer’s experience is aligned with your brand. From ensuring that work is done to the customer’s expectations every time, to making sure your employees maintain your standards, you will brand the company from within and it will reflect outwards.

All companies start small. Creating a brand now allows your company to evolve with it as you grow. As your company changes, your brand will adapt, but today’s core elements, such as commitments to product quality or customer satisfaction, will likely remain the same.

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