Building your Brand

Your business evolves over time, so why shouldn't your branding? In this episode of Building Your Brand, I chat with brand designer and self-styled "brand chef" Aiza Cheung of Studio Coya. We dive deep into why small business owners and service providers should stop flattening their services into generic lists and instead embrace the power of branding their signature offers.
Aiza breaks down her signature food analogies to explain how your business brand acts as the restaurant, while your signature offer is that one distinctive dish everyone comes back for. We also talk about the brilliant concept of "themed branding," using pattern disruptions, and how you can steal clever campaign strategies from corporate giants to stand out in your own industry.  
Key Takeaways
The Restaurant vs. The Signature Dish: Your overarching business brand is there to nurture your audience and build general trust . Your signature offer branding is the entry point that shows clients exactly what specific solution you provide.  
Pattern Disruption via Campaigns: Consistency builds trust, but audiences can become blind to the same visuals over time. Launching a dedicated campaign or signature offer provides a temporary window to play with new visual elements to peak curiosity.  
Theming Grounds Your Messaging: Choosing an anchor or theme (like Aiza's food concept or Rachel Emma Wearing's space aesthetic) makes it exponentially easier to write copy, devise analogies, and feel creatively aligned.  
Borrow from Other Industries: Instead of mimicking direct competitors, look outside your niche. Aiza looks to product-based food brands and hospitality to discover fresh ways to market online services.  
Strategic Disruption vs. Trust: Standing out with an unusual industry colour palette is highly effective, but you must ensure your visual pattern disruption doesn't undermine the core trust required for your profession.  
Episode Highlights
01:45: Aiza's journey from a linear design career to handling an unexpected redundancy that pushed her into running her studio  
04:20: What exactly defines a signature offer and how service providers can apply the SaaS model to their programs  
08:35: Pulling visual levers: Deciding how visually similar or distinct a sub-brand should be from your main parent brand  
18:25: How Aiza stumbled across her food theme by mistake and how it transformed into her biggest marketing asset 
20:15: Designing a theme that isn't loud: The story of The Two Lauras and their internal "comfy jumper and jeans" anchor  
28:30: Why it is okay to play with visual trends in short-term marketing blocks rather than a permanent rebrand
About the Guest
Aiza Cheung is a brand designer, strategist, and the founder of Studio Coya . Known as the "brand chef," she helps online service-based businesses differentiate their primary brands and structure unique visual worlds around their signature offers.
Website: studiocoya.com
Instagram: @studiocoya

Podcast: Nourish Your Brand
Aiza's Free Theming Masterclass
I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode!
This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft lucylucraft.co.uk
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

I've got a lot coming up in the final few months of the year, so in this episode I'm sharing what I'm looking forward to, what's making me nervous and what I still have capacity to add in. I love the variety of the work I do so am excited that I have some great clients, my own event, speaking at other peoples events and few other things in between to keep things interesting. 
If you would like to join me for the live Building Your Brand podcast event in London use the code EARLYBIRD and get your ticket here: Building Your Brand Live podcast event
To sign up for Adobe MAX Miami (you can sign up to watch online for free if you can't make it in person) head here: Adobe MAX Miami
Episode Highlights
00:10 – Kicking off Q4: personal and business reflections
02:30 – Preparing for major speaking events and managing nerves
05:00 – Achieving milestones and celebrating progress
08:00 – Looking ahead: new opportunities and future plans
11:00 – Inviting connections, collaborations, and new clients
 
Key Takeaways
Celebrate Your Milestones Recognize and honour the big achievements on your journey; they're proof of your growth and dedication.
Growth Comes with Nerves Embracing new challenges often means stepping outside your comfort zone, but that's where real progress happens.
Balance Ambition with Self-Care Pursue your goals, but remember to protect your time and energy so you can enjoy the journey.
Stay Open to Connection Building relationships and sharing your expertise can lead to exciting new opportunities and collaborations.
 
I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode! This episode was written, recorded and produced by me
If you like to watch your podcasts you can watch all of my solo episodes including this one on YouTube.
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

Today on the podcast, I'm chatting with Suz Chadwick, an expert who is brilliant at helping business owners navigate their personal branding. One of the things I love about these conversations is when unexpected themes and patterns appear. In this chat, we focus heavily on the importance of aligning your goals and your "why" when you are intentionally building a personal brand.
We debate if everyone actually needs a personal brand, what the process of growing one looks like in practice, and the uncomfortable parts of running a business that people rarely talk about. Suz shares incredibly helpful frameworks, including her "sandwich" concept, to help you figure out exactly where you want to go.

If you need clarity and a confidence boost this is the episode for you!
Key Takeaways
Your Personal Brand is Your Reputation: At its simplest, your personal brand is just your reputation and the very first thing people think about when your name comes up. Building one is about intentionally crafting that image in a way that feels natural and entirely true to who you are.

The Strategic Brand Sandwich: Suz shares her framework for evaluating your business and brand alignment. It requires balancing three core elements: your professional expertise, your personal values, and your overarching mission.

Entrepreneurship is Often Oversold: The 'glamorous' side of running a business and the day to day reality which, often, involves living in discomfort. 

Intention Drives Content: You don't need to post everything on social media to have a strong personal brand!

Accepting Continuous Learning: Business success is not a fixed destination where everything remains perfect. It's an ongoing journey of adjusting your strategies, learning new skills, and evolving alongside your industry.

Episode Highlights
01:12: Defining a personal brand as a natural, intentional extension of your reputation.

08:45: Why entrepreneurship is frequently glamorised and the parts of the journey we do not talk about enough.

15:30: A deep dive into the "sandwich" framework to clarify your professional, personal, and mission goals.

24:10: How to set healthy boundaries between what is public, what is personal, and what stays private.

33:15: Overcoming the fear of visibility and stepping out from behind your business logo.

40:55: Embracing the discomfort of running a business in a constantly shifting market.

About the Guest
Suz Chadwick is a brand consultant, business coach, and speaker who helps entrepreneurs build powerful personal brands and profitable businesses. She is also the host of the Brand Builders Lab podcast.
Website: suzchadwick.com

Instagram: @suzchadwick

Podcast: Brand Builders Lab

End Credits
I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode!
This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft lucylucraft.co.uk
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

After a summer break I'm back with my solo episodes. In today's episode I reflect on my month-long challenge of sharing my work online every day. I chat about the vulnerability, confidence struggles, and the surprising lessons I learned along the way. If you've ever hesitated to put yourself out there or worried about what others might think, I hope my story encourages you to take that leap and embrace the growth that comes from showing up consistently.
Key Takeways
Consistency Builds Confidence Showing up every day, even when it feels uncomfortable, is the fastest way to grow your self-belief and creative skills.
Vulnerability is a Strength Sharing your work openly, flaws and all, can be scary, but it's also the key to authentic connection and personal growth.
Let Go of Perfectionism Progress matters more than perfection. Each post is a step forward, not a final destination.
Your Work Matters You never know who you might inspire or encourage by sharing your journey, even if it feels small or imperfect.
Reflection Fuels Growth Taking time to look back on your creative process helps you see how far you've come and what you want to try next.
Episode Highlights
00:04 – Why I started a daily sharing challenge and what I hoped to learn
02:15 – The emotional rollercoaster: vulnerability, fear, and unexpected support
05:30 – Lessons in consistency, confidence, and letting go of perfection
08:10 – The impact of sharing: feedback, connection, and creative breakthroughs
10:45 – Reflecting on the journey and advice for anyone wanting to share more
 
I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode! This episode was written, recorded and produced by me
If you like to watch your podcasts you can watch all of my solo episodes including this one on YouTube.
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

This week I'm joined by my good friend and long-time collaborator Matt Joyce, an illustrator and mural artist based in Cardiff whose work brings brands to life in bold, playful ways. We dig into how illustration can elevate branding and marketing for independent businesses, why having a distinct style attracts the right clients, and how illustration can communicate values, culture and personality in a way words sometimes can't. We also get into the big topic of the moment; AI and how it's shaping (and not shaping) the creative industry. Plus, Matt shares his process, and how he does and doesn't market himself. 
Whether you're a business owner, creative, or just curious about the art behind the visuals, this conversation is packed with insights and inspiration.
Key Takeaways
Your Path Can Evolve Matt's journey from agency designer to full-time illustrator shows that it's never too late to pivot and follow your creative passions.
Authenticity Builds Strong Brands Infusing personal touches and storytelling into your visuals makes brands more memorable and meaningful.
Embrace Your Unique Style Finding and refining your own style helps clients know what to expect; and makes your work stand out in a crowded market.
Community Fuels Growth Word of mouth, collaboration, and showing up at creative events are powerful ways to build a sustainable freelance career.
Balance Consistency and Evolution Your style and process will naturally evolve; embrace change while staying true to your core strengths.
Storytelling Through Illustration Thoughtful, bespoke visuals can communicate brand values and connect with audiences on a deeper level.
AI is a Tool, Not a Replacement While AI is changing the creative landscape, Matt believes the human touch and creative intuition remain irreplaceable.
Celebrate the Wins, Big and Small From dream clients to seeing your work in the wild, take time to acknowledge your achievements before moving on to the next goal.
Episode Highlights
01:07 – Matt's creative journey: from design for media to illustration and murals
02:49 – Transitioning from agency work to freelance and building a career in illustration
07:22 – Developing a signature style, client expectations, and the evolution of personal style
08:35 – The importance of authenticity and balancing niche with versatility
17:42 – Storytelling through illustration: adding personal touches and building brand worlds
38:24 – Repurposing creative assets and working smarter, not harder
38:57 – The impact of AI on illustration, contracts, and client relationships
40:09 – Client attitudes toward AI, copyright, and adapting to industry changes



About The Guest
Matt Joyce on Instagram 
Matt Joyce Portfolio 
 
I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode! This episode was written and edited by me, recorded and produced at Kingsbane Studios
If you like to watch your podcasts you can watch all of my solo episodes and a few intewview episodes including this one on YouTube.
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!