Building your Brand

In this episode, I chat about how my definition of success has changed over time. I used to think that chasing other people's goals would be my idea of success but then I realised I needed to find out what truly matters to me. I share the lessons I've learned about contentment, ambition, and building a life and business that feel right for me. I hope this encourages you to define success on your own terms.
Episode Highlights
00:00:30 – Rethinking success: how my perspective has changed over time
00:03:00 – Letting go of other people's goals and finding my own definition
00:06:00 – Balancing ambition, family, and lifestyle choices
00:09:00 – Celebrating contentment, everyday wins, and modeling success for my kids
00:12:00 – Embracing bravery, growth, and inviting listeners to reflect on their own version of success

Key Takeaways
Define Success for Yourself Don't let others' expectations dictate your goals; find what truly matters to you.
Contentment is Powerful Success isn't just about big achievements; it's about feeling proud and satisfied with your journey.
Balance Ambition with Joy It's okay to want more, but remember to enjoy what you have and celebrate the small wins.
Bravery is Success Pushing yourself to try new things and step outside your comfort zone is a win in itself.
Your Version of Success Will Evolve Allow your definition of success to change as you grow and your life circumstances shift.
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 Dominique van Werkhoven about the deep identity work that comes hand-in-hand with building a personal brand . 
 
Dominique shares her non-linear career path, from studying law to living in France, working in international development, running nonprofits, and eventually co-founding her web copywriting and development business, The Werks, with her husband in Austria and the Netherlands .
 
We talk about the complexities of building a brand across cultures and languages, navigating multiple career identity shifts, shutting out external opinions, and why showing up fully as yourself is the ultimate key to attracting the right clients .

Key Takeaways
Identity Drives Action: How you view yourself directly dictates the risks you take and the actions you pursue in your business .

True Belonging Requires Authenticity: Hiding unique parts of your background or personality to "fit in" deprives you of genuine connection; those exact traits might be what draw your ideal clients in .

Navigating Multi-Cultural Branding: Building an international brand requires finding a common communication language while providing helpful context for cultural nuances and colloquialisms .

Embracing Career Identity Shifts: Transitioning between sectors (like moving from non-profit work to entrepreneurship) requires intentional mindset shifts to value your time and price your services confidently .

Visibility Creates Evidence for Others: Showing up authentically provides crucial representation and evidence to others that success is possible for people with similar backgrounds .

Episode Highlights
00:58 - Dominique's journey: moving internationally four times, raising three boys, and co-founding The Werks.

07:22 - Navigating the identity and mindset shifts required when transitioning from the non-profit sector to commercial business .

20:56 - Why hiding parts of your identity to fit in prevents true belonging and connection .

26:55 - Managing visibility, setting personal boundaries online, and navigating the risks of public exposure.

36:25 - The practical challenges and rewards of building an international brand across languages and cultural communication styles .

About the Guest
Dominique van Werkhoven is a copywriter and co-founder of The Werks, a studio she runs with her husband offering website development and copywriting for small businesses and freelancers .

Website: thewerks.nl

Instagram: @thewerks.nl

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!

In this episode, I share the story of my early career; navigating internships, first jobs, and the uncertainty that comes with starting out in the creative industry. I hope my journey encourages you to embrace the unknown and trust that every step, even the messy ones, can lead to something meaningful.
Episode Highlights
00:00:10 – Leaving university and facing the job market
00:03:10 – My first internship and what I learned
00:06:45 – Taking on freelance projects and building confidence
00:10:20 – Landing my first full-time role
00:13:30 – Reflecting on early lessons and growth
Key Takeaways
Embrace Uncertainty The early stages of your career are full of unknowns; lean into them and trust the process.
Every Experience Counts Internships, side projects, and even setbacks all contribute to your growth and skillset.
Say Yes to Opportunities Taking on new challenges, even when you feel unprepared, can open doors you never expected.
Growth Happens Outside Your Comfort Zone The moments that feel the scariest often lead to the most valuable lessons.
Reflect and Celebrate Progress Take time to look back and appreciate how far you've come, even if you're still figuring things out.
 
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 photographer and podcast host Victoria Phipps, who also happens to be a previous client of mine!
Victoria shares her journey from starting out as a self-taught wedding photographer in 2009 to navigating major career pivots, becoming a mum of two, launching her podcast Mum Means Business, and expanding into online courses and personal branding photography. We dive deep into the messy reality of running multiple business fractions, letting go of rigid perfectionism, using AI to organize complex ideas into a design brief, and how investing in a cohesive visual identity completely changes how confidently you show up in your business.

Key Takeaways
Authentic Branding Builds Real Confidence: A cohesive visual identity is so much more than colours and fonts; it provides the grounding and confidence you need to put yourself out there and take new leaps .

Using AI as a Practical Structuring Tool: AI can be an incredible sounding board to help turn a brain dump into a clear, structured creative brief without losing your own voice or opinions .

Consistency Flourishes from Joy: It is infinitely easier to stay consistent with projects that bring you genuine joy rather than simply checking off boxes of what you "should" be doing .

Over-Communication Elevates the Client Experience: Being proactive, setting clear expectations, and adding thoughtful touches build deep trust and long-lasting professional relationships .

Embracing the "Messy Middle": You don't always have to force yourself into a single, narrow niche; unifying your distinct business offerings under one cohesive visual language allows all your passions to thrive together .

Episode Highlights
02:00 – Victoria's evolution from wedding photography to navigating COVID, motherhood, and business pivots.
06:15 – Launching the Mum Means Business podcast to connect with other female founders balancing ambition and family.
09:10 – Resisting the pressure to niche down and learning to bridge different business "fractions."
26:15 – How Victoria used Claude AI to dictate and structure a comprehensive creative brief for her rebrand.
33:00 – What makes an unforgettable client experience: communication, clear steps, and thoughtful details.
40:00 – Finding the visual thread that weaves distinct business strands together.
43:15 – How a brand identity that brings you joy transforms your confidence and how you market yourself.
About the Guest
Victoria Phipps is a UK-based photographer, host of the Mum Means Business podcast, and creator of the Print Over Pixels course for photographers .

Website: mummeansbusinesspodcast.com



Instagram: @mummeansbusinesspodcast | @victoriaphipps_mbe



Mentioned in the Episode
Events & Concepts: Atomic Con (aff link)

Software & Tools:  Claude AI , Canva , Adobe Express (Aff link)  


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 been having a think about the sort of content I want to create at the moment and 'positive' and 'up lifting' was what was requested when I asked my followers on instagram. The news from the design industry and the world in general has been very negative recently.
While I was researching what I could talk about I came across this really interesting effect called 'The Curb Cut Effect'. It's all about how solving a problem for a smaller group of people who have a specific accessibility need actually helps everyone. In this episode I chat through the effect and how it got it's name and also give other examples, and ideas of how you could use this improve your own brand and it's accessibility.
Key Takeaways
1. Designing for the edges lifts the middle.
Every time someone has built for a group that was being left out, the whole world has quietly benefited. Your business is no different; the change you make for one person rarely stops with them.
2. Small, imperfect steps still count.
You won't get accessibility right first time, and you don't have to. Alt text, better colour contrast, left-aligned copy; these are afternoon jobs, not year-long projects. Start where you are.
3. If it's hard work to read, it's hard work to buy.
A brain that has to strain will give up, and it won't even know why. Make it easy to read, easy to follow, easy to purchase - and you stop losing people you never knew you'd lost.
4. Do it because it's right, and let it pay you back anyway.
Accessibility is the rare decision where doing the decent thing and doing the smart thing point in exactly the same direction. You don't have to choose.
Episode Highlights
00:00: Where this episode came from: an Instagram story asking what people wanted, and the repeated request for something positive in a design industry that's feeling bleak
01:13: The kerb cut effect explained: 1970s activists with sledgehammers and cement, building ramps at night so wheelchair users could cross the road independently
02:47: Closed captions, voice assistants and automatic doors: how a fix designed for one group quietly ends up serving everybody
04:21: Why accessibility gets shelved by small business owners, and the commercial and legal case for stopping putting it off
05:34: The centred text problem: why the brain can't find the next line, gives up without realising it, and what that means for your emails and website
08:13: The question to take away: what have you been holding off fixing because you assumed it would only help a handful of people?
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!