Before 2020 shocked the entire world, we already have experienced a business community of chaos and noise.

Disruption was key and the quicker and faster your business could disrupt the market, the better. That was the trend being set and multiple influencers blogged about this. It was more about the disruptive model than the reasoning of starting a business or the backline story that tells the authentic craft of the brand.

Then… the biggest disruption of all happened and a world of lockdown forced a busy business community to reflect and be silent.

Wonderful metaphors came to light.

The bridge on the river Choluteca, built to last, but had absolutely no purpose after the river redirected and all livelihood vanished after Hurricane Mitch hit Honduras.

A business world started to change, reflect and rebuild into a business environment that can adapt, rather than just last.

(Choluteca-bridge)

In these times of uncertainty and adaptation, it is key to reflect on the core principals of your brand identity.

• What is the fundamentals your brand identity is based on?
• Is your internal client fully educated about your brand identity?
• Does your brand communication strategy make room for brand identity storytelling?

Through answering these three “back to basics” questions you can rebuild, reposition and really build a business that can adapt.

Implementing effective rhythm as a solution to the questions above, your brand identity will show stability and discipline, cutting through a noisy disruptive business environment.

Your values identify your truth that reveal your identity.

Charles Horton Cooley wrote:

“I am not what I think I am , and I am not what you think I am. I am what I think you think I am.”

Crazy thought…but true! We as individuals and brands are daily motivated by what others think of us, or even worse, what we think others think of us. That thoughts become our identity and dictate the way we communicate to each other.

With a disruptive economy, this vague interpretation of our true identity become more dangerous. We become so disruptive within the purpose of our brand that we start to forget the actual reasoning for starting-up.

Entrepreneurs that started a business from scratch with no capital or client base will tell you that besides their business idea, it was their set of values that was the best resource to build their identity and a client base that they could retain and grow from.

Values become your identity.

Values are not based on what others think of you or what you think they think of you.

It is what you believe in, what you breath in, what keep your feet on the ground and what clearly give you reasoning to wake-up and hustle.

Values is the starting point of why it all began, why your brand exist and it speaks the truth about your brand when you are not in the room.

Yes, marketing channels and strategies are the tools to introduce these values to your external client, but it is only when the internal client live these values inside the business, and transcend those values naturally to the external client where trust is build and relationships formed. That is the key in building a business that can adapt.

Visit www.foreverfriday.co.za and read about our values on the About us page. Being the future of inspiration we pride ourselves to change the world one inspired idea at a time.

Forever inspired!

JJ van Niekerk

Creative Director (Forever Friday)