If my multi-hyphenate daughter were my client, this is how I'd position her
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Welcome to The Art of Figuring Shit Out; musings on identity, asking why sometimes we can, but often can’t make sense of the moments that make us who we are, define the businesses we build, and shape the lives we cultivate.
“You look like Cinderella, but before she went to the ball.”
This is what my 7 year old told me the other night.
Moments earlier she'd looked me up and down, asked if I was wearing 'that' to her friend's party, told me I didn't look good… and then dispatched her final blow.
And I LOVED it. I mean what a burn!
I laughed with an intensity that caught even me by surprise. I'm clearly still thinking about it days later.
You see, she could have left it at 'you look bad' - that's what most messaging does.
But she didn't, she got specific.
Made it relatable.
Made it memorable.
Made it talk-about-able.
And she did it all through the lens of her reality:
Disney reference? Check.
Exceptionally strong belief in her ability to spot a well put together outfit? Check.
The only references potentially missing were those relating to her other, future, professional pursuits, Cake Artistry, Roller Disco Dancing, Architect.
But that's where she really nailed it – sure her message didn't implicitly include those things, but crucially it didn't alienate them either.
The thread that weaves them all together – in her case this might be a creative expression fused with a mathematician's exactness for how things should (or shouldn't) look - was most definitely front and centre.
In other words, we got a glimpse of the unique way she thinks.
And this, my friend, is where mainstream messaging lets you down.
It, like ahem, society, wants you to be one thing. To fit you neatly into a box with a simple, one-word title permanently embossed on the label.
“Stylist”
or
“Cake Artist”
or
“Architect”
or
“Roller Disco Dancer”
(Ok, not one word but you get the point)
It forces you to pigeon hole, or compartmentalise, or (sucks teeth) niche. To lead with your individual outcomes, instead of your ideas.
It impels you to believe your work has to be experienced, to be understood.
It makes you dread the question “what do you do?” and wake up praying to (at this point any) god that today will be the day you finally figure out a simple yet standout way to position yourself so that you finally feel seen and understood and known for the thing that only you could be.
And. Breathe.
There is a much better way.
One that centres:
Living positioning concepts that ebb and expand alongside your thinking, vs static statements that box it in.
Layered narratives and perspectives that make telling people what you do, and believe, a breeze, vs I help statements that, let's be honest, make everyone feel awkward.
Stake-in-the-ground messaging that tells people exactly what you do, and don't, stand for vs scattered ideas and unanchored opinions.
Micro stories that show, not tell people the impact of your work, vs key messages which, yes, might look good on paper, but suck in a real life conversation.
Your thoughts, distilled.
Your potential, alchemised.
Your standout-and-be-known-for-how-you-think-positioning, cultivated.
Let's use my daughter's (fictional?!) career to bring this to life.
She'd be known as The Calculated Creative, or perhaps The Artful Exactionist.
As an identity, it would seamlessly span each of her creative pursuits, and feel spacious enough (not to mention free up the necessary headspace) for her to dabble in even more.
You could imagine people saying “You need creative flair and precision? You need to speak to A - her whole thing is about Artful Exaction”.
In conversation she might say, “I'm an Architect and Stylist, have a side hustle as a cake artist and occasionally compete in roller discos, but really what I do is Artful Exaction...” cue piqued interest, served with a genuine desire to want to hear more.
And just imagine how interesting her content would be! A running theme might be geometry meets artistry. I'm envisioning interiors inspired by figures of 8s, thought pieces with towering cakes as central metaphors, built with the rigour an engineer would envy.
Perhaps, all underpinned by the message that you don't have to choose - you can be both creative, and calculated.
A simple, stackable positioning ecosystem designed to work with, not against, your multifaceted, multi-hyphenate brilliance.
I call it Identity Alchemy.
It's better, no?
Talk soon,
Rebecca
x
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Its free, bingeable in 20ish mins, and might and it might just be the positioning reframe that changes everything.
Love “identity alchemy” Rebecca. And your daughter giving unfiltered like a legend.