Speak Out Studio

Patriarchy has us believing we are less than. And when we internalise that it's called an inner critic. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ We're made to feel like we're flawed.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ We're made to feel like it's something we need to fix, or tame.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ And if we don’t, or can’t, we’re not trying hard enough, we have a bad mindset or aren't ready to do the work. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Then, we're made to feel worse because we can't fix our own inner critic.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Can you see what’s going on here? We're made to feel like our inner critic is our fault and it's our personal responsibility to fix it. Patriarchy gets off scott free.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ And then, we're sold solutions (coaching, therapy and support groups) so we can pay good money (without equal pay) and spend good time (without equality of work or mental load) working on something that is not our weight to bear.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ We feel less than because the systems and structures are stacked against us and we are surrounded by messages that confirm our inner critic. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​ If you're a First Nations woman, a woman of colour, disabled, fat, old, queer, and/or a mother you'll feel the weight of these structures even more, and often young, skinny, white, cis, het, non-disabled women contribute to this. It’s important to note that naming the structures that oppress us is not about avoiding accountability for what we’re perpetuating and benefiting from. ​​​​​​​​ This International Women's Day I want you to remember that we don't have an inner critic through any fault of our own.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ The systems and structures need to be named. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​

A frequently asked, but not particularly helpful question. Video description: Serena, a woman with brown hair, stands in front of a colourful woven wall hanging as she talks to the camera. She’s wearing a colourful patterned shirt dress.

I wrote a poem 👇🏻​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Brand Plan​​​​​​​​ If you don't enjoy it, you can leave.​​​​​​​​ If you can no longer afford it, you can leave.​​​​​​​​ If you don't have capacity, you can leave.​​​​​​​​ If you stub your toe, you can leave.​​​​​​​​ No questions asked, because who am I to even ask.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Ok so maybe I'm not a poet 😆 but offering complete flexibility when it comes to payment for Brand Plan is one way I can honour people's humanity. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ As business owners our finances ebb and flow (oh hi pandemic 👋🏻) and can leave us feeling financially unstable.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ As human beings we deal with health issues, relationship issues, family issues and general life overwhelm.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Sometimes we change our minds. Sometimes our lives change.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ For these reasons I don't lock you into Brand Plan. If you can't, or don't want to, continue in Brand Plan you don't have to. If you want to stay but are having difficulty meeting the monthly payment we'll figure out something that you can manage comfortably. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Who am I to tell you to push through life and prioritise a brand strategy. It's impactful for you and your brand, but it doesn't have to come at the expense of more pressure or overwhelm in your life.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Brand Plan closes this Thursday. If you've been considering joining but are worried about cost, perhaps my genuine flexibility will give you some comfort. You only need the first payment of $550 (inc. gst) to join and then you have a few weeks to ease into it and see if you can, or want to, continue. 💛 ​​​​​​​​ ​​​

A little sneak peek inside Brand Plan to give you an idea of what to expect. Turn your phone to the side for a bigger view! Here I go through what to expect from the weekly zoom meetings, presentations, weekly brand work and individual weekly reflection videos. Hopefully Instagram adds captions (sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t 🙄) but if not I’ve added this video to the link in my bio so you can watch it on a big screen with captions and a transcription download is available. 💛 Video description: a woman with mid length brown hair facing the camera, wearing a blue and white gingham dress. She sits into front of a brick wall and lead light window.

Not sure you need a brand strategy? These questions might help:​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ 1. What currently informs your business decisions, brand behaviours, communications and marketing?​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ 2. Have you done purpose and values work before? If so, what are they? How do they impact your brand, clients/customers, audience, industry and social systems? How do they drive you towards making your unique impact and difference in the world?​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ 3. What currently guides you to improve and evolve in your business and brand? What are you working on to improve and why?​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ 4. What are your unique points of difference? More than what's generally expected from clients/customers, like efficiency, customer service, or quality of your work. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ 5. Are you clear on who you are and how that interacts with your brand? If so, how does that interact?​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ 6. Are you clear on how you do what you do and the impact that has on people and systems? If so, what is that impact?​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ 7. Are you clear on what your brand stands for and your key brand messages?​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ 8. Are you clear on how to communicate your key brand messages through (for example) graphic design, copywriting, photography, social media, website ?​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ 9. Were these questions easy to answer? ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ If yes, you're probably ok without a brand strategy for now. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ If no, a brand strategy will help you answer these questions easily. So yes, I'd suggest you do a brand strategy. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ 😵 It really annoys me that

All businesses! This is a sample of the types of business owners I’ve worked with over the last couple of years to help them develop their own, unique, Dignitarian Brand. Video description: Serena, a woman smiling at the camera and looking in different directions as words pop up in front of her. The words cover her as she tries to peer over the top. The words are: Copywriters Chinese Herbalists and Doctors Acupuncturists Business coaches Health coaches Hypnotherapist Strengths coaches Doulas Podcasters Brand Photographers Google Ads Specialist Graphic Designers Clothing designer Children’s clothing retailers Digital Marketers Family Photographers Jewellers Earring designers and makers Accountants Disability Educator Event Managers Artists Yoga Instructors Dentists Obstetricians Lactation Consultants Sex Educators Naturopaths Psychologists Counsellors Physiotherapists Podcast Producers Virtual Assistants Screen Printers Interior Designers Furniture Makers Copy Mentors Homewares Retailers E-commerce Gift and Souvenir Curators Teachers Resource Creator Keepsake designer and maker Food hamper curators Community Organisations Eco Towel Designer and Retailer Fashion Stylist Florists

Learning to love me in imagery has been a huge personal journey for me. I’ve gone through a lot of personal healing over the past 7.5 years. I’ve been lucky enough to have time and support to build my business and let it unfurl in a way that feels good to me. I’m clear on my brand and what I want my images to communicate. If you’re worried about having a photoshoot there are a few things you can try to ease that hesitation and love yourself, and your messages, in imagery: 1. Ask yourself what you’re worried about and why. For me it was my upbringing and patriarchal conditioning. My flaws were pointed out to me as a kid and I was told I was awkward in photos, just like my grandmother. It made me feel like being me was not good in photos, that people are either good or bad in photos and I was only ever going to take a bad photo, after all it ran in the family. 2. Get clear on what you want your brand images to communicate. A brand strategy can help with this, but not just because it helps you plan a shot list, because my strategies help you see and love all the things that made you who you are today and how that shows up in your brand. 3. Find a photographer based on more than their images and popularity. How do they make you feel? Do your beliefs and values align? Are they sensitive to your hesitancy and aware of social and cultural conditioning? How do they tell stories through their imagery and does it align with the way you want to tell stories? I love working with Sophie from @sisterscout_ because she makes me feel like being me in photos is beautiful, she understands how to capture the detail of the stories I want to tell, and she’s always up for my wild ideas, the sledgehammer images for example 😂 Brand strategy and photoshoots go hand in hand, not just in communicating your message but, in seeing and embracing who you are. And loving it. 💛 Video description: 11 images of a woman showing one after the other. Some photos there are tw

Looks like capitalism and binary thinking just entered the chat 😒 Let's unpack this comment 👇🏻 ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Developing a purpose and values led brand that dignifies the humans and systems it impacts (a Dignitarian Brand) doesn’t mean you won’t make money from your business. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ And making money from your business doesn’t mean you can’t develop a Dignitarian Brand. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Making money and being purpose led are not mutually exclusive. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ By focussing on a genuine purpose beyond profit you’ll be contributing to something greater than what you do in your business and the profit you make. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ A Dignitarian Brand listens, learns, evolves and considers its impact beyond an intent to sell or make a profit. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ It’s about considering that impact when developing a purpose and aligning your values with actions, behaviours and beliefs so that you can help to genuinely contribute to cultural change. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Some brands are driven purely by profit. They are not Dignitarian Brands.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Some brands co-opt social impact and responsibility to avoid accountability. They are not Dignitarian Brands.​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Some brands strategise and exploit a social impact narrative to induce an emotional response to sell more. They are not Dignitarian Brands. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ Some brands move beyond profit making goals onto social and cultural wellbeing goals, and whilst making money can be a much needed result (we do live in a Capitalist world after all), the focus is on the impact beyond that. They are Dignitarian Brands. ​​​​​​​​ ​​​​

I’m back from a super long and lovely Summer break and ready to help you clean out your wardrobe…. Oh sorry develop a Brand Strategy 🙈 😂 You know I love a good metaphor 😆 Plus it’s the end of the day on a Friday and I’ve been back a week already but this reel took me soooo long! Anyway… Brand Plan is open for registrations and my books are open for 1:1 Brand Cram Sessions. All details are available via the link in bio, and you also know I love a good chat so feel free to hit me up via DM or email to schedule a call to see if my Brand Strategies are what you’re looking for. Here’s to 2022 full of hope and 💛 Video description: two women sorting through and cleaning out items of clothing in a wardrobe. They are pulling out clothes and throwing them on the bed to sort through and put back in order. There are images of one woman spinning and smiling at the end. And how awesome is Reverence Story in these pics taken by Sister Scout Studio She literally let me cover her in my clothes 😂 [cry laugh emoji]

THIS IS A PROBLEM... Trying to brand and market ourselves as the best or better than our competitors means we’re trying to claim space at the expense of making others feel below us or less than. Not only are we placing ourselves on a pedestal, which can be exhausting and unrealistic to live up to, but we are looking at our competitors as a point of reference, not ourselves. THIS IS A SOLUTION… If we can get comfortable and clear on our uniqueness in a way that shows our value without comparing, disrespecting or exploiting the position of others then we position ourselves as unique, not the best or better. We can show we are good at what we do, because of how and why we do it and who we are. It is a way of dignifying our uniqueness and expertise whilst respecting those same qualities in others. SO HOW DO WE DO THIS… Explore your tale, who you are, what you do, how and why you do it, unearth your rich uniqueness, get to know your purpose, mission, vision and promise intimately and work all of this into your brand messaging, OR you can sign up to Brand Plan and we’ll do all of this together 😉 Brand Plan explores Brand Strategy differently. We work from the inside out, starting with you (and your team if you have one) and building a solid foundation to share your unique brand messages in a way that feels good to you and respects others. Brand Plan starts this Thursday 2 September and you can sign via the link below. Together we’ll develop a brand strategy where you will feel so in tune with your purpose and uniqueness that your competitors will no longer be a point of reference for you. https://www.speakoutstudio.com.au/workwithme/p/brand-plan Video description: Serena, a white woman with brown hair wearing a purple cardigan with yellow wattle bobbles on it, typing and then staring into the distance to speak.

The Brand Plan calls are the highlight of my week

Brand Plan is more than brand strategy, it’s a way for people to connect and stay connected during this time. Being part of a small group and seeing familiar faces each week, sharing experiences, offers of support and a safe and friendly community have meant that Brand Plan is the highlight of my week. Each call starts with a catch up where we find out how we’re going, feeling and managing through these times, and only then do we dive into the Brand Plan content. And often the chats continue well after the program content has been shared and discussed. There is work to do, but it is a pressure free zone where I encourage you to take the time you need and have purposefully designed Brand Plan to be accessible and flexible. Somehow the right people seem to join the right group and we support each other through not just the brand plan workload but the environment in which we find ourselves in and it’s been such a light and joy in what has been a heavy 18 months. Thank you to all the past Brand Planners, the Planners who finished up today and the future Brand Planners who will be joining us next week. I’m feeling very lucky that we’ve been able to connect during this time. 💛 Brand Plan starts next week on 2 September. There’s more information via the link below, the Brand Plan Reflection videos in my IGTV and you can always pop into my DMs with any questions you have. https://www.speakoutstudio.com.au/servicesandworkshops/brand-plan-week-by-week-brand-strategy Video ID: Various shots of Brand Plan sessions showing a gallery of people participating in a zoom call on a pink background.

I find it helps to look at communicating your brand as a collaboration between you, me and your chosen implementers (or just you and me if you want to DIY). We're a team that supports and strengthens each other's area of expertise. Your job is to do the learning about your brand so you can brief your implementer (or DIY implementation) with purpose, meaning, and clarity. My job is to guide you through that learning process. An implementers job is to take your brief and communicate your brand messages so they're true to you and your brand. I believe an implementer's job is made much easier and more effective if you've done the learning and developed a brand strategy first. Want to feel clear and confident briefing the implementers you hire and get the most out of them? We can work together on a Brand Strategy either 1:1 (Brand Cram) or in a small group (Brand Plan). The next round of Brand Plan starts on 2 September and you can find out more info or sign up now via the link in my bio. Feel free to DM me any questions, including whether 1:1 or the group program would suit you best. Image description: A speckled quartz coloured image with a light brown Speak Out Studio at the bottom and 3 animated triangles. A rust coloured triangle to the left with the words "your brand" and "YOU" a mustard coloured triangle to the right with the words "Brand Communication" and "IMPLEMENTER" and an animated pink triangle that comes up to slot neatly in between the other two triangles with the words "ME" and "Brand Strategy".

“Just a quick reel”. Famous last words, these things take forever 😂

“Just a quick reel”. Famous last words, these things take forever 😂 I have to say I’ve held off on reels because of the time factor but I’m enjoying finding new and creative ways to share content so as long as it feels good I’ll keep doing it. 💛 And to be clear, I create content not to be ‘worth it’ but to align with my brand heart - purpose, values, mission, vision and promise. Also, I’m kinda loving my future self 😍 Video description: At the beginning of the video Serena presents as she is now, a middle aged woman with brown hair, the video then goes into fast forward showing Serena filming a reel and doing various actions, which transitions into Serena presenting as an older woman with grey hair indicating that this reel took a bloody long time.

Brands evolve and that’s a good thing!

Brands evolve, and that’s a good thing. These images are a good representation of how my visual brand has changed over the last 5 1/2 years. Yes I’ve aged, changed haircuts, weight, clothing, colours, location but these are all superficial. The real reason my visual brand has changed is because I have evolved as a person. And I will continue to evolve. In my self discovery, awareness, experience, knowledge, beliefs, in my communities, my conversations. This impacts me personally and professionally and helps me to clarify and strengthen my purpose, values, mission, vision and promise. This evolution effects how I communicate my brand. And I would not have got to this depth of evolution and clarity if I hadn’t viewed my brand strategy as a continual work in progress. The biggest difference I see in my brand imagery to date is in the depth of messaging. I’ve gone from styled shots of me ‘working’, to a more authentic representation of me and a more creative capture of the messages I want to share. If we want to go beyond the superficial layers of our brand we need to be willing to evolve. It takes time and a little courage. It also helps to have someone by your side who can dive deep with you and guide you through this evolution if you get where I’m going with this 😉😆 Video description: Different photos of Serena, a white woman with brown hair, throughout the past 5 1/2 years. Images taken by @fimimsphotography and @sisterscout_

How a brand strategy can help you take effective action.

To help you understand where a brand strategy fits and whether doing one might be beneficial for you and your business I’ve applied what I do to my awareness, learning and implementation framework. Hope this helps! Let me know in the comments or via DM if you have any questions. 💛 I just realised the captions have been cut off from the bottom of the video. You can view a captioned version here https://www.instagram.com/tv/COKXUh4DIJo/?igshid=1pfv1v20xcx7j Video description: A woman with brown hair sitting in front of a brick wall and stain glass window.

A very special thank you to @byjenamarie for my visual rebrand. It feels so tailored to me and my brand. I thought I'd share a little about the process of working with Jena and developing the weaving concept.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It all started with me sharing my purpose, values, mission, vision and brand promise with Jena. These are the heart of my brand and are 5 short, clear statements that set out what my brand stands for. After that I shared a mood board, not of other brands, but of things I love doing, items I love around my house and other inspo such as tiles, fabrics and textures. 3/4 of these images were weavings... it was clear that I adore weaving. It was something I fell in love with during lockdown last year.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What I love about weaving are the textures from using different fibres, the freedom of creativity, how it's all about exploration and looks great even if there are errors and things not done the traditional way. Anything goes and it usually looks fabulous! I love that it's a process of gathering yarns and other mediums and weaving them together to create something whole and beautifully unique. I will never create two weaves the same.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Jena is currently doing Brand Plan and so has first hand experience of my unique brand strategy process. She realised my love for weaving and my process are very similar. She quickly got onto illustrating a weave, and I got on to weaving one... a big one! 🙈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The result is a beautiful visual brand that represents my unique and in-depth process and all the textures, uniqueness and impact that comes from working with me. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It feels like it was always meant for me. I love it and I hope you do too. Thank you @byjenamarie You're a gem with a true depth of creativity and in

Musings for the change makers