Your brand is how your ideal customers see you, and knowing how to implement effective brand development strategies can make or break your business. Today’s guest is the “Brand Maven” - Monokia Nance, and she’s got a value bomb to drop on you. As you hear her story and understand where she’s come from you’ll see why she’s so passionate about the power and benefits of effective branding. In short, it’s because branding starts with learning to be the true you . When you are clear and confident about who you are, you’ll be able to position yourself to appeal to those who need and resonate with the approach you take to what you do. Find out how to build your own brand development strategy, on this episode of Happy Black Woman. Brand development strategies start with being yourself and loving who you are. You will have no hope of creating a successful brand development strategy if you don’t first discover who you are and what you are about. Once you know that - for certain - you have to be committed to it. You have to love it. Then, and only then will you be able to position yourself confidently and with an authority that others are drawn to. It’s the only way you will be able to attract the audience that resonates with who you are and the way you communicate your message. Find out more about developing your own brand strategy on this episode. Clarity is king - it’s the reason people will work with you. When you are clear on the message, approach, and value you bring to the marketplace you are able to portray a confidence that your potential customers or clients need to see. It’s a big part of why they are able to trust you. In this conversation, Rosetta and her guest Monokia Nance talk about how your own sense of confidence enables you to persevere through difficult times and endure the backlash of people who DON’T resonate with your brand and message. It’s a skill every entrepreneur has to learn so make sure you take the time to learn it from Monokia on this episode. Put yourself on a schedule. Do it early in your entrepreneurial journey. One of the most important things to being successful as an entrepreneur, woman, mom, wife, etc. is to put yourself on a schedule. You have the freedom to decide exactly when you are going to do the things that enable you to fulfill your varied roles. You don’t have to be a victim to other people’s demands and whims. Far from being a restraint, a schedule is actually a freeing thing, if you learn to use it properly. Monokia Nance shares how to setup and use your schedule effectively, on this episode of Happy Black Woman. If you aren’t happy in your personal life it will bleed over into your business. One of the things that happen to entrepreneurs unexpectedly is that their efforts to build a business consume their lives over time. They find themselves living more and more for the success of their business rather than intentionally making their business pursuits serve the higher aspirations and goals that make for a good life. On this episode, Monokia Nance shares why it’s important that you focus on a happy personal life completely outside your business and how that happiness or lack of it will impact your business efforts. Outline of this great episode [0:29] Rosetta’s introduction of her guest, Monokia Nance and how they met. [8:05] The relationships Monokia builds to help with brand development strategies. [9:09] Tips for women just getting started: Branding is about owning your own power. [17:18] How to properly assess coaching relationships and the benefit you receive. [19:00] The easiest way to begin branding yourself and choosing the proper platform. [23:10] How Monokia stays focused and productive. [28:51] Books that have impacted Monokia powerfully. [32:28] The #1 piece of advice Monokia has for women starting out. Resources & Links mentioned in this episode www.MonokiaNance.com - Get Monokia’s “12 Areas of Successful Entrepreneurship” Heal a Woman to Heal a Nation BOOK: Conversations