Why branding makes business more fun

Jamie Cox explains why the a "personal brand" is less scary than you think

The Third Door is a weekly newsletter about sustainable business strategy for solopreneurs and creative souls who want more out of life than the status quo, hosted by business coach and strategist Jenni Gritters. If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a while (formerly called Mindset Mastery) and you receive value from it, I’d encourage you to sign up for a paid membership.

I have just 5 spots left in my winter coaching pods. This is a great way to try out coaching (for just $99!), meet some new business buds and get clarity for the year ahead. Registration closes on the 15th!

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Jamie Cox’s masterclass, inside of my SUSTAIN group coaching community, might be the most popular session we have in the library. And that’s because Jamie, a brand strategist, is brilliant, fully herself and really practical, a mix that’s rare to find in a teacher. Her very existence is a permission slip to embrace your quirky, authentic self as the best route to a successful brand and business.

In today’s interview, Jamie talks about how the most authentic brands signal their best-fit clients and repel those who aren’t a good fit. She also shares why she left Instagram, how she’s survived a rocky 2024 and why collaboration fuels her extrovert soul.

Jamie, how would you describe your work?

Right now, my work centers around brand strategy for founders and founder-led businesses. I work closely with founders to help them define the core parts of their brand—who they want to target, how they'll position themselves to that audience, and how they'll connect with them in a meaningful way. I do this on my own (as Jamie R Cox) but I also do this via my brand agency (Strange Salt) which gives clients access to additional brand folks and resources who can help them carry the work forward.

You’ve mentioned publicly that 2024 was a challenging year for you. Can you tell us more?

Yes, this year has been a bit of a roller coaster. I've noticed it's taken much longer for leads to work through my sales funnel and much longer for those leads to convert, too. That's been both a challenge and an opportunity. Income has been up and down, as has my workload.

You’re definitely not alone in that. How did you approach those challenges?

I've had to think about how I can address client needs while still staying true to my strengths. It's been tempting to slip back into what's comfortable (for me, that's design work). But I've really had to focus in on what I want in the future and get crystal clear about who my offers are for and what specific outcomes they deliver. I've also gotten really comfortable setting boundaries and moving on quickly if budgets and expectations don't align. That's helped me attract the clients who truly "get it" and are excited to work with me.

I've also re-developed and refined my core offer this year. Previously, I was creating custom scopes of work and proposals for each client and I found myself reinventing the wheel every time I worked with someone. I’ve evolved this to a more productized approach to brand strategy. I have a full-service brand strategy offer now for growing or evolving businesses and a collaborative brand strategy offer specifically for solopreneurs and early-stage founders who may not have the resources to outsource everything.

It’s great to hear about the shifts you’ve made because it’s what I’m seeing work well for many of my clients, too. I’d love to know about one of your "third ways" of running a business, that feels unique compared to how others have done it.

When you're running a business, it’s easy to slip into a competitive mindset — especially if you’re naturally driven that way! I've been an athlete most of my life and I understand that instinct. But instead of viewing other brand consultants as competition, I’ve made a point of finding ways to collaborate with them.

Because I am so collaborative (and an extrovert!) I've been able to open lots of doors and access rooms that may be off-limits to people who view everyone as competition. I've been hired by other brand strategists to build brands together. I've hired other strategists and learned from their frameworks and workshops. I've been able to teach other brand specialists (designers, copywriters, etc.) how to approach brand holistically. Together, we're able to educate the public on what branding really is and why it matters.

This collaborative spirit is the entire reason I built Strange Salt. I believe a rising tide raises all ships and brand work is stronger when diverse perspectives and experiences shape the messaging and identity.

Yes, there’s enough for all of us! What is your third door take on building a brand that feels authentic? I still think about your presentation in SUSTAIN, which felt like a huge permission slip for people who hate the phrase “personal brand.”

I believe every brand should have traces of the founder in it. That might mean a really buttoned-up approach to communication or a fun and funky color palette. I've seen this benefit businesses in a lot of different ways.

First, it makes the slog of running a business a bit more enjoyable. When you're building something that reflects your beliefs and personality, it gives you skin in the game and motivation to push through the tough times.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, when you're true to yourself you can repel the wrong audience—those clients who suck up all your time, the customers who write bad reviews no matter their experience and the followers who nitpick every typo in your social content. This creates more space for the folks who love your brand and will champion it.

Preach! How should people start the process of figuring out their brand?

My biggest advice to anyone considering starting a business and building a brand is to ask yourself: "Who am I not for?" I've got green hair and tons of tattoos. I'm loud. I make jokes. As a former podcast host, I've gotten a lot of hate online for that. But I've gotten even more support because of all of those things. If I listened to the haters and changed myself to appease them, I'd be miserable building my little business because it would feel like I'm wearing a mask every day—and that's part of the reason I ditched the corporate setting in the first place.

How have you benefited from choosing a unique way of approaching branding? What's in it for other people?

It's no secret that folks are craving authenticity and connection.

We as a society have spent years hiding behind filters. Many women have been trained to be agreeable and "palatable". When you start to veer outside of these norms, you give others permission and a little courage to the do the same. By showing up as my full self in brand conversations, I create space for candid conversations and real connection with clients. Our real-life connection and these conversations lead to all sorts of stories that become gems in the branding process.

One small business owner I worked with told me, "You helped me see my business differently." She was so focused on what the internet was telling her to do that she'd started dreading her own marketing. When I encouraged her to have a bit more fun with what she was doing—"Let's do a wacky photoshoot," "Let's talk about real-life stories in your content"—she began to see her brand as more than just her services. She saw the value of her unique ability to connect personally with others.

What would you tell someone who's feeling like "ugh, I hate branding?"

I hear this all the time! I turn it into a learning moment by asking what they understand branding to be. Usually, it’s things like a logo, social content, or networking—stuff that sounds time-consuming and expensive. What they don’t realize is that they’re already “branding” just by existing in the world.

Your brand is what people say about you when you aren't in the room. So if you're feeling blah about branding, start by answering this question—What do people say about me, and how does that makes me feel? This gives you fresh insight into what's working in your brand and what's not, giving you permission to let go of the things that don't serve you as you build your brand and business.

The example I use all the time is that I got off Instagram for good this year. I had used it to grow my reach and business, but I hated the way it made me feel. When I dug into that question—What would people say about me if they saw my Instagram? I didn't have a clear answer. Maybe they'd say "She talks about branding... she has a podcast... she has cute dogs." All of these things are true, but the platform didn't help me tell the stories I wanted to tell. I want to be known as someone who makes business owners and founders feel comfortable even when the world feels anything but. I want to remembered as someone fun and enjoyable to be around—not just "the branding person." Because, let's be real—that's the least interesting thing about me!

To hear more from Jamie, follow her on LinkedIn here, or subscribe to her monthly-ish newsletter here.

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Curious about my (Jenni’s) background? I’m a writer and business coach living in Central Oregon. My goal is to teach everyone who will listen that it’s possible to build a simple, stable, successful business that support your human needs first. Join my group coaching program, SUSTAIN, for more conversations like this (and a community of people who are all about the path less taken), and follow me on Twitter & Instagram.