Your brand and your business plan are the same thing and here's why it changes everything!

A week of conversations that connected some really important dots…

This week has been one of those weeks in the Boss Mum Business Club where one conversation leads to another and before you know it, you've landed on something that feels really important. So I wanted to share it here, because I think it's going to get us thinking.

It started at the weekend when something came up in the Lanarkshire Boss Mums network. Someone highlighted that people were copying each other's content. I'll just leave that there as it is.

Now, I know this isn't a new issue, but the conversation it sparked was a really valuable one. Because it made us ask: why does content copying happen in the first place?

And a big part of the answer? Because so much content out there doesn't actually sound like the person who wrote it, because so many of us are using AI to generate content. That's totally cool, so do I. It saves masses of time and can really help us.

This is where we got into the AI conversation and it's one I'm really passionate about. AI is an incredible tool. But if you put garbage in, you will get garbage out. In fact, the branding industry calls this "AI slop." If you're not giving AI good data to work with, your voice, your values, your story, what comes out the other side is going to be generic, like everyone else in your industry. And it's this generic content that gets copied, because it doesn't belong to anyone.

The key is always to go back in and edit. Make it sound like you. Your quirks, your phrases, the way you'd actually say something to a client over a coffee. That's what makes content yours.

So where does that individual voice come from?

This is where we got to the really good stuff in our discussions this week. Your content sounds individual when your brand and your business plan are crystal clear because they're actually the same thing.

Think about it. Your business plan is your vision, your values, who you serve, what you stand for, where you're going. And your brand? It's exactly the same thing. They're not two separate documents.

And then your branding and your strategy? That's how you take that brand and business plan forward into the world. It's the execution. How you show up, how you sound, what your content looks like, how your audience experiences you. When those foundations are solid, your content almost writes itself. Because you know who you are, what you're about and how you are delivering your business.

Starting on a budget is something to be proud of

Following on from this, I did a live on the Lanarkshire Boss Mums Network Facebook page discussing exactly that. I was really honest about the fact that I designed my own logo and built my own website. I'm proud of that. It shows that you can absolutely build a real business on a budget, and there is no shame in that at all.

But and this is a big but, there comes a point where DIY branding can hold you back. When you use a generic Canva template, other people are using that exact same template. You can end up looking just like someone else, which defeats the whole point of building a brand that's uniquely you.

When the time is right, work with an expert

Once you've got your business plan nailed and your brand is clear in your own mind, that's the moment to invest in your branding with a professional. Not before. Because if you don't know who you are yet, no designer in the world can capture it for you.

This is exactly where our incredible Boss Mum Business Club member Lesley Miles of Owlluminous comes in. Lesley is a brand and website designer who can take everything you know about your brand and bring it to life in a way that is completely, unmistakably yours. No generic Canva logo that ten other businesses are also using. Something that's built for you, from the ground up.

We had so many brilliant conversations with Lesley this week in the Boss Mum Business Club and honestly, everything she shared was gold. Im pretty sure this isnt the end of this conversation.

Want to be part of conversations like these?

This is exactly the kind of discussion that happens every week inside our community of women who are building real businesses, conversations that actually help to grow your business.

Why not come and join us?

Give me more info on the Boss Mum Business Club Membership

Blog written by Lisa Roy

CEO Lanarkshire Boss Mums Network.