this was from my original sarah ashman site (filtered through GPT)

You Are Both: Human + Business

You’re not just a personal brand. You’re not just a business. You’re both. Your business is an extension of who you are, a reflection of your unique essence.

What Is a Brand?

Ask ten people, and you’ll get ten different answers.

Here’s how I define it:
At its core, your brand is how you define and express who you are to the world.

Branding is the process of taking the subtle, nuanced layers of your identity—your stories, experiences, expertise, values—and pairing them with your work or offerings. It’s about packaging everything that makes you you in a way that highlights what makes you distinct and deeply connects with others.

It’s not just about optics or aesthetics. It’s about creating your mark of distinction.

Authentic Branding Starts with You

For your brand to resonate authentically—and for your investment in visuals, messaging, and strategy to pay off—you need a clear and solid understanding of who you really are.

This isn’t an overnight process. It’s part discovery and part decision-making:

  1. Seeing yourself clearly. Moving beyond the “in the bottle, can’t read the label” dilemma to uncover your true essence and purpose.

  2. Defining yourself intentionally. Taking the reins and deciding how you want to show up in the world—not as someone you think you should be, but as who you truly are.

It’s not about pretending or performing. It’s about removing the masks and uncovering the authentic you—the version of you that feels most aligned and alive.

Your Brand, Authentically Aligned

Your brand isn’t just about how you look or what you say; it’s about:

  • Defining who you are at your core.

  • Translating that into a way of showing up that feels like a true expression of yourself.

  • Creating a business that reflects both your skills and what excites you.

When your brand is aligned with who you are, everything else—your messaging, your visuals, your strategy—flows naturally.

Reinventing Your Business

You’ve evolved, but your business hasn’t.

The solution?
Reimagine your work by blending your unique skill set with what lights you up, creating a business that feels fulfilling and aligned with the next version of you.

Your brand is your opportunity to define yourself—and step boldly into who you’re here to be.