N°12 - If You Don't Set the Standard, Someone Else Will || with Steph Zahalka

00:00:13: Welcome to the Premium Way podcast.

00:00:16: A space where premium is not reduced to aesthetics or price tags but understood as identity, a way of life.

00:00:24: In here we operate at the intersection of psychology perception strategy leadership and the invisible signals

00:00:34: that decide

00:00:35: who gets chosen trusted and remembered.

00:00:39: Our philosophy did

00:00:41: the

00:00:42: stereotypes Ditch the idea that premium has only one face.

00:00:47: Premium was never meant to be sterile, it was meant to rich in character reflective of your true core and your dream buyers' deepest desires Like a finest wine layered complex unique unmistakable for those who know what they are tasting refined without losing its edge Unafraid to be different and impossible To confuse with anything else.

00:01:17: This is the room where The Ordinary stops applying, this Is Where Standards Are Set Not Followed And Where Premium Stops Being Something That You Chase And Become Something You Embody!

00:01:32: This Is Your Permission Slip To Succeed Your Way.

00:01:36: I'm your host Yasmin... ...and THIS IS THE PREMIUM WAY.

00:01:44: Welcome to another Juicy and Pozens interview inside of the Premium Away podcast.

00:01:50: In front me, an absolute moggle when it comes to branding work world and sphere... The amazing staff as a halker from Australia live took the time to sit down with me have a great conversation around all things branding And potentially a few branches off that as well.

00:02:14: Steph, I invited you because...I mean i didn't only just see one post of you.

00:02:18: I've been quietly- and no this isn't chat jpt!

00:02:22: This is literally my vocabulary right now.

00:02:24: I have been quietly watching from the sidelines for a couple years now.

00:02:29: we've been passively connected on facebook with every post that you put out there.

00:02:33: it can just agree yes yes why doesn't?

00:02:39: anyone else seems to get it.

00:02:41: Like what?

00:02:42: And I just kept my eye on you and then recently, you posted a post along the lines of your brand.

00:02:48: is becoming the standard or should become more be the standard?

00:02:51: everyone else gets measured against and gets measure by...and i was like yes again!

00:02:57: So let me slide into her DMs actually ask her out.

00:03:02: in a podcast date she said yes this is why we are sitting here right now.

00:03:08: Elevator pictures, I told you everything is rather casual.

00:03:11: So could you just give us a tiny little backstory about yourself?

00:03:14: I know you have like decades of experience as well and working with ultra high net worth individuals and then really established firms and corporations or businesses.

00:03:25: so i think we're all very curious to hear what else is in your magic box.

00:03:30: so to say

00:03:33: oh i love that my magic box!

00:03:35: I'm gonna start using now.

00:03:37: I just rebranded myself actually.

00:03:40: My company turns twenty-one this year, so you know how there's always that landscaper with the shitty yard?

00:03:49: Same thing like well...I didn't have a shitty brand!

00:03:51: I had an excellent brand.

00:03:52: however i didn't rebrand myself.

00:03:54: So it was my own perfect example of having this elevated offer and expertise, the results my clients get.

00:04:07: But I had that old brand i started with!

00:04:10: I outgrew it but didn't do anything about it.

00:04:12: And when finally did... It went from Jungle Branding Co to Zahaliye Brandhouse.

00:04:19: We are a strategic prestige atelier.

00:04:26: People always go Do you sell branding or marketing?

00:04:29: No, I said branding.

00:04:30: Do not do marketing!

00:04:32: Most people just don't understand branding and it is taking me twenty years of...I could write fifty books with the amount of content that's put out on what a brand isn't or why you need them.

00:04:46: And i dont know short-of shaking people?

00:04:50: grabbing them by the shoulders and shaking them.

00:04:52: It's really hard to cement it into their brains.

00:04:55: what branding is, so that's pretty much my mission at the moment along with yes working with luxury businesses only service.

00:05:04: I don't do products.

00:05:08: They are established.

00:05:09: I've gone, twenty years is a long time...I have gone through the ranks of doing startups and people who just started out Needle Logo because twenty years ago it was website logo business card And off you went.

00:05:22: So graphic design printing websites that's what i did.

00:05:25: but The actual thing moves the needle and directs everything else in your business.

00:05:31: Is brand?

00:05:33: Ferrari won't run without an engine.

00:05:35: So the brand is The Engine.

00:05:36: All of the pieces that tell you what the car looks like, What interior is?

00:05:44: How it drives where it goes Where it belongs Who drives It.

00:05:48: That's my vibe at the moment.

00:05:54: I love that.

00:05:54: You say the Brand Is The Engine because it very commonly is misunderstood as brand is the exterior mostly only primarily.

00:06:02: and so when your say Like the engine and the core of it determines where the brand goes, where its sits.

00:06:11: Where it belongs who it speaks to and so on and so forth So what is that you actually start with when someone comes to us like I want to do a rebrand or build a brand where none exists yet?

00:06:25: A new business doesn't have one yet.

00:06:28: Let's take this from zero.

00:06:31: once more important thing

00:06:34: Well, the most important thing when I work with some will actually with any of my clients whether they're going through a rebrand or They're just starting out.

00:06:41: Or they're leaving affirm and creating their own business because there an expert.

00:06:47: what i start With is?

00:06:49: I've actually written a chapter in a book That's gonna be published in a couple months And it's that in-depth and part of what I do that it's actually gonna become its own book.

00:07:00: I'm going to write my own book around the whole thing, And It is My Future State Branding Framework where The very first things i do Is...I have a psychology & subconscious based Set Of Questions & A Visualization & All these little..i mix science with logic with strategy With Woo!

00:07:20: & Magic & I put all together & I really Have To Get To What Is Like The innermost thing that drives you.

00:07:29: what is your purpose?

00:07:30: What's the reason?

00:07:31: because a lot of people might think they just want to do something.

00:07:34: To make money.

00:07:34: and yes, Of course we all wanted business to make money.

00:07:37: but Is this going to be something that you're gonna hate after A year or two?

00:07:42: Or is it something like gonna make you jump out of bed that, You can't shut up about.

00:07:48: That you just want to help everybody because it's your sole purpose?

00:07:52: so I guess that's where i start.

00:07:53: is what Is the soul underlying everything?

00:07:56: What is the purpose Of this business So The

00:07:59: brand

00:08:01: Can Expand off of that!

00:08:04: So thats Where I Start With All My Clients Is What Is That Underlying Drive Behind A Brand?

00:08:12: I love them.

00:08:13: Have you ever had To actually ended there because you felt like, There's no actual drive that someone is coming with?

00:08:22: No.

00:08:22: Actually I have had the fortunate experience of most people.

00:08:28: when they do find me probably my brand does its job and those people don't even reach out to me.

00:08:35: And i usually found it as a product industry.

00:08:40: They just want to do it make money.

00:08:41: But when its a service-based industry, that's somebody's expertise That someone is passion and some of these genius.

00:08:48: So Its coming from an entirely different place.

00:08:54: Same very similar experience for me as well.

00:08:57: so It's beautiful to share with you When we start What the why?

00:09:04: The reason what vision and mission the person in front of me is on.

00:09:08: At what points do you go and then evaluate, okay how can we make you this standard that everyone else gets compared by?

00:09:17: Not at one step.

00:09:18: I'm not asking if it's step eighteen or twenty-two but like... How early are they?

00:09:25: What are the intricacies to get into that a little bit?

00:09:28: Like..what does actually mean to be a standard?

00:09:31: someone gets compared?

00:09:33: Bye!

00:09:34: Or again.

00:09:35: Well, there is always a standard.

00:09:38: There's always the business out there.

00:09:40: Nobody has something that nobody else does because there's always somebody other who does similar Probably not exactly like you cuz.

00:09:49: everybody has their own way of doing things and they're all thought process And experiences behind it.

00:09:57: so there's also gonna be standard right?

00:10:00: If you don't set your own standard, You're going to be compared against that other standard and whether you have any control over it.

00:10:08: You don't have control of her but whether you've done it purposely or not There's a comparison.

00:10:14: so when I work with the clients It is kind of one of those things That Is a culmination Of all of it And comes out The back end Where Every single touch point, the inner internal DNA.

00:10:30: The outer DNA...the positioning of it.

00:10:34: there's a whole checklist of things that go into a brand but when all of them are aligned and click into place as this category of one-and I pull these patterns and these threads out of you i have this intuitive ability to see what or low-key psychic, I don't know what the case may be but it's there and i can grab a hold of it.

00:11:04: And when everything lines up you do become a category one!

00:11:09: You do set this standard... visually looks like it, when people can feel it sense its smell.

00:11:15: It tasted touch it experience and be pulled into the world of.

00:11:20: that has its own standard an I do nothing short operate a standard excellence myself apply to branding so it's gonna rub off in.

00:11:31: this standard is very high for my clients when i'm done with them

00:11:37: yeah and some other people listening.

00:11:40: What do we mean when we say standard?

00:11:43: Like, are we talking about the actual service.

00:11:45: Are we talking a certain visual or external component of our brand?

00:11:50: Or were you talking all that?

00:11:52: You said all touch points and ultimately it's the sum and congruence to everything.

00:11:57: but like people hear standards I think immediate thought is what can i for you?

00:12:04: how would u agree on this?

00:12:08: I

00:12:09: would absolutely agree with that.

00:12:11: And i was also add, That your brand is not just you and what YOU make of it.

00:12:18: It's ALSO the perception Of everybody else and WHAT THEY think OF IT.

00:12:22: So you have to take into consideration Everybody's definition of standard.

00:12:28: If somebody... if you've got this group or people's Definition of Standard as like you said How they work in their service and THAT type of thing You HAVE TO You have to address that if it's visually a visual standard of the way you hold yourself in confidence.

00:12:46: You have To address that.

00:12:48: If this other group of people that you want to work with thinks the standards are, you know The entire operations Of your business and how you treat Your team and your customers And That whole side of things you need to address?

00:13:02: That you have to dress all of It whatever the definition is that your audience holds, you need to think about that and apply it to your brand.

00:13:13: because if you're just branding what YOU THINK AND FEEL... You're going to miss the mark.

00:13:18: And then you become one of these businesses who think branding doesn't work!

00:13:24: Because maybe doing a logo on some visuals?

00:13:28: That's not the case.

00:13:29: Did THAT answer the question or did I waffle

00:13:31: off?!

00:13:32: Even in bit-off trails i love when that happens your juice that's coming through as well.

00:13:38: And so I love that you spoke to.

00:13:42: very importantly weaving in the audience aspect, or what other people like... What is going on with their brains?

00:13:48: Hearts and minds ultimately!

00:13:55: Is there a word for English?

00:13:56: Not single entrepreneurs but in Germany we have a word of people who are their own corporation.

00:14:02: basically There we go.

00:14:08: So, like a sole proprietary company or whatever?

00:14:13: That's too complicated!

00:14:14: We're going to run... I've worked with them as well and they were like market research has appeared to be such a difficulty for them.

00:14:24: Do you have the stopping point where this might be something that most people overlook when it comes to that Or is literally just talk about how many people are possible?

00:14:37: No, with the branding and market research there's different aspects to market research.

00:14:44: Obviously when you're developing your offers... When you are working out who you're going to market too?

00:14:49: When doing ads or writing copy marketing even for sales Market research is very important but it comes from a macro type of view as opposed to the micro-view because each those things has their own specific market research that you need.

00:15:09: So when I come at it from a brand, i have this... It's like they drink coffee and they live in the suburbs.

00:15:23: five million a year, that's demographic.

00:15:25: That is for marketing and brand.

00:15:27: it has more of the psychographics.

00:15:29: What does this person thinking?

00:15:31: what do they need deep down?

00:15:33: What are the reptilian brain psychological desire?

00:15:39: Let us go as far down we can to figure out who you want work with.

00:15:47: Who drives them?

00:15:51: How do they feel after working with you?

00:15:53: how do they want to feel?

00:15:54: what is like Pissing them off.

00:15:57: Like I go into that type of market research and that's more.

00:16:01: It is difficult because it's, i don't know what their thinking.

00:16:04: so we have to deep dive in And try to figure it out.

00:16:07: and There's a lot of uh...I tell You What.

00:16:11: my questionnaire That I Have Is Definitely Easier To Give Declines Than To Do!

00:16:18: It blows your brain open with all the things that have been floating around and never put on paper or put into a cohesive thought, sentence.

00:16:29: That right there in itself is gold.

00:16:31: but yeah market research isn't easy for any modality I would say.

00:16:41: But i might assume you're as you called it lowkey.

00:16:45: psychic abilities or intuition can help here and there in terms of distilling, even when you read posts from someone else.

00:16:55: That you will read like the meta level to see what's under it... What actually is beyond behind words!

00:17:01: And they are truly trying to express because I also like about the new age paradigm that we're in way more holistic approaches.

00:17:13: So what I also like to look at is, okay?

00:17:16: What does the actual nervous system state your buyer's in?

00:17:19: because right that then touches on what you said Like what actually pisses them off or do they think about?

00:17:27: are there like and fight flight freeze form?

00:17:29: Where Are They In And Why?

00:17:32: What's The Root About It?

00:17:33: so as You Said it's Such A Deeply Psychological Analysis An Audit.

00:17:41: Everything has been so technical and superficially psychological, if even.

00:17:46: And very one-size fits all!

00:17:48: I sat in uni for years and was like... Some things are missing here a big time.

00:17:53: So let me go on my own exploration to find the missing pieces because this can't be it!

00:18:00: Love that you bring psychology into so much as well and love every single piece of posting.

00:18:09: what would say When you sat down with yourself and your own?

00:18:13: rebrand, by the way respect because I feel like if you do the work for others so well.

00:18:19: And then you sit down for yourself.

00:18:21: actually it can be so difficult cuz You're so close to yourself.

00:18:26: So unlike how did she know hard?

00:18:30: It's so hard yeah

00:18:33: Like what helped you to be like, okay focus maybe zone out.

00:18:37: See myself from a third person perspective or form the outside?

00:18:41: How did you not push yourself through it?

00:18:44: but how do you lead your self though?

00:18:45: process where?

00:18:47: just let's not overthink it stuff and stick with that question there in plan I give other people as well Or was is for you to re-run yourself.

00:18:59: Well, I will be honest.

00:19:00: i've actually rebranded a couple times not to this extent To where it was a complete renaming In an entire new audience like it was full-on Identity shift rebrand and it was definitely hard for.

00:19:18: and design, I would say designing your own stuff is the hardest thing ever because you have a million things that you want to do.

00:19:24: Every time i'd do something for clients like oh I want that!I want that for myself but you can't it's for

00:19:29: client.".

00:19:30: But

00:19:32: this time...i've had people that i've worked with who helped me up leveling my offers from going um a dissension model price stuff, and funnels in mainstream.

00:19:50: And then elevate them off.

00:19:52: I have a dissension model.

00:19:53: so now it's...I've got you know the twelve-and eighteen month thing that six figures to work with me and it descends down into the brand transformation.

00:20:01: eighty five K fifty K twenty five K than The Personal Brand.

00:20:06: So when You want To Work With Me It''s That Big Thing.

00:20:12: But to create it, I had health with that.

00:20:14: and then do my rebrand.

00:20:23: a version of myself that I got to talk too and go back and forth.

00:20:38: And it did take a long time because i'm not just going to take what it gives me, i'm like no!

00:20:43: That's not how this works.

00:20:44: apply my framework...I went through my questionnaire....and It was not easy but..i did

00:20:51: it!!

00:20:52: I did it and it came out and I am absolutely in love with

00:20:56: it!!!

00:20:56: It is so perfect.

00:20:59: I'm also very much in love with the name of Atelier Wolvenin and everything.

00:21:03: It's just like so nice.

00:21:06: Yes, yes!

00:21:06: And even the sound of it...it reminds me a little bit about French as well A language that is close to my heart..I am not fluent.

00:21:15: i learned for six years forgotten The majority but the pronunciation are still there which im grateful For.

00:21:21: ..and its so melodic and atmospheric and cinematic It has this nice flow.

00:21:30: When I think about

00:21:30: it... Tensory!

00:21:31: Yeah, very much.

00:21:35: I'm a very sensual person as well in that sense.

00:21:38: Wow yes, pun not intended.

00:21:41: and everywhere i go like when i see something i have to touch it Like my hands are my thing for me In terms of sense..I need to touch things or I look at things and I immediately know, I don't want to touch that because i'm going to be disgusted.

00:21:56: Or whatever like...I am very much of a whatever.

00:21:59: maybe I can train it?

00:22:00: And then I have superpowers.

00:22:02: um Because I think I'm low-key psychic too anyways.

00:22:05: That's

00:22:07: why I think so.

00:22:09: with your rebrand you also made more clear distinction between premium procedures as well.

00:22:14: right

00:22:15: Yes!

00:22:16: I've got articles on it.. I've written blog posts ..I've written all sorts.

00:22:20: Yeah, can we

00:22:21: talk a bit about the like I would say triangle of luxury premium and prestige.

00:22:27: Where does prestige sit for you?

00:22:31: How did it come that you then lean into that category more than premium versus luxury in just a free flow riff on whatever you have to say or not?

00:22:43: I think it's one triggers in people's brains when they hear these words.

00:22:53: And what do I want to be associated with?

00:22:55: Because luxury at the moment is so trendy and so label intensive, like everybody has a label whore!

00:23:03: Everybody has kind of logo somewhere...and it's all luxury-luxury-luckery.

00:23:09: The problem is that ninety percent of the people spouting this don't even know what luxury is.

00:23:15: So its kinda giving it bad rap and I don't want to be associated with that, And i'm also not a product.

00:23:22: So it comes down the type of business as well.

00:23:28: so prestige though just has this... It's a feeling!

00:23:35: Its sensory.

00:23:37: You can immediately picture prestige like whether its a private members club, you know?

00:23:47: Mahogany and chandeliers.

00:23:49: Like not necessarily luxurious but this feeling of solid grounded old-world heritage.

00:23:56: prestige.

00:23:57: And I wanted to...I Wanted it go that route because It just fits better with the people i work With..with The People they want To Work With After They Work With Me.

00:24:13: It Doesn't Have A Trendy Profile To It.

00:24:15: Its Not shrouded in beige and black, show it templates.

00:24:21: or gold and diamonds you know?

00:24:26: Or that whole fashion trend of minimalism.

00:24:31: And then a premium just sounds pretty blasé.

00:24:34: I don't think does justice to anything.

00:24:37: unless your talking about what kind of petrol putting into the

00:24:42: car Not me getting roasted life here, I'll take it.

00:24:50: There's nothing wrong with diamonds.

00:24:52: there is nothing wrong those things.

00:24:53: but when everybody does and becomes something that no longer mainstream or luxury loses its power

00:25:04: How would you say then to maybe not adapt With how the market evolves, I feel like nowadays you can only be a category of one force so long until the rest kind of starts to catch up trying to copy shit.

00:25:23: And then you see the difference.

00:25:25: but customers don't always see the different and for them everything looks the same.

00:25:30: So How do make sure that your not rebranding out what you've once possessed?

00:25:36: Out reaction or rebellion?

00:25:40: Do you get the question, like what's dynamic?

00:25:43: Like do you stay in it then or do you flee from it at a certain point.

00:25:50: How is that dynamic of that

00:25:55: yeah It's getting a lot convoluted now with AI and everybody.

00:26:01: for example if I'm understanding this right whole lot of content that went out about a certain type, like the way I wrote what i said and my frameworks.

00:26:17: And you know... The competition!

00:26:21: It was a whole

00:26:21: thing!!

00:26:22: And I have so many pieces of content about it for the last

00:26:26: year!!!

00:26:27: Now..I'm starting to see everywhere and people grab Your content throw it into chat and say hey, I like this switch.

00:26:36: It up so i'm not copying them but its your language And then all ai is just a regurgitation of the top people out there.

00:26:46: So at some point in This day and age you are going to no longer be a category one because everybody Is writing your coattails stealing his shit using as their own.

00:26:58: that's happened To me so many times.

00:27:01: If I had a dollar for every time, i could go buy a fucking car right now.

00:27:06: Like seriously!

00:27:08: I feel like...I don't know if it's the good or bad thing?

00:27:11: I feel that became a bit de-sensitized to even ever since before AI because my business was in German And for the German market, I was at a very distinct way of expressing myself like dinglish and why more like streety?

00:27:28: Like a loose mouth.

00:27:29: And then like the sass and spice behind it my unique terminologies and stuff every single bitch i'm sorry would steal that all The time again even before AI existed.

00:27:43: now is like What to do?

00:27:46: I can't find, fight twenty people every single month over my IP like at a certain point.

00:27:52: Not helpless but you know it's just... To what extent is that part of accepting business?

00:28:00: and now with AI its even less controllable?

00:28:03: And i get too.

00:28:07: But yeah maybe thats also why its more important Would u say your brand or clients based on their quirks at least partly and like they're very.

00:28:18: these are the uncopiable parts right.

00:28:20: so

00:28:21: yep.

00:28:22: So on this surface level for what we were saying before, there's two things that I did to tackle.

00:28:29: this is...I called that shit out!

00:28:30: And i'm like this person-like..i have been writing about this.... i guess it helps that i have that much content out there that most people go ''we know its you'' and then like these That makes you feel a teeny bit better, but not all the way because bitch that's my shit.

00:28:47: Then I created and thought of it And sat in rope this out-of-nowhere.

00:28:52: You're just taking it.

00:28:54: So have to come up with next thing.

00:28:56: Innovate then keep coming up.

00:28:58: It is like never ending cycle of needing new ways Of saying same things.

00:29:04: But what was the other thing he asked me?

00:29:10: What did she say?

00:29:12: The personality?

00:29:15: Yeah, the uncopiable parts.

00:29:18: That's part of my framework which... The people I brand and clients when i'm done with them ten years later six or seven years later they don't need a rebrand because this is so soul aligned in.

00:29:32: who are their quirks?

00:29:34: style personality vibe filters process through The way they think, the way they feel everything is put into this brand.

00:29:47: So people can copy words People can steal frameworks.

00:29:52: But how you actually talk about it?

00:29:55: your voice Your particular way of saying things.

00:29:59: or if say fuck a lot Or You get sassy or you know your little kissy lips on every thing Whatever may be.

00:30:06: You know cocktail and all that things.

00:30:10: Leopard print Zebra print Jungle.

00:30:13: I have people coming at me like, ''I was on a restaurant and it's jungle''.

00:30:16: And i thought of you!

00:30:17: Of course she did.

00:30:19: Everybody thinks to me when they think about the jungle.

00:30:21: and now leopards & zebras.

00:30:24: It also has to do with the industry nowadays Especially the leopard Zebras?

00:30:29: I haven't seen that much.

00:30:31: I've

00:30:31: got the coolest pants.

00:30:34: Oh my god... I love this print.

00:30:39: So there's a lot of things you can do as short somebody just stealing your IP, which has been done.

00:30:46: You can't do anything about it!

00:30:47: All these little thing all at...it is like puzzle.

00:30:52: Is that puzzle one coherent big piece?

00:30:56: That makes sense and forms the complete picture.

00:31:00: for thousand pieces.

00:31:01: or people who copy have It's like a Patrick quilt.

00:31:05: They have puzzle pieces that don't match because you can tell they're just stealing parts of it, You know?

00:31:10: It's a feeling people haven't got feelings.

00:31:12: That's another thing with branding is like...they knowing their gut when something is off and some things right.

00:31:19: And thats part as well

00:31:21: Period!

00:31:23: So what would say in Steph's words?

00:31:26: separate the brand that truly even at this point I hate his term iconic cause its everywhere but truly iconic, great brilliance from a brand that simply looks expensive.

00:31:40: Like what is behind the brand?

00:31:41: That is brilliant all over versus it just looked expensive but you can feel... It might be hollow on the inside or whatever.

00:31:51: Yeah I was gonna say depth substance.

00:31:55: You know beauty and brains.

00:31:59: if there's something under the hood.

00:32:00: mastery up passion and love of your craft, devotion to your crafts actually embodying what you say.

00:32:13: What you do.

00:32:14: delivery high standards of excellence.

00:32:18: that doesn't all come from something That looks good You know it's like.

00:32:24: I did another article once.

00:32:27: Your outfits not your belt?

00:32:30: It's saying your brand is your logo.

00:32:31: What's what's under there?

00:32:37: You know, what's that outfit for?

00:32:39: who is wearing it?

00:32:40: Who are you when you're wearing it.

00:32:42: What do you doing?

00:32:42: where you going?

00:32:43: who you gonna be with like?

00:32:46: There's so much more to it than just Wearing a red velvet dress but the shiny black belt.

00:32:52: I don't know, you know.

00:32:55: So iconic embodies everything.

00:32:57: and Someone who the confidence To be like?

00:33:01: yeah this is me.

00:33:03: This is who i am.

00:33:03: this Is my brand.

00:33:05: Bring it.

00:33:07: try to copy me.

00:33:09: I will laugh in your face.

00:33:25: I had the pinky.

00:33:28: What does that mean?

00:33:30: Oh,

00:33:30: have you not seen Austin Powers like James Bond?

00:33:36: Well, scratch that.

00:33:38: It's like

00:33:40: the

00:33:40: evil villain.

00:33:43: Oh Okay well I'm very much not educated when it comes to movies so That's all right.

00:33:51: thank you for the explanation.

00:33:55: What makes a brand iconic?

00:33:58: There are many things and thinking about what to say.

00:34:00: first greedy with infusing your, I call it unique spice.

00:34:08: Because i look at every human or every brand like you know these spice mixtures.

00:34:13: this is for barbecue and this is chicken tikka right?

00:34:17: And they have all their like.

00:34:19: the spice blend very unique spice blend a unique dosage of how much paprika vs pepper vs salt vs garlic goes inside and thyme and all these things!

00:34:30: We as humans we have this recipe but its unique blend.

00:34:34: I love that.

00:34:36: When i look at someone, when it comes to like obviously... ...I don't do graphic design branding for them.. ..I'm more on the brand identity and cool when I work with people And then I did have my partnership designer but when they come to me That's where my low-key psychic senses come in.

00:34:57: It is a little bit like you know?

00:34:59: You play Sims and customize your character Or maybe Sims is not even the best, but some other superhero game or whatever.

00:35:08: And then you can actually decide how much power do I want in this attack and in this defense?

00:35:14: It's like all of these... How do we call these thingies?

00:35:18: Not rangers?

00:35:19: Yeah!

00:35:20: The stats Like extra charisma Little bit resilience Knowledge Intelligence And

00:35:28: it's kind of like a superhero customization when someone comes.

00:35:32: It's, what is your weird attack?

00:35:34: Because if you think about Pokemon or something they don't just have attacks that make sense.

00:35:38: some are like vomit explosion and whatever.

00:35:41: I made that shit up right now but also helps me to tune into you so i can read what you're not telling me Give me the weirdest shit that exists inside of you, like save space literally.

00:36:02: And then we see how will package and translate it into something that is digestible for the audience that you wanna reach but also not too digestible to a point where have completely dilute yourself.

00:36:13: But still are you?

00:36:17: Like I've recently said if they can't swallow let them choke period.

00:36:21: Okay, let the wrong people joke.

00:36:24: literally.

00:36:26: when it comes to my brand I'm currently also on a bit more of an exploration path like i'm good When It Comes To My General Mood Palette but I switch A Little Bit About Between Like Modern Symbolism and A Bit More Ancient Romantic If That Makes Sense.

00:36:43: And I Really Want To Do A Self-Experiment.

00:36:45: How Much Can I Brish It To?

00:36:48: Who Says I Can't?

00:36:49: Of Course You Can

00:36:50: Exactly.

00:36:51: So it was like, let me just see how I can really bring that in this old quote-unquote medieval still premium luxury whatever vibe but then also... It's literally why I love these jackets so much because the jeans is a casual vibe with glitter diamond sparkles on the elevated more luxury premium and i very identify with his jacket.

00:37:14: cause its Yasmin!

00:37:17: Its best of both words.

00:37:19: It's sassy, also the oversized fit.

00:37:22: Its giving you like room to breathe.

00:37:25: it is not confining your right?

00:37:26: its not stiff and rigid.

00:37:29: And then the sparkles on top of that are eye catcher everywhere I go it a conversation starter.

00:37:35: i'm more an introverted person so my jacket doesnt talk and i dont have to be like hey!

00:37:41: So what do u DO?

00:37:42: whatever

00:37:43: all

00:37:44: this stuff im like can't be bothered for me.

00:37:47: my branding that and I felt like when it was a bit more, And i also left the luxury label behind for The same reasons That you've mentioned but Also For the reason that.

00:38:00: I felt Like there's A certain expectation An association around Luxury that I do not a hundred percent fulfill?

00:38:11: Reshape that association because I do not gotta be honest.

00:38:16: I do Not hold the like brand power yet in terms of visibility region stuff In order to change an entire markets perception Of luxury.

00:38:27: cuz i won't say it.

00:38:28: can we just drop please?

00:38:29: That luxury actually is love the absolute meticulous attention to detail and care, service.

00:38:36: And seeing someone attuning them reacting to them catering is so... How did it become about what you said like black gold champagne as a status symbol?

00:38:49: High prices!

00:38:50: Is that

00:38:51: all?!

00:38:51: That can't be it.

00:38:53: in my heart I carry such different definition of luxury but market isn't getting yet and I'm tired of fucking fighting it.

00:39:01: so let me go somewhere else.

00:39:03: i can't do this anymore.

00:39:04: um hello

00:39:06: prestige!

00:39:09: yeah, was literally playing with that and then i dropped it...and then i saw you coming out with that..and i was like no this is perfect for Steph It's like-I can't know premium?

00:39:19: I love that.

00:39:20: For me its beautiful but also beautiful.

00:39:23: we can healthy lead disagree on maybe Right?

00:39:28: And then you can just sit in their own lane.

00:39:32: For me, premium is the elevated standard and I feel like that... I love

00:39:40: premium!

00:39:40: And ultra-premium.

00:39:41: When i said about gas it didn't really mean there was a bad thing The connotations of people when they think things You say with luxury Yeah

00:39:55: That's been kind of my my Brian's journey.

00:39:58: take exploration at the moment.

00:40:00: It is like maybe you've seen it, sometimes me next to a G-Wagon and sometimes in an ancient castle with beautiful romantic pillars that I also love a lot!

00:40:11: Looks straight from Greece or old Italy or whatever.

00:40:18: but yeah overall i think...I have always managed In a well to come up with something where you could take the name in the logo away and everyone would know this is Yasmin And that's always been my aim.

00:40:30: I think what you'd say it was a brand about aswell, like taking the new logo on their name way.

00:40:36: Could we still recognize you ultimately?

00:40:40: The quintessence of all those things?

00:40:41: You have to infuse your unique edge Whatever that looks like or whatever.

00:40:46: That is very often i think you experience the same people are.

00:40:52: I'm not gonna be deemed as professional if i show that to the market or bring it in.

00:40:56: So did someone ever come and say, Steph?

00:41:00: I fear im no longer going to be like a professional being more of myself.

00:41:05: what's your conversation around

00:41:07: this?".

00:41:08: I actually have two clients come to mind when you said one of them works with C-suite Billionaires executives at the highest level as an emotional intelligence coach, but when I she came to me.

00:41:23: She was a coach for women spiritual coach and doing all these things and her whole vibe is sex kitten boardroom and roller skates And that's her quirk and Her clientele love it and she didn't even know this was what she was gonna do.

00:41:46: But those threads were there.

00:41:48: I saw those patterns, I saw underneath all of these layers of working with women and this whole surface level stuff...I'm like no you're meant for THIS!

00:41:56: And doing it in a way that complements your sex kitten boardroom, sex in the board room, dominatrix, rollerskate type thing.

00:42:09: Like we don't have to get rid of that!

00:42:11: It doesn't have be professional.

00:42:13: it has to speak what you can do for those men and people at this level.

00:42:20: And I had another client who was straight up mermaid tail iridescent water frolicking rainbow love vibes.

00:42:33: but she did something completely different and I was like, we need to throw all the rules out of box when it comes your brand.

00:42:42: Do something that you can do just by drinking water!

00:42:47: You know?

00:42:47: It's just...comes-out-of-you second nature and works.

00:42:54: so being professional depends on what you're doing.

00:42:57: if you are an accountant or working with lawyers probably don't want a mermaid rainbow brand, but know your business.

00:43:08: However when it comes to the people that we usually work with and we talk about in these coaches and stuff I think professional is just another one of those personal definitions for your audience And you have to tap into what they think That Is!

00:43:23: What will turn them

00:43:31: off?

00:43:32: a rigid perception or whatever, like professionalism is can you get the job done and how well ultimately.

00:43:41: So I'm like does it matter whether i wear a jeans jacket?

00:43:46: Or a dress...or fucking bikini if I want to!

00:43:49: Not that I don't want too but if I wanted to.

00:43:51: so wouldn't you say that we automatically- If were being very true in authenticity ourselves into others?

00:43:59: That kind of automatically aligns who are meant to serve anyways and we don't really have to overthink it.

00:44:06: It's merely like the conditioning that on top, maybe at our core... We are the mermaid brand.

00:44:13: but because we see only luxury-based champagne brands getting paid a lot then think oh we can't succeed as a mermaid brand And I don't allow myself to own that.

00:44:24: But actually that is me.

00:44:26: That already is my inherited encoded success formula that i've carried since birth.

00:44:34: but it's more about the allowance piece is that...

00:44:39: I fully agree with you.

00:44:40: It's a massive, massive epidemic throughout the entire world of people who run a business have fallen into the stereotype and the perception and definition that has collectively already been there And they are squashing their own brilliance because of passion.

00:45:02: They really are.

00:45:03: they need to come see us, we will unleash that and you can make a lot of money not being beige.

00:45:13: What would say like from your perspective where the brand's person?

00:45:20: Not just solely business coach or whatever it is in terms of selling high ticket?

00:45:29: what goes into that?

00:45:32: Selling High Ticket?

00:45:33: Yes I think selling high ticket, this is kind of a tough question because with the internet and Facebook bubble in The Coaching Bubble where there were a lot people without brands who had an offer put it out there for fifty-k, hundred and fifty k. And people bought it you know.

00:46:00: but then we're also breaking that bubble to when a lot got burned.

00:46:07: So, I suppose now to selling high ticket.

00:46:15: As a brand person...I'm gonna be biased with this answer like you probably are.

00:46:20: You need have the brand back it up because sure you can have a fifty K offer and could really good at that.

00:46:28: but if your positioning strategy vision team audience offers mastery The delivery, the standards to back it up.

00:46:42: It will be easier to sell and people will trust you more.

00:46:47: they'll give you more credibility.

00:46:49: They will That discernment when there's stalking you in looking you out because people are a lot more cautious of where their spending money?

00:46:57: The brand is that logical and emotive side Of yes I can trust this person with my money.

00:47:08: So selling high ticket i think You do have to have all of the puzzle pieces in place To make it easier to get a yes.

00:47:18: Yeah, does that answer your question?

00:47:21: It does someone listening who's like I think i have an idea Of a brand but maybe I don't.

00:47:27: after listening to this how-do How do we know that we have a brand?

00:47:32: actually?

00:47:34: well That's a good question.

00:47:41: These are one of those ones that makes you go, let me think about

00:47:46: this.

00:47:47: Yeah like I guess you have a brand.

00:47:56: when other people outside of yourself can take a look from the outside looking in and be an agreeance with Because a brand at the end of day or what other people think about you, their perception is that they say it's not in your room.

00:48:19: How do we think?

00:48:20: The space occupying our brain... That's a brand and reputation experience how to feel when experiencing this world.

00:48:34: so if others are on same page then yeah.. You have a brand.

00:48:43: What do you

00:48:43: think?

00:48:45: For me, I knew the moments.

00:48:49: not just one but many people started associating outside world things with me when they weren't on social media.

00:49:02: When it was like...I was in this bookstore and saw a journal that reminded of random objects or real life.

00:49:11: They played this song, it reminded me of you.

00:49:14: I smell the scent and even though i only know you from online... ...I can imagine that's exactly how you smell like!

00:49:19: And It reminded Me Of You.

00:49:21: All these Like Reminded-Me-Of-You thingies Clients coming to me literally never heard of their person before Wake up in The Morning.

00:49:31: See the DM?

00:49:31: I dreamed of YOU!

00:49:33: I knew I had to work with you.

00:49:34: What is your highest package?

00:49:38: This Is How We Can Go.

00:49:42: I'm like, take that marketing bro.

00:49:44: Like what do you want from me?

00:49:47: Client nurturing lead generation.

00:49:50: but my clients dream of me and literally ask for high ticket offer.

00:49:57: so i think it was when first felt the brand.

00:50:03: There is a brand apparently Maybe even because back then I didn't even intend to have one when i started my business.

00:50:09: Because, they didn't Even intend on starting My business.

00:50:12: it there was always demand before.

00:50:14: That Was an offer or clarity from my end and in retrospect if i think what made that happen Is that?

00:50:23: I unintentionally did all the things that we talked about with the like.

00:50:31: my very uniqueness put out there.

00:50:33: I just spoke from passion.

00:50:34: so i was literally in my mission, in my vision... what do i have to say?

00:50:39: What am i here for?

00:50:40: I thought i'm going to have a little personal blog on instagram or whatever and suddenly people asked me can we hire you as a

00:50:46: coach?".

00:50:47: And i was like..what d'you mean by

00:50:49: that??

00:50:49: I didn't even let me go do the certification.

00:50:52: then we could talk!

00:50:54: So it kind of went on which is pretty magical journey but also showed me and nowadays it encourages my clients a lot.

00:51:02: I've always been the rule breaker, so to say not because i intentionally break rules and rebel against them but because I zone into.

00:51:11: how do I want it look like?

00:51:12: or what do I Want To Say?

00:51:14: What Do I Want to Do right here Right Now And Then I Just Like Literally It Sounds So Fluffy I Follow My Fucking Heart And I Do It And It Works Out Or Doesn't?

00:51:22: And If It Doesn't I Pivot And See How It Can Work out.

00:51:26: Yeah

00:51:27: then ultimately it always works out at the end.

00:51:30: And if you look at my journey and all of the intricacies, It doesn't fit any marketing book!

00:51:37: Doesn't fit in any books that I had to read a university and my marketing bachelors degree...and why is everyone so obsessed with these rules?

00:51:50: to the point where they completely suffocate who they are at their core and don't even allow themselves, too.

00:51:56: To let there weirdness out or whatever because they think that need to be professional or everything has to make sense?

00:52:02: Oh my God!

00:52:03: That's my kryptonite I'm like in my world.

00:52:05: nothing makes sense but also it makes the most sense um... And so its just like..I know i am waffling.

00:52:17: It is literally Like, can you become your own blueprint?

00:52:22: And I mean that because i've been there always and will continue to be.

00:52:26: That whenever I tried someone else's strategy on it just didn't work for me so was like you know what screwed up.

00:52:31: this is a waste of time energy in even money.

00:52:33: so I could just continue being Yasmin doing the things don't make sense too people on paper but watch me cause its gonna workout!

00:52:43: It has worked out again... What do you think about my dream?

00:52:47: then hire me.

00:52:48: What do you mean?

00:52:49: They don't even follow me on Instagram before they wire me a multi-figure payment, what do you means?

00:52:56: someone is... I don't have any framework obsession nowadays in the market as well!

00:53:03: i dont' have specific frameworks.

00:53:05: yet my client stays with me for four years.

00:53:07: five years wires me multi six figures because she just wants to stay in my world like.

00:53:13: none of that.

00:53:13: shit makes sense.

00:53:15: but it make sense.

00:53:19: yeah It's your brand?

00:53:21: Yeah, yeah.

00:53:21: Your recipe!

00:53:23: This is my recipe of madness and I feel like everyone should unleash theirs.

00:53:28: And also PSA to everybody listening.

00:53:31: Stop associating luxury branding with champagne.

00:53:34: That is the status symbol for the poor.

00:53:36: Thank you for coming into my chat talk.

00:53:40: No i can't see that anymore.

00:53:41: it was like... I'm gonna infuse champagne in my branded now as a luxury brand.

00:53:45: What do you mean?

00:53:47: Yeah, it's yeah.

00:53:49: No I get it.

00:53:51: It makes you cry on the inside.

00:53:53: my soul is dying Yes

00:53:56: So what we say are like three more of these things.

00:53:59: where?

00:53:59: You cry in the inside and your shoulder is dying when you see Your clients do that or people on the internet in general.

00:54:05: What are those like?

00:54:06: way but this death and Disqualify us.

00:54:11: wait just like no ala puber.

00:54:14: Oh my goodness, I don't even know.

00:54:19: What are yours?

00:54:21: This will just speak to a tiny portion of people probably but i can very again low-key psychic feel when I read postings and that your voice or you're trying to speak in certain tone isn't yours.

00:54:36: Even on camera where actually hear the person My entire body cringes so I want to scratch out when I tune into someone's story and you just hear the performative tone in their voice.

00:54:54: And it is like,

00:54:55: hello!

00:54:56: It sounds so nice that your bag gets tuned back in...and i'm getting a stroke listening to this.

00:55:04: Collective

00:55:06: embarrassment.

00:55:07: An embarrassment for you?

00:55:11: Also people misunderstand about magnetism because they don't have leveraging sexuality in order to be more seductive.

00:55:19: Some people's seduction factor is literally their intellect, some peoples' seduction factors are literally their innocence and that absolute purity.

00:55:28: for other people it´s the bobbliness right?

00:55:30: And so its like.

00:55:32: please don't try to do something you're not... You dont have to know... You know...

00:55:38: The formative.

00:55:39: Yeah!

00:55:40: I can smell from afar.

00:55:41: It just cringes me out.

00:55:44: I don't like it when people cry.

00:55:47: When they do the crying posts or the crying videos and their, yeah i can't deal.

00:55:55: It's that collective...I'm embarrassed for you.

00:55:58: That is so cringe And its just being vulnerable.

00:56:02: You're doing this on purpose!

00:56:03: You probably have eighty photos in your phone of getting a right crying photo that you could post.

00:56:09: Like what are you doing?

00:56:11: Authentic.

00:56:12: I'm just being authentic, no you're not!

00:56:16: How many takes did you do while you were crying to get that right?

00:56:20: That's not authentic...I can't-

00:56:23: I love it and i think thats what people need to understand is really about the new ones.

00:56:28: It IS about the New Ones of Things.

00:56:30: There CAN be People who are authentic when Crying.

00:56:33: The majority Of People isn´t Same as When they Think They Need To Be Super Again Seductive in Their Marketing or Whatever.

00:56:39: Its Just Like Bro... Like, no.

00:56:44: No and it always like... It just makes me sad Yeah!

00:56:48: And it makes you sad because it just roots back into the way that I am naturally and authentically isn't good enough.

00:56:53: and i'm like who told ya that bullshit?

00:56:56: Come to me or come to step.

00:56:57: we're gonna show how make this shit work but stop fucking wearing a costume that isnt yours.

00:57:04: Thank You

00:57:05: Greed.

00:57:09: Wow..I love that.

00:57:11: all the branches we, what's a word?

00:57:15: ventured out into throughout all of this.

00:57:19: Would you say it?

00:57:20: We could literally talk for like four hours and just be still going?

00:57:24: I reckon

00:57:25: Yes!

00:57:25: Maybe there is an event coming in this lifetime.

00:57:28: people stay tuned.

00:57:30: who knows what happens.

00:57:34: So

00:57:36: if there was only one rule from now on that people were allowed to follow when it comes to branding, what would Queen Steph say is that

00:57:48: rule?

00:57:49: Oh my gosh.

00:57:51: You want me to narrow it down to one?

00:57:55: I love to

00:57:55: come with difficult shit yes.

00:57:58: Ah!

00:58:00: Oh my god.

00:58:03: i think the thing that hits the top of my head...I mean I'm sure there's more things but blaringly in my movie screen of a vision right now that I can just see is this everybody using chat GPT design for the flyers, for the graphics.

00:58:25: For their visuals ,for the logos.

00:58:26: further everything .

00:58:28: Everything looks the same.

00:58:29: Everything is overwhelming.

00:58:31: Everything has crowded there's too much information There is nothing to differentiate.

00:58:38: you Like, I've seen coaches and accountants.

00:58:42: And healers...and doctors!

00:58:45: And marriage celebrants all using the same freaking graphics like...

00:58:49: You got a flyer through my door from a dentist?

00:58:55: There's- you can't..like there is nothing that will kill your brand faster than deciding to look like everything else.

00:59:06: it's

00:59:08: yeah.

00:59:08: It's like ketchup bottles on a grocery store in an aisle.

00:59:12: Like you're all red ketchup bottles, come one!

00:59:15: You freaking... Your barbecue sauce mate?

00:59:21: At

00:59:21: least?!

00:59:22: I don't know.

00:59:22: that is probably the only thing popping out because it so prevalent and something not to get past every two thumb swipes or every few posts as another AI generated.

00:59:35: piece of shit that you are using to represent your brand, which is such a turn off.

00:59:42: That you were killing your brand reputation without even having to open your fucking mouth?

00:59:47: I think that's so

00:59:54: bad!

00:59:57: compromising of effort, because that's what it literally is.

01:00:00: Isn't this?

01:00:01: Like let me okay chat or claw just whip up a fucking flyer.

01:00:04: I'm not even going to double check it i'm just gonna put it out there.

01:00:09: and why isn't it common sense that stuff is absolutely overcrowded?

01:00:14: In?

01:00:15: what message does it say?

01:00:16: It says that you don't have enough integrity to create your own shit.

01:00:21: That, You're going cheap!

01:00:22: You are going lazy which means when I hire or pay you... ...you will give me cheap and

01:00:26: lazy.".

01:00:28: You might not be a genius but this is the message we send.

01:00:32: Facts.

01:00:33: FACTS.

01:00:34: Oh my god.. This could just be a whole different episode because of Pandora as well.

01:00:41: Take that

01:00:43: part two.

01:00:44: But literally that, like a brand is sending subliminal messages.

01:00:49: people and it's again if you have nothing else to bring to the table other than champagne then That also not necessarily going to hit the right spots for the right people but yeah.

01:01:01: That's worth different day.

01:01:07: Listen I'm done.

01:01:08: I love that Steph thank you so much for this first part.

01:01:14: at least taking the time and bringing your heart, your brain.

01:01:18: Your juice...your decades of wisdom into this was very, very pleasant to have you in a casual setting as well!

01:01:28: And just swear a little and buy up a little..and bring a whole lot of golds into this episode.

01:01:36: I'm very grateful that you came on today.

01:01:38: thank-you very much.

01:01:40: I am very honored that you asked me.

01:01:42: Thank You for having Me.