In January 2020, Diamond Michael Scott launched "Great Books, Great Minds," a project dedicated to igniting a new world of community, connection, and conversation—one book at a time. Through this initiative, he collaborates with authors to help them leverage their literary works, creating profitable opportunities that bridge literature and branding.

Building a brand that exudes credibility and value is paramount in the bustling world of entrepreneurship, where every move counts, and every impression matters.

However, despite our best intentions, many of us inadvertently sabotage our brand's message, unwittingly cheapening its perceived value.

Today, we will explore five common pitfalls that can tarnish your brand's image and strategies to avoid them. I wrote this blog post and recorded it with my new friend and successful businesswoman, Erica Breuer. She’s been featured in Forbes, Inc. and Fast Company, just to name a few.

In the heart of the vibrant city of Scottsdale, Arizona, amidst the backdrop of desert landscapes, lies a story of resilience, transformation, and hope. Diana Parra, M.A., a Transformational Coach and Certified Grief Educator has dedicated her life to guiding women through the depths of grief and loss toward a renewed sense of self.

Through her personalized coaching and compassionate guidance, Diana helps her clients navigate the turbulent waters of loss and emerge stronger, more resilient, and ready to embrace life once again.

During our time together, Holly coached Sydney on a move with one of the flags and told Sydney she just had to believe she could do it. This struck me as the best advice for life. If we ‘believe’ we can do it, then we can. Having the courage to ‘believe’ is the first step to fully believing. It’s crazy how the shift in energy makes all the difference.

One of the best parts about having a professional branding photoshoot is the fact that you end up with lots of great photos of yourself. My clients may walk into their shoots with me nervous about how their photos will come out, but because of my proven process, they are always excited about the results. I do a pre-branding session so we can customize their session and get key images they know they need. We also figure out if there are any props the client wants to include to help tell their brand story. 

Every branding photo shoot I do has one main goal; to get my clients the content they need so they can share their brand online. Having content that communicates what you do as well as who you are is more important than ever in the crowded social media space. You want to stand out and get noticed, and branded photos are the key to that.

The term, “small fish in a big pond” has never been more appropriate than it is right now in the world of small business online marketing. No matter how you market online (social media, your website, a blog, your podcast), chances are good you’re swimming in a very big pond with a lot of other people who are all vying for the attention of the same people you’re hoping to reach.

As a professional branding photographer, I work with CEOs, high profile realtors, public figures and amazing entrepreneurs all over Central Virginia. So it’s not uncommon for me to see my clients’ names and images in news articles. But it’s always a thrill to see my clients get the recognition they deserve.

I love my work because I get to connect with people who have a passion for making an impact. I work with amazing entrepreneurs, coaches, authors and leaders in Richmond and all over who get up every day to help others to do more, be more and have more.

I wanted to share from my heart something that everyone who strives to do and be more in life experiences: "Gremlin thoughts." Gremlin thoughts are those thoughts that tell us: We can't do it. We aren't worthy.

Social media has quickly gone from a way to keep in touch with old friends to the driving force behind the way businesses big and small advertise across the world. Since social media combines both the selling power of eye-catching posts and real-life people, it’s the perfect way to bolster your personal brand.