Ep 93: Stop Overthinking Your Brand: A Real Talk Guide for Creative Entrepreneurs

Summary of the episode

In this episode of noseyAF, I sit down with brand designer and website strategist Bridget Baker to demystify the overwhelming world of branding for artists and creative entrepreneurs. Bridget shares her journey from professional dancer and choreographer to helping people build authentic brands that actually reflect who they are—not who they think they should be. We dig into why branding feels so intimidating, how to give yourself permission to be yourself online, and why perfection is the enemy of connection. Bridget breaks down the difference between personal and business brands, explains when (and if) you should worry about brand consistency, and shares practical advice for creative people who contain multitudes. If you've ever felt paralyzed by the pressure to have perfectly polished brand photos, matching color palettes, or a "professional" online presence, this conversation is for you.

Topics discussed:

• Why branding feels overwhelming and how to give yourself permission to be authentic
• The difference between personal and business brands (and what to do when you ARE the business)
• How minimalism and organization principles apply to brand strategy
• When to update your brand colors, photos, and messaging (spoiler: it's more flexible than you think)
• Building community through co-working spaces like Write Shit Mondays
• The problem with AI-generated brand content and homogenized aesthetics
• Practical first steps for clarifying your brand based on what you actually want your life to look like

Chapters:

• 00:14 - Introduction to Bridget Baker

• 06:57 - The Intersection of Personal and Business Branding

• 12:25 - Evolving Brand Stories

• 17:41 - The Role of Minimalism in Branding

• 26:28 - The Journey to Website Branding

• 37:06 - Exploring Community and Connections

• 38:43 - The Evolution of Write Shit Mondays

• 46:20 - Understanding Branding Flexibility

All About Bridget

Bridget Baker specializes in working with coaches, consultants, therapists, organizers, and overall, people who help people. Her superpower is giving you the permission you need to brand your BIZ the way YOU want to. She's been a minimalist since before it was trendy, and organized her friends' closets for fun as a kid (true story!) Simplifying spaces and creating more room to play are her jam. That, coupled with a background in dance and choreography led her to want to find a way to use both her creative and organizational passions. Sprinkle in some writing and consulting, and over the past 15 years, she's built a business that has given her the flexibility and freedom to work from anywhere. Building brands and websites is the place where she combines all those skills and helps people let go of the cluttered ideas about their brands, and create the space for something they love.

Resources mentioned in this episode

• Write Shit Mondays - Bridget's free weekly co-working writing community (every Monday)
• Bridget's Website - Connect with Bridget for branding and website services

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

"Branding is your behavior. It's your personality. What has you go buy that color of Stanley mug? It's not just Instagram telling you—it's like, pink is my thing."

"This thing that's scary for you to share is probably the thing you should share because that's the thing that's going to make you the most vulnerable. That's going to have people connect with you and go, 'Oh my gosh, you're a real person.'"

"Get clear about what you really want in your life. And then you build the brand from there. You don't just go, 'What marketable skills do I have?' Because then you just get into hustle culture."

"You contain multitudes. You have these different arenas that you share with the world—your art, your work, your podcast. That's what makes it interesting."

"I'm a website therapist because I do like to dig in and really figure out the juicy underbelly of people's brands."

Connect with Bridget Baker

• Instagram: @bridgetbakerbranding
• Website: bridgetbakerbranding.com

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Episode Credits:

Produced, Hosted, and Edited by Me, Stephanie (teaching myself audio editing!)

Lyrics: Queen Lex

Instrumental: Freddie Bam Fam