Going It Alone In 2020

This year! This year! This year! This was the year, everyone claimed, we would be on track to fix our credit, get financially independent and we would be ready for a new start. But what happened? For starters, the nation was on the brink of World War III, Covid-19, civil unrest, in short, it was a reckoning. However, within this year of despair, many people have decided to go alone. Some are discovering their voices, others are looking to new adventures, and then some are rediscovering their self-identity.

The vision year, has brought into scope, what it really means to be self-aware and hyper-aware. As a new start-up developer, the challenges are steep. Who is my audience? Do I need to be “woke”? or am I “woke” enough? Should we align with those advocating for change. After all these questions arise, one answer always resonates: stick to who you are. Why?

Walking against a current of people that are trying to wake the conscience of a nation, could be counter productive to who you are, your belief system, and your brand. Ethics and branding are continuously evolving together. “Ethics should be the guide to your brand. While your brand should be the voice to your ethics.”

“Ethics should be the guide to your brand. While your brand should be the voice to your ethics.”- Jonathan Reed

The two are important when you decide to take on uncharted territory in this very volatile time period. There is a lot of noise out there. Everyone is shouting, but are we listening? Do you listen to the trend to be inclusive only to dampen the criticism? Or do you thoughtfully progress forward with the intent to grow authentically? The key to being a role-model does not always lie within jumping on trend, rather, it’s paving the way forward so everyone can possibly follow to a better path.

The second half of 2020 is definitely going to be interesting going forward, but rather you are a new business owner, or seasoned one, always remember, that sometimes, when you follow, you may lose the lead.