MADE-TO-MEASURE
MADE BY CHRISTINA MARSHALL-VALDEZ
I was MADE for this!
I recited those words to myself as I walked on stage and prepared to
pitch. The judges were made up of successful entrepreneurs and power
players from Apple, Beats by Dre, IBM and the FIDM (Fashion Institute
of Design & Merchandising ). But, I wasn’t intimidated. I felt ready. This
was my chance to share Elu, my online made-to-measure apparel brand
that was born out of my personal frustration as a plus-size woman
with limited fashion options. I was forewarned that the panel was not
looking for a winning idea. Instead, they were looking to invest in the
promising entrepreneur behind the idea. That was the prompt I needed
to let my personal brand shine and give those judges numerous reasons
to believe in the Christina Marshall-Valdez personal brand.
We are BRANDS
As an entrepreneur, the importance of personal brand is more
pronounced. Your brand is the invitation that allows others to
determine if they want to work with you, hire you, be friends with
you, and do business with you. My perspective on personal brand
development started prior to this #TrepLife when I was still a
corporate marketer crafting strategies and campaigns for global
iconic companies such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nikon, Diageo and
Kraft Foods. My first big lesson as a marketer was that your brand
is whatever your consumer perceives it to mean. My job as a
marketer was to influence her perception and convince her to think
of my product in a way that makes her love it, trust it and
ultimately buy more of it.
Today, I invite anyone who is about their business to put on their
marketer hat because YOU are no different than any other brand
lining the retail shelves. Your personal brand is what people perceive when they hear your name. Your name should signal positive,
meaningful associations that make others want to know you, listen
to you, believe in you or even give to you.
Brands are MADE to MEASURE
All brands have unique histories. Of course, people are no
different. However, how we use our past to fit the right size our
brand development is an active decision. When I was an infant, my
mom suffered a massive stroke that left her brain damaged and
unable to care for me. My grandmother passed when I was 14
years old, leaving me without a parent or guardian to help me
navigate my young life. Your past has the power to shape your
brand and make you ready for future opportunity. My past
deposited values and qualities that made me resilient, determined
and relentless in all that I do – the perfect brand recipe for this life
as an apparel entrepreneur. Like the clothing I make for my clients
today, I consider personal brands as truly made-to-measure. They
are created with the unique dimensions of your past and
intentional efforts in mind.
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