If you’re thinking about starting your own business, or you’re in the throes of the hustle and feeling like you need a little encouragement – OR you want to develop your personal brand as part of your next phase of life – then Jane McCarthy and Kate McAndrew’s latest book, The Goddess Guide to Branding, should be on your desk or nightstand.
The pair draw upon their expertise in brand strategy and venture capital, bringing you an easy-to-comprehend guide to building a feminine brand that is both abundant and authentic. They identify eight ancient goddess archetypes that can be used to categorise and steer women-led brands, from Diana to Athena.
Not only that, they call upon over 22 female founders and brand leaders, who deliver insights on their brand strategies, achievements and challenges. These include Alexandra Fine, founder and CEO of Dame Products; and Sophie Bambuck, CMO at The North Face.
It’s fun, inspiring and intuitive – and best of all, you don’t need an MBA to to understand it. To give you just a hint of the expertise that you’ll come across in The Goddess Guide to Branding, we’ve curated some of our favourite quotes (and the goddesses that align with them) from the book, straight from the brains of female business leaders who have already done all the hard work in crafting successful brands.
Business leader: Caitlin Braam, founder and CEO of Yonder Cider
Goddess: Diana, The Free
“I identify with this idea of being a lone wolf who does her own thing and no matter what she’s been told, creates her own path. My attitude is, if you love that, come along for the ride. If you don’t, I don’t care.”
Business leader: Cristiana Sadigianis, founder of Oracle Oil
Goddess: Demeter, The Love
“The priority has been on quality vs. profit. In some ways I’ve made things harder for myself, but I was never going to do it any other way.”
Business leader: Tyla-Simone Crayton, founder and CEO of Sienna Sauce
Goddess: Queen Persephone, The Fire
“Take it day-by-day, but take every day by storm.”
Business leader: Alexandra Fine, founder and CEO of Dame Products
Goddess: Venus, The Beauty
“I think it’s important to back up the image you’re projecting as a company with genuine action, especially when you’re a feminist brand. If your company culture doesn’t reflect who you say you are, you’re going to get called out.”
Business leader: Sallie Krawcheck, co-founder and CEO of Ellevest
Goddess: Athena, The Wise
“Another value that is so important to me is that we treat each other with MRI, which means the Most Respectful Interpretation of what anybody has done or said. So, imagine you’re cut off by another car in traffic. Rather than immediately thinking the person’s a jerk, you offer the most respectful interpretation of that behaviour. Perhaps they’re rushing their child to the hospital or taking their sick pup to the vet. We come back to MRI again and again in terms of how we engage and receive each other.”
Get The Goddess Guide to Branding here.
