Hey there,

It’s that time of year again.

Summer is over, folks are back at their desks, and they’re itching to cross THE THING off their list. The clock on 2025 is winding down, and the “Oh crap, I haven’t done that yet” blues are very real (ask me how I know).

I recently looked back at my goals from January and shook my head. Girl, if you only knew the shit this year would throw at you. And I’ve heard that a lot of you are in the same pickle.

So what happens now?

We start doing the most. And not in a meaningful way, but in a “Look, I’m busy!” way. In the past week, I’ve heard from service providers who are:

• Launching a new offer on a tight deadline to get more visibility 🤔

• Revamping their website to drive more traffic 🤔

• Starting a podcast to “sell in their sleep” 🤔

• Shopping for CRMs to get new clients 🤔

All legit (and really big!) moves.

But here’s the rub: they’re not the right starting points for the goals behind them. Spinning up a new offer doesn’t mean people will see it. A podcast won’t magically sell for you. A CRM won’t hand you new clients. A rebrand won’t instantly bring in more traffic.

But the problem isn’t the podcast or the CRM. It’s the fact that these shiny objects are often a way of avoiding the unsexy work. That’s this week’s issue of Brand Burnout. Plus, some checklists and gut checks on what you can do before you get distracted by yet another shiny object this season.

No One’s Bragging About Their Concrete Slab

Think of your business like a house.

The foundation is the unsexy stuff — audience, positioning, messaging, offers.

The structure is how you deliver your offer to your audience and keep things running.

The fixtures and finishes are the tactics — the podcast, the rebrand, the new offer.

The foundation work is uncomfortable. It means admitting what’s not working, defining who you’re really for, and committing to one clear offer. No one’s out here bragging about their concrete slab. But they are showing off their freshly painted walls. And that’s why so many folks skip the foundation.

But when you skip the hard stuff, the cracks show. Pictures fall off the walls, and you spend more time patching than building.

But when you do the uncomfy stuff, everything else clicks. The finishes don’t just look nice, but make the house feel uniquely yours, like somewhere you could actually raise your family…erm, your business.

Alright, enough with the concrete slabs — let’s talk logos, podcasts, CRMs, and all the usual shiny object suspects.

Before you design a new logo

Reaching for a new logo feels safe. It’s concrete. It’s a project you can finish, point to, and say, “See?! My business exists!” And that’s exactly why so many business owners start there—because it’s easier than facing the harder work a logo can’t fix.

Here’s the work that’s harder (and worth doing first):

• Asking past clients what really stood out about working with you.

• Looking at your competitors and noticing where you stand apart and where you fall short.

• Naming the 2–3 elements (tone, values, personality) you want every client to recognize right away.

Do that, and design stops being a guessing game. A designer doesn’t have to pull ideas out of thin air. They’re building on a direction you’ve already nailed. The end result isn’t just a nice logo, it’s a visual identity that actually works to tell your story.

To continue the house analogy, when you do this hard work first, your brand starts to feel less like the model home from Arrested Development and more like a place you actually live.

Before you launch that podcast…

A podcast feels like instant credibility. It’s easy to picture yourself behind the mic, building authority, and cranking out endless content you can repurpose. For service providers, it looks like a fast track to visibility when referrals slow down or marketing feels scattered.

Here’s the work that’s harder (and worth doing first):

• Growing your email list so you always have a direct way to reach potential clients.

• Showing up consistently in one place (social, newsletter, LinkedIn) so people actually see you.

• Mining past client conversations for the words and stories you can reuse to create content that lands.

Do that, and you’ll be able to create content that speaks directly to your audience's pain points (while avoiding a high-effort side project that eats your time). Later, if you do launch a podcast (BIG IF!), it plugs into an audience that already exists, instead of being a shiny distraction that very few will ever hear.

Before you scale your offer…

A course, membership, or retreat feels like stepping into a bigger arena. More revenue, more reach, less 1:1 delivery — it’s the dream. But scaling isn’t just about adding a new container for your work. If your brand isn’t clear, your bigger stage just amplifies the confusion.

Here’s the work that’s harder (and worth doing first):

• Making sure your core offer is clear and easy to articulate.

• Collecting stories, testimonials, and proof that show your process delivers.

• Growing your audience so you actually have people ready to hear about something new.

Do that, and your next offer won’t compete with or dilute what you already do—it will feel like the natural next step your audience has been waiting for.

Before you invest in a CRM…

A shiny CRM feels like the answer to everything: clean pipelines, automated follow-ups, colorful dashboards. It looks like the tool that will finally keep your business “organized.” But the truth is, software can’t fix unclear messaging or an inconsistent approach to showing up.

Here’s the work that’s harder (and worth doing first):

• Clarifying how leads actually find you (referrals, content, networking).

• Tracking prospects in a simple spreadsheet so you can spot where things are stalling (I recommend this one!).

• Following up with past folks who have said “no” to start a new conversation.

Do that, and the tool you need becomes obvious. A CRM saves you time because it’s supporting a process you already understand — not acting as a bandaid or turning into another shitty shiny subscription you barely use.

Before you run ads or pitch press…

Landing a feature feels like instant credibility. You picture your name in lights, inbox full of new leads, and the rush of being “seen.” But press doesn’t build a brand on its own — it only amplifies what’s already clear and working (or, on the flipside, amplifies what is unclear or isn’t working).

Here’s the work that’s harder (and worth doing first):

• Reaching out to referral partners or collaborators who can share your work now.

• Testing your message in real conversations and posts until it consistently resonates (and you can articulate it clearly).

• Making sure your website or landing page tells a clear story and guides people to take action.

Do that, and your press pitches and podcast appearances have somewhere to land. Instead of a flash of visibility that fizzles out, the coverage connects back to a brand story people recognize and trust.

Shiny Objects aren’t the Enemy

Shiny things aren’t the villain. They’re fun, energizing, and at the right time, they can make a huge difference. The problem is when they sneak in first as a way to dodge the unsexy, roll-up-your-sleeves work that actually keeps your business moving forward.

Next time an idea crosses your mind, an opportunity hits your inbox, or someone says, “you should…,” here’s your gut-check:

• Do I know who this is really for?

• Do I know what I want them to do next?

• Do I have the basics in place to support it?

If you can’t answer yes yet, that’s your work.

The foundation comes first. The tactics can wait.

Thanks for reading,

1  Unless you’re a brand strategist. Then it’s VERY sexy.