How to Build A Business Brand That Feels Like Home with Courtney Villapando

SPEAKER_00: Have you ever looked at your website or your brand and thought, this doesn't quite feel like me anymore? Well, in today's episode, I'm joined by a brand architect, and we're talking about the quiet signs that you've outgrown your brand and why building a business that feels like home can help you show up with more confidence, clarity, and alignment. Welcome to the My Your Time Podcast. I'm Shannon Baker, your coffee loving host, business strategist, and systems expert.

And I guide consultants towards systems that protect their time and elevate their expertise. If you're ready to run a business that supports your life and not the other way around, you're in the right place. Each episode shares grounded strategies rooted in my power and motion framework to help you lead your client experience with clarity and confidence. So grab a cup of coffee or your favorite beverage and let's dive in.

Well, today I'm excited. This conversation is one that I've really been looking forward to, and it grew from having a genuine conversation with this amazing woman online. I'm going to be chatting with Courtney Viapondo. She is the founder of C Villa Design.

And Courtney and I actually connected on Instagram a few months ago. We started chatting around something I was talking about at the time, which was the importance of pausing and resetting in your business, which means kind of taking a step back, and that you have to realize that that's what you need to do and be more intentional about the decisions that you make because of what's coming next. And then the conversation picked up on threads as well. And we found ourselves talking about branding in a way that really resonated with me because Courtney shared the idea that your brand should feel like home, a place where you don't have to perform to be seen.

And that immediately stood out to me because so many women build successful businesses. But at some point they realize that their brand looks one way on the outside, but it doesn't really reflect who they've become. And I personally experienced this, invested money and someone else created the brand for me, but it didn't fit. And it was because I didn't really understand what my brand needed to feel and look like.

So I ended up having to incur that expense again and do a total rebrand once I had the clarity that I really needed. So today that's kind of what some of what we're going to talk about and why so many service providers feel pressured to perform online, the difference between a brand that attracts the right clients versus one that is kind of chasing after their attention and how having brand clarity can make your marketing feel calmer, more natural, and more aligned. So, Courtney, welcome to the My Your Time podcast.

I'm really glad to have this conversation. So I'm going to let you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do. SPEAKER_01: Yes, thank you so much for having me. I'm excited as well.

So I am a brand and web designer, and I help high-achieving women who are experiencing that gap that you kind of talked about, where they've outgrown their brand. Maybe the way they started out has evolved, and now they're seeing that their brand no longer matches the level that they're operating at. So I help them walk through a brand transformation where we do strategy, brand design, uh, web design, and we just make sure that their brand is cohesive from the foundation throughout the visual.

SPEAKER_00: Great. Now, one of the biggest reasons I wanted to have Courtney on is because, as I mentioned before, we tend to build our business first. And then we realize, oh, whoa, I'm a brand, but what I have doesn't reflect what I've become or who I've become. So what are you seeing right now with the women that either you connect with or end up working with?

Like where are they at? What stage are they in? SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so usually it's I see it around the three to five year mark where your business is established, it's evolved. You may even have um lots of clients coming in, but you have this gut feeling that the level you're operating at does not match your brand.

And so that disconnect shows up in different ways in how you operate. SPEAKER_00: What would you say are some of the quiet signs that are there and really kind of ping that pain that you've outgrown your brand, even if you um, as you mentioned, even if the business is doing well. SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so that shows up in different ways. Um, a lot of times people are overexplaining themselves or they're putting out a post and they're second guessing, like, is this really on brand, or am I just tracing trends?

Um, I know I had one client come to me and she said, I've just stopped sending people the link to my website because I know it doesn't match where I am right now. So a lot of times two women will start tweaking the website, trying to, you know, change the copy or change some images here and there, but there's still this disconnect because the foundation is what's lacking. SPEAKER_00: Yep. Been there.

It's like trying to make a two small pair of shoes fit. Exactly. Yes. Now, one thing I know I have personally noticed is sometimes people think that your brand is just your logo or it's your colors, but I know it's deeper than that.

So, how do you help someone recognize when they really need to make an identity shift in their branding? SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so a lot of times, like you said, they'll think, oh, it's just the visuals. But um when they are doing the tweaking and it's not helping, they realize, oh, this is a deeper issue. So I like to help them see that it starts with the foundation.

So a lot of times when they started out, they didn't really do brand strategy, they just picked colors that they liked or thought resignated, or they saw everyone else using these colors and they picked that. But branding really goes much deeper, like you said. So um, your brand is the way that people perceive you, kind of the reputation that you have. So, in order to really build a brand, you have to start with your values, your why, your mission, understand your positioning in the market, and then once that's established, the visuals will follow that.

SPEAKER_00: Great. And speaking of visuals, like I know a lot of service providers think they're they're just pressure, like we have to be online, we have to be active, and I say that in air quotes on social media. What does performing in your brand actually look like? Like, what does that mean to someone who's not familiar with this?

SPEAKER_01: So it shows up in different ways for different people. And I do believe as business owners, to a small degree we perform in a way because you kind of have to put yourself out of your comfort zone in a lot of ways in business. But when you have this gut feeling that something is off, like you're chasing trends on social media, um, you're using audio or reels or doing things that are contrary to who you really are, that's performing. Um, also when you're over-explaining yourself, maybe you're on a call and you're just constantly trying to explain the value of what you do.

If your brand is already aligned and the foundation is there, you shouldn't have to overexplain yourself. Your brand should do that work for you, and you don't feel like you're having to constantly perform or this costume that's not really who you are. SPEAKER_00: Yes, and speaking of performing, so I know we remember when Reels like first started, there was the whole trend of dancing and entertaining, and unfortunately, some people still do it. So when someone chases trends like that, what does that do to their brand, especially when it's already out of alignment?

SPEAKER_01: It really undermines your brand, and then you can lose trust because people are seeing it. It doesn't feel authentic. Your your audience realizes when something isn't true to you, you can see it, you can feel it. Um, so I think ultimately it becomes um something that takes away that that trust.

When when you're authentic, people resonate. But when you're forcing something, it can actually push people away. SPEAKER_00: And one thing I know we've touched on a little bit is what true brand clarity is. And as you mentioned, it's deeper than what it looks like.

It's more of does your brand reflect, as you mentioned, your values? Is it aligned with how you want your business to operate? And I know once I achieve that clarity in my business, like it made such a huge difference in the branding or the visual aspect of my business and how I show up online. But from your end, how do you see or what transformation do you see with people as they get that clarity about working with you?

How do they feel? Like, what do you notice shifts in their thinking and even their, I guess, their emotions? SPEAKER_01: One word that I hear all the time is confidence. Just when they have a brand that's aligned and the visuals match their values, their culture, all of that.

They feel more confident to be able to put themselves out there in a way that's authentic. Um, and it also gives them ease. They're not constantly stressing out about is this on brand or am I showing up the way I want to? Once you have a foundation, you can show up authentically without having to second guess yourself.

SPEAKER_00: And I always find it's amazing that no matter what, when you have that clarity, it just transforms in so many layers of what we have to deal with as business owners. Um, you mentioned confidence. I noticed the same thing in working with someone to get their back office organized and getting some basic systems in place. They just feel more confident in the way that they're operating.

Same as you mentioned when it comes to your messaging and in your branding, when everything works together, you're able to speak like so much more fluently and really communicate who you are, what you do, and what you stand for. So this really helps everyone to see that this is it's not just a piece of the puzzle, it's a major piece of the puzzle because being an entrepreneur, it is literally like a 10,000-piece puzzle. It is. That takes a while for the pieces to start clicking um into place.

Now, one of the things that I really love that you say is that your brand should feel like home. Like I love that language so much. So, what does that actually mean? SPEAKER_01: For me, I know when I come home, it's my comfort space.

I I put on my comfortable clothes, take off my makeup. I know I don't have to perform for anybody. It's a safe space. So when I say your brand like home, that's how it should be.

It should be a safe space where you don't feel like you have to put something on that's not real, um, where your everything is so all aligned that you can show up with that confidence. And people will resonate with that. They it affects the way you operate your business, um, and it just becomes a safe space that people feel confident in. SPEAKER_00: So tell us a little bit about your process.

Like someone comes to you and says, Courtney, okay, I've had enough. I've been looking at, you know, what you do online, what you say online. Can you help me? Where do you start the process?

SPEAKER_01: Well, the first thing I do is really listen and try to understand. So I start with your story. Um, we do a deep dive into your background, your culture, the different things that shape how you make decisions, um, your patterns, you know, your the way you think and how that's going to show up in your brand. So once we understand your story, your values, then we're able to position you in a way that will help you attract those aligned clients.

Um, so that is the foundation, that strategy. And then once we have that in place, we can step into the visuals. So I always design with your strategy in mind. So I'm not just gonna pick colors because they're on trend.

No, we we there's the psychology behind the colors we choose, um, the way we create the logo, the response that we choose. Um, and I do like to bring culture into it. So I'll ask some of my clients like, what are the things in your culture or your life that shift the way you think or you know, inform the way you deal with clients? And sometimes they're surprised, like, oh, I didn't even think about that.

But ultimately, your culture is your differentiator, so that helps us to really shift your brand in a way that helps you stand. Um, and then we're able to even pick out you know, subtle symbols or typography that reflects your culture as well. Um, not in a cheesy way, but we do it subtly in a way that will help you stand out as well. Um, and then I make sure that my clients can walk away knowing, okay, I have all my brand assets here.

How do I use them now? So I give them brand guidelines that explain exactly how they can use these assets to keep their brand consistent across all touch points. SPEAKER_00: Great. One, I love that you have a process.

And then two, that part about having the brand guidelines and how to use all the assets is really, really important. Um, because I've been at this long enough, like asking people when I start working with them, you know, well, what's your logo? Because I want to put it on like their SLPs as we create covers and different things for their business. And they're like, oh, well, I don't know.

Let me look for it. Well, what font is, you know, the this wording? I have no idea. Okay, well, what are the text codes for your brand colors?

Oh, I don't know that either. It's like, you do you not have a brand guide? Nine times out of ten, unfortunately, they say no. But I mean, that is really important.

So for anyone that's listening that is a graphics person or you're creating logos for people, please tell people how to use their stuff and give them the tools that they need. We all have to, as service providers, we have to educate our clients how to continue to use the services that you know they that we provide or to use what comes out of them working with us. And I do the same thing with the SOPs. When I create them, I give you a video video that shows you in the future.

So someone else, you can hand this to them and say, okay, well, watch this video. It tells you how to use these different tools or things that are part of my processes. So I love that. So before we wrap up, I have one question for you.

For the woman listening who knows that she's evolved, but she keeps putting her brand on the back burner. What would you want her to think about today to take action? SPEAKER_01: So like we talked about, your brand is the way people perceive you. It's your reputation.

So if you're putting that on the back burner, are you really w willing to risk your reputation as a business owner? Um, so it's something that you shouldn't take lightly. You really want to make sure that the that foundation is strong so that you're showing up the way that you really you're showing up authentically in a way that will attract the right people to you. Um so once your brand is fully aligned, like we talked about, um it takes off all that pressure.

Because when you're carrying the weight of a brand that no longer serves where you're operating at, there's a heaviness in in how you're operating. Um, so it's so important to fix the foundation, and once that's in place, you'll feel that ease, you'll feel confident, and you'll show up in the way that you can show up authentically. SPEAKER_00: Okay, that is actually great advice, Courtney. So for someone who listens and they're like, okay, I kind of think I'm ready to take this step, but I'm really not sure.

Where can they start before they dive into the whole rebrand process? SPEAKER_01: So a rebrand is a big step to take, of course, and it's not something you want to take lightly. So if you're not quite ready for that step, I do have um something called the brand reflection kit, which is a way to see your brand more clearly. You can kind of see those gaps in your brand, and it will walk you through some of the same strategy that I take my clients through to start understanding more about their brand, their values, and the way they show up.

SPEAKER_00: Great. And I'm gonna put a link to that in the show notes. It's a great way for you to kind of get a taste of what it will be like to work one-on-one with Courtney to redo your brand so that it aligns with you 100%, so you can have that confidence when you are online and anywhere else that you're operating as a business owner. And where else can people connect with you online, especially if they know it's time for that shift, but they want to gather a little bit more knowledge and get a better feel for who you are and what it's like to work with you?

SPEAKER_01: So you can check out my website, um, cvilladesign.com. I'm also on Instagram and threads. Um, same name, C Villa Design.

And I would love to connect. SPEAKER_00: Great. Well, thank you again, Courtney, for joining us today. I hope this has prompted everyone to take a look at your existing brand and make sure it aligns.

When this episode goes live, it's actually a great time to start taking a look at it because we're going to be really close to the slowing down season and of the summer. That's a great time to look at not just your systems, but also your brand and make sure they're aligned and functioning to support you in the way that you want. So thank you again, Courtney. And please make sure you all follow her online on Instagram and Threads and grab that kit from her if you want to kind of look at your brand on your own.

SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much. SPEAKER_00: Thank you for tuning in today. If this episode feels like a breath of fresh air, it's because you're already craving a business that supports your life, not one that steals your time. If you want help spotting what's quietly draining your time and energy, you can download the Backoffice Power Checklist at thshannonbaker.

com forward slash checklist. And if this conversation resonated with you, make sure you're following the podcast on your favorite platform so you don't miss what's next. We'll keep breaking this down together one intentional step at a time. So until next time, keep calm and streamlined.