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Melissa Paterson - Branding

No-BS emails on branding, business & self-trust. Raw lessons, real talk, and zero sugarcoating. You in?

Featured Post

You've been on my mind.

Hey Reader, If you’ve been in my world for a bit, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve been coming in hot the last few months. Truth bombs. Bold lines. No filters.Why? Because I’ve been in urgency mode. I’ve wanted to wake you up.If you’ve felt stuck, or alone, or just… stalled, I wanted to shake the spiral loose. To get you moving before fear swallows your dreams whole. Like Pinocchio stuck in the whale’s belly, wallowing, waiting for someone else to come save him. When he had the idea to start...

Hey Reader, Okay, let’s go. You say you want... growth, visibility, or to make an impact. But are you actually moving towards that? Or are you just thinking about it while waiting for the “right time” to start... You know, that hyper-specific time you've set that never seems to come? Because guess what? Life is going to life all over your perfect timing and plans for when things will feel "just right" enough to do the thing you say you want to do. Yup. Otherwise, you'd have done it by now....

Hey Reader, You already know what it's like. That moment before you do something BIG? The rush. The nerves. The holy sh*t, what if this actually works feeling? That is NOT YOUR sign to stop. That’s the sign you’ve been waiting for, seeking, dreaming about. Why? Because THAT is your power waking up. That’s the part of you that’s sick of hesitating, sick of playing small, sick of being "realistic"... ...when you KNOW you are meant to be UNSTOPPABLE. What if instead of letting fear shut you...

Hey Reader, Fear is like the worst kind of toxic ex. Clingy. Manipulative. Knows exactly what to say to keep you feeling stuck. It whispers, “Stay here. It’s safe. You don’t really need to put yourself out there, right?”It gaslights you with “You’re not actually ready yet. You should wait a little longer.”And the second you try to leave? “Babe, don’t go. You’ll regret this.” Truth: Your fear is lying to you. And the longer you listen, the longer you stay exactly where you are. So, what’s it...

Hey Reader, TL;DR: If you're feeling stuck, I will get you unstuck TODAY. Tweaking, adjusting, making a brand Frankenstein from all your collected inspo? Convinced (but more like HOPEFUL) that this version will finally be “the one"? But be real: If rebranding actually worked, why are you still feeling so stuck? The problem was never your colours, fonts, or aesthetic. It's that you won't let yourself be SEEN. You're scared. But here's the thing: 🔥 When you stop blending in, you start standing...

Hey Reader, I need your input. This survey is anonymous, takes 2 minutes, and could win you: 🎯 A pre-recorded brand audit (You send me your site + socials, and I’ll break down what’s working, what’s not, and what to fix)🎟 A free seat in the next round of FIII (March or April, your choice) 👉 [Take the survey now] 👈 Your answers help me create content and offers that actually serve you. Plus, this ensures any future sponsorship deals work for you. ⏳ Survey closes: Sunday, March 9 at 11:59 PM...

Hey Reader, Let’s cut to it: Are you fucking around in your business? If someone had told me a year ago to stop tweaking, overthinking, and stalling… I wouldn’t have been ready to hear it. But I would’ve remembered how this question made me feel. Because here’s the truth, if:➡️ you know something isn’t working, but you’re still doing it…➡️ you’re second-guessing yourself into paralysis…➡️ you’re “figuring it out” but mostly just hoping/wishing/praying you'll find the magic formula… 🚨 Then...

Hey Reader, Imagine launching something, pouring your heart into it… and no one signs up. Before? That would’ve wrecked me. Had me questioning everything. Spinning out. And then lying in bed wallowing with my good friend, Netflix. Today? It happened, and I ran the session anyway. Because THIS is the shift: ➡️ Your success isn’t in the numbers. It’s in the resilience.➡️ Not knowing what’s next? That’s where real growth happens.➡️ The frustration of “figuring it out” isn’t a sign to stop, it’s...

A person wearing sunglasses and dark clothing is sitting in a car with a skeptical expression, forming their fingers into a steeple. A hand is visible through the car window reaching toward them. The text "Me." is overlaid on the image.

Hey Reader, Yesterday, I shared what it's like to actively WORK through a spiral. Not always easy, for sure. But I think it's important to know what's possible. So today, I want to check-in. Is anything coming up for you? Because you can’t really move PAST a spiral until you’ve dealt with it. And sometimes, it can be hard to deal with it until you see what’s actually possible. So, let’s talk about what happens when you finally stop spiraling. When you stop trying to fix your brand with...

Hey Reader, You tired? I was in your shoes. Because you know something isn’t working. Your brand feels… off. Like, you've got the ick with it. But instead of fixing the real issue, you’re caught in another spiral—one that’s way harder to see while you’re in it. You’re either shapeshifting to please your audience (The Chameleon Effect) or so paralyzed by indecision that you do nothing at all (The “I Don’t Know Who I Am” Freeze). Let’s talk about both. 🔥 The Chameleon Effect You tweak your...