White space: the empty, negative space around the elements of a design.

Designers use white space to make their key pieces pop.

They draw the eye exactly where they want it to go.

So can you.

For the visual aspects of your brand—your logo, marketing collateral, website, book art—hire yourself a top-notch graphic designer whose work you adore (do not scrimp here) and let them loose.
                                                                                                                                  But why stop there?

The real estate mantra—location, location, location—comes in handy when defining your brand.

Instead of just looking at competitors, think about the neighborhood you’d love to live in, if houses were brands.

Would you be jonesing to live next to Nike? Would the cult of sports performance and celebrity draw you in?

Lady Gaga got it right: “You’re on the right track baby, you were born this way.”

She has raised integrity branding to an art form—by being exquisitely attuned to who she is, the music and costumes she wants to create, how her big idea serves the world and the “little monsters” who are drawn to her.

Ready to channel yourself some Gaga?

Start with this: what lights you up? Not necessarily what clients demand of you or what has made you gobs of dough, but what gets you so jazzed you can’t wait to get to work.

“You know that what you need to do is possible to do, even though difficult, and sense of time disappears. You forget yourself. You feel part of something larger.” Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on the concept of flow

Flow: that perfect intersection of heightened focus, creativity and happiness.

What if you could tap into flow more often? What might be possible?

“But he that dares not grasp the thorn should never crave the rose.”
Anne Bronte

Roses go to the daring. Those willing to risk occasional flesh-piercing to enjoy the succulent beauty of the rose.

Are you daring enough?

Chances are you’ve burned the boats at least once. You needed to make a big, outrageous commitment and you lit the torch. Unless you’re a serial entrepreneur, you reserve boat burning for very special occasions.