The Strategy of Building a Branded House

A Branded House Mid-Renovation Can Be A Turn Off

There’s an old church story that's been told for years. It's about a pastor, some masked men with guns, and some church folx who got caught slip'n during Sunday service.

As the story goes, the pastor was preaching when some masked men showed up, weapons drawn. Of course the pastor saw them first because he was facing the door. He was cool but he stopped mid-sentence which got the attention of the congregation. Chaos rippled through the sanctuary, but the pastor told the congregation not to be afraid. “If today is your day to meet your maker,” he said, “then you should feel no fear.”

Always thinking of his church folx, the pastor turns to one of the masked gunmen and said, "I'm not going nowhere, but I ask you release the parishioners." Before the man could nod his head good to say yes, folx started crawling over each other to get to the door.

When the panic died there were folx who hadn't moved other than to let other folx out. Somebody shouted, "If you're stay'n we're stay'n." That's when the pastor looked at the masked man and nodded. “Thank you, deacons.” The men removed their mask and took their seats. The pastor looked at who was left and said. “We can start church now.”

Lately, I’ve felt a version of that same tension; leading something sacred while under pressure, eyes on me, dust in the air. The renovations at Brandma’s House is not done. Paint's still drying, rooms being renamed, and the welcome mat is freshly turned over.

Betwixt and between all that digital dust, I decided to up my email game and go from one a week to four a week. And while there wasn't a mass exodus or stampede to the unsubscribe exit, I’m acutely aware that the room has thinned. The curious crowd is quieting. But the faithful few? They're still seated. Still reading. Still ready.

And I’m finally ready to give more than I have because I know who and what I want in my house.

Brand Renovation Isn’t Rebrand Theater

What I’m doing with Brandma’s House isn’t just a visual glow-up or clever rename bullshit. It’s not “shaking the table” for attention. This is about structure. About hierarchy. About the bones of a brand that need reinforcing so the whole house doesn’t collapse under the weight of growth.

When I talk about Founder-First Brand Architecture™, I’m not talking about making the Founder a mascot. I’m talking about designing the brand to mirror the way the Founder functions, not just how they show up on Instagram. It’s about mapping offers, messaging, visibility, and experience to the internal truth of the owner, not external trends.

That level of architecture requires clarity and character, not fucking charisma. And it's blueprints, not mood boards.

But here’s the catch: it’s one thing to build behind the scenes. It’s another thing to build while everyone is watching, knowing full well that some folks will leave before the floorboards are even nailed down. As an expert, I should already have my shit together. I do and I did but it wasn't fully formulated in my head.

The Decision to Build in Public

Why share the process while it's still messy? Why not wait until everything is polished and pristine?

Because Founders need to see what real strategy looks like in motion. They need to understand that building a brand is not just a launch. It's layering values, decisions, and habits. Most business owners are stuck in loops of surface-level branding bullshit that looks good but don’t hold up.

They’re afraid to admit that their current brand architecture wasn’t built to scale. And even more afraid to show what it takes to fix it, so they rebrand visually.

I'm setting the example of what it takes to build a branded house instead of throwing my clients in the line of fire. The example I wish I had. Renovating a branded youse with the front door wide open. To write, teach, and share while I’m in the middle of hammering beams back into place.

Because the Founders I’m called to serve aren’t looking for perfection. They’re looking for a map. Y'all already know what my momma done said, "I can show you better than I can tell you."

What’s Actually Changing—and Why It Matters

Let me be specific. Brandma’s House is evolving in structure and service, not in sentiment. The mission has not changed, but the framework that supports it has. Offers are renamed and restructured to reflect the actual work being done. The Private Reserve is becoming the starting point for those ready to access high-level thinking without high-touch pressure.

The entire brand is a living case study for the philosophy I teach: build branded houses, not personal brands you have to perform with.

And let’s talk about the increase in content. Going from one email a week to four wasn’t just a marketing experiment. It was a strategic decision to shift how I maintain presence with my folx. I’m no longer showing up when it’s convenient. I’m showing up when it’s necessary. Because brands that want loyalty have to earn it through consistency, not just cleverness.

And yes, some folks left. Quietly. Quickly. No hard feelings. The ones who stayed? They’re the foundation. They’re who this house was built for.

Who Are You Building For?

That’s the question I leave with you, Founder. When you think about your brand - your digital estate, your philosophy, your visibility - who are you really building for? If you're shaping your message for the easily startled, the trend-chasers, or the passive lurkers, then you’ll always be adjusting the furniture instead of reinforcing the frame.

But if you’re building for the faithful few, the ones who will sit through the dust, who will listen through the noise, who will watch the slow reveal, then you don’t have to perform. You just have to build well.

There’s more to come. New rooms. New resources. New rituals inside Brandma’s House. But the foundation is set. The renovations are strategic. And the doors are still open to those bold enough to stay.

If you’re still seated, welcome. I appreciate you for staying. If you just got here. pull up a seat. And if you’re peeking through the window unsure if you belong, trust, this house was built with you in mind.

Let the renovation do what it do. You'er just get'n to the good part.

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