My new chapter started on May 1st – I now work for myself independently. I took a leap of faith in my self, in my passion, in my mission, vision and values. I was not planning on making this transition during a global pandemic, but I have embraced the opportunities that remote working has enabled me. I am heading into my 6th week and so far I am loving the flexibility, the autonomy, the independence and the sense of purpose. This week, June 1st was a landmark date for me as it is the day my website went live. I felt a mixture of anticipation, nerves and vulnerability as I shared my plans and put them out there in the public domain.
I have had lots of lovely feedback on my new endeavour and the branding but I have also had questions about my choices. So this blog is about my brand and the reflective process I have been on, with the help of my brand designer Blue and my web designer Richard.
As a Teacher of English and Media Studies words and language choices, imagery and representation, colours and aesthetics are important to me. I love deconstructing things and analysing the denotation, connotation and symbolism of how we communicate messages. Every choice I have made in my branding and on my website is symbolic and intentional. I have scrutinised it all very closely, and my team have worked with me very patiently!
My Brand Colours:
I don’t think anyone was surprised at the choice of purple, anyone who has been too my house know it is one of my colours. I was keen to use grey rather than black to be fresher, and use lots of white to create a sense of lightness. Blue talked me into the accent colour of green to highlight key things.
What does purple symbolise?
Purple is a feminine colour and a spiritual colour, it is associated with passion, vision, courage and faith. It suggests dignity, trust and virtues.
What does grey symbolise?
Grey is the colour of wisdom, it creates a sense of stability and security. Grey also suggests authority, maturity and strength of character.
What does the combination of purple and grey symbolise?
Both colours connote inclusivity and diversity as they are used to represent gender neutrality.
What does green symbolise?
Green is the colour of vitality and growth, the colour or life and renewal. Green suggests healing and balance.
What does white symbolise?
White is the colour of transparency, it brings with it light and hope. White represents vulnerability and fragility, but also creates a sense of freshness and calm.
The meaning of each of these colours interplays with my purpose in working independently. I am a Leadership Development Consultant, Coach and Facilitator, I am a servant leader who is committed to nurturing others and supporting their growth by empowering them to lead as their authentic self.
My Logo:
Letters, like colours, also carry symbolic meaning. We decided early on in my brand consultancy to go with my initials and my name, I am my brand.
What does H symbolise?
The letter H apparently symbolises power, prestige, wealth, empowerment, intuition, cooperation, balance and teamwork, pathways, leading you to the happiness of home life. Letters have further meanings dependent on where in the word they are placed, as my name is a palindrome, the letter H is even more significant in my name.
First letter – life tends to be approached with material acquisition and personal goals in mind. The person tends to be precise, practical, and organized.
Last letter – things tend to be concluded in an organized and methodical manner; step by step until done.
What does W symbolise?
The letter W signifies wealth, wellness and wealth flowing into one’s life. The energy represented by the letter W resonates with the ideas of creative self-expression, imagination, curiosity, wit, diplomacy, and expression of a personal sense of freedom.
First letter – life is likely to be approached with a sense of purpose, yet with creativity, versatility, and a love of change.
My Name:
Hannah means “favour” or “grace” and “affection”. Hannah is the goddess of war and wisdom.
Wilson means “desire”, “helmet” and “protection”. Wilsons were Viking settlers who arrived in Scotland in the medieval era.
My Motif:
I have been called Butterfly lady and Madame Butterfly on many occasions in the past.
A butterfly represents transformation. Butterflies are deep and powerful representations of life and in many cultures they are associated with our souls. A butterfly is a symbol of resurrection and represents endurance, change, hope, and life.
My Mission:
Empowering you to lead change- in self and others.
My Vision:
Values-led leadership which develops the whole person.
My Values:
Wellbeing, Integrity, Resilience, Equality, Diversity and Flexibility.
My Icons:
As I reflected on my mission, vision and values I made a list of the icons that represent me, my work and my purpose.
As I sat and reflected on my website as it went live and I revisited my thinking about my choices I realised that my brand and my website reflect my house and my garden. My brand symbolises my life choices. The colour scheme, the feel and the atmosphere we have created reflects the calm, stillness of my beautiful home and the vibrant growth of my garden. The butterflies that fly around my purple verbena and my silver birch trees in my garden have clearly inspired me. Maybe the ultimate message is that I feel rooted, empowered, full of energy and light, qualities I want to share with others.
So a big thank you to Blue and Richard for their creative talents. Also a big thank you to my friends who consulted on my logo and branding – your feedback was invaluable in our reflective process as we explored options. I loved the insight you shared on what did and did not represent me and what I stand for.
Do check out my website and let me know what you think! You can also join my monthly newsletter here.
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