I had a branding meeting today. It was brief — just a chat with a friend — but it felt like the most uncomfortable thing I’ve done in a long time.
I’m a dinosaur in the world of marketing. Actually, that’s not quite right. I can’t even be extinct because I never existed in marketing to begin with. It’s not something I studied, practiced, or ever felt drawn to. And yet, somehow, it’s crept into my world — this expectation that writers and storytellers must also become marketers of themselves.
I loathe it. Truly.
Still, I can’t ignore the constant drumbeat coming from rejection emails and well-meaning “representatives” telling me to widen my reach, to build my brand, to master social media presence. Apparently, it’s not enough to tell stories anymore — we’re expected to sell them, too.
I thought I’d be a resister. I’ve always been good at standing my ground. But today’s meeting made me realize: maybe it’s not about resistance. Maybe it’s about finding a way to do it my way — without losing my voice in the noise.
And the benefit of having a friend help me navigate this strange world of branding was twofold.
First, it was enlivening just to see her in her element — confident, creative, and fluent in a language I’ve never spoken. We met in the diaper era, when life was measured in naps and goldfish crackers. Now, we swap stories about tweendom and filthy book titles, and somewhere in between, we became women still trying to figure out what comes next.
Second, listening to her explain her craft made me realize how often we underestimate the quiet brilliance within our circles — the sisterhood of mom friends who have evolved, adapted, and built worlds while juggling everything else.
She can tell me the truth — the one I avoid or fear. She can say the things I can’t yet say to myself, not unkindly but with that gentle precision that only comes from someone who’s seen your chaos and loves you anyway.
She woke me up with her knowledge and passion. And in that conversation — between two women who once bonded over diaper blowouts and now talk about creative rebirth — something shifted.
It felt like more than a marketing meeting. It felt like an awakening. A reminder that maybe branding isn’t about selling, but about showing up — honestly, imperfectly, and with each other’s light reflected back.
So this blog — and me — are both undergoing a whole new look soon. We’re doing the uncomfortable thing: stepping out from behind the words and into the light a little more.
It feels strange, vulnerable, maybe even a little performative. But I’m learning that growth rarely happens in the comfortable spaces. Sometimes, it takes an awkward meeting with a friend, an honest mirror held up, and a willingness to be seen — not just read.
So here’s to the uncomfortable. To showing up anyway. To realizing that maybe having a brand just means being brave enough to be seen.
The Forty Files 