Build Ecosystems, Not Empires™

A newsletter about culturally rooted marketing & growth for purpose-driven BIPOC founders. Short notes on building your biz while staying true to your vision, values & joy. Unsubscribe any time.

By Gelaine Santiago of Founding Possibilities​

↓

Hey Reader,

I’m popping into your inbox today with a friendly reminder: it’s okay to change your mind. In fact, people might even respect you more when you do.

I know this is unconventional advice. We’re told that we “must keep our word” and be people of integrity. I agree, and I hold the truth that pivoting is sometimes the right thing to do.

Continuing to follow a path that doesn’t feel right simply because “you said you would” isn’t the path of integrity. It’s the path of convenience. And we don’t create the kind of world altering, wealth building, generational change we dream of when we make decisions of convenience, do we, Reader?

I’m writing about this today because I’ve been making all kinds of pivots lately in my business, and they’ve been pretty inconvenient ones.

Here's some of the tea: Since 2021, I've been running a 4-week brand story program. In this intensive, I'd help my clients craft their brand story, pitch, tagline and content pillars in only 4 weeks. My clients loved it and it sold incredibly well. But I began to feel like things weren’t quite right.

Although my clients left the program happy, I noticed that many of them struggled to translate their brands into the day to day. They knew what they needed to say, but they still weren't showing up with the confidence to really own their stories online.

There were still the same mindset blocks, the 'what-ifs', and the tactical questions like 'how do I turn this into a post?' coming up and preventing them from being their truest selves.

So I knew in my heart that a shift needed to happen. Enter – the pivot.

A few months ago, I retired that 4-week program and relaunched it!

Meet 'Resonant + Rich' – a 12-week visibility accelerator for purpose-driven BIPOC founders.*

Here, I help you craft your powerful brand story, message and content pillars. AND throughout the next several weeks, I also help you develop a Resonant Visibility Strategy that feels authentic and easeful, while supporting you through all the mindset gunk that comes up.

By the end of the 3 months, you'll have a brand that feels unapologetically like you, as well as the strategies, frameworks, and tools to show up confidently online. Not just to be seen, but to be sought after and get paid your worth.

*If you read last week’s email, I was calling it ‘Your Real + Rich Brand’, but I pivoted my pivot and adjusted some of the language on the landing page :)

Making this pivot was definitely a path of inconvenience – but it feels more authentically aligned with my higher purpose, vision and values. That, to me, is a path of integrity.

While rebuilding this program, I had to turn down clients who wanted to hire me for my original 4-week program and asked them to wait for this relaunch. Surprisingly, folks were more than happy to wait. I was told such encouraging things, including a client who said: “I love how in tune you are with your intuition”. She was first to sign up for the new program 🥹

What this means for you, Reader: If there’s a change you’ve been wanting to make in your business – whether that’s pivoting the kind of customers you serve or adapting your messaging – then you don't have to wait. Take a step today to re-align. It may feel messy and uncomfortable, but I promise it will be well worth it.

And if my program Resonant + Rich is bringing up curious feelings for you, then let’s hop on a call! I’ll ask you questions about your dreams, challenges, and what you’re building. I’ll tell you more about the program and, if it feels like a fit, we can discuss next steps. If it’s not aligned, then I’m happy to point you towards other coaches or resources.

I'm opening the first round with a special pilot price, and I've got just two spots left.

Finally: remember that ecosystems aren’t static. They're living, breathing systems that adapt, change, grow, and evolve all the time. To build an ecosystem, we need to learn how to breathe, adapt and change, too. This is the work, friend.

Waving all over the place (in a good way) 👋🏽

Gelaine

PS - Already feel confident in your brand story and marketing, and looking to level up your sales?

I'm about to pilot a new mastermind-style program in January and looking for founders to join!

This is a group program for purpose-driven brands who already have a strong base of clients and do marketing consistently, but are ready to unlock more wealth in their businesses without hustling harder, burning out, or sleazy sales strategies. The pilot launches on January 18th and special pricing is available!

Reply to this email with the word ‘Pilot’ and I’ll share the details and the link to book a call if it resonates.