Amy Guy argues that brand building needs long-term goals (3-20 years), not just survival mode. She walks through a hairstylist example: align 90-day, 1-year, and 5-year goals around booking systems, client experience, and supplier relationships to eventually open a salon with a distinctive brand.
The brand you're building today is determined by the goals you have got for your life and business. And not just for this year, but for the next three years, five years, 10, even 20 years from now. Where you are today isn't where you have to stay. And I guess that's the beauty of creating a long standing brand, that we're not just here for the now. We're not just turning up and making ends meet month by month. We're not just keeping our business above the water. And if that's where you're at right now, I invite you to see your business totally different. Now, as business owners, we get to be intentional about exactly what it is we are creating. We get to decide not just who we are today, but also who we want to actually become and who we want to start showing up as each and every day. So let me give you an example. Maybe right now you are working from your living room, or you've got a small space in the corner of your home, or you're renting a chair in someone else's salon. But you also know that in maybe five years time, you would love to have your own salon. That goal, that vision, it needs to influence how you build your brand today. Because the brand you're building isn't just for your current situation, it's for where you are heading as well. Think about it. Every strong brand that you admire didn't just happen by accident. They all have a clear vision of what they wanted to create and they started showing up as that version of themselves before they even got there. They knew the direction and every decision made them closer to that goal. Now I know what you might be thinking, I just want to get some more clients first or I need to focus on making money right now. I'll think of this later. And yeah, those are important business goals. But this is the thing. When you build a strong brand with a clear vision, all of those things become so much easier to achieve. Because people are attracted to brands that know exactly where they're going. Let me show you what I mean and give you an example. And Apple, Apple already know about iPhone 15, 16, 17 and 18 as they're releasing iPhone 12. It's all in their plan and everything is intentional. As customers, we trust that. So if your goal is to have your own salon, how can you start building a brand today that aligns with that future? Maybe it's about creating a luxury experience even in your home setup. Maybe it's about building systems and processes that you're going to be able to scale when you expand. Or maybe it's about developing a signature style or treatment that will set your future salon apart. Your 90 day goals should be specific things that you can start working on straight away. Creating a professional booking system that could scale with you. Developing a client experience that feels high end regardless of your current location. Then your one year goals build on this foundation so they build a strong enough client base to support a salon move. Or they develop relationships with suppliers who are going to be able to grow with you. And then your five year vision. That is where the salon dream lives. But it's not just about the physical space. It's about what that salon represents. What will it be known for? What experience will it provide? How is it going to start? Stand out. Your brand goals should excite you. They should make you want to jump out of bed at the morning and get going. And if they don't, then you might be thinking too small or maybe not being true to what really matters to you. Imagine it is five years from now. Your brand goals have all been achieved. What does your dream day look like? How do people talk about your brand? What impact are you having that feeling? That is what we are working towards now. Remember, your brand goals can evolve as you grow. What matters the most is that they always align with your values and they move you towards the impact that you really want to have in the industry.
