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Episode Summary
Mila Grigg is not only a best-selling author but also founder and CEO of MODA, one of the most recognized branding groups in the United States. In today’s episode, we sat down with Mila to discuss how she got into branding, the importance of integrity, thinking it’s too late in midlife, and the relationship between social media and self-branding.
First, we asked Mila about how she started working in branding. She told us that at her passion for branding first began at NASCAR, where she worked for several years. NASCAR was one of the first companies to start the discussion on the importance of branding. During her time there, Mila noticed how for many of the drivers, their success was attributed not only to their driving skills but their image and ability to market themselves. Every person has value, and by learning how to utilize that value and share it properly with the right people, one can build a strong self-brand and make connections. These realizations only grew Mila’s passion for branding, and she’s been working in the field ever since through her branding group MODA. By working in branding, she’s not only seen how a brand can lift themselves up but also tear themselves down. She shared that without integrity, a brand can lose all credibly and have to rebuild. Integrity is not about the large, sweeping gestures, but the little things a person does every day. It’s about sticking to your core values and portraying yourself as reliable. Integrity is hard to work up, and may take years to establish, but it’s vital for brands to have set core values to show to collaborators. Integrity is also important for self-care. On rough days, remembering your values and why you do what you do can help get you out of a rut and motivate you to push on.
Mila’s book, Forged by Fire, discusses the different aspects of brand building, including integrity. When asked why she decided to write on the topic, she said that she’d had personal experience with integrity and its importance. Years ago, Mila’s husband was found guilty of fraud and sentenced to ten years in prison. Rather than deny his actions, he owned them fully, and when a judge heard his whole story, he was released after serving only five years. It took him years to rebuild his integrity, but he felt the full weight of his actions and was determined to change and grow. Mila said this is a mindset that can apply to anyone. As long as you’re willing to make amends and do the work, a person can change. Along with integrity, Forged with Fire also touches on other foundational pieces of branding in each chapter. The book is divided in a way that a person not only learns what the different pieces of branding are but realizes their importance. You don’t have to be an expert at all of them, but you need to be aware of them for value and equity, for each piece can affect your brand. The chapters also offer recommendations for other books if people want more information on certain pieces of branding.
Many midlife women struggle with feeling like they’re too late in building their brand and chasing their goals. When asked for her thoughts, Mila quickly emphasized that anyone who believes that is wrong. She said that everyone has a purpose and legacy that’s greater than they realize. She also talked about your stories are actually even more impactful in midlife, for people will come to you for your experiences and knowledge. Another issue midlife women and others deal with is the battle of self-promotion. Many either do not have the confidence to advertise their skills or have been told by society that they’re not allowed to promote themselves. However, people won’t know the value you bring unless you tell them. Mila said that by learning how to share your stories and experiences in the right way to the right people, you can create a brand that is authentic and appealing. Figuring out the proper way to tell your story is vital, especially when it comes to social media. You want to find a way to share a narrative you can weave into your posts without coming across as pushy. Figure out what you feel people need to know and what you feel comfortable sharing and start putting that information out. While Mila said that ideally, a person should post at least once a day, as long as you’re putting out 2-3 posts a week, then you’re on the right track. Also, if you want to show your skills to a wider range of people, collaborating with a brand more well-known than you will not only broaden your audience but also show people that your brand is capable of growth and partnership.
While not everyone reads, it’s an important part of branding, especially when it comes to marketing yourself. Mila mentioned that numerous famous people, including Oprah, make a habit of reading at least an hour a day to help build their mind. By doing it enough, it eventually becomes routine. If you want to speak with a certain company or group of people, doing some reading on their brand, employees, and interests will help make you appear more approachable and knowledgeable. Finally, we asked Mila about how to find the right brand statement. She told us that so many people struggle with finding the perfect tagline. It should not just state your position but portray what you and your brand does in a way that’s easy to understand. For LinkedIn, Mila suggested putting different brand statements in your bio, about, and featured sections. That way, people can see varying aspects of your brand’s contributions. LinkedIn will also market your page towards people looking for your skillset, so it’s important to have a large amount of information available.
Mila Grigg
Mila Grigg is the founder and CEO of MODA, one of the most recognized branding groups in the United States. With twenty years in the field, Mila’s expertise in building personal brands, growing leadership equity, and crafting marketing and social media strategies comes from her experience, not opinion or observation. From executives at Fortune 100s to first-time entrepreneurs and everything in between, Mila has helped leaders with various backgrounds and organizations of all sizes create, communicate, and profit from their brands.
In this episode, we discuss…
- [0:01] Introduction
- [0:27] Guest Introduction
- [4:07] Start of Interview
- [5:30] How Mila Got into Branding
- [8:08] Integrity
- [11:34] Mila’s Experience with Integrity
- [15:25] Forged by Fire
- [18:05] Thinking It’s Too Late
- [21:07] The Importance of Self Confidence
- [23:48] Social Media and Self-Branding
- [27:14] The Importance of Reading
- [29:05] Finding the Right Brand Statement
- [33:49] Closing Thoughts
- [34:26] Outro
Useful Resources:
MODA’s Website I [https://www.modaimageconsulting.com/]
MODA’s Facebook I [https://www.facebook.com/MODAImageCnsltg/]
MODA’S Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/modaimageandbrandconsulting/]
MODA’S Twitter I [https://twitter.com/MODAImageCnsltg]
Mila’s LinkedIn I [https://www.linkedin.com/in/modaimageandbrandconsulting/]
Mila’s Book
Forged by Fire I [https://www.amazon.com/Forged-Fire-Develop-Unstoppable-Personal-ebook/dp/B0BDPBYWKL]
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