On Being Tested

This is usually Dorland Arts Colony busiest time of the year. Spring is a time that flourishes with an abundance of excitement, creativity, and beauty. It is usually a time for Dorland to welcome artists—musicians, writers, and visual artists—from around the world. Of course, these are not normal times. Like many, Dorland was forced to shut their doors during the pandemic and they’re fighting for survival. Their character is being tested, just like yours.

There are only a few things I can promise you about leading a business. I can’t promise it will be easy, profitable, or fun, all the time. I can promise this: you will be tested. 

Your beliefs will be tested. Your principles will be tested. Your endurance tested. Your will tested. Your values tested. Your leadership tested. It’s part of the admission fee when you start a business or step into leadership.  Character is what gets you through. Your character is your brand. 

It’s what you believe. It’s how you show up. It drives your decisions. It’s how you behave. It’s how you face the world. It’s the indelible impression you make on those around you. This is true for you and your business.  Your character is your brand. You take it with you everywhere you go. Your business is perpetually in the act of shaping that brand. It’s what allows you to enter the arena of a great business. 

You will thrive not in spite of your challenges, but because of them, and how your character rose to the occasion. Be grateful for the challenges, as they shape the brand that will stand up to future tests. Your character is your brand.

How do you build your brand character? This is what I can help with. I work with leaders to mine and activate the brand character of their business and culture.