Give them courage, bravery and self-belief.

My son was 7, when I said to him ‘I wish you could do the marketing for Be Braver, I know you’d be so much better at it in that I am.”

He disappeared off. In 5 minutes reappeared with this.

I still think it is the most concise summary of the value of the Be Braver Collective .

He’s also responsible for the photo of me and the Mancsy Emmeline Pankhurst print, in my hometown Manchester.

He suggested I need to have a photo taken with her for every season of the year. So long as it is there.

Another great idea of his. I struggle to sharing photo’s of myself on social media, though they seemingly they seem to do quite well engagement wise.

Sharing something he has created, gives me purpose and motivation. Removes the feelings I get when I ordinarily share photo’s of myself.

This insight I find in my courage research over and over again. Connecting the scary thing, to a purpose, bigger than ourself, can oftentimes make doing things that are uncomfortable and scary easier to do. When we find clarity and create connection.

We have an agreement that I will never use him FOR marketing, but I will pay him whenever her creates it.

Content creation is hard work, a skill and not one I have a natural flair for.

Having worked in marketing for years before setting up Be Braver, I thought I’d be at an advantage running my own business with all that prior knowledge. In reality I’ve found it more the opposite.

Without the big budgets of the brands I used to represent, I can’t afford the talented specialists I had abundant access too. (well assuming the resource schedules said so)

I do my best. I am also aware I am now my own cliché client. Needing an agency (that I don’t have) because I can’t see the woods for the trees, I’m so engrained in the business. To wordy. Unclear. Lack persuasion, strategy and direction probably.

They do say though….

Jack of all trades but master of none is oftentimes better than a master of one.

Here are the lessons in here this all tells me: -

1. Don’t assume, because you know your business well, other people can’t do a better job than you. With any aspect of it. Whether they have the skills or not.

2. How people think can be more important than what they think, in the right circumstances.

3. Ideas are all around you - like in a computer games they are glistening and shining all around - you don’t have labour, sweat and come up with them all on your own. Open your eyes and ears and you will find gifts and treasures everywhere.

4. Be Braver does make 10 women feel like 100. And yes, by giving them back their courage, bravery and self-belief - from whatever mean and nasty life experience took it.