We live in a day and age where our digital world can have a massive impact on our identity. Social media, digital media, and other influences can impact our perception of how we should look, live, and present ourselves to the masses. These days, the more we connect with what we think we should be, the more we disconnect from who we are. Why not change all of that by accepting what makes us different instead of adapting and making ourselves small?
What if someone told you that embracing what makes you different can amplify your business? Well, Shaunda Head is doing just that! However, the Founder and Brand Strategist behind SHH Creative, LLC hasn’t always embraced what made her unique. Just like all of us, she had to learn to embrace what made her special.
Head says, “I used to believe the things that served me and I was passionate about weren’t good enough if I was going to be working full-time.” Head expresses a point so many of us can connect to – suppressing certain parts of ourselves because they don’t align with society’s standard on who we “should” be. Eventually, Head discovered that minimizing herself led her to rock bottom, “I hit many low points in my life because I wasn’t embracing who I truly was. Being what I felt society wanted me to be wasn’t working for me anymore.”
Even at her lowest point, Head knew it was time to take back her power. She says, “I had to ask myself what I wanted to do with my life, but most importantly who I wanted to be.” She continues, “ultimately, I knew I had to do things I was afraid of doing. That’s when I realized the things I was too afraid to do involved me being myself and embracing what made me different.” Head discovered what made her different was her gift of graphic design and business strategy. Together she merged her two qualities and created SHH Creative – a business and digital marketing agency focused on helping women of color entrepreneurs.
Today she’s helped many women brand, market, and monetize companies built on their differences. When it comes to her clients, Head prefers to give them strategies where they can thrive. She starts by listening to her clients and discovering what unique interests they have. Do they love writing, content creating, or discussing particular topics? Are they extroverted or introverted? Head establishes a strategy that challenges her clients to utilize those different attributes to brand and market their business.
One suggestion Head makes to her clients is to get on social media. She explains, “Social media is a strategy of its own. I encourage my clients to maximize the parts of social media that align with them. For example, maybe you’re good at writing and can come up with clever captions that will intrigue your audience and potentially turn them into clients.” As a writer, I thought this was a unique way to discover how social media can work for us. Even if you’re not a writer, maybe you love video editing and prefer to use IG reels or TikTok to promote your business. The beauty of social media is tapping into what makes us different and building an online community.
On the other hand, Head understands that social media isn’t for everyone. She makes one thing clear, “Do what’s in your ministry. What feels good to you. If social media gives you anxiety, then please don’t do it. Find something else.” Opting not to have social media won’t kill your entrepreneur dreams. There are a plethora of mediums you can utilize. Here’s what Shaundra suggests, “If what makes you different is your ability to speak to others, try podcasting. Many entrepreneurs are using podcasting in a business sense to share their knowledge with their audience.” According to research done by Edison, 74% of people listen to podcasts to learn something new. Shaundra also mentions, “Email lists are great too if you prefer an intimate connection with your audience.”
Once you decide on your vice, it’s time to create the content. I asked Shaundra how we can create content based on our uniqueness? and here’s what she had to say, “The key is to tell your story. You don’t have to come from a rough background to be interesting. Your story is what makes you different; it’s what makes you who you are.” Head’s point of encouraging clients to build their business based on their attributes and story is refreshing.
As a millennial and pioneer of the digital age, it would be nice to see more authenticity in the digital space. We’ve all been guilty of getting too caught up in trends, likes, going viral, and getting the “perfect feed.” Let’s normalize everyday life, the honesty of building a business, growth, healing, and most importantly our differences. Head leaves us with this, “People want to see you, your personality, philosophy, and values. As opposed to your product and services, people want to be in business with you.”
