Focal Tangent: Perspectives That Shift

In this week’s episode, I chat with Kara Kennedy, Co-Founder of Little White Sneakers, all about building a brick and mortar business, pivoting during the pandemic, and creating exceptional marketing campaigns.

With a background in small business marketing, Kara was inspired to start her own business. Aware of the volume of clothes her three kids went through and the negative impact on both her wallet and the planet she was inspired to make a difference. 

Little White Sneakers (named after a pair of shoes her daughter only wore 3 times) was born. It offers parents a positive alternative to fast fashion with resale, overstock and new high quality brands (many locally made).

“We've tried to change the image and the perception of retail. Shopping “used” is actually a really smart, hip and trendy way that's really helping the planet.” - Kara, Co-Founder of Little White Sneakers

In this episode:

• How waste and overproduction of clothing in the fashion industry inspired her business
• Must-know steps when opening up a brick and mortar business
• How her logo symbolizes rebirth and connection to the earth
• Kara’s tips for creating excitement and buzz via email and social media marketing
• Her company’s biggest wins and challenges throughout this time
• The mental benefit of staying active and impact it has had on her career
• How calming your body through activity has the same impact as meditation

Connect with Kara: 

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/little_white_sneakers
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/lilwhitesneaks 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karak/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlewhitesneakers
• Blog: https://www.littlewhitesneakers.com/blogs/media
• https://www.littlewhitesneakers.com/ 

*Be sure to shop their daily sales and promotions over on Instagram*

Connect with Nathalie:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pictonatphoto/  
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/pictonatphotography 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pictonatbrandingcreative/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-amlani/ 
• Join the Free Focal Tangent:  Brand Builder Society Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brandbuildersociety 
• Website:  https://pictonat.com  

What does leadership mean to you and how do you embody it?  Perhaps you’re climbing the corporate ladder or have a small business that you’re trying to grow. Regardless of what it is, leadership is a key trait that we all desire and have within us.

This week, I’m thrilled to chat with Christine LeLacheur, CEO of Cheurfire Consulting Inc., all about leading from within.

Christine is a speaker, corporate trainer, executive coach, and facilitator specializing in the areas of emotional intelligence, personal development, leadership and management, interpersonal communication, relationship building and team development with a focus on emerging leaders, mid-level managers, and entrepreneurs. 

In the fall of 2020, Christine co-founded the C Factor Community, a comprehensive 7-week virtual leadership program for mid-level managers that includes personal development, professional development and – most importantly – membership to a community to help managers collaborate and connect with other leaders at their level.

“Find what people are good at and encourage that because it's shown time and time again, that people are more engaged, successful and happier if they can focus on what they do best.” - Christine LeLacheur, CEO of Cheurfire Consulting 

We chat about:

• How the C Factor Community is changing the game for leaders in any industry
• Why you already have leadership abilities within you
• Tips to find your inner strengths 
• Leadership vs. management
• Tips to hone in on your leadership qualities

“You don’t need to change who you are to be a leader.” Christine LeLacheur, CEO of Cheurfire Consulting 

Upcoming promotions from C Factor Community:  The next cohort starts on September 20th.  Register by September 1st for the early bird rate.  Any podcast listeners will receive a BONUS coaching program before the program starts, valued at $350.

Connect with Christine: 

• Website:  www.cfactorcommunity.com
• Email:  [email protected] 
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/christine_cheurfire  
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/cfactorcommunity 
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/cheurfire 
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/cfactorteam    
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/christine-lelacheur
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christine.lelacheurmihailidis
• https://www.facebook.com/cfactorcommunity

Connect with Nathalie:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pictonatphoto/  
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/pictonatphotography 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pictonatbrandingcreative/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-amlani/ 
• Join the Free Focal Tangent:  Brand Builder Society Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brandbuildersociety 
• Website:  https://pictonat.com  

This week on the podcast I dive into the Five Keys to Building a Solid Brand Foundation.

What is a brand?  A brand is what people say when you’re not in the room, it’s the EXPERIENCE  that people have when they interact with a brand - it has to do with feelings and emotions.   No matter what stage a brand is at, revisiting the FOUNDATIONS of the brand will ensure that it is authentic and continues to connect to its target audience.

As a Brand Strategist and Photographer, I help women entrepreneurs look and feel amazing online with visual branding that deepens connections and leads to business growth.  Having a solid brand foundation helps you gain clarity and purpose, and bring authenticity to your brand story, connecting you with the people you love to serve.

“Knowing your client will help with effectively communicating to them in a way that makes them feel heard, understood and acknowledged when they interact with your brand.”  Nathalie Amlani, Pictonat Creative and Host of Focal Tangent: Perspectives That Shift podcast

In this episode, I go in depth on each of the Five Keys to Building a Solid Brand Foundation:

1. Define your why
2. Identify your brand vibe
3. Know your Client
4. Showcase and Shine
5. Consistency is Key

“Getting really clear on your voice has a powerful ripple effect across your business, as it establishes trust and a cohesive user-experience as people know what to expect from you.”  Nathalie Amlani, Pictonat Creative and Host of Focal Tangent: Perspectives That Shift podcast

When you consistently showcase the foundations and uniqueness of your brand and what you love to do, the result is an increase in sales, a rise in audience growth, and added brand value. 

Connect with Nathalie:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pictonatphoto/  
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/pictonatphotography 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pictonatbrandingcreative/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-amlani/ 
• Brand Builder Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brandbuildersociety 
• Website:  https://pictonat.com  

What does scaling your business look like to you?  Where do you want your business to be in one year, three years, or even five years?

In this week’s podcast, I’m so excited to chat with my friend Giovanna Aiello about how she scaled and grew her business by relaunching her service based business, Mindful Mommy and launching a brand new product, Mumdies.

Gio’s mission is to put moms first. This is the foundation and ethos of both her companies.

In 2017, Giovanna started her first company Mindful Mommy Doula & Birth Photography Services. Her team at Mindful Mommy has attended hundreds of births and supported hundreds of women.

"Meditation is what led me to follow my passion of being a doula. It allowed me to quiet down enough to actually hear myself and see the signs that the universe was giving me." -  Giovanna Aiello

In this episode:

• How meditation and mindfulness sparked her entrepreneurship path
• How she built her brand identity 
• Why it was essential to scale her business and how she did it
• How Mumdies came to life
• Tips to reset your sleep cycle

Giovanna spends her days and nights as a birth and postpartum doula, supporting women through their most vulnerable moments. After supporting so many women for so many years this is how the creation of Mumdies came to be. 

Her story and grit provides perspectives that will shift your thinking on the possibilities to scale and grow your dream business.

Connect with Gio:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindful_mommy_doula/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giovanna-aiello-0a8947149/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gio.aiello1 
• https://mumdies.com
• https://mindfulmommydoula.com 

Connect with Nathalie:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pictonatphoto/  
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/pictonatphotography 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pictonatbrandingcreative/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-amlani/ 
• Brand Builder Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brandbuildersociety 
• Website:  https://pictonat.com  

In this week’s episode, I sit down with Laura Niesslein, a nutritionist, registered massage therapist, yoga instructor, and the owner of Shey Wellness, a Toronto-based clinic. 

Laura and I met a few years ago when I did branding photos for her business and I recently completed her Shey Method Nutrition and Wellness program. 

She has over 12 years of experience in the health and wellness industry and her passion lies in educating people and supporting them on their journey to looking and feeling their best — while still allowing for indulgences!

“I think as a business owner, the biggest lesson for me was to learn to ask for help and let go of control. Learning to delegate and knowing that I am not in control over everything that's happening and being okay with that.” - Laura Niesslein

In this episode:

• How stress and overworking contributes to rising health issues an leaky gut
• How your gut is linked to your mental health
• What a journey to healing a leaky gut looks like
• Shifts you can make to overcome overwhelm as an entrepreneur
• Tips to manage your stress as we move through season changes
  
  
  

Laura is primarily focused on digestive health and stress management. What makes her practice unique is that she applies her extensive knowledge in nutrition, massage, reiki and yoga therapy to provide a holistic approach to her clients. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Get 10% off of Laura’s Shey Method Nutrition and Wellness Program by mentioning the Focal Tangent podcast https://www.sheywellness.com/the-shey-method 

Connect with Laura: 

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/sheywellness
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shey-wellness-clinic 
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/sheywellness
• Shey Wellness Shop: https://www.sheywellness.com/wellness-shop
• Shey Wellness Website: www.sheywellness.com

Connect with Nathalie:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pictonatphoto/  
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/pictonatphotography 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pictonatbrandingcreative/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-amlani/ 
• Join the Free Focal Tangent:  Brand Builder Society Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brandbuildersociety 
• Website:  https://pictonat.com  

This week on the podcast, I chatted with Emily Edwards, a registered nurse and founder of The Good Birth Co., about birthing a business and growing a community.

Emily is here to change the culture of perinatal care. The Good Birth Co. is an online space that provides full-spectrum pregnancy, birth, and postpartum support. She helps people create the birth experience they want or process the one they didn’t. Dismantling the systems that never served the people drives her work. 

“You can see now again in my social media presence that I love to challenge the status quo. I love to push boundaries. I love to start controversial conversations around tough topics.” - Emily Edwards, The Good Birth Co. 

In this episode:

• How the traumatic birth experience of her first child led to creating her business
• How her branding challenges the typical branding found in the wellness space, and why she wanted it to be that way
• The impact community has had on her business and networking
• Tips for breaking through your fear of showing up authentically online
• How she redefines storytelling as part of her birthing work
  
  
  

Emily loves hip hop, is married to a recording artist and is the mom of three brilliant kids. She’s obsessed with dog training and is figuring out how to live with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Connect with Emily:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/thegoodbirthco
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyedwardsbscn/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegoodbirthco
• Podcast: thegoodbirthco.com/podcast
• https://thegoodbirthco.com/
• www.thegoodbirthco.com/birthstoryinventory 

Connect with Nathalie:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pictonatphoto/  
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/pictonatphotography 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pictonatbrandingcreative/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-amlani/ 
• Brand Builder Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brandbuildersociety 
• Website:  https://pictonat.com  

Have you ever wondered what brand management is, and how it can benefit your business? It’s so much more than brand colours and fonts, and this week on the podcast I sit down with Katherine Choi, an engineer turned Brand Manager at Nestle, to talk all about it.

Starting her career as a chemical engineer, she realized it wasn't her passion and went to pursue a career in marketing and business management, so she got an MBA at Rotman School of Business. She has worked on both the agency side and product side in terms of branding, marketing, and product development for major consumer goods companies such as Heinz, Mattel, and Nestle on various brands and categories. Product marketing and branding is her expertise and she looks forward to sharing her knowledge in this conversation. 

“Test and learn is still the very best because when you ask potential consumers about what they think about products, how they answer may not actually be how they would buy. If someone paid for something, that's the true, true test.” - Katherine Choi

In this episode:

• Brand management for products vs. services
• Different stages of brand awareness 
• How to position your brand in the market
• Tips to manage a brand for continuous growth
• Tips for working with freelancers and agencies
• Different types of media spend

Connect with Katherine:

• LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherinechoi  

Connect with Nathalie:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pictonatphoto/  
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/pictonatphotography 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pictonatbrandingcreative/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-amlani/ 
• Brand Builder Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brandbuildersociety 
• Website:  https://pictonat.com  

In today’s show, I am so excited to talk about how to ignite your brand online using your personal brand photos. It may feel uncomfortable to post so many personal branding photos of yourself but today, I’m going to dive into the many ways that your brand photos can make an impact and help you grow your business.

Before we begin, I want to take a step back and recap on what a personal brand is:  A personal brand is the perception portrayed of who you are, your values, your skills, and your vibe. It’s your story, your sense of beliefs and attitudes. How you promote yourself will shape your personal brand and that is why the secret is to be authentically you.  It may sound cliche but by being yourself, you will attract your ideal clients who want to work with YOU and align with your mission, values, and vibe. 

Think about it this way, there may be many businesses offering the same products or services as you but there is only one of YOU, you are unique and that is what makes your brand stand out.  In a personal brand photoshoot, we capture your essence and showcase your brand vibe and various perspectives of the business owner in action.

“A personal brand is the perception portrayed of who you are, your values, your skills, and your vibe. It's your story, your sense of beliefs and attitudes, so how you promote yourself will shape your personal brand, and that is why the secret is to be authentically you.” - Nathalie Amlani, Founder of Pictonat Creative

You’ve made the investment in getting a batch of on-brand photos of yourself and your business and you may be thinking… now what? How do I start using them to grow my brand? Find it out in today's episode!

In this episode:

• How to use your images to bring your content buckets to life
• Using your brand photos for marketing your services
• Showcasing your guest appearances and published content 
• How to make a powerful first impression with your photos
• Using brand photos for personalizing your email marketing

Tune into the full episode for deeper insights on each of the five tips. For a complete list of tips, download the free guide with the full list of 'How to Use Your Personal Brand Photos to Ignite Your Brand', find it at: https://pictonat.com/free-checklist-branding-photos/

Links mentioned in the episode

• Canva:  www.canva.com  
• Complete checklist on Twelve Ways to Use Your Personal Brand Photos to Shine Online:  https://pictonat.com/free-checklist-branding-photos/ 

Connect with Nathalie:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pictonatphoto/  
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/pictonatphotography 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pictonatbrandingcreative/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-amlani/ 
• Website:  https://pictonat.com  

In this week’s episode, I chat with Tania Moraes-Vas, founder of Warrior Life Creative Co.-- a full-service creative agency.

Tania uses her zone of genius in writing, photography and content creation to help impact-driven and heart-inspired entrepreneurs focus on their zone of genius and leave the content to her. 

She is also a creative partner and Editor-in-Chief at YGTMama Media Co and co-founder of Mama Brain Magazine with her biz bestie, Sabrina Greer.

We talked about what makes a story so impactful, and also how you can share yours in a powerful way.

"Your life is multifaceted. You have many layers to yourself, why is your business any different? And if business is an extension of who you are, I think business is very spiritual, to be honest." - Tania Moraes-Vas

Listen in to hear more about: 

• How her different careers brought her to her dream business
• The significance of storytelling in your life and business
• The biggest pieces to building an aligned and soulful business
• How to get comfortable with being vulnerable

When Tania isn't busy putting out fires or igniting you into wildfire self-expression, she is building lego with her family, cozying up with a cuppa chai and some good books, or envisioning world domination where every creative is fully self-expressed.

Connect with Tania:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taniajanemoraesvaz/?hl=en 

Connect with Nathalie:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pictonatphoto/  
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/pictonatphotography 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pictonatbrandingcreative/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-amlani/ 
• https://pictonat.com  

In this episode, I share with you my top tips for props to bring and consider for your upcoming brand photoshoot.

One of the questions I hear often as a photographer is “what do I do with my hands?” Posing is always a concern when you're having your photo taken and I'm here to help! As a photographer, I’m here to guide you and direct you as you're in these sessions. 

You may be feeling nervous and oftentimes having a prop or having something that feels customized to your brand can really help ease those nerves.

“If you're choosing props for your branding session, think about how you can best represent the work you do, and the products or services you offer.” - Nathalie Amlani

In this episode, we go into:

• How your props can illustrate your personality or lifestyle
• My go-to props for every photoshoot
• How to make a rental space feel like your own
• Choosing props for service based businesses and product based businesses
   

Connect with Nathalie:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pictonatphoto/  
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/pictonatphotography 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pictonatbrandingcreative/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-amlani/ 
• https://pictonat.com