I was Marco-Poloing (if you haven’t seen this app, it’s the bomb) with my best friend last week, doing that thing that only happens with someone who's known you for 35 years – remembering who you used to be while celebrating who you've become.

And it hit me: This is what we're really doing with Brand Being. This is the magic that happens when we sit across from founders who are ready to be known – truly, deeply known.

The Truth About Being Seen

Here's the thing about someone who's known you for three and a half decades: They've seen every version of you. The awkward teenage years. The quarter-life crisis. The moments of chest bumping and the humiliating failures. And they're still here, still seeing the best in you, still holding space for who you're becoming.

Sound familiar, founders?

Because this is exactly what your brand craves – not just to be seen, but to be known. Not just to be marketed, but to be understood. Not just to exist, but to matter.

The Uncomfortable Power of Clarity

Let's get real for a second: Most of us spend our entire careers hiding. Behind jargon. Behind "best practices." Behind what we think our industry expects us to be. We're so busy trying to fit in that we forget the whole point was to stand out.

And here's what we've learned through our Brand Being Method: This work isn’t easy. We expect to see you sweat or cry, but the moment you put into words who you truly are – your values, your beliefs, your non-negotiables – something shifts. It's terrifying. It's liberating. It's like finally exhaling after holding your breath for years.

The ROI of Authenticity (Because Yes, This Impacts Your Bottom Line)

When you're truly known:

Your team stops second-guessing decisions because they understand your north star
Your customers stop comparison shopping because they're buying your why, not just your what
Your marketing stops feeling like a megaphone and starts feeling like a conversation

This isn't just feel-good fluff. Companies with strong brand authenticity see 47% higher employee engagement and a 23% increase in revenue through consistent brand presentation.

The Gift of Being Known

This year, we've watched founders transform through our Brand Being process. We've seen them:

Finally put into words what they've always felt but never said
Share their true vision with their team (and watch their team light up in response)
Stop apologizing for who they are and start celebrating it instead

Because here's the truth: Just like that friend who's known you forever, your brand doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to be real. It doesn't need to please everyone. It needs to deeply resonate with the right ones (honestly if you’re not pissing some people off you’re probably not saying anything).

Your 2025 Challenge

As we wrap up 2024, here's what I want you to ask yourself:

Does your team really know your brand? Not just what you do, but why you do it?
What would change if you let yourself be truly seen?
What are you holding back that could be your greatest strength?

Because at Hoot, we're not here to change how the world sees you. We're here to change how you see yourself. And when you truly know who you are? That's when the world can't help but take notice.

Here's to being known in 2025.

Ready to be seen for who you really are? Let's talk about how Brand Being can help you put your truth into words that move mountains.

P.S. Like that friend who's known you for 35 years, your brand's truth has been there all along. Sometimes you just need someone to help you see it.

Make 2025 your best yet

Artwork by Nya McClain, article by Senior Art Director, Bri Thomas

Recently Launched 🚀

We’re still drowning over here, so we will keep sharing some of our fave work with you versus some of our hot takes. Don’t worry; we’ll be stewing while on break about what grinds our gears and lights us up when it comes to design, branding and all things strategy. We even have a 2025 Trend Report coming your way in January, but surprise, we didn’t get it done this year.

Option 3 : If you’re a founder, you’ll want to check out Option 3, a coaching program led by 6-time exit king, Mac Lackey. He will lead you through is methodology of work-life domination. His philosophy is that the best businesses are built by the best humans and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice one for the other.

Unbreakable Wealth is another coaching program we are a part of at Hoot, and can’t recommend enough if your beliefs about money are holding you back. (and how could they not?)

The Collective Good is a consultancy we had the honor of working with this year. Based in DC, they are changing purpose-driven organizations from the inside out. They have done an incredible job of leveraging their Brand Being Manual into a really compelling website with consistent messaging that is both clear and emotional.

Dropbox: Of course we are proud to work with an organization as well known and loved as Dropbox. We were hired to help identify their Employer Value Proposition and bring that to market. We’ll be sharing much more of that work in 2025 as it launches, but this work was definitely a highlight of 2024 for our team.

Parliament | The Power of Being Known