Brand building the kintsugi way
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Hi Reader, Rachel and I recently went to a presentation for international exchange alumni (because of our Professional Fellows experience). During the event, one of the presenters shared how he’s now working with a peacebuilding organization called Mediators Beyond Borders. You know I’m all about a good analogy, and I absolutely loved the one he referenced. He described peacebuilding as similar to the Japanese art form kintsugi, which is done by repairing broken pottery using a gold substance that emphasizes the cracks. It turns each broken edge into a new, stunning, one-of-a-kind design. At Drio, we’re obviously not going into conflict zones and doing peacebuilding, but the idea of emphasizing the cracks and broken parts hit me. As someone who’s been in business for 15 years, we’ve experienced our fair share of cracks. There have been many challenges and setbacks that could have shattered us if we’d let them. But, ultimately, those breaks made us who we are. By leaning into them, they’ve made us stronger than we were before. Instead of pretending we’ve never made mistakes, we show we’re human and that we grow from the lessons we learn along the way. I see the same thing with our clients. When they trust us enough to show us their cracks and challenges, we can use them to create a uniquely beautiful brand story. Instead of hiding them, we highlight them. In business, we’re always looking for ways to become bigger and better, perhaps “fancier” than others in our industry. We might seek out the latest scaling strategy and flashiest branding. But when it comes down to it, what really makes each of our businesses special is how we’ve overcome our challenges. It’s how we reframe what we might have considered flaws. By embracing our broken parts, we show the world why we’re irreplaceable. Is there a challenge you’ve experienced that’s been an important part of building your business? Maybe something that initially set you back and eventually propelled you forward? I’d love to know. Hit reply and tell me about the cracks that have made you stronger.
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Hi! I'm Rachel, the Left Brain of Drio.
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