Calling All Changemakers (yes, that includes you)
Does the word ‘changemaker’ feel a little weird or uncomfortable on you? If so, you’re not alone.
So many of us have been taught to do our purpose-driven work quietly and humbly. Now, I’m all about humility, but quietness isn’t going to get us anywhere.
Friend, we need to be bold to awaken a new world!
And when I say bold, I’m talking about a confidence that permeates everything your brand says and does. I’m not talking brash and brazen but assured and aligned.
As a brand strategist and copywriter, I’m here to help you share your message with the people who are ready to hear it, so you can connect with them, grow your business and make a massive impact on the world.
And in case you have any doubts, the answer is YES, there are a whole lot of people who are just waiting for you to show up in their lives.
We can’t build a new world on old ways of thinking, being, or doing.
We need to carve out spaces where she can breathe freely, ground herself in the collective courage of all who have invited her arrival, and stand bravely in truths as ancient as the universe.
How do we begin to create space for this new world to emerge?
With new ways of being, with hope, with comrades, and with words.
Words forged by hearts of gold and steeped in a deep love for people and planet.
And that, my friend, is how brandstanding arrived at the threshold of my wordsmithing mind and knocked incessantly at the door.
Next thing you know, I’m coining a new word and taking serious stock of my own values.
Here are my non-negotiable values in life and in business…
Human Connection
Human connection is at the heart of everything I stand for, because human-to-human connections are the threads needed to weave a new and better world.
I thoughtfully design all of my processes and services to create space for genuine, deep connections to emerge - between me and you (my fab client), between you and your customers, with all of my collaborators and creative colleagues, and with the communities I belong to.
Get ready to feel seen (like, really seen) and appreciated for who you truly are.
Integrity
I integrate integrity into every facet of my business. For me, integrity means aligning my words with my actions.
If I say I care about social justice, how could I possibly justify using AI platforms run by tech billionaires that steal human-created art and literature, support genocidal leaders, and enable violence against humans? The simple answer is I can’t justify it, so I don’t use them.
I apply my values lens to everything I do - in my life and in my business. If I get even a whiff of ‘this doesn’t feel good’, I dig deeper to make an informed decision that aligns with the values that I hold dearest.
Environmental Stewardship
In a world where the word ‘sustainability’ has been co-opted by multi-national corporations that only care about the sustainability of their profits, environmental stewardship is my North Star.
I seek out ways to support those doing the front-line work to protect and preserve Mother Nature. I avoid working in environmentally destructive ways (*ahem* I’m looking at you again, AI).
I redirect prospective clients who embrace a profit-over-planet-and-people ethos because they’re not my kind of people.
And, wherever possible, I endeavour to help environmental trailblazers amplify their impact through the power of storytelling and a lens of holistic reciprocity.
Hi there,
I'm Shannon Courtney, the gal with two first names, three furry rescue animals, and a ‘slight’ addiction to kombucha. Here are a few snippets from the chapters of my life so far...
Chapter 1: A childhood spent exploring the forests of my rural PEI home and devouring books written by the likes of Roald Dahl and Judy Blume.
Chapter 2: An education in business as usual, followed by a short sojourn into the corporate world that quickly affirmed I didn’t want to be there.
Chapter 3: Adventures to far-flung Celtic islands and the land of Oz that further solidified my love of wilderness and awareness of its fragility. Bonus: I learned how to milk a cow by hand and the basics of Scottish country dancing.
Chapter 4: A Master’s thesis in social capital and its role in local food systems, which brought me to Vermont. Here, I discovered what it means to be in community and the magic that emerges when people work together to support each other and build a better future.
Chapter 5: A return to PEI with a personal mission to help build social capital and educate eaters on the importance of supporting local farmers.
Chapter 6: Salty adventures in co-founding a monthly print and digital newspaper dedicated to showcasing the farmers, food producers, chefs, and other folks shaping PEI’s foodscape.
Chapter 7: Forging my own path as a storyteller and brand strategist after 12 years working in various marketing roles, including several years in the tourism industry, a stint in the wedding world, and a brief interlude in the start-up ecosystem.
All of these experiences and plenty of others have shaped my understanding of the world and my values.
They’ve also given me a deep sense of purpose. I’m obsessed with honesty in business, storytelling as a means of changemaking, and building resilient communities.
Above all, I feel deeply called to be a good steward of the ecosystem we are a part of, so there are still forests to be explored long after I’m stardust again.
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Ready to Make Your Words Work Wonders?
Schedule a FREE 30-minute, no-strings-attached chat with me and let’s get the ball rolling!