Why Your Brand Universe Matters More in Hard Times

How I learned the hard way that brand systems aren't just for growth—they're survival tools when life falls apart

I've been struggling to focus on writing about branding lately. With everything happening in the world, talking about logos and color palettes often feels trivial.

But then I remind myself why this work matters—especially now.

Because I've been there. I've watched my business fall apart when my world did.

A few years ago, I suddenly got sick. Not the kind of sick where you bounce back after a couple of rough weeks. The kind where getting out of bed became a major accomplishment and brain fog made complex thinking nearly impossible for months on end. And the little bits of brain power and energy I could scrape together needed to be directed towards figuring out what was wrong with me.

It turned out to be Long Covid, and no one knew how to fix it. So now I had a time-consuming, energy-zapping, full-time health problem on my hands.

My business wasn't ready. I didn't have enough systems in place. I didn't have evergreen offerings that could generate revenue with minimal input. I didn't have clear documentation that someone else could follow.

What I had was chaos—a business that existed mostly in my head and depended entirely on my daily energy to function.

When that energy disappeared, so did my livelihood.

I had to shut everything down, so I could focus on recovery.

Now that I’m better, that’s meant starting over.

And in that painful process, I realized something that changed everything about how I approach business:

A brand isn't just about looking good and attracting clients. It's about creating a system that can sustain you when life gets hard.

That's why I created the Brand Universe framework. Not just as a nice way to visualize branding concepts, but as a survival tool for businesses facing uncertainty—whether personal or global.

The Brand Universe isn't just another pretty metaphor. It's a practical system for creating business resilience.

When your brand has a clear center (your sun/values), everything else can maintain its proper orbit even when external forces create turbulence. This isn't theoretical—it's what determines whether a business survives unexpected challenges.

Here's what this looks like in real terms:

When your business is fully documented with clear systems and guidelines, it doesn't require your constant presence and energy to maintain its identity. This isn't just convenient—it can be the difference between keeping your business alive during a personal crisis or having to shut down.

Without a Brand Universe: If you can't show up, your business essentially ceases to exist.
With a Brand Universe: Your business has enough structure to maintain itself during periods when your capacity is limited.

A complete Brand Universe includes what I call "Plan B offerings"—products or services that can generate revenue with minimal ongoing input from you. These might be digital products, evergreen courses, or streamlined service packages that don't demand your peak cognitive function.

Without a Brand Universe: Your income depends entirely on your ability to perform at full capacity.
With a Brand Universe: You have revenue streams designed to sustain you through periods of reduced capacity.

When external circumstances create pressure to pivot or respond, having clearly defined values saves precious mental energy. Instead of agonizing over every choice, you can quickly evaluate options against your core purpose.

Without a Brand Universe: Each new situation requires exhausting deliberation.
With a Brand Universe: Your decision-making framework is already established, reducing cognitive load.

I created my Brand Universe framework after learning these lessons the hard way. Now I help other business owners build systems of readiness before they face a crisis—whether personal or global.

The truth is, none of us know what's coming next. Personal health challenges, family emergencies, economic shifts, political upheaval—the only certainty is uncertainty itself.

Building a Brand Universe isn't about denying this reality. It's about creating something that can weather whatever comes—a business that's resilient enough to adapt without falling apart.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by current events or personal challenges, building a complete Brand Universe might feel impossible right now. That's okay. Start with just one element:

Define your sun: What core values and purpose remain constant for your business, regardless of external circumstances? This becomes your decision-making center.

Document your current systems: Even rough documentation is better than none. What processes exist only in your head that would disappear if you couldn't work? What things might be eaten forever by brain fog?

Create one "low-energy" offering: What could you offer that would continue to provide value (and revenue) even if your capacity was significantly reduced?

Any one of these steps increases your resilience. All three together form the beginning of your Brand Universe.

While my motivation for creating the Brand Universe framework came from a place of survival, I've discovered something important:

The same system that helps a business weather hard times also helps it thrive during good ones.

When your brand has a clear center and well-designed orbits, it naturally attracts the right clients. When your offerings are strategically designed rather than cobbled together, they create more impact with less effort.

The alignment that creates resilience also creates gravity—that natural pull that brings opportunities and clients to you instead of you constantly chasing them.