Build a life-giving brand.
About Me
The story behind my passion for “life-giving brands.”
HEY THERE!…
I'm Robby Fowler, Champion of Life-giving Brands.
What the heck is a life-giving brand? And how am I its crowned champion? Good questions.
I never set out to do this. But I've 'MacGyvered' my zagging path into a Swiss army knife that is my life and business.
I never set out to do this. But here I am.
I've “MacGyvered" my multifarious interests, eclectic experiences, and nerdy librarian-like passion for learning into a single Swiss army knife that is my life and business. (No, I’m not Swiss. I do lover Roger Federer though.)
All the strange turns, detours, and adventures in how I got here play a critical role in my passion for helping others build life-giving brands and profitable personal brand websites.
Eventually, my journey led me to create my Life-Giving Brands Manifesto! (Fear not. I'll explain below.)
I've “MacGyvered" my multifarious interests, eclectic experiences, and nerdy librarian-like passion for learning into a single Swiss army knife that is my life and business. (No, I’m not Swiss. I do lover Roger Federer though.)
All the strange turns, detours, and adventures in how I got here play a critical role in my passion for helping others build life-giving brands and profitable personal brand websites.
Eventually, my journey led me to create my Life-Giving Brands Manifesto! (Fear not. I'll explain below.)
If you'd rather skip the journey and cut to the chase, here are the 'MacGyvered' Swiss army knife blades I use most to help personal brands:
- Sharp Creativity to think differently about your problems and new solutions
- Pristine Clarity in coaching, teaching, copywriting, and simplifying complexities
- Sage Strategy to help you take the right next step and implement action
- Radical Empathy to connect with you and your customers
- Leadership Development to grow leaders, not just dollars
Am I Non-Profitable?
“We’re going to have to let you go. We just don’t have the budget.”
It was one week before Thanksgiving when I heard those piercing words. They came swiftly in a 1:1 meeting for the non-profit I helped build for over a decade.
As if the initial sting wasn’t enough, the follow-up meetings were worse.
I was told three piercing things by the new leader. Each landed like a dagger. Over seven years later, I still feel their embers in the pit of my stomach:
Ouch!!! Whoever thought sticks and stones hurt worse than words hasn’t lived real life.
There I was. In my early 40’s. Three kids. My title for nearly half my working career? Gone. My role? No more. My value? TBD.
Soul searching began. For work, I quickly pivoted back to my freelance business I started way back in 2001. Thankfully, I’d kept it as a side hustle the past decade.
It was one week before Thanksgiving when I heard those piercing words. They came swiftly in a 1:1 meeting for the non-profit I helped build for over a decade.
As if the initial sting wasn’t enough, the follow-up meetings were worse.
I was told three piercing things by the new leader. Each landed like a dagger. Over seven years later, I still feel their embers in the pit of my stomach:
- “Your leadership was not effective”
- “You may not be called to leadership”
- “You are the problem”
Ouch!!! Whoever thought sticks and stones hurt worse than words hasn’t lived real life.
There I was. In my early 40’s. Three kids. My title for nearly half my working career? Gone. My role? No more. My value? TBD.
Soul searching began. For work, I quickly pivoted back to my freelance business I started way back in 2001. Thankfully, I’d kept it as a side hustle the past decade.
For (What) Profit?
As I tried to get my bearings running my own business full-time again, I needed to make a profit.
More than that, I had to figure out what kind of profit.
The deep pain of my experience and evaluation helped me realize three things:
Having been stripped of my title, role, and perceived value, I asked myself this question when considering how I would build my Personal Brand business:
What’s worth giving my life to?
My answer—Life-giving brands led by Life-giving leaders.
Pivoting back to my freelance design business while reflecting on my “non-profit” strengths made me realize what I’m great at:
Fast forward to today. I help individuals and businesses make more than money. I help them build life-giving brands.
More than that, I had to figure out what kind of profit.
The deep pain of my experience and evaluation helped me realize three things:
- The areas I led were actually some of the strongest parts of the organization.
- The people moved into leadership following my exit were those I attracted, equipped, and developed.
- I wasn’t perfect for sure…but I wasn’t THE problem, I was a threat.
Having been stripped of my title, role, and perceived value, I asked myself this question when considering how I would build my Personal Brand business:
What’s worth giving my life to?
My answer—Life-giving brands led by Life-giving leaders.
Pivoting back to my freelance design business while reflecting on my “non-profit” strengths made me realize what I’m great at:
- Marketing,
- Strategy,
- Teaching,
- and Leadership Development
Fast forward to today. I help individuals and businesses make more than money. I help them build life-giving brands.
What Is The Life-Giving Brand Manifesto?
If there's one thing I've learned from working with personal brands, being in corporate America, and serving in a non-profit—we all need help.
But there's help, and then there's help!
In two decades of business, I've developed some core beliefs. They shape how I help others, what I help them become, and why I do it.
Particulars come and go. Today’s answers become tomorrows headaches. But the Life-Giving Brand Manifesto is the unchanging foundation for who, why, and how I help personal brands.
But there's help, and then there's help!
In two decades of business, I've developed some core beliefs. They shape how I help others, what I help them become, and why I do it.
Particulars come and go. Today’s answers become tomorrows headaches. But the Life-Giving Brand Manifesto is the unchanging foundation for who, why, and how I help personal brands.
I've never been too interested in answers. I'm far more interested in learning the best process for HOW I can arrive at the right answer.
*If you're wondering why a church would experience troubles and tribulations, it's no mystery. Churches are imperfect communities, filled with imperfect people (including me!), following imperfect leaders (including me!), banking on a perfect Savior.