A doctor can’t operate on herself, no matter how skilled she might be.

We’ve all heard about being paralyzed and unable to move when faced with danger, complicated situations, and the unknown. But it can also happen in less extreme cases, like when we feel overwhelmed with a task. 

We might have all the knowledge, and in theory, we know what to do to move from A to B. “Easy peasy lemon squeezy,” as my eight-year-old would say. But theory is different from reality.

We can also know what to do and still be paralyzed, unable to do it. 

But why? I was recently in a situation like that, and it got me thinking. 

As co-founder and strategy director at Madre, we work with brands that are in that complex space in their growth journey between just starting up and needing to scale up. 

We’ve specialized in helping them take that leap by working on their brand and communication strategies and also on how to translate these into fundamental brand touchpoints in order to build relationships with its stakeholders—from customers and teams to investors. 

We use a proven process to help brands:

• articulate their message
• clarify their purpose
• and, as a result, look like rockstars (if they’re up for it). 

Our process has helped brands smash their goals in over 55 countries. 

But it’s challenging to do for our brand. 

Two years ago, when we decided to expand to new markets, we started doing the work. First we studied the needs, competitors, clarifying our audience, where to find them, and their “pains and gains” around brand strategy. With that new info, we made the strategic decision niche down, specializing in:

•  early-stage brands
• In the CPG and tech spaces in US and UK
• who are ready to scale and expand

This helped us craft a clear message about what we do, how we do it , for whom we do it, and then connect with them emotionally.

Next, we had to find the proper channels to get us in front of the right audience and create content to speak to them. Unfortunately, that is when things got rocky. 

We knew what to do, but we were not doing it, not in the way our business needed.  

So we brought out the famous design thinking question: “we could do it if….?” 

And that is when we realized: we needed to drink the same Kool-aid we craft for our clients. 

Just like our clients are, we’re experts in our industry, but we are too close to see clearly. We needed an outsider to provide the same benefits. We provide our brands a different perspective to help you identify strengths and weaknesses, new opportunities, strategies, etc. and that elusive “ aha” moment. 

(This had happened to me before, actually. As a lactation consultant, you’d think I’d be able to work through my own breastfeeding challenges myself. Nope. I was a mother first, so I hired another lactation consultant to guide me, listen to me, reassure me, give me confidence and develop a plan to follow together.)

At Madre, we decided to work with a coach to get us past our roadblocks. This experience allowed me to see our work with brands in a new light: 

We’re a sounding board for their ideas and strategies.

We’re a non-biased point of view that can help them see their blind spots.

And we provide a guide, a map, and a north star to give them the confidence they need to take the necessary steps—

Clients walk away with a solid plan, the antidote to paralysis.

So, if you feel stuck and lack the confidence to move forward: bring in a trusted, fresh pair of eyes and ears.

No more googling how to do it yourself. Work with experts; it’ll be faster, less painful, and get you moving toward your goal sooner. 

Just because you can do it solo doesn’t mean you should, especially if the project is too close to your heart.