“In a world of plain bagels, dare to be a sprinkle donut.”

-My (extroverted) sister’s t-shirt

I wasn’t cool.

I grew up thinking that originality was heavily an external thing – ways of dressing and expressing yourself that had others look at you and think: “Wow, that girl’s cool.”

But when people looked at me, they saw none of that. In a world of bagels and sprinkle donuts, let’s just say I was a bagel.

Introverted, (too) serious, straight-A, and avoidant of mistakes and standing out at pretty much all costs – I was truly a rule-follower.

So when I left my 10 year marketing career to start my own business, I was stumped.

How could I stand out when there was nothing “original” about me?

At least not on the outside. Not yet.

Did I need to change who I was? I wasn’t willing to do that because a pursuit of authenticity was why I left the corporate world in the first place.

I saw authors, musicians, and thought leaders who had managed to break through the noise without being your typical life of the party – think Brene Brown, Marie Kondo, Jack Johnson – so I knew it could be done.

And that kicked off the great query and obsession of my life’s work…

How can anybody – even us seemingly ‘bagel’ types – stand out and succeed as our authentic selves in business?

Over a decade later, I’ve learned and witnessed a lot.

→ I know that it’s not only possible to succeed this way, it’s easier.

→ I know that the key to originality and standing out is your unique (and internal!) point of view and not your most distinctive personality traits.

→ And – most importantly – I know that THERE ARE NO BAGELS.

There is no such thing as a boring person!

And, often, the very first thing that needs to change for you to embrace and express your most remarkable brand is how you see yourself.

So, I’m not your typical brand strategist.

And I’m not setting out to build a typical agency.

I’m a visionary, just like you, who has chosen a sacred and meaningful battle to fight in the world. And my work – brand strategy and creative – is simply my tool of choice to make it happen.

The battle? I want to bring authenticity and substance to the business world. 

…So that change makers have a place to do the work that they are meant to do.
…So that the loudest ideas aren’t necessarily the most popular and repeated.
…So that brilliant people stop comparing themselves.
…So that undersharers feel safe to find and use their voice.

I believe that branding is what makes this shift in the world possible.

And I’ve created a proven and repeatable method that works for any purpose-driven business owner who is willing to go deep. I’ve helped over a hundred businesses define substantial brands that grow their visibility, impact, and earning potential. And I’ve started mentoring others to do the same.

One of my beloved clients gave me the title of “Legacy Maker” on a call one day. I sweat every time I see it beside my name, but I leave it there because it inspires me to keep growing into the leader that my clients and team need me to be.

Because this isn’t about pretty colours, catchy phrases, or social media trends.

I’m here to help you cut right down to your brightest, truest, scariest, boldest, most needed message and work in the world and OWN it!

I’ll show you how to turn your growing business into a legacy brand.

I’m all in. I see you. And I can’t wait to connect.

Lisa Haggis

FOUNDER & LEAD STRATEGIST

The Bio

Lisa Haggis helps service-based entrepreneurs position their businesses as one-of-a-kind in their field for higher visibility, impact, and earning potential. Leveraging 20+ years of experience in marketing and business strategy, she is committed to cracking the code on what makes a business innately interesting and worth mentioning. (Hint: It begins with having something original to say!) She is the founder of Realize Your Brand, a high-touch branding and content agency, and the creator of the Substantial Branding Method -- an approach that transforms your growing business into the legacy-level brand that you uniquely are meant to create.

Interviews:

  • from debilitating chronic pain. It has 100% shaped who I am and how I do business and it’s something I’m passionate about sharing widely. My health comes first, and I think yours should, too!

  • I believe that our self-esteem is our #1 business asset. If we don’t honour and value ourselves, there’s no business strategy that’s powerful enough to matter in the long term.

  • The work we do will be both highly strategic and heart-centered. Can’t help it.

  • I immediately start organizing ideas and concepts when they come my way. I love to share tools and templates that I’ve created to make my own life easier as a business owner. (Make sure you’re on the list below!)

  • I’m passionate about openly sharing my voice and helping others to do the same. I cross the “who do I think I am?” bridge on a weekly basis! And this page of copy is no exception…

  • I love experiencing the feelings of faith, trust, and awe in my body that come with connecting to something bigger. I call it following my “yellow brick road”.

More About Me

When we work together, you get my 20+ years of business, branding, and marketing experience, along with my intuitive truth-finding, powerful wordsmithing, and ability to bring structure to any whirlwind of ideas. 

Here are a few other tidbits to help you know what to expect:

Stay Connected

Radiate is my weekly email series for purpose-driven visionaries who are looking to stand out as the obvious choice for their next-level clients. I share regular stories, insights, and inspiration to help you authentically claim your space in the world and grow your legacy brand.