Brittney Cherry is the creator of CONTOURED VII Lifestyle Marketing Agency who has a natural knack for helping others visualise the bigger picture. Never one to be afraid to express herself “freely” and “creatively,” Brittney believes her exact freedom and creativity to be the real driving force that enables her to transform lifestyle brands through her marketing and branding methods. We speak to Brittney about her journey so far whilst building CONTOURED VII Lifestyle Marketing Agency and the methods used to help outline her clients brand success.
Hey Brittney, can you introduce yourself to us?
Hailing from North Carolina and now “adulting” in Philadelphia, PA, I quickly realised my impact on the fashion and beauty scene, as well as marketing. It all started with Facebook while I was in college. I was best known for being “stylish while on a budget” (still am), and people were constantly asking for styling tips from hair, makeup, skin-care, clothes, and my latest life adventure. I became a Lifestyle Blogger at one point, but I wanted to make a bigger impact. Those experiences equipped me for success in various roles. I became a Fashion and Beauty Correspondent for a digital magazine called The Journey, worked as a PR and Marketing Intern for North Carolina Cultural Resources Department, a Radio Marketing Professional for MARC Radio Group, an Assistant Manager for Aldo Shoes, Shop Manager for BCBGMAXAZRIA, and Marketing Manager for an e-commerce fashion brand named D’IYANU.
After adding value to several companies and gaining amazing experiences, I created CONTOURED VII Lifestyle Marketing Agency. My goal is to continue coaching brands outline steps for growth and achieve realistic goals.
Can you take us through your journey to where you are now as the founder of CONTOURED VII?
Contoured VII is definitely a mixture of my career journey. I’ve always been passionate about helping people see the bigger picture, so my career has been based around that. I’ve worked in entertainment, advertising, marketing, and retail and I have met a lot of interesting people along the way.
I felt like a lot of people saw something bigger in me than I saw in myself. It’s been spoken over my life numerous times that I would be able to impact others through my gift of talking, sharing and being transparent. It’s a lot to take that all in as a kid, but once I was old enough to understand and ready to unlock what was inside of me, Contoured VII was birthed.
Since starting Contoured VII, I have experienced the most humbling thing ever–standing in my faith. I had to really watch my money, become resourceful, and even had to take a break to understand why I started. I was nervous, but I kept pushing. The more I wanted to walk away, the more I was being led to help people and their business. I lost a few clients in the beginning phase due to me not being disciplined and feeling overwhelmed, but that didn’t stop me from getting more clients.
I’m still fairly new, but I know what needs to be done so I get it done. I network. I slide in DMs. I even get referrals. This is how Contoured VII thrives!
Can you tell us the methods you are using to help outline your clients brand success via CONTOURED VII?
I always start off with a Discovery Meeting. I want to make sure the client and I are a great fit for each other. This also gives me an understanding of what they’re looking for to expand their business and it gives me a chance to introduce new opportunities to explore.
I send clients their “Outline of Success” which includes a breakdown of phases we’ll work on, how long each phase will last and expectations from both parties.
I include a weekly and monthly KPI report so clients can see what worked and didn’t and what we can do for better results.
In terms of branding, what 3 tips would you give to any start-up company looking to establish their brand DNA on a tight budget?
- Understand who you are and why you start and stay consistent. If you don’t know why you started, you don’t have a business.
- Understand your audience and build a platform for them to engage and interact. Use social media analytic tools to really get this understanding.
- Use your resources! Social media is free and there are a lot of creative apps to help with creating and automate content. Your phone can be your camera, video camera and so much more. Use what you already have until you’re ready to invest into more.
Bonus…
Get an email list going! Mail-chimp is free and it’s an easy way to keep people up-to-date with your brand.
Where can you see yourself within the next 5 years and what plans do you have in place to expand and further develop the growth of CONTOURED VII?
In the next 5 years, I would have completed my MBA and maybe do some college-level teaching on what to expect next with eCommerce. I also see myself with long term clients who are out here doing major things with their brands!
I currently have a business coach who helps me dive deeper into my new ideas for CONTOURED VII and one thing they have been stressing is the need to make a presence on every social media platform. We are developing what that looks entails and how can I make an impact for myself and clients on the platforms. Another thing I want to do is implement a non-profit for women in transitional homes and be a source to develop them into entrepreneurs.
What outlets do use to promote CONTOURED VII?
Currently Instagram and Facebook. I have a few outlets coming soon, including Youtube and a Podcast.
What gives you ultimate career satisfaction?
Having the autonomy to push my creativity without any limits. To travel and explore in order to grow my creativity.
What challenges have you seen to have been presented during the growth of CONTOURED VII?
Understanding if I’m a great fit for a potential client’s needs or if they’re a great fit for me to work with. I don’t have to work with everyone and that the beauty of the challenge.
Which other leading entrepreneurs and pioneering game changers do you also admire and why?
Without a doubt Tatum Temia (Tatum Ayomike), Sarah Jakes Roberts, Bozoma St. John and Ashley Williams.
Tatum and Sarah because they remind me to not lose sight of the vision planted in me. Bozoma because she shows how to stay resilient through all of life’s turns. Ashley because she’s about connecting female entrepreneurs and providing a platform for them to share their expertise to help fellow entrepreneurs through her Business Besties Group on Facebook.
How do you define your own success?
I define success by how many people I am able to help because I started walking in my truth. How many people actually gained something from what I’ve shared with them and now they also walk in their truth. Likes are cool and new followers are always awesome, but are they gaining anything from me?
What does #BEYOUROWN mean to you?
#BEYOUROWN means to always push the grain and stop following the crowd. It’s about understanding your purpose and why you have been selected to hold that purpose. It’s about connecting and pouring wisdom into others to help them become their own.
Finally, what are you working on throughout 2019?
Currently, I am working on a podcast for CONTOURED VII called The Outliner that’ll be both audio and visual, including IGTV and Youtube. I want people to stay encouraged through their entrepreneurial journey and find resources to grow their brand.
Also, I am doing a ‘Get Empowered’ instalment with transitional homes for women. I want to give them hope and show them they already have what it takes to get out of whatever situation they’re in currently if they truly use their resources.
Instagram: @contouredvii
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/contouredvii/
Website: https://www.contouredvii.com
