If you know me you know I am a huge fan of style coach Megan LaRussa Chenoweth. She’s my brand and business role model and the prototype of how women can transition from lady blogger to boss lady.

Megan started a fashion blog years ago when she was going to school and working in New York. The purpose was just to share her adventures in style and what she was learning about the latest trends with her friends and family back home in Birmingham, Alabama. But soon people started asking her to help them with their wardrobes. Then she started styling for magazine photo shoots and fashion shows. Her blog turned into a booming business that for years has been known as Southern Femme.

Last week Megan revealed that she and her team were rebranding. Her website, social media channels and business name are now Megan LaRussa and with the new name comes a new focus: Megan has decided to only focus on style coaching and she will no longer be styling for magazines or fashion shows.

 

In true Megan fashion, she and her team unveiled the new brand with a fabulous soiree held at The Nest in Birmingham. I was honored to attend and after the party I had a chat with Megan about her decision to rebrand in hopes that she could offer advice to any other lady bloggers and boss ladies out there who may think it’s time for a change.

How did you decide that it was time for rebranding and what advice would you give to someone trying to decide if she should rebrand?

I’ve been feeling the need to rebrand for quite some time.  It wasn’t that I didn’t like my previous branding, company name, logo, or site, it was more so that my company was changing directions and I needed a new brand that reflected those changes.  For over a year and a half now I have been wanting to focus my energy solely on my style coaching clients, but I was afraid to leave my other work behind.  I have been doing wardrobe styling and fashion show production since I moved back to Birmingham from New York City and I almost felt paralyzed at the thought of turning down these kinds of jobs.  I just kept saying yes.  It wasn’t that they weren’t great jobs or I didn’t enjoy the work or the people I had the pleasure of working with, it was more the fact that style coaching was and is my true passion.  It was with the help of my business coach, and the support of my fabulous style coaching clients and team that I finally decided to move forward.  The rebrand has “sealed the deal” so to speak, allowing my company to help me move forward in the direction I desire.

For anyone trying to decide if they should rebrand, I encourage them to really think about what their current branding is projecting.  Is it projecting the right “image”? Is it showcasing your skill set in a unique light?  Is it speaking to your target market?  But even more importantly, think about what aspects of your business really bring you joy and fulfillment.  Is your brand allowing you to focus on those areas you are passionate about? If not, it’s time to rebrand!

Logistically speaking, how did you go about rebranding your website and social media?

It has been a six-month process, and it’s not done yet!  It all began with the initiative to turn my dream of rebranding into a reality.  I had to get the ball rolling by finding a branding firm that understood my unique services, and the direction I wanted to take my company in.  I luckily was able to call on my friend Laura Kate Whitney and her team.  They helped me turn my thoughts on what I wanted my new brand to look like into a few rounds of drafts and, finally, into a new logo, color palette, business cards, and most recently website.  It did not happen overnight; this process took a few months.  During this time, I worked on other aspects of my rebrand.  I hired a professional photographer to spend two days with me capturing the work I love doing.  These became the images I am now using on my site, social media sites, etcetera.

Once the logo was complete I focused on how to use it outside of my website and social media channels.  My team and I then created business cards, brochures (they look like clutches!), stationary, stickers, and more.  We also hired a talented web developer using the site, upwork.com, to turn our graphic designer’s work into a fresh, new website.  That took a close to a month to implement properly.  Many, many edits had to be made as my team and I are perfectionists.  As the final tweaks were being made, I began changing all of my social media channels over to my new company name, Megan LaRussa.  Finally, it was time to celebrate!  After much planning and team work, we hosted a stylish soiree for our clients and colleagues announcing our rebrand!  Once we shared the exciting news with those we work with most, it was time to announce to our social networks.  This is when we changed images, logos, and made the big announcement.  But it doesn’t stop there. We will be working all summer and into fall to showcase our new brand, our expanded services and all in all our passion for bringing style and confidence to women.

 

How did you decide to have the brand relaunch soirée and how do you feel it helped your brand?

In the 6 years I have been back in Birmingham, I have never hosted a soiree celebrating my clients or my company.  It finally felt like the right time.  I adore my clients and it seemed only right to show them how much they mean to me through a stylish evening out.  Many of my clients told me after our night of rosé, desserts, and great conversation at The Nest that it was just what they needed.  They needed an evening out away from work, kids, and other responsibilities.

I feel the gathering helped my brand in that it connected my VIP clients to a larger style community, making them feel like they are a part of something bigger.  It also allowed me to meet my Style Yourself Chic virtual clients face to face, again creating beautiful connections.  Lastly, it helped me spread the word about my rebrand to those I work with the most.  It allowed my team and I the opportunity to explain the rebrand to them first.  I also loved gifting my attendees with a “my stylish tee” party favor to allow them to spread the word visually of our rebrand, and to show them how special they are to me.

Were you nervous at all about rebranding? 

Absolutely!  Anytime you change something that is important to you it is scary.  It made it especially nerve-wreaking since my business was doing great and growing rapidly as is, but I knew it was time for a change.  I had been dragging my feet for too long, and I was finally ready to take that next step towards fulfilling my dream of just being a style coach.  It is also scary for anyone that owns their own business to invest heavily in their company like you have to during a rebrand.  But take your time, do it right, hire the right people, and it will be well worth the investment.  I have an amazing mentor that told me that a rebrand doesn’t come along very often and thus it is worth doing it right.  If you listen to your instincts, have great mentors, and follow your dreams, then investing in yourself, your company, and ultimately your clients is well worth it!

Fun fact: Megan LaRussa Chenoweth was the afternoon keynote speaker at last year’s See Jane Write Bloganista Mini-Con. Megan’s talk is what inspired me to make the transition from lady blogger to boss lady and start making the moves that lead to me being recognized by the Birmingham Business Journal as one of the city’s Top 40 Under 40. Perhaps this year’s Bloganista Mini-Con could be just what you need to take your blog to the next level. If you’re in the Birmingham area and would like to attend visit SeeJaneWriteBham.com/Bloganista for details.