Maintaining a cohesive brand feel while staying focused on what matters requires planning ahead, keeping your content strategy airtight, and always asking why. Read on for six tips to help you tell impactful stories in a genuine and brand-aligned way!

How do you balance a desire for impact with running a healthy business? We caught up with Golden’s Humble House Cafe founder Melissa Lutz to hear how she thinks about impact, the power of a beginner’s mindset, and why rather than fear competition, she hopes other shops will take inspiration from her mission.

Have you ever sat down to write a story/letter/essay/reflection and feel like you’re meandering through the page? Do you start with one intention and end up somewhere else?

This Valentine’s Day, consider writing a love letter to your favorite hiking trail ⛰️, the almond croissant at your local bakery 🥐, or your mom. ⁠

What does content writing and strategy actually mean? For me, it's a healthy blend of aligning content plans with your goals, writing the actual words that tell your stories, and lots of editing!

As I plan my year, I’m thinking about how I can apply those same lessons to my own business. I’m reinvigorated to set lofty goals, challenge myself creatively, and try new things while also pursuing existing goals. Whether that’s more off-leash hikes with my dog, more published writing about people and places I care about, or more meaningful content work with dream clients, I’m ready for it.⁠

The writing “flow” is not a myth. We’ve just spent years in school conditioned to write perfectly, to spell every word correctly, and to never miss a comma. We’re so tripped up in the mechanics that we forget the main point of writing: To clarify our thoughts by getting them out of our heads and onto the page. ⁠

Joy is not a sign of weakness, nor is it a cop out or necessary tradeoff with winning. To me, joy feels like enjoying the process, and celebrating the little moments by simply noticing them.

“People assume that you’re a mother and that’s the best thing that ever happened to you. No, I’m more than that. It’s important for women not to feel guilty if for them, being a mom is just ok, and they still identify more with their mountain athlete selves.”

They say dealing with infertility is like being part of the kindest, most welcoming club in the world.

“That’s why I sold Mad River,” she interrupted with a snap, before turning back to her reading. “You see, people come here with the story already written.”

When I set out to create my own company, I kept people at the core. I know that writing is often viewed as a solitary, silent practice, but I disagree. I think writing helps us connect with each other. It's the words we use to tell our stories that bring us closer together.

When I signed on to Bumble BFF—Bumble’s friend-dating channel—and set up a profile, I thought long and hard about who I wanted to attract. I’m active, but not a workout junky. I’m low maintenance, but love a good pedicure and glass of wine. And I’m married and love making friends with other couples, but I’m also trying to live my own life.

It turns out the colors that emerge—reds, oranges, and yellows on my favorite Vermont maples and brilliant yellow on the aspens here in Colorado—have been a part of the trees all along. When the sun sits lower in the sky and shows itself for fewer and fewer hours, the trees react.