What to Do If You Hate Your Brand Four steps to building your brand into something that's more true to you.

Loyal customers? Check. A trustworthy team? Check. Solid profit? Check. But something's nagging at your gut. While everything looks right, it doesn't feel right. This isn't what you set out to build. You hate it. Or maybe you're just bored. Something needs to change--and fast. You need to upend your brand.

It's a scary idea--shaking up this thing that looks right and, at its essence, works pretty damn well. But instead of continuing to sit around with a burlap-skivvies level of comfy, you need to move some pieces around, toss others and build something that's true to you.

Step 1: Assemble your front stabbers.
When prepping to upend your brand, you need a trusted set of advisors: I call them "front stabbers." We all know people who are happy to give their opinions once your back is turned. But front stabbers--experts, partners, customers or friends--are brave enough to offer the straight-to-your-face, no-BS insights you need to set your brand right. They'll help you figure out a new direction and goals for yourself, as well as what existing and (fingers crossed) new customers will want from you.