Don't Sell. Seduce. - Your brand is a movie. Make it a world they never want to leave - Tetz Agustin

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00:00 Hi and welcome to Don't sell seduce your brand is a movie, so make it the world they never want to leave. And I'm Ted's the CEO of Obsidian guidance around here, we don't believe in softening edges or shrinking to fit someone else's version of what's right. We take the dark, messy, powerful parts of who you are and turn them into fuel for a life and business that makes you wake up thinking, damn, this is mine. And today I want to talk to you about something that's changing the game and business and you know why it might just change the way that you show up forever. And this is something that I've been seeing more brand and design specialists start implementing. 

00:45 So let's be real for a second. I mean, well, let's be real always so. 

00:52 You can have the strategy, the polished feed, the perfect elevator pitch and I help statement and, you know, still feel like you're invisible, like you're doing everything quote unquote, right and yet, you know, it's just, it's not landed and it's frustrating, it's draining, and it's, it makes you question if you're even, you know, meant for this or whatever the heck you're missing. But here's the truth that most people won't say out loud. You're not just here to build a business you are here to build a world because the brands people remember aren't the most polished or the most consistent. 

01:35 They're the ones that feel like something you know, A world that you can step into, explore, and never want to leave. And if your brand doesn't feel like a world, you're forgettable. And you're not here to be forgettable. So let me ask you something. What does your world look like? What does it sound like? What does it feel like to step into it? Because if you don't know yet, then that's exactly where we start. We are in the main character era, but most people are still treating their personal brands like a resume. You know, flat, polished, predictable, something that you know chat GPP made-up for you but actually works now bricks now is emotion. 

02:28 It's obsession, it's seduction, but you know, not in the romantic sense. Of course I could all use a little bit of romance into our personal brands, but I'm also talking about pulling people in so powerfully that they don't just follow you, they belong in your world. So look at, I don't know if you're a fan of this and this, this may be showing my age, but look at Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So it started as a cult TV show, right? Over time, it became more than just show. It became an entire universe with its own language, its own rules it's like it's, it has its own mythology. 

03:14 Fans didn't just watch, you know, it's not just this Buffy fighting vampires. The the Buffy fans, they lived in Sunnydale with her. They cared about the relationships between, you know, the Scooby Squad. They, you know, with, with Buffy and Willow and Xander and Cordelia and you know, all the rest. The themes of the show, you know, empowerment, personal struggles, loyalty, you know, it resonated so deeply that they sparked a fan base that still obsessed today. You know, decades after, years after the world of the Buffy felt so real that it continues to have influence even to today. And then, you know, there's this Gossip Girl. 

04:05 And sure, it was a drama about her village teens in New York, but what made it irresistible was the world building. It was more than just about drama and scandals it was about a lifestyle, an aesthetic and, you know, a set of characters that everyone wanted to be a part of the show. Even the books, you know, it wasn't about the individual stories of Blair or Serena Chuck Pass you know, it was, we'll ignore that it was about the atmosphere they created, the luxury, the tension, the mystery. It was the world of Gossip Girl was a world where people couldn't look away from, you know, And years after the show ended, you have a spinoff that's not obviously as good as the original 1, but these people will still be watching the original one, right it has it has this enduring legacy. 

05:06 But here's the thing, Buffy and Gossip Girl, they're they're not giant franchises in the same vain as Marvel or Star Wars or Star Trek. They each have a devoted following because they built worlds people wanted to live in, even if it's just for an hour to every every week. And and that's what's so powerful. These shows prove that it's not about being the biggest brand it's about creating a world where people want to keep coming back, and they do, you know, years after people still rewatch the series over and over again. I do personally, as a fan of both, you know, anyway, it's this isn't something that, you know, I didn't land on this idea by accident. 

05:56 You know, before I ever started my own business, I worked as a local film producer and before that I was producing and managing music videos back when it was the thing. So it's it's I've always been drawn to stories that move, stories that captivate, you know, stories that make you feel something. And long before all of that, I've, you know, I've always been a reader. I, I grew up in a home that didn't always feel safe and books became my escape hatch it was something, it was something that gave me it gave me the opportunity to disappear into other worlds, worlds where the heroine was powerful, where there were monsters and magic, but most importantly, there was meaning. 

06:40 There's meaning in every story. You know, whether it's a, it's a classic or it's something that's considered, you know, pop fiction or whatever, I've carried all of those things with me all my life i'm still the readers in the books, the grammar, still obsessed with stories. I'm still obsessed with TV and movies and all of that so when I started building Obsidian Guidance, I didn't want to just sell offers i wanted to build the universe. I wanted to build a universe where women could meet their inner villain, where the traits, the aspects of themselves that they were told to hide, you know, being too loud, being too intense, being too sensitive, being too emotional, being too much, you know, became the very things that make them iconic. 

07:28 You know, where they a world where they stop trying to fix themselves and instead learn how to wield who they are. And that's how we knew brand building is it just about showing up consistently it's not just about pretty colors and aesthetics and being polished and professional it's about showing up cinematically like the main character in your epic damn story. So let's let's make this a little bit more real by diving into three brands that do world building florida State. 

08:00 Because what they've done isn't just marketing or strategy, it's the creation of entire universes people can't look away from. So let's start with Taylor Swift yes, biggest, you know, 

08:17 Brand, I would say an artist, you know, she's she's this era creator, right you don't think of the word era without thinking of Taylor Swift because she doesn't just release albums she releases eras. You know, each album is is about this distinct period in her life, a chapter for a journey, a transformation so, for example, you have reputation with it's bold Reds and dramatic visuals, but it's and and exploring themes, fame, control, and, you know, people's public people's perception of her, like how the public perceived her. 

08:54 It also has a darker, more rebellious sound, almost like a villain persona that she embraced as she navigated her own struggles with the media and how the public judged her right. And then you have folklore, which is, you know, a complete departure it's so different from it as it delves into, you know, nostalgia and mythology and, you know, somehow blurring the lines between, like, what's fantasy and what's real. And it also had that more indie folk sound that taps into introspection and storytelling, this time exploring how complex her identity is from an entirely different perspective it's almost as if she's exploring different parts of herself, her different archetypes, while staying true to her brand as a multifaceted, deeply complex artist so this ability that she has to create very distinct brand identities for each era makes your brand feel alive and ever evolving and if you explore the vibe, the imagery, the design, the typography, they all support the themes of each era and yet, you know, they still somehow, you know, magically still tie together and still feel like this one single woman, which is Taylor Swift. 

10:15 So as a listener, you invest in her experiences and intern her music as well as the woman herself. Let's take a look now at Sarah J Maas i hope if you're a big bookish read, you know, person if you're a reader, you have, you know, you can't not know who she is. And she is the multiverse creator she isn't just an author she is a world builder. So Sarah SGM, as we call her as far, has sparked an entire movement with her books not because they're the best written in the fantasy genre, but because once you've read 1, you're pulled into her world. 

10:56 And it's not just, it's not just the main characters like what most fantasy, you know, novels would have you it's this entire universe that you become part of. She creates characters that aren't completely, they're not completely new, I would say in the fantasy world, as someone who's read a lot and has been reading fantasy her entire life, but she makes them so immersive that you invest in them emotionally and feel like you know them on a personal level. So for example, in her avatar and the most I would say the most her most famous series, not my personal favorite of her, series but for example, in in the avatar series, right, you have the bad boys of the night court may not be the first man with bad wings ever created in fantasy, but when you say bad boys, you think Avatar they've become so iconic in their own right. 

11:49 Similarly, in Throne of Glass, my personal favorite characters like Manon and the 13, the Witches, they're not just secondary characters they have their own arcs, their own stories and emotional depth. So fans are not are drawn to them not just for their strength, but for the way they challenge their own worlds and grow through the series. So you become so invested even in the seemingly secondary or tertiary characters that you're left devastated when you read about their faith. So Sarah's books have broken new literary ground by combining epic world building, character driven stories, and emotional stakes that keep readers coming back for more. Her worlds feel so alive and immersive that they've inspired merchandise, fan art, and communities that feel so deeply connected to her universes. 

12:46 See, her world's transcend the pages sarah Jamas has created something that is just about reading a book it's about living in a world that feels real, and that's what makes her personal brand so successful. Lastly, let's look at Sofia Amoruso, the girl boss who reimagined herself so she didn't just start the business. She redefined the narrative around women in business, at least in her time, right? So you've probably heard of the girl boss movement which she started. But you know, I mean, I'm sure a lot of you, including myself or you know, a little bit personally over the term now, but it's undeniable that she laid that foundation, you know, and her brand grew from her own life story so from the struggles that she had and she experienced to self-made success, her life experiences shaped her brand in a way that made her more than just a founder she became a symbol of rebellious ambition. 

13:49 When you read her book on hashtag Girl Boss, it was just, it was more than just a memoir. It was a Declaration of Independence. So even when you look at the visual identity of Nasty Gal, you know it's bold, it's daring, it's a little bit rebellious. It all you know, it mirror the strength and run is of her own, of Sophia's own personality. So even her personal brand, it's something that's unapologetically raw, it's real and it she wasn't afraid to show her flaws, which made her brand authentic, grounded and relatable. 

14:29 So her own archetypes shine through in every aspect of her branding, from the disruptor to the entrepreneurial risk taker to the mentor. The brand stood for her journey and she used it to shape the girl boss ethos and eventually the reframe the conversation around women owning their businesses and their success. Her visual branding, you know, this high fashion sort of mixed with grunge. What's a direct extension of her complex and multifaceted personal brand? Sophia's world didn't just come from business it came from her life story, from her personal struggles, and from embracing her own inner archetypes. 

15:15 And that's what made her brand irresistible. So the question is, what does your brand feel like to the people who enter it is it flat or is it a world that they can't escape? Now here's where it gets real. This is how you build your personal brand. You're not just selling a service or a product or an offer. You're creating a world people want to belong to. So one way that you can do that is what I call my Siren framework. 

15:46 So step one is to set the atmosphere. What is the genre of your brand? So this is where you get specific about the vibe and feeling, but also about what's the narrative. What's the best narrative genre that you know that fits your world? This is where you get to define the type of story people are stepping into when they enter your brand's world. For example, for Obsidian Guidance, my brand falls within the contemporary gothic romance slash dark fantasy genre. So you think think of an intense, empowering fantasy world where the villain is the main character. 

16:26 It's a world of mystery, of chaos and an apologetic strength. You know, the mood is dark it's seductive, It's mysterious yeah. It's also uplifting because it's about embracing everything that others try to silence, You know, the shadow side, the parts of ourselves that others try to ignore so in this world, in my world, transformation is magical and cinematic. Another example is Nasty Gal, you know, or Sofia Amrusos brand it feels like this rebellious coming of age story it's the genre of self-made empowerment. So think of a bad ass protagonist who's up against the odds, breaking barriers, reinventing the narrative. 

17:13 So her story is one of hustle, of growth and empowerment. So it's about being authentically raw and refusing to conform. Just like a gritty, rebellious young adult fiction story where the protagonist learns to fight for their voice and success. Step 2. Inspire iconic characters. So your brand isn't just about what you sell, it's about who you are in the narrative are you the mentor are you the disruptor are you the visionary? And more importantly, if your ideal clients were to enter your world, what kind of main character would you be? Your audience needs to identify with a version of themselves that lives within your world. 

17:55 It's not just about the word, it's also about the people in it or the characters in it. So again, I'm going to start off with my brand with Obsidian Guidance i work on embodying both the Luxor, the luxury Tavern keeper, you know, this mysterious, powerful guide and the disruptive, chaotic villainous. So my audience sees themselves, the main characters who enter my world, and they're empowered to own their flaws and their strengths they want to become their own villains or embrace their inner villain rather this powerful and apologetic and fearless, you know, part of themselves, you know, as they embrace more of who they are, that their example that we can go into when it comes to inspiring iconic characters is is Chappelle grown, who's an artist who embodies multiple bold personas so she's the visionary you know, she's this visionary character who blends intensity with vulnerability, the glamorous boundary pushing performer who's not afraid to defy industry norms. 

19:05 Her unique industry style and fearless performances make her a mysterious, powerful character in the world of pop music and her fans, you know, feel a deep connection to her authenticity and self-expression Chappelle Ruin's world is 1, where her fans can identify with her boldness, her refusal to conform, but also this powerful energy that she embodies in every performance so her main character energy inspires, inspires her audience to also embrace their own individuality. 

19:38 Step three, we go to R, which is rewrite the narrative you have setting the atmosphere and then you have inspiring iconic characters and now you have rewriting the narrative where you're we talk about, you know, this step is all about how your brand also needs a story arc. It tells us needs a story, something to follow, something to get lost in you know, what is the transformation that your audience will experience as they join your world so for me, it's all about going from. 

20:14 Hidden shame to unapologetic self love and empowerment so your narrative has to reflect personal growth that's authentic to who you are deeper into that. If we look at, you know, like Obsidian guidance, it's it's narrative arc it's about falling madly in love with yourself even with all your flaws it's about embracing the parts of yourself that others hate and using that to drive a life and business that makes you wake up each day thinking, damn, this is mine. So it becomes this cinematic experience of transformation, of owning your your shadow side right and creating powerful impact despite how different or misunderstood you might feel. 

20:56 Sofia Amorusso's narrative is one of self-made empowerment. Her journey goes from being a broke, rebellious outsider to running a multi million dollar brand. So her arc, her story arc is about defying societal expectations and learning that success comes from embracing your truth and owning your flaws so it's a narrative really about finding your way through struggle, building your empire and reinventing the rules of business. Step four, we go to email, siren which is engage a cult following. We go for a good cult, right, and not the bad, you know, scary cult. And we talk about cult followings. It's not about having the biggest audience, it's about creating a community that's obsessed with your world, to build a tribe that feels connected to your story and the world that you're creating. 

21:56 It's about loyalty and cultivating that obsession so people don't just follow you, they belong in your world. So an example is how Sarah J Maas has created a cult following that isn't just about reading her books, it's about living in her worlds you have fans collecting merch, creating merch, creating fan art, creating everything, theories and and conspiracy theories, never ending conversations, building book clubs and communities and you know, podcasts and everything. 

22:40 Because of the deep emotional connections they have with the characters and the universes that she's built. Her followers are obsessed with the lore, the magic, the characters, whether you know it's the bad boys, the cadre, or the authors of Crescent City. Another thing you can look at is Game of Thrones. I'm personally also a fan of it, but you know, it's a story that's so immersive that it became more than just a show or a book, in which case, you know, whichever one you're a fan of, or both. So the Game of Thrones fan base, in this case, we'll talk about the show. It's, it's, it's not just about watching the series, right? It's about living in Westeros, connecting deeply with its characters, its conflicts, its visual identity. 

23:40 And you see that, you know, from from how Starks cold, wintry aesthetic to House Lannisters opulent golden tones, you know, the distinct visuals, the themes of power, betrayal, survival, you know, they draw you into the world of Westeros and make you feel like you belong. So fans don't just watch, they engage they're very much invested in this in the Game of Thrones. They immerse, they become part of the saga. So the world building is so strong that fans warehouse sigils proudly you know, they debate the fate of the Iron Throne and they, you know, again, there's we have fan art, we have memes, we have merch all based on, you know, favorite characters and moments. 

24:28 So the Game of Thrones is a cultural phenomenon because it's not just entertainment, it is a world people are obsessed with to this day. The last step, Step 5 is N, which is narrative driven strategy. So this step is about putting your story into action. So it's about shaping your strategy around the narrative that you've created. So your content, your offers, your marketing should always align with the story that you're telling. What does that look like? So narrative driven strategy means that every aspect of your brand, from the way that you write your emails to the way that you design your website, reflects the story you want to tell. 

25:12 It's about creating experiences that pull people in and keep them engaged. So this strategy should be cohesive. It should be emotionally driven it's always on brand with your world building. It's how you make your story feel real to your audience and create a lasting impact. 

25:33 But I feel like, you know something, whenever we're, when we think about world building or creating worlds, it almost comes with this immense pressure. 

25:47 Of having numbers of having the this huge audience but really, you don't need the huge audience to build a powerful world, right? When I rebranded Obsidian Guidance last year, April of 2024 I ran a poll asking my audience to choose what they wanted for my brand so it I launched it almost like I was inviting them to the opening of this luxury Tavern, you know, which was my visual representation of the Obsidian Guidance world. I literally, I got people messaging me in my DM's asking me if I was actually opening this physical thing. 

26:33 I sent them, you know, visual invitations through posts and stories i asked them to choose, you know, what would be, which interior would, you know, work would look best for me for this particular Tavern, you know, for Obsidian guidance, what would be the dress code, you know, choose between like this dress code and this dress code, like this image and this image, You know, what would, what's, what's the vibe like is it, you know, would you be, would it have this particular door or this particular door? So the visuals were very much on brand and they all that really picked what felt like my world without having to explain to them what you know in great detail, what it was. 

27:23 My audience knew my vibe, they felt my vibe. And so they picked things, visual little things that was that were all in brand. And that's the power of building a brand that feels like a world it's not just about slapping some aesthetics on your business and looking pretty it's about building an experience that feels alive, like something your audience can step into. It's about immersing them in the experience and making them feel like they belong in your universe. Even this they made this custom AIGPTGP which is called the phantom Mentor and you know, it's that's become a part of that world, giving ruthless advice, strategic plans, and occasionally a little whiplash. 

28:12 It's unmistakably me and my clients resonate with it because it's part of the world I've built. You know, I had a couple clients test it out and you know, all of them consistently said this is some this sounds like something like that you would say this is advice that you often tell me. You know, I almost feel like I'm talking to you, you know it. And that's the thing it's it just fits. It just clicks. Now here's the thing. It's called you don't need to blend in. So stop trying to follow formulas or be like everyone else you know you. You need to make your audience feel something. You need to build the world that pulls them in and makes them want to be a part of it. 

29:02 So every post, every email every, launch needs to reinforce the role your audience gets to play in your universe. And it isn't about becoming someone new it's about becoming the version of you that everybody else tried to silence. And how? Because you're not keeping silent about those things, because you are madly, irrevocably in love with that those parts of yourself you can't stop watching. So how do you, how do you get started with all of these things? Yes here's your three steps. 

29:42 To get started. First ask yourself, I mean, you can go through the whole Siren framework that I just shared with you and go do that, but sometimes I feel like that gets a little bit overwhelming to go through an entire framework framework by yourself. So maybe a first step would be first few steps would be first asking yourself, you know, if your brand were a movie or a book, what genre would it be? You know, is it dark fantasy is it the gothic romance is it a is it a rebellion is it a dystopian fiction right. So next, start collecting imagery that reflects your genre you know, visuals, textures, symbols. Create your visual vault today this is going to become this guide almost will become the entire vibe of your brand and help you stay consistent. 

30:38 Lastly, take time to explore your archetypes, your personal archetypes, whether you do that through human design, astrology, human archetypes, or my own personal villain archetype system. The more that you understand your own core energy and your own core motivations, the stronger the connection becomes between you as the CEO and the brand that you're building. So understanding your personal archetypes, it helps you align your business with your natural strengths and authentic decisions, making your brand feel both genuine and powerful. And when you do this, you really won't need to chase attention because everybody else, they'll already be obsessed. And when you wake up and you look at everything that you've built, you'll think, damn, this is mine.