The Origin Story of Brand Camp

How I discovered I was meant for bigger things

On Nov 12th 2015, I was sitting in my home office fighting to get my client's envelopes to print properly while my family was together in the next room. 

At the time I was still working in my previous business "Laura K Design" creating custom wedding and event invitations and stationery. Fumbling with the printer and feeling seriously DONE with it all, I looked at the clock and realised that exactly 20 years ago (to the minute) I was trapped in my car, from a major accident that changed my life. I was again, feeling very trapped, and in that moment I said, "this is the last f*^king wedding envelope I am ever addressing." 

And it was. I honoured the work I had already booked but didn't take another single invitation client after that. 

I knew I was meant for bigger things and that I wasn't doing what I was meant to do. 

I'm meant to have a massive impact on thousands, if not millions, of lives and I couldn't do that with my current business. 

Doing the Work 

What came next, was a months long deep dive into who I was, and how I could make more of an impact. (The framework for which would become my signature program, Brand Camp.) 

The biggest shift over this time came when the idea was floated about me helping clients with more than design. Like messaging, building the foundation and strategy. I was like no way - that's what 'other people do'. I was 'just' a designer. I didn't have any formal brand strategy training.

I was challenged around this idea and started asking well why couldn't I? 

I was already doing many of these things for other companies but just in an unstructured way.

I needed to create my own formula. 

I started asking myself a series of questions. Who did I really want to serve? What made me different than others in my space?

I'm a great listener, so I had to figure out the right questions to ask, I had to look at what was always missing when I had received design briefs in the past. How could my design background inform this process? I have a knack for distilling things down into few powerful words and my intuition allows me to see when people need to dig deeper. 

I needed to be in the room with other entrepreneurs to learn from their industries - apart from mine. So, I attended a weekend retreat where I came together with other business owners, and this is where I arrived on a name and an idea for this new offering - Brand Camp. 

I had the idea, but I needed an outside perspective. 

I started working with a business coach to frame out the whole program, the structure, the questions, and the outcomes my clients would get.

I also knew that the business name needed to change. I didn't want my name on the business any longer since I planned on creating a team and didn't want it to be all about me. The name Lab Creative came to me in the shower one morning when realised that LAB is my initials! Laura Ann Beauparlant. It felt perfect! I spent the next few months developing the branding for Lab Creative (which I hired someone to help me with because I knew I was too close to it…and also wanted to practice what I preach).

Bringing it all Together 

My first Brand Camp was May 2016 in Toronto with 4 amazing entrepreneurs and my coach for support! I was nervous as I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone and stepping into new shoes...and I was SO ready.

Brand Camp has only gotten better since that first session almost 5 years ago and I absolutely love every minute I spend with my clients in the process – whether it's in a small group or one-on-one. The deep work we do together provides a transformation most have never seen before. Just like I did 5 years ago, my clients step out of their comfort zone and into some big (beautiful) new shoes!

In the early days when I created Brand Camp it was optional and we would just do design for clients. And then I started to see that our design work was SO much better, more meaningful and powerful when our clients went through Brand Camp. So I made it an essential first step in our process. 

You can't skip it!

What became clear for me was the importance of the deep work we do together during Brand Camp.  The clarity and confidence to stand out and feeling aligned with your messaging. It provides an outside perspective that every entrepreneurs needs because we are all just too close to our businesses. 

I become a creative partner and guide in their journey (as my coach was to me.) 

As a result, they show up more powerfully, authentically and with confidence.

Is that how you want to show up in your business?

If you're ready to step up and do this powerful work, we still have a couple of spots available in the next session of Brand Camp. Click here to learn more and see if Brand Camp is right for you!