Meet Nakita M. Pope of Branding Chicks in Buckhead

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nakita M. Pope.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Nakita. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My desire to be creative, express myself through art and solve problems started at a really early age. My parents say that when I was a toddler, I used to take all of my puzzles, dump the pieces all out on the floor, mix them and then try to solve all of them at the same time. That is still what most of my days as a professional look like, but what a crazy baby! I continued to fall in love with visual art (painting, drawing, photography, etc.) up until graduating high school and then had to choose a path. I almost chose Architecture as my major, but right before graduating, I discovered Graphic Design and it was the perfect mix of all the things I loved. I pursued design for both undergrad and grad school, and along the way jumped feet first into the creative waters of the advertising and marketing industries. That was 20+ years ago. Since then, I’ve worked in a variety of creative spaces as a designer, art director, creative director, freelancer, professor, and entrepreneur.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My path has definitely had some ups and downs, but I don’t have to exercise much hindsight to know that all of those twists and turns were necessary. Although it’s really hard, I believe that you are always where you are supposed to be. I’ve been in environments where I felt creatively stifled, overworked and had poor leaders. I’ve also been in environments where my brain was set on fire, I had truly passionate mentors and I was allowed to explore and figure out who I was a creative. The most challenges times I’ve had have come from being an entrepreneur. Having to wear multiple hats and be responsible for everything that makes a business successful or makes it fail is a tremendous amount of pressure even if you feel like it’s your calling and you love every minute of it. I’ve had to make personal sacrifices and sometimes didn’t know how I was going to pay the bills but my vision and the difference I believe Branding Chicks can make in this world keeps me going.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Branding Chicks story. Tell us more about it.
Branding Chicks is a boutique branding studio that partners with clients all over the United States. We specialize in brand strategy, development, consulting and management for women-owned businesses and female-focused brands. We help clients narrow their focus, give their brands a voice, slingshot their confidence, and clarify their message so that it resonates directly with their audiences. She also helps businesses to brand or re-brand to attract and grow customer bases for new products and professional services through custom, creative, relevant brand-promoting strategies.

What I am most proud of is the relationships I’ve built with my clients. My goal is for them to feel heard and understood. I want to collaborate with and teach them so that they feel clear confident about the brand they built, the choices they’ve made and how to make their dreams a reality. Most importantly, we have fun! Whether large or small, I want them to have a personal experience that focused on their humanity and the humanity of their companies. How we do business is what sets us apart.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I would consider myself lucky. The Roman philosopher Seneca said that “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity,” so I prefer that definition. That quote has always stuck with me because I know that there are higher powers working on my behalf. However, I have to make sure that any blessings they want to give me have the right environment to show up in. Every seed I plant, every relationship I foster and every time I give of myself and my talents is what sets the foundation for me to be lucky.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.brandingchicks.com
• Phone: 404.333.8403
• Email: info@brandingchicks.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/realbrandingchicks
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/brandingchicks
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/brandingchicks

Image Credit:
Headshot Photography: Belinda Vickerson Photography (belindavickerson.com)

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