In a world of perfectly polished Instagram feeds and carefully crafted corporate messaging, authenticity has become a rare and precious commodity. Consumers are hungry for brands that feel real, relatable, and unapologetically true to themselves. But what does it actually mean to be an authentic brand? And how can entrepreneurs build a genuine brand voice that cuts through the noise and connects on a deeper level?
For Jessica Yarmey, award-winning franchise marketer and CEO of Sizzle Society marketing agency, the answer is simple: "Authenticity is everything." As the former Chief Marketing Officer of Club Pilates and co-founder of kickboxing fitness brand KickHouse, Jessica has spent her career helping brands find and amplify their authentic voices. "You as a brand keeper, you as a marketer, you need to make sure that you're…your authenticity," she cautions. "Because it is good. It's not great."
In other words, there's no substitute for the real, raw, human core of your brand. When you lead with authenticity, magic happens. Here are just a few of the benefits of building an authentic brand voice:
Authenticity breeds trust.
In an era of fake news and deepfakes, consumers are increasingly skeptical of brands that seem too slick or scripted. Authentic brands, on the other hand, build trust by consistently showing up as their true selves. "I'm going to be fun also," Jessica told her team at KickHouse. "I'm going to put myself out there also. I'm going to put reels out there also. I'm going to film ridiculous TikToks, but it's going to make somebody laugh." By embracing your brand's unique quirks and vulnerabilities, you create a sense of transparency and relatability that fosters long-term trust.Authenticity enables differentiation.
In a crowded marketplace, authenticity is a powerful differentiator. When you lean into what makes your brand genuinely different - whether it's your origin story, your values, or your personality - you give customers a clear reason to choose you over your competitors. For Jessica and KickHouse, that meant leading with a boldly feminine energy in the traditionally masculine fitness space. "Walking into a martial arts facility is even more intimidating than walking into a gym," Jessica explains. "So how do we fix that? Okay, let's just show the personality of it. Let's show the fun of it. Let's show the stress relief of it."Authenticity sparks emotional connection.
People don't just buy products or services - they buy into brands that resonate on a deeper level. Authentic brands forge emotional connections by mirroring their customers' values, desires and pain points. "I was once told that I was a copywriter in a past life," Jessica shares. "And so the one thing that I do feel confident in is my ability to put words around brands." By articulating your brand story in a way that feels authentic to your target audience, you create a sense of kinship and belonging that goes beyond transactional relationships.
So how can entrepreneurs uncover and lean into their authentic brand voice? Here are a few tips inspired by Jessica's approach:
Clarify your brand DNA.
Before you can communicate authentically, you need to know exactly who you are as a brand. Jessica recommends starting with your brand's mission, vision, values and personality attributes. "First look at yourself with authenticity and say, what kind of content would I be good at creating?" she advises. Use these core elements as a filter for every branding decision you make.Mine your origin story.
Your brand's backstory is often a rich source of authenticity. Why did you start this business? What challenges have you overcome? How have your experiences shaped your unique perspective? Don't be afraid to get vulnerable and share the unpolished parts of your journey. "I'm very clear with my franchise owners where I need their input and where I want to collaborate with them," says Jessica. "And then I'm also very clear with we have reached an end point. This is what it is going forward."Speak like a human.
Authentic brands don't hide behind jargon or corporate speak. They communicate like real people having real conversations. Read your brand copy out loud - does it sound like something you would actually say to a friend or neighbor? If not, it's time to simplify and humanize your language. "I'm a desk life person, so my shoulders are all desk-rounded, my hips are desk-rounded, so none of it fits my physical body shape," Jessica admits candidly. "But the way that you create your culture can either really enable creativity and can really enable content, or you as a leader can really create a culture that shuts down content."Embrace imperfection.
Authenticity is not about being perfect - it's about being real. Give yourself and your team permission to experiment, make mistakes, and show your rough edges. "I post constantly," says Jessica. "I have three different things that are connected to my lack of fear around posting constantly. I have a 13-year-old who constantly tells me I'm cringy. I've worked with franchise owners for the last 20 years. I have been told my stuff sucks. I'm kind of past the point of caring that my stuff sucks."Amplify your authentic advocates.
Some of the most powerful authentic content comes straight from your customers, employees and fans. Make a habit of listening to and elevating the voices of people who genuinely love your brand. "I had a member who was huge on Twitter," Jessica recalls from her KickHouse days. "She just loved it. She was on it all the time. So I was like, hey, I'm going to pay you $100 a month to run the KickHouse Twitter. And she did. And she loved it."
At the end of the day, authenticity is about having the courage to show up as your true brand self, warts and all. It's about communicating from a place of honesty, vulnerability and shared values. And it's about building a brand voice that doesn't just grab attention - it grabs hearts.
As Jessica puts it: "I want to show, here's how you can be an effective [leader] in business. Here's how you can have an egoless approach to franchising that helps you grow faster than you thought you could because you collaborate with your franchise owners. All of those things are things that I have gotten to because I felt more and more and more comfortable putting myself out there and just being true to who I am and what I believe in."
In a world that's hungry for realness, authentic brands have never been more essential - or more powerful. So forget about chasing fleeting trends or projecting a picture-perfect image. Lead with authenticity, and watch your brand resonate on a whole new level.
Check out the entire Behind the Franchise podcast with Jessica here: https://www.behindthefranchise.com/podcast/episode-1-jessica-yarmey.
