The Year of the Snake: Shedding the Old, Stepping into the Unknown 🐍

Owning your own narrative has never been more critical in 2025

Last week, someone described this moment in time in a way that stuck with me: we’re going through an operating system reboot, fumbling around as we figure out the new interface. That metaphor resonates deeply, especially as I find myself in the midst of my own transformation. As I shared in last week’s essay, I’m still discovering what I want to work on next. 2025 feels poised to be a year of immense change—on both a personal and collective level.

Today also marks the start of the Lunar New Year, the year of the Wood Snake. Snakes symbolize growth, transformation, and the shedding of old skin. What better time to launch my brand refresh and share the thinking behind it as we step into this transformative year together?

Why a Brand Refresh?

I started contemplating this refresh last fall, inspired by a niche approach called astrobranding. Astrobranding uses your astrological chart to align your brand’s aesthetic with your authentic self. I worked with Becky Luna of Life on a Jupiter Line (who also does astrocartography) to create a brand that feels aligned with my goals and personality. She prepared a presentation with a custom color palette, fonts, and images that reflected the energy I wanted to convey.

Her description of what I’m trying to build resonated deeply:

Show us how powerful we can be when we unapologetically know our worth and stand firm in our desires to create a legacy that stands the test of time.

Here are the key vibes she identified:

• Legacy

• Powerful CEO energy

• Ambitious, timeless, and respected

• Exclusive and classic

• Feminine and beautiful

• Grounded luxury

• Aspirational, stable, and unbothered

Here is the brand board she did:

From there, I refined the work further. I purchased a prompt I found on Instagram (regrettably, I can’t find where I got it) that helped me create a vision and growth strategy guide based on the attributes I provided. I used its outputs to shape my voice, refine my goals, and brainstorm strategies. Then, I bought a Canva brand guide template from Ampersand Studios, which helped me articulate my mission, vision, values, and content pillars. ChatGPT served as a thought partner in refining the copy, even helping me choose a color palette.

To complete the refresh, I wanted updated visuals. I booked branding photo shoots with Kate Andreya and have an upcoming shoot in Paris to capture a global, aspirational vibe. These new images will feature prominently in my refreshed Substack and social media accounts.

I put everything together, and this is the brand board I created. If you are interested, you can see my entire brand guide here.

The Cost Breakdown

I know many of you might wonder what a refresh like this costs. Here’s the breakdown:

• Astrobranding with Becky Luna: $555 (includes colors, fonts, and images)

• Branding photo shoots: $800 (two sessions)

• Canva template: $67

• ChatGPT growth strategy prompt: $15

• Stock photo subscriptions: $50+ for sites like The Vault Stock, Editorial Stock Images and Unsplash

I spent about $1,500 in total. However, for those on a budget, it’s possible to do this for less by leveraging free tools or handling more of the design yourself. This was a worthwhile investment to ensure my brand aligns with my vision for 2025 and beyond.

Why This Matters

While I’m still determining exactly what my work will look like this year, one prediction I feel confident making is that the way we build careers is evolving. AI advancements, layoffs, and shifting priorities will drive more people toward portfolio careers. Our professional identities will no longer be defined solely by the companies we work for but by the brands we build for ourselves.

On Monday, someone asked me how I’ve navigated a career without the traditional ladder of moving from one company to a bigger one. As many of you know, my path has been unconventional. All but one of the jobs I’ve had never existed before I had it. I pitched roles to solve problems I was uniquely positioned to address. I think of my career as a collection of experiences that build toward a unique value I can offer the world.

This brand refresh represents the next chapter of my career. It’s not a complete transformation but a thoughtful pivot. I invite you all to join me at my proverbial table, where we can share insights, discuss how we’re adapting to change, and create something meaningful together.

What’s Next?

Here’s a glimpse into what’s coming:

• New Content: You’ll immediately notice updates to my Substack and social media design. I’m thinking about redirecting my AnchorChange.com website to my Substack and finding a new home for my election cycle calendar, but I need some more time to figure that out.

• Advice and How-To Sections: I plan to add practical, actionable advice to my newsletter on everything from how I’m using AI to how to continue building my business. I’m also considering offering some webinars on using AI.

• Video Content: I’ll create more video content, starting with my two-week trip to France next week to finish my book.

• Podcast Improvements: I’m working with a producer to take the Impossible Tradeoffs podcast to the next level.

If you’re considering a brand refresh for yourself, even if it’s just for personal grounding, I highly recommend it. Defining my values, mission, and voice has been transformative. It’s helped me clarify how I want to show up in this world, both professionally and personally.

Taking the time to map out your voice and values is a worthwhile exercise—one that can serve as a steady guide through the chaos of 2025 as we all learn this new interface together.

Let’s shed the old skin and step into the unknown together. I’d love to hear your thoughts or ideas for embracing this transformative year. Please drop me a line or leave a comment.