MBDA 2026 Your Brand Identity

MBDA 2026 – Business Training Series

Wednesdays: September 30 & October 7 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

This five-session business training series is designed to introduce prospective and existing small business owners to the core tools needed to build a sustainable business. Sessions may be taken as a full series or individually, depending on your needs.

The series walks participants through the fundamentals of business planning, pricing, marketing, and capital readiness with an emphasis on practical application. Each session builds on the previous one, helping entrepreneurs better understand how the different parts of their business fit together.

Session 3: Your Brand Identity

When most people think about a business's brand, they usually think about that business's logo, slogan, or jingle. This is an outcome of effective branding, and it is not an accident—these companies poured tremendous effort (and resources) into creating these instantly recognizable impressions in your mind. But logos, slogans, jingles, or other pieces of a brand's presentation are not the same thing as the brand itself. The most important pieces of a brand are beneath the surface, and logos only matter to those who understand and trust the story behind them.

This course goes beneath the surface, taking the first steps to turn your brand from a logo into a complete and meaningful experience.

Objectives:

• Distinguish what a brand is from what it isn't, correcting common misconceptions
• Identify the core components of a brand identity (purpose, proposition, personality, and presentation)
• Define brand positioning and describe its four building blocks
• Recognize how strong brand foundations support trust, recognition, and customer loyalty in a small business
• Reflect on your own brand and draft a brand positioning statement

Upcoming sessions in the series include:

• Building a Simple Marketing Plan

• Getting Loan Ready

Participants will gain practical tools and guidance they can immediately apply to their business and use to strengthen or refine a realistic business plan.

As you register for trainings in this series, please note they are offered at no cost through the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). Our funder requires participants to attest that they received services. After completing the training, you will receive a document from WESST requesting your signature. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us continue to provide free training to all entrepreneurs.

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities and language assistance services are available for limited English proficient individuals. Please notify Marcela Mendoza at 505-246-6900 when you register for the class, or no later than 48 hours prior to your class, so that WESST can make sure necessary accommodations are available. All programs and services are provided to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

The Women's Business Center is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.