What if Empathy became your brand's superpower?
Lawyer-turned-entrepreneur Chris-Tia Donaldson's empathy was the beginning of success in the competitive beauty industry
“Empathy is feeling with people.”
Brené Brown
In the early 2000s, Harvard Law School graduate Chris-Tia Donaldson stepped into the professional world and met a frustrating reality: professional women all around her wore straight, sleek hair like a uniform, a look that didn’t come easily to her as a black woman. As she built her career and climbed the corporate ladder, her interest in natural hair care and the beauty industry grew. So in 2006, she launched TGIN, a high-performance hair product line empowering women of color to redefine beauty and celebrate their natural hair.
“Know your audience” is a business cliché because it’s true, and there’s no doubt Donaldson knows the unique needs she shares and feels with her customers. But what if we took the cliché a step further and said, “Empathize with your audience”?
When you’re thinking about what it takes to run a successful business, empathy is often perceived as weakness. But when you intentionally add empathy to your leadership toolkit, you’ll discover it’s a superpower that can change everything.
Debunking the “Empathy is Weakness” Myth
You started your business because you saw problems you have the experience and confidence to solve. Of course, you will need data, analysis, efficiency, and objectivity in your daily business grind, but empathy is equally essential to success. When you lead with empathy, you recognize how your customers see the world and show them how you can improve their lives and solve their problems.
Let’s take a look at TGIN’s mission statement: “Redefining beauty by cultivating a community that empowers women to be the best version of themselves.” This values-centered perspective anchors the company to do more than just sell hair products. Donaldson, the CEO, openly shares her personal story as part of her inspiring leadership brand. From the helpful lifestyle advice on their website to a charitable foundation supporting women in cancer treatment, this company cares for their audience well, so the women who buy their products feel honored and empowered to be themselves.
Empathy builds relationships. Relationships develop brand loyalty. And loyalty means continuing business from the people who matter most to you.
Integrating Empathy into Your Organization
At Giant Shoulders we believe that your brand is a reflection of the soul of your business, your team culture, and your leaders. In order to lead, you have to first understand who you are leading, both in your company and in your customers. We have redesigned our whole methodology around human connection, allowing us to empathize with you and your customers. Here are a few elements for practicing empathy that we have learned along the way and passed on to all our clients:
Refocus on Your Values: We talk a lot about values at Giant Shoulders, because we believe they are the solid core of everything you do. At the beginning of the pandemic, we got our team together to revisit our own company values. It was important for us to do this so we could ensure every decision is intentional and true to us, even when the going gets tough. This is the rooted identity that allows our team to listen well and practice empathy.
Be Open to Different Perspectives: We are a branding agency with design roots, and we believe good design solves problems for others. The only way for us to do so is to understand the problems through the lens of those we serve. For good designers, this means talking to people in the target audience, testing their designs, and exploring ideas. This openness is built on empathy -- the more we exercise it, the more naturally it comes.
Make Space for Collaboration: Collaboration is the ultimate space to practice empathy, because listening to a room full of different perspectives tests our shared values and the practice of “feeling with people.” The greater your empathy, the more you and your team expand your vision of what’s possible, allowing the best ideas to rise from the most unexpected places. As we like to say, “If you want to go far, go together!”
These are all simple ways to start making empathy an essential part of your work. Every team is as unique as the people they serve, and just like anything else, developing empathy takes time and practice. If you need help getting started, we’re here for you! Click here to schedule your free consultation.