The Challenges of Building a Brand

By Aida Solomon MCM ‘15

In my previous post, I mentioned a passion project that I have been developing over the past year. As the daughter of Ethiopian immigrants, I have had the privilege of growing up in Los Angeles while still being raised in a traditional Ethiopian household. LA County is home to a large Ethiopian population, with even a ‘Little Ethiopia” community nestled in the South Fairfax district.

As I grew up and began my undergraduate career at UC Irvine, I began meeting other young Ethiopian-Americans who were in higher education and successfully pursuing various career paths. However, many peers that I came across were pursuing more traditional studies including biology, medicine, and engineering. This isn’t a surprise, as my generation of Ethiopian-Americans is usually first-generation and our parents are most familiar with math and the sciences.

I, on the other hand, have always held a passion for writing, films, and entertainment. I figured, I couldn’t be the only Gen Y Ethiopian who wanted to pursue a career outside traditional norms. Over a year ago, I began researching other young Ethiopians who are in entertainment and the arts, and surprisingly began to find dozens upon dozens of creatives just like me who were breaking traditional norms. I wanted to create a platform where this emerging community can connect and even collaborate.

Thus, the birth of Habesha LA. “Habesha” is a commonly used nickname that Ethiopians use to refer to other Ethiopians. I knew I had a lot of work on my plate, and although it may be reassuring to do all of the work myself and feel confident in everything getting done in a timely manner, I learned that it is better to use my time efficiently and have the best team possible to achieve my goals. This meant assessing my strengths and weaknesses, and gathering those that can make-up for shortcomings.

I had a solid idea of what I wanted: a website to serve as the main platform to feature creative young Ethiopians and events to take networking from online to real life. I began to assemble a team: a graphic designer to design the official logo, a web designer to create the website, a few writers and artists to feature on the site, an event planner to help plan social events, and finally a strategist to help put together the appropriate marketing plans to create an effective launch.

While coordinating such a launch may sound expensive, there are many young professionals that are looking for opportunities to grow their portfolios at a reduced price, or even for free! It is also essential to stay organized, which means setting deadlines, consistent meetings or phone conferences, and creating a budget.

Of course, doing my homework is important in the science of building a brand. My studies in communication management is a wonderful base for me to learn the steps of building a brand, doing market research, and tailoring ads to reach a specific audience. As there is nothing like Habesha LA, it has the potential to reach a huge audience. Reading books, articles, and attending webinars and workshops to truly understand what it takes to build a successful brand is essential.

At this point, my team and I are all cohesively working together for our official launch next month. Having a schedule outlined and weekly conference calls helps keep everyone on task. It’s exciting and nerve-wracking, but I feel more confident that Habesha LA is going to make its way to becoming the premier hub of creative Ethiopians.