To Lead you Must Follow

To teach, guide, provide direction, and lead, you must be following and learning yourself (Luke 6:40). This has never been more evident for me personally than right now. I’m in a season of life where I have been blessed with many opportunities to serve people, build Godly things, and help lead others in their own journey. I touched on this a bit in my previous writing, “Reinstated – Just the Beginning”. It’s a privilege and an honor to build Godspeed, lead a men’s grow group, lead a run club, serve in my church, build out new processes at my job, grow my relationship, and be in my first year of Bible College, but it all comes with great responsibility. Responsibility and leadership are a blessing, but they require us to be led even more (1 Corinthians 11:1).

I can’t do right by any of these things if I pretend to know it all. Now, more than ever, there is an urgency and conviction to be a great student. I’m not jumping to make decisions or tell people what they should be doing. I’m watching those farther along than me more closely than ever, I’m seeking God through the Word, prayer, church, and His creation daily, I’m asking questions, and I’m not as quick to speak as I once was. To be able to lead the things and people I’m responsible for well, I need to be led 10x more (Proverbs 3:5–6).

Things fall apart when we think we have them figured out, because we fail to acknowledge God was the only thing holding them together. Stepping into leadership looks more like becoming a great student than becoming a know-it-all (Matthew 20:26–28). I definitely don’t want to be led by anyone who isn’t following someone else, and especially if they aren’t following Jesus.

This forces us to ask ourselves important questions. Who is my leader’s leader? What are the things in my life I may not think hold leadership but I follow them? Do the things I’m pursuing require me to be a leader? What does leadership actually look like? Are you in a position of leadership to gain platform and status, or simply because you’ve become someone God can use to serve others?

The greatest leader the world will ever know—Jesus—lived and led purely out of obedience to His Father in Heaven.Creative Development and Design

With a defined strategy in place, we move into the creative development and design phase, where the brand’s visual identity takes shape. This includes the creation of the logo, color palette, typography, and any other design elements that represent the brand visually. But this isn’t just about making things look “nice”—it’s about ensuring that every element is purposeful, cohesive, and aligned with the brand’s essence.

For instance, a modern, minimalistic logo might reflect a forward-thinking tech company, while a classic, serif font might evoke tradition and trustworthiness. Color psychology also plays a role; each color conveys a particular mood or feeling, and we choose colors that align with the brand’s emotional objectives. Throughout this phase, we work collaboratively with our clients, presenting design concepts, gathering feedback, and iterating on ideas until we have a visual identity that perfectly encapsulates the brand.

GODSPEED…