You know that feeling when you meet someone and immediately think, Oh, you definitely have bodies in your basement? Yeah. That was me last weekend.
Let me set the scene: My boyfriend Adam and I went on a snowboarding trip with his friend Kevin, plus Kevin’s friend—who we will now refer to as Unhinged Man.
First impression? Immediate danger.
The second I met him, my gut screamed, this man is not safe. Dramatic? Maybe. But I literally texted Adam do not to leave me alone with him under any circumstances.
He felt off—like an alien still figuring out how to operate his human skin suit.
But we brushed it off. Laughed about it. Maybe he was just socially awkward?
Fast forward:
He’s acting weirder and weirder. Making me uncomfortable in ways I couldn’t even fully explain. There's just something off when a guy takes a solid 6 minutes of silence before answering any question... while staring directly into your soul and then coming unnervingly close to you when he finally spoke.
Fast forward again:
He has a full-on mental breakdown—chasing me down the stairs, asking for help, telling me he’s possessed by a demon, can’t remember the last time he slept, and needs to be taken to the ER immediately before he does “something he regrets.”
And while he’s saying this? He’s manically circling me like prey.
At this point, Adam has woken Kevin up, who (after a rude awakening to reality) agrees to drive him to the nearest ER—40 minutes away. Meanwhile, I lock myself in the bedroom because I've seen enough horror stories to know how this ends.
Then I hear him say: "Where’s Marissa?"
Adam and I lock eyes. Panic. Both mouthing "he’s looking for you” and "he’s looking for me” in unison.
We wait until we see the headlights pull away. (Sorry, Kevin, one of us had to be sacrificed, and you’re the one who brought this guy. Godspeed.)
Then we ran. Packed our shit and drove home—despite having three more days booked in the Airbnb.
The next day, we check in with Kevin (he lived) and find out that Unhinged Man is now on a 72-hour psych hold.
Turns out, he has a history of violent outbursts. And get this: he wanted to check himself into the hospital before this trip because he hadn’t slept in over a week (EXCUSE ME???)… but decided not to.
Oh, and he told Kevin.
And Kevin? Told. No. One. 🤬🤦♀️
So yeah. This could have all been avoided.
But anyways—my gut was 1,000% correct.
So What Does This Have to Do with Your Brand?
Your audience can feel when something is off about you, even if they don’t know why.
When I met this guy, I couldn’t point to a specific thing that made him seem dangerous—I just felt it.
When you show up in your business trying to be something you’re not, your audience feels that, too.
Maybe you’re trying to sound ultra-polished when you’re actually drowning in imposter syndrome. Maybe you’re mimicking someone else’s brand voice because you don’t know what yours is. Maybe you’re forcing confidence when deep down, you’re desperate for sales.
In the moment, you think you’re pulling it off.
But people can tell when something doesn’t add up.
Even if they can’t explain why, they just… won’t trust you.
Kinda like how I had no solid proof that Unhinged Man was truly unhinged (until the episode on Saturday) but my instant gut reaction upon meeting him was to text my boyfriend saying "do NOT leave me alone with this dude"
There was no trust.
And trust is the entire foundation of a brand that attracts clients instead of repelling them.
So Here’s the Lesson:
✅ Your brand is always showing—even when you think it’s not. If what you’re presenting externally doesn’t align with what’s happening internally, people will pick up on it.
✅ People don’t just buy from you because of what you do—they buy because of how you make them feel. And if something about your brand feels off, they’re out.
✅ Trust your gut. In business. In branding. And especially when a guy you just met seems like he might try to wear your skin as a jacket.
So this is your chance to take a hard look at your brand.
Are you showing up in a way that actually reflects you?
Or are you wearing a metaphorical skin suit on your alien body that almost fits but makes everyone a little uneasy?
Because if something feels off in your brand… your audience already knows.
Until next time,
Marissa
PS: My podcast, Your Brand Is Showing, has officially launched! Tune in, subscribe, and let me know what you think of the first episode! It's available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts (or literally anywhere you prefer to tune in). New episodes will launch every Thursday, so get ready for another episode tomorrow!
