How Two Small Businesses Support Each Other Through Branding and Wellness - Concetti
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How Two Small Businesses Support Each Other Through Branding and Wellness

May 13, 2025 | interview

Owning a small business takes courage—and a whole lot of self-awareness. As we reflect National Small Business Week and Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re honoring the highs, challenges, and very real emotional load of entrepreneurship.

At Concetti, we believe design is about more than just aesthetics—it’s about alignment. When your brand reflects who you are, it can bring clarity, confidence, and calm to the often chaotic world of small business ownership. That’s why our collaboration with Sam Schmuck, owner of Revived Living and stress management coach, is so meaningful.Together, we created a brand identity in Phase 1 and graphic design assets in Phase 2 that are grounded, human, and aligned with her mission.

But the relationship didn’t stop there. As Sam was investing in her brand, Concetti was investing in our team—bringing her on as our wellness coach. Working with her over the past few years has been a game-changer for our internal culture, and for how we show up for the small business community we serve.

To explore the connection between mental health and brand clarity, we sat down with Sam (for a second time) and Rachel, our CEO, for a candid Q&A. Let’s dive in.

Hi Sam! We’re excited to catch up with you today. Let’s start with: How does a strong brand identity impact your mental health as a small business owner?

Sam: It gives me so much mental peace and saves a ton of time when trying to create new graphics. I love that I have so much more clarity and confidence knowing that my brand is speaking to my values and the feelings I want to convey when new clients are finding me. It's so easy to see different templates in Canva and choose a different style every time and now I don't have to worry about that!

We’re so happy we could help provide that clarity and confidence. How do you see your new brand impacting the success of your business and the experience your clients have?

Sam: Besides having more confidence to share my digital assets and grow a bigger online presence, it gives my clients a cohesive experience and taste of what they will feel like working with me even before they book a service or join a program. Plus, a clearer brand identity will be helpful for attracting more aligned collaborations.

 

Why should small businesses invest in branding?

Sam: Because it is a part of your business! Brand is not something just for big corporations. No matter the size of your business it's that step beyond what you sell that creates connection with your customers and long-time raving fans.

Rachel, we’d love to start this conversation off with the same question we asked Sam – how does a strong brand identity impact your mental health as a small business owner?

Rachel: Wow! I love this question! We all want to feel seen and heard and the same goes for our business. A strong brand identity captures your brand persona and translates it into verbal and visual expressions. So often as a business owner, we are so caught up in the passion for industry, and speak in jargon that we often can't see the trees through the forest. It all feels so important to us that we need to work with a brand partner who can reflect back to us what they are hearing. It is a soulful experience. Having gone through a rebrand for Concetti it means everything. And having worked with many small business owners on their brand, it's a very powerful experience. To sit there and hear and see your brand come to life, the things you’ve been trying to say, the messages you’ve been trying to get across, the feeling you want people to feel, to see it come together in front of your eyes is incredible! Remember your brand is an extension of YOU!

How has investing in a wellness coach impacted your mental health as a business owner?

Rachel: Your business is an extension of yourself because it is your vision and your passion. So anything you are doing for yourself is going to show up in the business. I would say the biggest impact it has had is the ability to regulate my nervous system. It is so easy to slip into fight and flight mode when you are making big decisions daily. Building an awareness around what my body is feeling has empowered me to regulate my nervous system. Feeling the rush of emotions, letting it pass and then making a decision from a grounded place, instead of a  reactive one, is a game changer.

How does it impact your team?

Rachel: Having Sam work with the team has been a dream come true. The fact is we spend so much of our lives working, so to have it be a place where we can be our full selves is important to me. Having come from many years of being in the performing arts, teamwork is ingrained in my DNA. I love when a group of people can come together to achieve great things. One of the things that I realized through working with Sam was that I was still treating life like I was preparing for world championships that never came. I am so grateful and proud of my work ethic and realized that it is equally important to pause and reflect on successes as a team and set intentions for the next quarter to create camaraderie and focus. No one wants to feel like there’s an endless to do list that never gets done, you will burn out. Sam works with the team on a quarterly basis where we either have a VIP day or a Concetti retreat. It is something the team looks forward to. And I love hearing how the work we do together is positively impacting their personal lives as well.

How does this culture approach allow your team to better serve your clients and other small businesses in the community?

Rachel: I think we’ve all heard the saying you can’t pour from an empty cup. It all starts with taking care of yourself first, taking care of the team, so we can show up fully for our clients and other professional partners. We talk a lot about having an empathetic journey, everyone’s experiences valid. And it is our responsibility to be self reflective and how we are showing up, doing what we say we’re going to do, and not stop until we’re proud of the work we’re doing. Because when we can all be ourselves, more good goes out into the world. It is a ripple effect that can surely be felt.

Ready to feel more aligned and less overwhelmed in your business? Let’s create a brand that supports your goals and your mental well-being—schedule a call with our team to get started.

What does “dopamine décor” mean to you?

Rachel: It’s the pieces that make you happy when you see them. An instant smile or giggle. For me, it’s unexpected whimsy and humor. In my house, I’ve got a brass fox head wearing sunglasses and a monkey-head planter with a gold tooth. They never get old. It’s about surrounding yourself shamelessly with things that make you happy. I can’t wait to bring pieces like this into my new home, Divinely Detroit, the historic church located in Indian Village.

 

How did you land on the name Moxie?

Rachel: At Concetti, our brand persona is “genuine moxie” which means kind, calm, loving, but bold in who you are. We’re always building our clients up to take that bold, courageous step. Moxie is the bold part. The “I don’t need permission” part. When you choose dopamine décor, you’re choosing to surround yourself with pieces others might not understand, but you love.

 

Who is Moxie for?

Rachel: It’s for anyone who’s been told they’re too much, too loud, too bold. It’s for the person who wants that little empowering piece in their day whether that’s a trucker hat, a beautiful candle, or funky lamp. It’s for people who want to surround themselves with pieces lovingly crafted and curated to give you a little dose of empowerment.

How do you stay creatively energized when building something from scratch?

Rachel: I’ve never subscribed to the idea that your life should follow a certain timeline. Since I was 16, I knew I wanted to be an interior designer. That’s 23 years of being dedicated to one decision, and it still feels good and in alignment.
When I create something new, it’s like a spark goes off. I listen to that inner knowing. I tell my team, “One step in front of the other.” It might be clumsy, but you’ve got to start moving.

What design rule do you love to break?

Rachel: Any of them. If I want to turn my dining room into a recording studio or a kids’ playroom, then I will, and you should feel empowered to, as well. The only rules worth following are the ones that make you feel good in your own space.

What advice would you give to creatives who feel “too much” for the design world?

Rachel: There’s no such thing. What you’ve been told is “too much” is your superpower. That’s what makes you different and magnetic. Stand in your power. Make decisions from alignment, not shame or guilt. Be unapologetically you because that’s when you really shine.

Favorite dopamine décor brands or artists?

Rachel: Regina Andrew (Detroit-based and stunning), Seletti (monkeys holding lightbulbs, peacock lamps), Noir (the hand chair!), Bold Monkey, Zoe Bios (customizable art), and Eric & Eloise (quirky brass animal heads). I make them weird with purple lights in my basement because it makes me laugh every time.

What do you hope people feel when they bring home a Moxie piece?

Rachel: I want them to feel excited and happy. I want unboxing to be an experience that exceeds expectations whether it’s something you wear and feel empowered in or something in your home or business that gives you that hit of joy every time you pass it.

What does success look like for Moxie?

Rachel: Moxie is more than numbers, it’s a movement. It’s about inclusivity, empowerment, and telling people they’re perfect exactly as they are.

One mindset shift that changed everything for you as a founder?

Rachel: Realizing that everything I need is already within me. I can surround myself with mentors and partners, but at the end of the day, I’m the only one living my truth.

Advice for creatives carving their own path?

Rachel: Persistence wins. Your journey is your own. Do the things that light you up and keep going. Pause to reflect on what’s working, what’s draining you, and what you can add back in to make you excited again. There’s no one else like you so own it.

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