When I first started in business, I didn’t even know what a value proposition was. It sounded like some statement I had to craft perfectly. So I took a stab at it with language that felt abstract and generic—just following my intuition then tossing it in a drawer.

Here’s what I learned: you really don’t need the perfect elevator pitch or a polished mission statement. You need clarity on what you value about yourself—and how that resonates with others.

When business doesn’t grow as fast as you hoped, it’s easy to assume no one wants what you have or that something is wrong. You can rewrite your bio, tweak your offer, redesign your website, and create content nonstop. I’ve been there. But over time, I’ve realized none of that solves the root issue if your own clarity about your value isn’t there.

The tricky part? That clarity rarely arrives all at once. It’s something we grow into at our own pace.

Think of it like this: your favorite dress just hanging in your closet, waiting for warm weather. When you pull it out, add a pair of new strappy sandals, a green bag, and pink sunglasses, it comes alive. Your choices and energy bring it to life.

Some people start with product first — building and experimenting — and let their energy emerge naturally over time. Others start with a big vision, or a feeling, and then build around it. Either way, energy is what powers a business.

Value is Discovered, Not Declared

Most of us start with that value proposition on paper, outlining what we think we can do. But real understanding comes from living it. Execution is everything in business. Clarity grows through experience, challenges, and reflection — by noticing what resonates, saying goodbye to what drains us, and leaning into more of what feels good.

At Sweet & Spark, I eventually realized we weren’t just selling vintage jewelry. We had built something that was serving two very different types of value. Collectors were drawn to the rarity and uniqueness of the pieces and the aesthetic lovers were drawn to the feeling of femininity and luxury curation.

We were speaking to both customers, and over time, our message began to blur. And to top it off, what energized me the most wasn’t just the product or vibe of the aesthetic — it was the storytelling, leading, and personal growth. Realizing the difference between tangible and intangible value (and my own energy) taught me that what truly drives a business is alignment.

Tangible vs. Intangible Value

It’s natural to focus on tangible value– the product, the offer, the deliverables, the framework, the outcome. It feels measurable and controllable.

But the longer I’ve been in business, the more I’ve come to see that intangible value is what creates growth and demand. Your discernment. Your lived experience. Your standards. Your way of seeing. The way you embody what you share.

That’s the deeper asset. The product is simply the vehicle through which we give and learn. But we are the constant.

Standard Value Proposition Teaching vs. My POV

Standard business teachings say:

• Define your target market

• Identify their pain point

• Clarify the transformation you provide

• Make a clear statement of value

It’s external, structured, and market-first. Someday, your value proposition might become a clean sentence: “I help ___ go from ___ to ___ through ___.” But I’ve found that sentence is truly only understood once it’s lived.

Here’s how I see it:

• Trust your superpower

• Stand for something & exchange with those who resonate

• Refine your value through lived experience

• Let the vehicle and packaging evolve

Through experience, I’ve come to see coherence as the North Star — understanding who you are and how you operate. That’s where real confidence, fulfillment, and sustained momentum come from.

I want to be clear: we are not our businesses. We are the ones running them. We decide what frequency (and how much of it) we pour into them at any given time.

Starting with energy is what gives us that sense of freedom we’re looking for.

Why Most Value Propositions Don’t Land

Over the years, I’ve noticed a few patterns, myself included:

• Sometimes we don’t yet see our own value clearly — so our experiments feel scattered.

• Sometimes we sense our value but don’t fully trust it. We soften it, hedge, or dilute it.

• Sometimes we are clear — but we communicate it once and then retreat when it doesn’t immediately land.

• And sometimes our model simply can’t hold the kind of value we want to deliver — either our energy is too alive, or not yet ready.

This is why I don’t see a value proposition as just a sentence. It’s an evolving alignment — between who you are, what you stand for, what you build, what your model can sustain, and what people actually need.

It’s less about testing a fixed statement and more about asking yourself:

1. What is my natural superpower — the thing I do effortlessly and consistently?

2. What do I deeply care about standing for?

3. What kind of work do I actually want to build around that?

4. What kind of people do I want to exchange energy with?

5. If I stripped everything away, what would still be mine to give?

At the end of the day, business is a journey of self-discovery and an exchange of energy with those who value what we value.

The Part That Takes Time

With every pivot, I am humbled. Refining your value takes patience and time.

At Sweet & Spark, clarity didn’t come from a single brainstorm. It came over many years of consistent marketing, monthly hindsight meetings, tracking analytics, and noticing what sold, what didn’t, and why.

Direction rarely comes from thinking harder. It comes from understanding, committing, building, observing, and refining. We have to fall in love with the process itself.

What I know now is that my value isn’t in some perfectly packaged product, post, or offer. It’s in how I see patterns, how I attune, how I lean in, and how I help others see themselves—brought to life in ways that feel aligned and meaningful.

The tangible expression of our work evolves but the asset always remains. This is the work of being devoted to our purpose.