In today’s world, where customers build value, a strong brand identity is more important than ever.

At a recent BMO event in Atlanta, we were thrilled to host a presentation from brand visionary Yolanda White, who explained the concepts behind her five fundamental mindset shifts to transform your brand. A former Coca-Cola executive turned founder and CEO of loungewear maker Dayo Women, she’s renowned for managing iconic brands in the cosmetics, automotive, and food and beverage industries. White shared the powerful strategies she employed to craft the next phase of your brand, whether you’re just starting out or refreshing what you’ve built. 

White has worked for powerhouse brands like General Motors, Quaker Oats, Johnson & Johnson and Estee Lauder. But it was her 17 years at Coca-Cola that provided her with the opportunity to climb the ranks of brand marketing for some of its most recognizable brand names, including the company’s namesake product. 

With all her success at Coca-Cola, White had the desire to unlock her passion. The result: Dayo Loungewear, which aims to redefine loungewear for the modern woman.  

What White found on this journey from “intrapreneur to entrepreneur,” as she put it—led to her philosophy of “The Mindset Shift.”  

“I’ve learned that success isn’t solely about what you know or how hard you work; it’s not about your skills or your strategy either, even though those are all very important. For me, the number one ingredient for success has been the shift to think differently in a world that’s constantly evolving. Whether you’re leading a department, a small team, or just shaping a new idea, the ability to adapt, innovate and stay focused on purpose is something we all have to do.” 

White’s career pivot required a new way of thinking. She had to embrace uncertainty, agility and reimagine success. That path led to uncovering five fundamental mindset shifts that transformed and informed the way she leads, builds and scales her business. 

This involves transitioning from a structured environment to one that’s dynamic and agile. At Coca-Cola, White had the luxury of carefully crafting long-term strategies before execution. As an entrepreneur, that approach was turned on its head.  

“I was forced to be more fluid than structured. I also had limited time. The planning process is much shorter. Instead, my time had to be balanced with real-time decisions, adjusting strategies on the fly, and learning to pivot on immediate feedback. This level of agility requires more than speed; it demands adaptability and a connected culture that embraces change. By staying tapped into my customers, partners and suppliers, I don’t just react to change, I feel like I’m driving it.” 

In her transition to entrepreneur, White finds she’s still learning about how to operate in an ever-evolving environment. “The digital transformation has changed my core expertise around marketing, because how we do marketing is evolving today. We had to learn to tell the Dayo story differently and through different platforms, while also learning e-commerce, automation, AI-driven tools.”  

Staying ahead requires more than mere awareness—it requires constant learning and immersion. “By embracing lifelong learning, digital transformation and staying open to new insights, we don’t just adapt to change—we get to lead some of that change. It brings fresh thinking into our decision-making.” 

This requires a shift from securing reassurance to making sure that success is defined by results. At Coca-Cola, White said she found herself overly reliant on manager feedback, performance reviews and approval from her peers. “While those elements are valuable because they speak to how we get business done, I realized I was putting far too much energy into managing perceptions versus focusing on the actual business results and getting my inspiration and motivation from those.” 

And as White became an entrepreneur, that type of external validation disappeared overnight. “I had to redefine success beyond the financials. I began celebrating the people who supported us. I started measuring success not just by sales, but by the quality of the experiences we were delivering and making sure that we were bringing them to life in a meaningful way. Not only was I able to unlock opportunities, partnerships and growth, it built a sense of confidence in our business, and it allowed us to have a guidepost with measurable success.” 

Move from knowing what you can accomplish to dreaming about the possibilities that exist, said White. 

At Dayo, that meant bringing innovation to a stagnant category. By thinking beyond practical considerations, such as fabric choices, White thought about the needs, habits and lifestyles of women. “This required me to dream about her, and what we could deliver. It also meant I had to embrace uncertainty and take some calculated risks on building the business.” 

Beyond marketing, White said it was equally crucial to learn to dream about herself as an individual before she could effectively and authentically build her brand. Telling your story starts with defining your purpose, defining your values, and embracing the unique perspectives and experiences you’ve encountered.  

White recommends starting the process by asking yourself the following: 

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  What do I stand for? 

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  What truly makes me unique? 

White described this as the most transformative shift she had to undertake. “For entrepreneurs, self-love is more than a practice. It’s a survival skill. It’s what allows us to thrive through hearing ‘no.’” 

One way is to make sure you’re communicating the right messages to yourself. “Every narrative that you say to yourself is either building yourself or breaking yourself down. So, make sure the words you say to yourself are building you up.” 

White said these mindset shifts allow you to be introspective as you move forward. And they’re not just for entrepreneurs; they empower us all as leaders, team members, partners, and individuals. “The goal is to challenge all conventional thinking and create a competitive edge for ourselves.”