12: Cold Pitches, Freak Magnetism, and a Brand Worth Using with Eva Couto
Squirrels and Freaks — UNITE!
Here’s something I need you to know about me: I hate a bad cold pitch. Hate. It. With. A. Passion. If you slide into my inbox calling me “BLT Copy” instead of “BTL Copy,” I will report your email as spam, block you, and maybe even call the cops.
But today’s guest, Ms. Eva Couto, did the impossible.
She cold-pitched me correctly — and not only did I not hate it, I was impressed. She knew who I was, proved she followed my content, and made her email feel like a real, human conversation instead of a desperate sales attempt. And now, not only do I consider her a friend, but I also hired her.
Eva is the genius behind Flying Colours Creative, where she helps creative service providers craft unconventional, unforgettable brands.
And today, we’re talking about why forgettable branding is an expensive problem, why freaks always find each other, and why you need a brand you’ll actually use.
Oh, and we also discuss LinkedIn stalking, why I logged into my personal Instagram for the first time in years, and my high school crush. (It’s relevant. I swear.)
Rapid-Fire Squirrel Brain Questions
Before we got into the meat of the episode, I had to put Eva through my official Squirrel Brain Rapid-Fire Questions™ — a crucial step in determining whether or not someone is a real one. (Spoiler: She passed with flying colors.)
Here’s what we learned about Eva:
If she could gather “nuts” like a squirrel: Pretty notebooks she’ll probably never use.
If her brain had a pop-up ad: A bougie in-person retreat with all her online friends she’s never met in real life.
If her life came with a warning label it would say: Exposure may cause uncontrollable urge to prove you wrong and make a point. (Hot. Also relatable.)
What she would win an Olympic gold medal for: Making Notion databases for literally everything. (Her finance tracker is elite, and I already know y’all are going to be in her DMs asking for the template.)
Something she thought she would have figured out by now: How to drive. (To be fair, in Portugal, everyone drives stick.)
Her walkout song: “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman
A Forgettable Brand is an Expensive Problem
When it comes to branding, people either think it’s too expensive or not that serious — until they realize that a forgettable brand is way more expensive than a memorable one. Eva put it best: if people don’t remember you, they’re not going to hire you. Period.
So when should you invest in branding? Eva has a hot take: Get an accountant first. And a lawyer to write your contracts. (Yeah, I was shocked too.)
Her logic: If your business isn’t financially structured properly, no amount of pretty colors and custom logos will save you from a financial disaster. Contracts, client boundaries, and numbers come first — then branding can help you show up like a real business, not just a hobbyist with a Canva addiction.
When Should You Actually Invest in Branding?
So, you’ve started your business, you’re making some money, and now you’re wondering: Is it time to invest in branding, or should I just keep winging it with Canva and vibes?
Eva has a simple rule: If you know what you’re offering, it’s time to get serious about branding. You don’t need to have your entire business model mapped out for the next five years, but you do need to have a solid understanding of what services you’re offering and who you’re serving.
And if you’re not totally sure, good branding can help you figure that out.
Before she even touches the design phase, Eva works through brand strategy — aka the foundation that helps business owners refine their offers, nail their positioning, and get clear on who they’re actually talking to.
One major misconception: People think they need a fully developed audience before they can invest in branding. But Eva says branding can help you attract that dream audience in the first place.
Most people make the mistake of defining their ideal client as either a past version of themselves or some vague Pinterest mood board version of a person instead of an actual, real human.
A brand strategist can help bridge that gap — zooming in on your target audience like you’re playing a game of darts, rather than just throwing random content into the void.
So, if you’re out here struggling to attract clients but still hesitant to invest in branding, let this be your sign: it might be exactly what you need to make the right people take you seriously.
Ideal Clients and Red Flags
Here’s where I see people get stuck: They build their ideal client profiles around random demographic details (She’s 32! She wears colorful button-downs! She drives a Vespa!).
But what really matters isn’t who they are — it’s why they need you.
What problem do they have? What transformation are they looking for? How can you make their lives easier, better, or more profitable?
Just as important as knowing who you want to work with is knowing who you absolutely DON’T want to work with.
My ultimate ideal client filter is simple: Are you nice to me? Can you afford me?
But even with that, I’ve refined my red flags over time — like the person who mistook my availability for unlimited capacity (big nope).
At the end of the day, figuring out your ideal client is about knowing who energizes you, who respects your time, and who values the work you do.
Because no amount of money is worth a client that makes you cringe when you see their name in your inbox.
The Best Brand is One You’ll Actually Use
Eva said something in this episode that stopped me in my tracks: The best brand you can have is one that you actually use. And, honestly, I think most people get this completely wrong.
Branding isn’t just about slapping some cute colors on a Canva template or choosing a trendy font and calling it a day. It’s how your business presents itself everywhere. Your website, your emails, your sales pages, your client experience — every single place your audience interacts with you.
And yet, I see people investing in branding only to not use it. They get a beautiful logo, but their Instagram graphics still look like a chaotic Pinterest board. They work with a designer, but their website still feels like an afterthought.
Eva put it perfectly: Branding isn’t a shop window — it’s the foundation of your business.
If you aren’t actively applying it to everything you do, you’re not really branding — you’re just decorating.
Why Bad Branding Gives “Took His Hat Off and Ruined It” Energy
You know when you meet someone, and they look so good with a backwards hat, and then they take it off, and suddenly their whole vibe is… not what you signed up for?
That’s what bad branding does to people.
Eva said: Your brand should feel like its own little world. No matter where someone finds you — your website, Instagram, newsletter, podcast — they should feel like they just walked into your house. Not someone else's. Not some weird, generic hotel lobby. Yours.
But when your Instagram is all vibes and your website looks like a DIY project from 2016? When your email voice is giving “corporate LinkedIn” but your TikTok is unhinged?
That inconsistency creates mistrust. People might not be able to pinpoint what’s off, but they’ll feel it. And they’ll peace out.
On the other hand, when everything is aligned, when your branding is baked into every touchpoint, your audience doesn't have to wonder if they’re in the right place. They just know.
Eva’s Everything Branding & Website Package (It Really is an Extravaganza)
You know how some people call a regular Tuesday meeting a “summit”? Or slap the word “deluxe” on something that’s just… fine? Yeah. That’s not happening here.
Eva’s Extravaganza package is the real deal. Branding, website, custom assets — it’s all there. This isn’t some cute logo file and a Canva template that you’ll forget to use. It’s the transformative your-business-is-about-to-get-a-whole-new-personality kind of package.
And we love that, because if you're going to invest in branding, you should actually use it (see above). Eva makes sure you do. She’ll walk you through brand positioning, create a stunning brand identity, design your whole damn website, and even hook you up with all the custom marketing assets you need.
Basically, it's not just branding. It's branding with a plan. And it’s the kind of branding that makes you money instead of just sitting in a Google Drive folder collecting dust.
Also, I’ve personally worked with Eva and can confirm: she gets it.
Point of the Story
A forgettable brand is an expensive problem. If people don’t remember you, they’re not going to hire you. Your brand should be more than just a pretty Pinterest mood board — it should actually help you make money and attract the right people.
Eva Links
Follow Eva on Instagram
Check out the Flying Colours Creative website
The Extravaganza - your complete brand & website transformation
Eva’s walkout song
BTL Links
Download my FREE Cold Pitching Guide
Watch my cold pitching Tiktok videos in this playlist
Use code "MILLIONAIRE" for $100 off my website copywriting course, Site Series Sprint.
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Other Links
My accountant - Peach Perfect Financials
Contract templates - The Boutique Lawyer
This episode was edited by Adrienne Cruz.