Ford Field Guides
For reinvention, pivots and second acts.Branding tapas for turning points.
short, practical trainings for small business owners who want their brand + website to actually work.
No fluff. No rebrand spiral. Just data-backed clarity and templates you can implement today.
What am I actually doing — and what should I do next?
How do I build this thing properly, without overthinking?
How do I make what I already have stronger, cleaner, and more consistent?
MORE PLS
Created by brand strategist and designer Carrie Ford Hilliker. I’ve worked with hundreds of brands online and made plenty of mistakes along the. I’m building what I wish I’d had with data, taste and clarity - all in small high-impact doses.
These tools are designed to work together, but they don’t require you to move in order or all at once. The Clarity Map helps you name where you actually are and what matters now. The Brand Blueprint translates that clarity into a simple, functional brand you can build without overthinking. And the Brand Check-Up helps you strengthen, refine, or steady what already exists — without jumping straight to a rebrand. Each one is complete on its own. Together, they form a humane system for moving forward with clarity, momentum, and consistency.
Clarity Map
General Description
Price $25
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Flexible, expert advice when you need it. Book hourly support across a range of topics—from planning to problem-solving. This focused consultation will help clarify your goals, map out next steps, and identify opportunities for growth.
Locate and name where you are
Translates that clarity into directional language
orientation + language + integration
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO BUILD
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO SHARE
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO LAUNCH
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A guided orientation (not self-help)
Language for where they are now
A five-day integration rhythm
A way out of stuckness without urgency
The Narrative Reframe Workbook
A storytelling exercise to rewrite your career/life shift as an empowering narrative instead of a setback.Format: 5 guided questions + 3 example reframes.
Why it works: Midlife changes can shake confidence — reframing the story helps them own their next move.
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Flexible, expert advice when you need it. Book hourly support across a range of topics—from planning to problem-solving. This focused consultation will help clarify your goals, map out next steps, and identify opportunities for growth.
The Guides
AVAILABLE NOW
COMING VERY SOON
Brand Starter Kit
2. MOMENTUM
The Brand Blueprint: Build the Thing (Without Overbuilding)
This is now explicitly a brand starter kit — practical, directive, confidence-building.
Price: $49
Primary job: Get something real built
Secondary job: Reduce brand overwhelm with structure
Who this is for
People who are clear enough and ready to move
DIY brand builders
People who keep “preparing” instead of building
Folks saying: “Just tell me what I actually need.”
FORMAT (same spine, different content)
1. The Problem (1 minute)
You don’t need more inspiration.
You need a minimal, correct setup so you can move forward.
2. The Data (2 minutes)
3–5 stats on:
Overbuilding vs. conversion
Why simple brands outperform complex ones
Why unfinished brands lose momentum
3. The Fix (10–15 minutes)
The Brand Blueprint Framework
Here’s what you actually need right now:
A clear offer
A simple visual system
A basic web presence
One way people find you
Nothing more.
4. The Tool (download)
The Brand Blueprint Kit
Checklists for:
Core brand ingredients
Visual basics
Website essentials
“You’re ready to go live” criteria
Examples throughout (this is important)
5. Example (3 minutes)
Before: scattered ideas + tools
After: a simple, working brand stack
6. THE RECEIPTS
3 stats
3 takeaways
Sources listed
7. Field Notes
What people overbuild first (and shouldn’t)
“If you only do one thing, do this”
Common mistakes:
Designing before deciding
Tool hoarding
Waiting to feel “legit”
What makes this different
It’s not aspirational
It’s not aesthetic-first
It’s a minimum viable brand — done right
COMING VERY SOON
Brand Checkup
CONSISTENCY
The Brand Check-Up: Diagnose + Strengthen What You Already Have
This is now clearly for existing brands, with a diagnostic front and center.
Price: $39–$49
Primary job: Identify weak spots
Secondary job: Improve trust, coherence, and confidence
Who this is for
Existing businesses
DIY brands that feel messy or dated
People considering a rebrand but unsure if they need one
FORMAT (same again — familiarity builds trust)
1. The Problem (1 minute)
Your brand isn’t broken — but it’s quietly leaking trust.
2. The Data (2 minutes)
3–5 stats on:
Brand consistency
Trust + recognition
Perceived value vs. coherence
3. The Fix (10–15 minutes)
The Brand Check-Up Framework
Review your brand across:
Foundation
Voice
Visuals
Website
Systems / rollout
This is diagnostic, not prescriptive.
4. The Tool (download)
The Brand Check-Up Diagnostic
Scored checklist
“Healthy / Needs Attention / Fix This First”
Priority actions based on score
5. Example (3 minutes)
Before: inconsistent signals
After: clearer, stronger, calmer brand presence
6. THE RECEIPTS
3 stats
3 takeaways
Sources listed
7. Field Notes
Patterns you see across real audits
“If you only do one thing, do this”
Common mistakes:
Rebranding too fast
Adding instead of editing
Ignoring the foundation
What makes this different
It doesn’t push a rebrand
It gives you proof before spending money
It respects what already exists
The Clarity Map
1. CLARITY
The Clarity Map: From Stuck to Oriented
This now includes a light momentum bridge — not action steps, but directionally obvious next moves.
Price: $39
Primary job: Orientation + decision relief
Secondary job: Make the next step feel obvious (not overwhelming)
Who this is for
People with ideas, skills, experience — and no clear container
Midlife pivoters
Burned-out creatives
Anyone asking “What now?” without wanting a pep talk
FORMAT (locked for all three products)
1. The Problem (1 minute)
You’re trying to make decisions without knowing where you actually are.
That’s why everything feels heavier than it should.
2. The Data (2 minutes)
3–5 stats on:
Decision fatigue
Why clarity precedes action
Why most pivots stall before they start
Each stat → one plain-language takeaway.
3. The Fix (10–15 minutes)
The Clarity + Direction Framework
Where I’ve been
What broke
What’s still alive
What matters now
What the next right step actually is (small, humane, non-performative)
This is where you lightly integrate momentum:
Not “do all this,” but “this is the lane.”
4. The Tool (download)
The Clarity Map
1–2 pages
Output =
One grounding paragraph
1–3 directional statements
A clearly named next step
5. Example (3 minutes)
A real-feeling before/after:
Before: looping, scattered, overthinking
After: calm language + obvious direction
6. THE RECEIPTS
3 stats
1 key takeaway per stat
Sources listed
7. Field Notes (your authority)
What you see in real client work
“If you only do one thing, do this”
Common mistakes:
Forcing certainty
Skipping grief
Trying to monetize before orienting
What makes this different
It’s not goal-setting
It’s not manifestation
It’s not a workbook spiral
It’s orientation with permission
HOT
Efficient
Actionable
Clear
Focused
Results-Based
NOT
Endless Courses
Vague Outcomes
Too much chonk
Webinars
Results-Based