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?

  1. How do I build this thing properly, without overthinking?

  2. 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

Order yours
  • 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

    • 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.

  • 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