This episode is brought to you by Mercury.   Tackling fear is essential both in a career and a personal life, says Taja Dockendorf, founder and creative director of Pulp + Wire, a consumer packaging firm focusing on natural and organic CPG brands.   "Fear can be debilitating, and it can stop you right in your tracks and stop growth," Taja says. "For each person, you have your journey to decipher what your fear and your triggers are, and then what your modality is to find to pull yourself out of it."   Taking on the weight of the world is not healthy, she says. We should be mindful and generous but give up on the idea that we can fix everything.   "There's a heaviness to fear, and there's a lightness when you have a solution," she says. "It's about finding that balance that makes you the best version of yourself."   Likewise, for her company, a foundation roadmap is needed. That map consists of strategy, market research, understanding the audience, beautiful design, and taking it all to market.   "The way we work with our clients, they're all different," she says. "We do take a very customized approach to some of our brands. Some come to us needing a name, and we start with naming, which is the hardest."   These days, Pulp + Wire works with startups and pre-launch companies, and much larger established brands.   "Wherever I can be a resource to my brands, I bring it," she says.   For the future, Taja says she's focused on "thought leadership."   "It's everything I've learned over the years between my team, the ups and the downs, how we work, the culture that I'm creating for my team," she says. "I've got an amazing team, and they're very capable, and I trust them intrinsically and 100 percent. So being able to give me the space to help promote them and get projects out there and do thought leadership is like their way of giving back to me too."   In Part 2, Taja talks about:   * The debilitating cycle of fear. * Suggestions on maintaining the best version of yourself, be it a hot shower or a good night's sleep. * How her company has succeeded thanks to focusing on the elements of a good roadmap. * The steps of the process when working with a client. * The difference between working with startups and more prominent, older brands. * Her future with thought leadership.   Join Ramon Vela and Taja Dockendorf as they break down the inside story on The Story of a Brand.   For more on Pulp + Wire, visit: https://pulpandwire.com/   Subscribe and Listen to the podcast on all major apps. Simply search for “The Story of a Brand,” or click here to listen on your favorite podcast player: Listen now.   *   Episode brought to you by Mercury.   Mercury is the banking stack for startups & ecommerce.* Get FDIC-insured US accounts, virtual and physical debit cards, currency exchange, and domestic and international wires.   Easily create an account from your laptop, and non-US citizens are welcome to apply.   Connect to payment processors (Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, etc.) and instantly create virtual debit cards for inventory and ad spend.   Customize the banking experience with features like read & write API access, custom team-management, and integrations with the tools your startup uses, like Quickbooks and Xero.   Keep growing with Mercury Raise DTC or with financing options through Mercury Capital. *Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. All banking services provided by Evolve Bank & Trust®️; Member FDIC.   Visit: https://mercury.com/partner/storyofabrand