Out and About STYLE Mag Issue 2 Vol. 2

10 “MUST-KNOWS” FOR
DEVELOPING BRAND “YOU”
I’ve been in the final stages of editing an anthological
project that myself and a group of 13 ladies across five
different countries have been working on since the end of
last year. As we challenged each other to dig deep during
the process of writing our stories, what became apparent
to me was the inherent desire that each of us carried to
better define who we were and what we stood for. How
do we separate who we are from what we do? Was there
even a need to do this? What did we want to be known
for and what legacy did we want to leave behind for the
generations after us. How is this all presented to the world
outside our walls?
My interest in personal branding peaked just from
watching the evolution of some of the personalities that
inspire me. Whether it was Oprah, Michelle Obama, the
high-powered woman at the office we called “the boss”
every day or the entrepreneurial big-shot that appears in
local newspapers back home on the daily, there was a lot
to be said about how they have positioned themselves
within the ecosystems they operate.
How others have grown to view them and their exploits
over the years in which they’ve been public-facing is a
huge contributor to their brand equity. I mean let’s face
it, very few people want to associate themselves with
something or someone that is classically messy, right? As I
help aspiring entrepreneurs develop their own brands, I’ve
come to appreciate certain elements that birth a personal
brand to be proud of. And so if you are ready to embark
on the process of building your personal brand, take heed
of the following:
1. AUTHENTICITY IS THE NEW PERFECTION. Simply
put, be who you say you are and be unapologetic about
it. In the world that coaxes us to portray perfection, it’s
the individuals that speak their strengths and weaknesses
truthfully that connect to their audiences. So what if you
are having a bad day or the barber botched your haircut!?
It’s talking about the good and the bad that makes us all
human–and these are the stories we all love.
2. OWN YOUR STORY. Your story is yours and that’s
what makes you so special. That is your differentiator.
Building a personal brand is about connecting people to
the essence of who you are, and that comes in part through
being able to speak our truth confidently. That story of Bill
Gates starting his business from his garage or yours with
$100 in savings – that’s the real hook! Share that! There’s
something to be said about living on the other side of some
real struggle. We all start at the bottom before we make our
way up the ladders of success.
3. OPERATE IN YOUR GIFT. I love writing and building
brands through storytelling and have been fortunate to now
make a living from that. I am old enough to now know what
works for me and what doesn’t. In short, you will not find me
trying to open a restaurant if I have to run it day in and out.
Develop that which you are passionate about and focus on
that. As you excel in your gift, people will begin to notice.
88