Many people ask me:
What is personal branding? And what do you do as a personal branding strategist?
A few years ago, I was one of them.
I started working as a personal branding strategist without even realizing it.
It’s funny, but I didn’t know that I was no longer 'just' a social media consultant until I read an article about personal branding. Suddenly, it hit me: "This is what I’m doing with my clients!"
What is personal branding?
Personal branding is all about intentionally showing the world who you are. It's not just about listing your skills and qualifications; it's about conveying your unique identity, values, and the lasting impression you want to make. Think of it as a mix of your professional reputation, your online presence, and the story you tell about yourself.
Key elements of personal branding include:
Self-Awareness: Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, values, and passions.
Unique Value Proposition (aka your superpower): Identifying what makes you unique and how you can offer value to others.
Consistent Messaging: Crafting and maintaining a consistent message across all platforms, including social media, personal websites, and professional networks.
Visibility: Actively engaging in activities that increase your visibility and establish your authority in your niche, such as public speaking, blogging, or networking.
Who needs it?
In my view, not everyone needs a personal brand right away.
At the beginning of your career, it's more important to be a generalist, discovering what you like and what sparks your curiosity.
This is why I don’t work with freelancers who are just starting out.
But as you become a more experienced entrepreneur, leader, or founder, a personal brand becomes essential.
My career has unfolded in a very intuitive way. I followed my gut and did what my heart said. This has been a mixed blessing.
For example, starting my blog 10 years ago was a good move that helped build my personal brand. But I didn’t immediately know how to leverage that popularity, and it took time to fully realize my opportunities and direction. Too much time :)
And the big question: How to build a personal brand?
Step 1: Self-Discovery
To build your personal brand, you first need clarity. Without clarity, you're just throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. (And there is a time for that in your life, but during the building phase, clarity is king.)
Ask yourself:
Why do you want to do what you do?
What motivates you?
What do you want to be known for?
What makes you you, what is your superpower?
How do you want to spend your days in the next few years?
Who do you want to connect with?
These answers form the foundation of your brand.
Step 2: Craft your story
Next, figure out the “embodiment” of it all: your messages, your main topics, your values, your colors, your look, your platforms, and most importantly, your stories.
What do you want to talk about? And what not?
What emotions do you want to evoke?
What actions do you want to motivate people to take?
What are your opinions about the market, business, life?
What messages resonate with your audience?
What do you stand for?
What is your main role in people’s lives? (e.g. the leader, the storyteller, the motivator, the friend, the artist…)
Your personal brand needs a story—a narrative that ties together your experiences, values, and goals. Craft a compelling story that showcases your journey, setbacks, and triumphs. This narrative should resonate with your audience, making you relatable and memorable.
The main framework is this:
Where were you? - Where are you now? - Where are you going?
So, ask yourself:
What key moments in my life shaped my values and goals?
How have my jobs helped me grow?
What challenges have I faced, and what did I learn from them?
What unique perspectives or skills do I offer?
People connect with authenticity.
Share personal experiences that shaped your professional path. Be open about challenges you've faced and lessons you've learned.
Personal anecdotes humanize your brand and make you more relatable.
What many bilingual entrepreneurs do wrong in personal branding
Let's assume you have a 10+ year career in your native country, living in Europe or Asia, and you want to build a global personal brand.
I see that most people start from scratch, acting like their past never happened.
They try to look like everyone else online. They hide that their first language isn’t English and don’t talk about their achievements because they seem small in the global market, or because the income in USD is a huge amount in their native country.
This is not the right path to build a thriving, authentic, and growing personal brand globally.
Be transparent and vulnerable. Own your stories.
You are a more diverse, colorful person because of your unique advantage: you are bilingual (or multilingual) with a rich story to tell.
A story about thinking bigger, growing your mindset, and understanding different cultures. Do you remember the framework? Where were you, where are you now, and where are you going?
Tell your REAL story to the world!
P.S. Share your story on every platform you can! These are your footprints and they lead to you.
Is this helpful? Fancy giving me a little restack?
If you need help building your personal brand, you know where to find me :)
Andi x
"Own your stories" sounds like a Brené Brown reader - do you know her? it's one of my favourite quotes of her and it's so powerful