Back in 2018, when I first started my copywriting business, showing up online was the bane of my existence. Loathe doesn’t even begin to describe the sentiment I had. I would get knots in my stomach (read: literally become gastrically ill 🤢) just thinking about posting on Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Mind you, I was new to the creative industry and online space. Coaches, mentors, and even clients were telling me I needed to show up and talk about copy. Copy tips this, copy hack that. It got to the point where I felt like everyone and their mother was saying I needed to show up online as THE copy expert.

And so I did…for a while. I trusted their voices over mine because I thought they were the authority. And lo and behold, years into it, I realized I absolutely hated talking about copy. Day in and day out, I felt like an entrepreneurial imposter, boxed into one identity.

But I was a WHOLE A*S person! A butterfly, you could say, with an insatiable hunger to learn more – far beyond the constraints of copy. 

Once I realized this, I took the “rules,” crumpled them up, and tossed them into the fire.

It wasn’t until I stopped trying to be someone I wasn’t and leaned into who I was offline that I began to feel free in my brand again. That’s the key to building a brand you actually like (and don’t want to run from):

✨Leaning into you and your brilliance…in every aspect of life.✨

Now, I know what you’re going to say. 

“Me? Showing my true colors online?” 

“I could never. That sounds so scary and I just don’t need to open myself up to that kind of judgment in my life.”

But here’s the thing – on the other side of your fear is your liberation, your personal freedom. If you don’t believe me, I’ve pulled some stats for you to read through (in true former scientist fashion):

According to Sylvia Ann Hewlett from the Center for Talent Innovation, it turns out that building your personal brand boosts the likelihood of attracting sponsors. And, professionals with sponsors are 23% more likely to be promoted across the board (Clark).

Additionally, a personal brand is how you come to define your value-add in the world. Your ability to articulate your brand directly informs how well others understand who you are and what you stand for, how strong and authentic your professional relationships are, and ultimately, how effectively you realize your goals (Monarth).

At the end of the day, a strong personal brand is a legacy – your legacy. It’s what others remember about you and what you become known for – the go-to for that specific set of skills and values (Clark, Nieto-Rodriguez). It’s an opportunity for career growth, an invitation for you to call the right people to you in every season of life.

Do you want to be known for being you? For bringing your unique transformation to your clients? 

To truly free yourself from being boxed into one identity, I highly encourage you to hone in on what makes you, you. 

Your differentiation is the basis for building your personal brand – one that is undeniably yours and that cannot be replicated. One that allows you to become the marketing vehicle for your business – without you even trying to be someone you’re not. It’s exhilarating, no?

Here’s my advice to you:

Let your legacy speak louder than your fears! Liberation awaits on the other side.

Image credits: Public Persona Studio, Miru Images, Bianca Alexis

Clark, Dorie. “How Women Can Develop—and Promote—Their Personal Brand.” Harvard Business Review, 02 March 2018, hbr.org/2018/03/how-women-can-develop-and-promote-their-personal-brand?autocomplete=true. Accessed 20 Oct. 2022.

Clark, Dorie; Nieto-Rodriguez, Antonio. “Approach Your Personal Brand Like a Project Manager.” Harvard Business Review, 13 May 2022, hbr.org/2022/05/approach-your-personal-brand-like-a-project-manager?autocomplete=true. Accessed 20 Oct. 2022.

Monarth, Harrison. “What’s the Point of a Personal Brand?” Harvard Business Review, 17 Feb. 2022, hbr.org/2022/02/whats-the-point-of-a-personal-brand?autocomplete=true. Accessed 20 Oct. 2022.