The importance of a mentor

I don’t know about you but, I tend to think I can do everything myself.

My logical mind knows that’s not true and now I am way better at looking and asking for help. 

Building my business as an independent graphic designer who didn’t (well, couldn’t really) think further than the next month to now running a team of five has been a life changing and major shift in how I look at almost everything business related.

And nope, I have for sure not done that all by myself. I have mentors to thank.

Mentors that I talk directly to and mentors I “spy” on.

Both types of mentors have been valuable to my growth, personally and professionally.

As you might know, I have always been an athlete which means I have always had a trainer or a coach guiding me. This was an instrumental part of realizing I needed one for business too. Why on earth would I try to figure everything out on my own when there are so many that have so much insight to offer?

Then the big question, how do you find a mentor?

Yes, sure there are lots of coaches out there, but which one should you connect with? I didn’t want a certified business coach, I wanted someone who has done what I want to do. I wanted to be guided by someone who knows my field and the struggles that come along with it but has figured out a way to make it happen.

Here’s what I did:

I took a step back and thought about the type of people I like to be around, those who I could learn from, and made a conscious decision to surround myself with those who are adding value to my life.

But where to begin when finding a mentor at this point in my career?

Look no further than my favorite professional tool, LinkedIn. I looked up a few different people in my field who had extensive experience and reached out to a few individuals asking if I could meet up for a coffee chat. To my surprise, one said yes!

I joined communities with like-minded folks.

I researched podcasts that would be beneficial and started listening as much as I could, when I was walking, training, cleaning the house, anywhere, anytime.

My greatest mentor, my father, has been the biggest bonus in my business journey. He is an entrepreneur enthusiast, has been a businessman his whole life, and worked in a field like mine. Growing up, I thought of him as dad flying around the world for work but didn’t really know the gift I had right in front of me. Then when I was on the hunt for people to learn from it hit me like a ton of bricks, and what an eye-opening experience that was!  

Not only do I get a gold mine of knowledge and objective opinion a call away at any time, but I also got closer to my sweet dad which probably is the best gift I could have ever asked for. I know I’m extremely fortunate but perhaps you have somebody around you that you haven’t seen in that way before.

When you start opening up to the knowledge that is already out there, get ready for some big shifts.

When is it time to grow your team?

The time is now!

By hiring somebody, if only for a couple of hours a week, is an investment in the growth of your business. Even though you are handling everything fine on your own right now, at one point you may want to grow or take vacation without bringing your work with you.

In all honesty, it is impossible to be great at everything in your business.

Also, I’m sure there are few things you don’t enjoy doing anyway.

Those are the things you can start getting help with!

The stuff you constantly dread doing and wish somebody else could do for you…

Yep, that is the stuff you don’t need to do, instead you can have somebody help you with it.

If you’re reading this and saying, “I can’t hire somebody right now!”, I hear you.

You don’t need to hire somebody full time, or even part time. There are plenty of people who would love to just get a few hours here and there, maybe they have multiple clients they are working a few hours for.

In other words, hiring somebody as soon as possible for just 2 hours a week, to do the little things you don’t love will relieve an incredible amount off your plate.

The “I can do it better myself” mentality will only take you so far. Even if it takes more time to teach them how to do it, remembering that hiring is an investment in your future, as well as your business, and the long-term success of both.

It is also good to train your mind not to think about everything you need to do on your own, as that can create a lot of stress and later build up to spreading yourself too thin. Rather, remembering to hand off tasks because things become too much will set you up for success.

Does hiring someone have to be costly?

Hiring somebody for just two hours doesn’t have to be expensive either. There are plenty of options and tools out there to help you find people either locally, domestically, or internationally.

By getting help with the stuff you don’t love for two hours a day or week means you will get two more hours to focus on the stuff you enjoy and are good at. 

Slowly but surely, you are working towards focusing on the stuff you do the best while letting others do what they are good at.

What are the things you dislike doing?

The Value of Attitude + Perspective

I just came back from a trip to Ivory Coast, West Africa.

The whole trip was fantastic in so many ways. I truly believe it is a gift to experience other cultures as it challenges you to look at things from a different perspective. 

I mean, who says what you are doing is the right way of doing things?

Just because you have always done something one way does not mean you need to keep doing it that way.

A new perspective can bring a lot of gratitude to surface, especially when visiting a developing country.

If you stay in your “world”, oftentimes known as your comfort zone or bubble, you will limit your challenge of thinking differently.

However, you don’t need to travel across the world to alter your perspective, to challenge your comfortable way of thinking.

Let’s think about it, when is the last time you joined a group of people who are vastly different from you?

Or when was the last time you decided to give something new a chance?

For me, I felt majorly challenged in Ivory Coast.

In addition to a culture that was vastly different from mine (a combination of living in Sweden and the United States), the challenges expanded far beyond cultural differences.

I was immediately challenged by the terrible infrastructure issues, found myself eating foods that I would not normally consider eating (and probably wouldn’t have, if I knew what I was eating) in ways I would not choose how to eat the food.

I felt sad by the non-existent waste system and lack of cleanliness, stressed by the non-existing traffic rules and awful about the obvious signs of corruption, and felt feelings of guilt as I watched children play soccer on a dirt field without shoes.

I felt remorse as I watched so many people with very little opportunity live in poor conditions, and it was difficult to communicate with others whose culture and language I do not understand, all while being consistently sticky from mosquito spray.

Despite these challenges, my experience was absolutely incredible!

Because really, at the root of all experiences is your attitude.

Your attitude is formed by your willingness to accepting a challenge and how you decide to act.

It’s no secret we had issues, saw sadness, and ran into problems every single day, but if instead of looking at these obstacles as barriers, viewing these experiences as opportunities to learn, help, and grow allows the uncomfortable to become comfortable.

Just because something is difficult does not mean there is not beauty in it.

It was fascinating to see how people used their creativity to make money and how they moved through traffic with the unspoken rules of honk and go as you please. Rather than questioning these unorganized traffic rules, I learned this was their way of working together to get through life.

Although many things in life are out of our control, how we choose to see and interact with the world, our perspective and attitude, are the largest impacts on how we experience life.

I met amazing, warm, and hard-working people, saw incredibly beautiful nature, was blown away by colors and designs, ate fantastic food, became excellent at maneuvering in a chaotic city, and developed a newfound patience and appreciation for rules and opportunities.

Most importantly, Africa reminded me of the value of perspective and attitude.

You Can Do Hard Things

I have a few sticky notes on my desktop, one saying “You can do hard things!”.

Silly? Maybe, but whatever helps you push through challenges. A little reminder like that works for me and maybe it would for you too!

Whatever you must do to tackle the uncomfortable stuff.

I don’t know about you, but there has been a lot of uncomfortable stuff in my life lately, like a lot… to the point where I’m wondering, what’s going on?

But then I’m reminded that life’s hurdles come and goes in waves. I’m not sure if that is scientifically proven or not, but if not, I’m sure it could be!

As the true optimist that I am, that can only mean one thing, that soon there will be a wave of goodness coming my way! 😉

But let’s be real, what’s hard?

We set up these imaginary boundaries in our heads, yep, they are “homemade” imaginary boundaries.

Like:

  • “I can’t jump from a high rock because I’m afraid of heights.”
  • “I can’t public speak because people might think what I say is irrelevant.”
  • “I can’t make that phone call because they might tell me no.”
  • “I can’t charge more because who am I to charge that much?”
  • “I can’t grow my business because I just don’t know how.”

Well, I’m here to tell you (and me) this a bunch of BS! You can do hard things!

You made up those boundaries, so you can also throw them out the window and make new ones.  It’s actually a simple choice. 

Instead of doubting yourself and making excuses, try this:

  • Take one more step and you will be jumping.
  • Find another audience who resonate with you.
  • Push one more button and wait until they pick up.
  • Increase your prices.
  • Reach out to somebody who has grown a business before.

One of my favorite things to watch and support is when people around me do really hard things. I know they can do it and all that is needed is a bit of encouragement and a reminder that they can do hard things. That reminder can be anything from a sticky note, mentor, friend, or family member who knows your homemade boundaries are simply that, homemade. 

On the other side of those boundaries are beautiful achievements:

A sense of accomplishment, growth, and the realization that these boundaries were all made up in your head.

Now imagine what else you can do!

So, today, I simply want to remind you (and me) that you can do hard things!

Not only can you, but you should.

Can You Build a Brand on Your Own?

Believe it or not, I often recommend building your brand and website on your own…!

You might wonder why, I of all people would suggest that… I’m about to tell you.

When you start out, you don’t need a flashy website, a visual identity that is spot on, or unique messaging designed to fit you and your audience just perfectly. It’s a “nice-to-have”, at that point.

Yes, I said you do not need all that.

In the beginning you just need to start. Which on its own is not an easy feat, but that’s it.

Start with A DIY website.

Maybe have a logo on it, then go out there and figure out what you are doing, how you do things, and for who, THEN hire somebody to help you communicate that. Not the other way around [unless you have heaps of money laying around that you just need to get rid of, because it is of course very helpful! 😉 ]

I often see people hiding behind fixing and editing a website to be just “right” before they can go out and sell their goodness… yeah you know what I’m talking about, I know you have done it too.

Smiling, it’s ok, it’s also a time to think and define what you are doing and how. Just remember to not do it for too long because clarity comes from acting…not thought.

Oh, have I done that? Yes, of course. It’s even trickery when you are a brand designer and own an agency, ha, but the same rules go for me. Being aware of the excuse, [yes, it’s an excuse] can get you to change direction quicker though.

So today, I’m hoping I’ll nudge you into action, with your maybe not so perfect set up, and let you know that you can do it on your own.

Well, you don’t have to do it fully on your own.

There are lots of great tools and support out there, which brings me to something exciting! I have been working on this idea for quite some time, understanding why we make excuses for ourselves.

Sometimes you need to let things marinate, get the right experience before you can release something you are really excited about into the world. I have finally carved out time to create a course to help folks who aren’t ready to work with a professional still get fabulous guidance and support! 

The truth is, there is just sooo much to know about setting up your business online – so much.

This course is something I wished I had way back when I got going, it’s a collection of all the goodness I have learned in the past decade or so.

Launch w/ Ease will not only teach you how to set up your brand and website, but also how to build your business with confidence so you can start making money.

The best part – I will be there alongside you during the whole process to support, because without support…ugh, it makes things everything a whole lot more difficult, that’s a fact.

So, hey! If you are interested in learning more about this lovely course of mine, please click here, or simply sign up below, and you will be the first to know when it’s available!

Be the first to Launch w/ Ease

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If you are not interested, no worries!

I still hope you take action on whatever you are working on, put it out there and share your goodness with the world!

 

A Photoshoot Brings Your Website to Life

DO YOU WANT YOUR WEBSITE TO LOOK 10X BETTER (IF NOT MORE)?

Simple trick: Have a photoshoot.

It is seriously such a big difference if:

1) You have real photos versus stock photos (although in some areas great stock photos can work like a charm!)

2) If those photos are great, you are much more ahead of the game.

I work with a lot of different photographers, and I’m always just as excited and anxious to get the photos because the quality of them will make a tremendous difference.

You can think of it like sourcing the best ingredients for cooking a meal… you know the difference on a store-bought tomato and a home grown one… yeah, it’s like that!

Today I thought I would give you some tips on how to set up a great photoshoot.

FIRST, FIND YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER.​

  • You can ask a friend for recommendations
  • Search Instagram using hashtags, and easily get a spread of delightful photos so you can see if you like their style
  • If you are on a budget, ask a photography student
  • Or simply just ask a friend who has a creative eye

Type of photos

  • Client meeting –  invite a client (or ask a friend to act like a client) and have him/her dress appropriately – colors, style etc. – then set up a meeting with them portraying exactly how it would be in real life. The point of a photoshoot is to let your potential new client get a sneak peek into your world, who you are, and how you do things, so be authentic.
  • You at work – you at the computer, in your office, at your desk, etc.
  • You working – you with a notepad, pen, on the phone, researching, etc.
  • You communicating –  you on the phone, video conference, talking to co-worker, etc.
  • Filler photos – they should not have you in them, or you in focus, but rather portray your essence. It can be a blazer on a chair, big jewelry, glasses, fun socks, nice car or watch, a glass of wine, etc.
  • Family – if family is part of your life bring them either in focus or out of focus
  • Pop of brand color – incorporate your brand colors in accents like an armchair, wall, plant, flowerpot, pen, bag etc.

Technicalities

  • Horizontal images: Because we are shooting for a website, horizontal images work better. I know it is tempting to do vertical photos for bio/head shots, but I would suggest shooting horizontal, so you have space next to you, and the images will fill up the computer screen. If you don’t need the entire image, you can always crop it to fit. Having space next to you gives more depth as well as a perfect opportunity to lay a call to action on top of the photo
  • Interesting angles: Shooting at slightly unexpected angles makes for a much more interesting shoot and immediately takes your site to another level
  • Lighting: Great lighting is essential. You want it for removing shadows, illuminating your face, etc. You can also use lighting in a creative way, for example if some sunlight is coming in creating a ray on your desk etc. Lighting can take your photos to whole other level.
  • Negative space: Negative space is, actually, positive 😉 What negative spaces means is that you have empty space around you/the object.  As mentioned above, it’s a great place to lay text over the photo, but it also gives the viewer breathing room and a sense of space.

What to wear

  • Wear what you would wear when meeting with a client
  • Brand colors: Dress in something that has your brand colors or complementary to your brand colors. However, you do not want to go overboard (unless that is your thing). Using subtle placement makes the photoshoot natural while reminding the user of your colors.
  • Multiple looks: If you can, shoot in a couple different outfits. Changing up your looks is as simple as swapping out your blazer, changing your blouse, or putting on a new pair of shoes! It will give you better variety for the site, give it more life, and it is fun!

Where to shoot

  • Your office – If it is on brand and looks nice
  • Office-like space – Find a space you like visually, can be a coffee shop, hotel lobby or co-working space. It’s okay that it’s not your space. What you are doing is creating the experience of working with you and if it’s not exactly where you would work that’s totally fine.
  • Home – Depending on what kind of work you do, or how you work with your client, you can just shoot in your kitchen, your patio, etc.
  • Outdoors – Shoot in a park, city scape, beach, hiking trail, biking to work etc.

I HAVE CREATED A GUIDE FOR YOUR PHOTOSHOOT, DOWNLOAD IT BELOW!

PHOTOSHOOT CHECKLIST GUIDE

Extra goodies

It can be a little uncomfortable if you are not used to being in front of the camera, so make sure to have fun. I recommend candid lifestyle shoots; they are more genuine and comfortable. Perhaps bring a friend who can help with the shoot, provide their perspective, or just make you feel at ease.

I also recommend, checking out the location beforehand so you are comfortable know what to expect. Being comfortable in your environment will make your photoshoot run smoothly and be more fun!

Whether you have a friend or photographer shooting, optimizing your time is thoughtful.

Have fun!!

I hope this inspires you to get in front of the camera!

Procrastination is overwhelming. Here’s how I overcome it.

It's no secret, procrastination is overwhelming.

As I write this, it’s my dad’s birthday (Happy Birthday Dad!!). Because of his big day, I, of course, called him and sang. He smiled on the other side and told me while giggling that I was the first to sing for him. In all honesty, he probably meant that I was the first to sing for him that horribly… yeah, I can’t brag about my pipes really, but oh well, done is better than perfect!

Which brings me to procrastination and to do things even if it feels uncomfortable or not being ready for it. My dad has always encouraged me to take action (so it’s basically his own dang fault he got a horrible birthday song in his ear ;)!

I believe taking action is one of the biggest challenges we have as business owners. It’s so much easier to fill the day with organizing things, fiddling with designs on an IG post vs. doing the work that really matters.

Slight backstory, I’m one of those lucky lucky people who happen to have a father who is also my business (and life) mentor. He has run his own businesses, worked for huge corporations as well as small ones, has a brilliant mind and a big heart, and he has been my greatest influence on how I run and do business.

The number one thing that he would say when I call and ask if I should do this or that…is: Gor De, with his sweet slightly countryside accent.

Gor De, is Swedish for “Do it“ or “Just take action“.

It’s such an easy concept but sometimes, oh so difficult to execute.

He has always encouraged me to try and see how it goes. You can’t do more than mess up.

Procrastination only happens if you are not clear on what you should do or if it’s something that is uncomfortable to do.

So, this whole procrastination thing is really a change in mind set.

Here are some ideas to train yourself to “Gor De”, or “do it anyway”, when you feel like you would rather be in your comfy socks, wrapped up in a soft blanket in front of the bustling fire
  • Have a sticky note on your computer or your bathroom mirror with a reminder of taking action, of doing it anyway. Or a sign, like me, with my dad’s saying on my office wall.
  • Be clear on where you want to go and why. Having clarity feels so good and makes doing uncomfortable things quite a bit easier.
  • Schedule your stuff! Set aside a day, some hours to do what you need to do. Don’t just put it on your to do list, actually put it on your schedule and block out the time. More importantly, when somebody asks if you are available at that time to do something different, the answer is no. Whoa, for me that’s a tricky one. Because “it’s just my own stuff” but it is so important to take care of your own stuff.
  • I like to see change visually…might you be one of those too? For example, I have listed how many articles/videos I want to do this year. When one is done, I make a mark on my paper calendar, so I can see I’m one step closer to completion.
  • Because of my athletic background, I might be slightly competitive, so I like to turn most things into a sport or game. For example, last time it took me two hours to write x, next time, maybe I can do it in 1.75hrs instead…! Keeping track of time, amount, or anything tangible to see improvement makes doing tough things more fun!
  • Do it with a friend! Monthly Marketing day, work out, schedule social media posts. When you meet up with somebody you have one more person to keep you accountable. If you are anything like me you might enjoy team working a tad bit more!

The biggest thing is integrity, the only true cure to procrastination.

If you say you are going to do something, do it. Whether it’s for you, a client, or somebody else, you can practice that every day. Start with the little things like making the decision to making your bed every morning, showing up on time, to only doing phone calls on Tuesday etc. and stick to those decisions!

And as my dad would say, if you mess up, just do better tomorrow.

I hope this inspires you to find some ideas to take action or just Gor De, comfortably or not.  Small steps, in the right direction, is all you need.

Don’t Forget to Change Your Oil! Website Maintenance Recommendations

Keep your site up to date.

Website maintenance recommendations are coming your way. But first, let’s remember the work it took you to get there and why you need to maintain your website in the first place.

I know, getting a website created and set up is a big deal…from figuring out your niche and your offerings, getting your message just right, doing a fancy photoshoot, establishing your new visual identity to display all over your website. It’s a lot of work, but it’s really an exciting time! And it’s even more exciting when it’s time to open the doors and let the world know you are here!

I don’t want to be a spoilsport, but I do want to keep it real. I don’t have babies, but I imagine it being sort of similar (except the website reveal is most likely a lot less painful)! You plan, prep and get set up for the special day. Baby arrives and there’s lots of joy and excitement, but then…the real work starts. It’s sort of the same with creating your business and launching your website. It’s super exciting, but then…the real work starts. (Not a good metaphor? Hit reply and let me know).

Now it’s time to “nurture” that business so that it grows and prospers.

You need to make sure the website is working for you, so that people are actually coming to your site. You do this through networking, blogging, podcasting, socialmediaing (that might not be a word, but it is now), YouTubing, speaking, advertising, stapling posters to the community board, etc. When you start growing your business you will also inevitably want to update your site as your business goes through different changes. i.e. changing your offers, adding services, adding pages and so on. All of this can be fun, if you set it up that way. What might be a little less fun is making sure your site is up to date and secure so you can keep serving folks through your site.

Think of it this way…

You get oil changes every 5,000 miles,

You clean your teeth every 6 month or so,

You visit the doctor annually to make sure you are healthy,

Your smartphone has a bunch of apps that need to be updated so they run smoothly.

 

Similarly, this maintenance is needed for your website. It needs to be up to date to run smoothly. It needs be as secure as possible. And, it needs to be backed up just in case something does happen.

If your site is on WordPress, here is a “little less fun” list I would recommend you take a look at, or have a professional take a look at for you:

  • Back up your site
  • Research Theme vs WP versions for compatibility so it’s safe to update
  • Backup WordPress, theme, custom CSS rules and other possible items
  • Update your copyright if it’s passed another year
  • Update plugins (in correct order)
  • Clean out any unused plugins
  • Check that forms and links work

 

Lastly, make sure your site handled all the updates without losing any information or displaying in a funky way.

It’s pertinent to stay on top of this, because you have put in a lot of work to get here, and I know you don’t want to have to deal with your site being down. It’s not only time consuming but could be very costly.  If you don’t stay on top of updates you are opening the doors to unwanted guests, like hackers and malware. And before you say it, I know your site doesn’t have anything valuable on it (like credit card information) and it’s just a small informational site, but the sad truth is…it doesn’t matter anymore. For some odd reason that I don’t know or understand, people like to go in and break things anyway.

To end this post on a good note, make sure to stay on top of your oil change, teeth cleaning, smartphone updates and website check-ups, and I promise you that life will run a little bit smoother (at least in those areas)!

Basic SEO Marketing to Get You Going

If you ask me, it’s very important how a website looks!

But looks aren’t everything. 

As with all design elements, it needs to have both form and function.

One aspect of the function [yes, there are multiple] of a website is Search Engine Optimization [SEO]. As the name indicates, SEO helps with visibility of websites on search engines.  If you want a more detailed explanation have a read here.

As you most likely know, well-done SEO will help you get to the top of the search engines, such as Google, for free. You might also know that you can pay for ad space and your site will be put at the top or on the right side of the page.

But did you know that there are, on average, 3.8 million searches per minute on Google!?  That’s a lot of searching going on in the world. If your business got searched, let’s say, .01% out of all those searches, I think your business would be doing pretty well! 😉

 

With that said, I thought I would give some basic guidance on how search engines rank sites.

If you have…

  • high-quality, relevant information for a specific topic that uses the most optimal, searchable keywords…
  • other websites linking to your website… [Keep in mind, it’s important who you are linked to. You will up your game if you are linked to other trusted sites that get frequent traffic vs a site that rarely gets views.]
  • a lot of people clicking on your site…
  • a fast-loading site…
  • unique content… [I know, it’s convenient to get fed content from other resources, but when it’s original, it’s much more valuable for the search engine optimization.]
  • your brand or domain name mentioned frequently in other places…
  • high social metrics… [Facebook shares, LinkedIn mentions, Tweets, etc.]

 

…then search engines will love you and it’s more likely your site will populate at the top of the list when someone does a search relevant to what you offer.

What do you optimize for?

Before you take steps to get higher rankings, you first need to figure out who you are optimizing for [your audience] and what your audience is searching for [frequent keywords used]. That takes a little “brand” soul searching, but there are plenty of tools like Google’s own keyword tool that can help you figure out what that is.

You will then look at search volume, relevance, and competition to find which keywords or phrases will be the most useful for you. 

How to optimize?

When you have your list of keywords or phrases, it’s time to optimize your site. There are a plethora of ways you can do that!  Below are some of the top ones. But keep in mind, it’s constantly changing. [They just can’t make it easy for us can they.]

  • Title of your website
  • Meta description
  • Alt tags
  • URL name
  • Target keywords on your pages: Placing them higher up on the page is better.
    For example, a keyword in a title is more useful than if it’s buried within the body of your copy. But, either way, get those keywords placed on your page!
  • Built to share: if you give your audience an easy way to share your articles, your social metrics go up.
  • Engagement: whether on your site or on social media, engaging your audience is good.
  • User Experience: such as speed; a clean, visually appealing site; and simple navigation.
  • Local SEO: within a smaller market vs a larger market, broad terms (such as shoes) can produce effective results.
  • Hyperlinked text: when you link to another location, make sure to include keywords.
  • Content creation and promotion: remember, original content is best!
  • Mobile friendliness
  • Redirects: I do not recommend moving or changing your URL, but if necessary, make sure it’s done properly. Broken links can impact you poorly.
  • Duplicating content: this is never good. It dilutes link equity between pages (yes confusing, but in general, search engines will penalize you for duplicating sections of content.
  • Submit your xml sitemap: Share your sitemap with search engines so that spiders crawl your site and pick up your information more quickly.
  • Organic SEO: these organic optimization efforts are valued higher than paid advertising.
  • SSL certificate: this used to be just for eCommerce. Not anymore. All sites need to have it and it’s valued high for Google.
  • Back links: reach out to people who might be interested in linking to your articles.
  • SEO plugins: for example, Yoast SEO is free and an excellent tool.

This is a long list and there are even more ways to optimize, but hopefully this will give you a place to start. I know we all have limited time, but if you start with chipping away on this list, I’m most certain you will start seeing your site get higher up in the ranks. 

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out, and if this seems just straight up overwhelming, we can of course help do it for you.

Building a Personal Brand

Before jumping into how to build a personal brand, let’s establish what it really is.

Your personal brand is basically you being the face of your company with your values and your ways of doing things. It’s how you show up, and how you make people feel.

I was recently watching a video, where Marie Forleo was interviewing Seth Godin, one of my favorite marketers.  Seth breaks everything down to the basics and states the facts just how they are, raw and real. There is no fluff with him. In this specific episode, they talk about the practice of doing your work and how essential consistency is. (“The Practice” is also the name of his new book. I haven’t read it yet, but it’s probably as brilliant as all of his other work.)

Doing anything regularly is a big part of building a personal brand.

Next they talked about authenticity, which most likely is something that pops in your mind when you think about a personal brand…which make sense, but Mr. Godin puts a different perspective on this idea. He says that the only time you are authentic is when you are a toddler, because you don’t have any executive functions, but beyond that you are busy calculating what you would do as a civilized productive contributor to society.

Within this idea are the golden nuggets of what you should deliver to your audience.

an authentic experience that they can consume. Hallelujah.

So, although authenticity might come to mind when talking about personal brand, it’s really a calculated experience on how you want to show up. It’s about learning along the way how you want to be and how you don’t want to be. When you do that enough times, without being influenced by or desiring to impress, but instead doing what you believe is true, that’s when you are establishing your personal brand.

How do you make it happen? Well, that is simple, but not that easy.

You do uncomfortable things, until you do them well. Then you rinse and repeat.

You do things and then take a step back to evaluate if that is how you would do it again.

It’s about looking inwards and then really listening to your truth. It’s a constant growth process, but as time goes by you start gaining clarity on what feels right and how you’d like to show up.

Then, you incorporate those values and ways into your business and “all of a sudden” you have built a personal brand. The neat thing that comes with all that work is that you are building a business that also stands out, because you are doing it your way.

I hope this gives you more clarity on what a personal brand is and how to create one.