Source: Susanne Deobald
Date: October 22, 2024

YOU ARE WORTH IT.

When I was fired from a Global Brand Director job at a Communication Agency on Valentine’s Day in 2020 at the age of 45, I literally had one thought: WTF am I supposed to do now?

I found myself contemplating pretty dark thoughts that should remain exactly where they were, tucked away in the dark corners of my mind, which is why I feel compelled to share how I got myself sorted out and back in the saddle again. I had never ever applied for a job before. I had always been recruited by headhunters or employers. And, as if it wasn’t difficult enough to be on the stairway to fifty, where everything somehow becomes A JOB (from staying fit to keeping a fresh complexion), it’s the age where searching for a job is no longer a new adventure and especially in a youth-obsessed marketing profession (oh yes, it is!). So,I decided to do what I know best....and have done all my professional life: build a brand. 

MY BRAND. 
MY ME-BRAND.
Creating a personal brand can be daunting, a real effort. Maybe in particular for people who are used to building brands. And one of the easiest ways to get lost in the process is not knowing where to begin. Even Oprah Winfrey began by going through several style iterations on a small local show before defining her voice into one of the most influential personal brands in the world.

In both our “look-at-me” culture and fast evolving job market, it’s helpful and necessary to stand out when applying for a job or starting your own company. A personal brand is for everyone. It is because it shows what we stand for. What we are worth.

Personal branding  is generally understood to be the focused and intentional leveraging of one’s unique skills and quirks in order to shape the way you’re perceived by others, advance your interests, and expand your sphere of influence. Think of it this way: If you have ever printed up business cards, created a personal website, or opened a social media account, you have already planted the seeds of your personal brand. 

SO HOW DO YOU BUILD A SUCCESSFUL PERSONAL BRAND? 
Hands down, the first step is to figure out who you are, what your story is, and what you want to be known for. The concept of personal branding has its share of critics, but few would dispute the value of self-awareness. (In fact, personal branding has been around since the age of antiquity). 

So here’s my framework of how to get started, all sprinkled with my own secrets rooted in all my experience in building brands.
Remain committed, communicate...and have fun with it (because it's only when you are having fun that you can find your authentic self and discover exactly what it is that makes you, you!

START WHERE YOU ARE – and don’t be scared 
Truthful self assessment is key to a great personal brand. 
How do you want the world to see you? What are your core values? What’s the legacy you want to leave behind? What do your friends tell you that makes you different or special? What’s your niche?

If you’re still feeling stuck, try this spin-off technique: Brainstorm ten brands you like most. Then pick the top three that excite you the most. Write a few sentences about why each relates back to your personal brand. If there’s one that you really love, how about taking the next step and building your own story around it, reflecting your own values and your experience. The sky's the limit.
 

STAY FOCUSED! – You can’t be everything to everyone.
The best personal brands are very specific. The narrower and more focused your brand is, the easier it is for people to remember who you are. Carve a niche, and then carve a niche within your niche.

How do you recognise your niche?
I literally started with 2 questions:
What am I most interested in and live to spend my career on?
What am I interested in to learn about - especially outside of my previous and present career?
It is so important to be crystal-clear about how you want to spend your time because it keeps you motivated and that’s what makes you eager to talk about it, own your story and shape your brand.

BE HONEST – nothing beats that.
There’s an easy way to have an original personal brand—and that is to be genuine. Never forget, people can see right through a disingenuous act. The more obviously a brand is a copycat, the more the audience will call out the perpetrator for it. Be genuine. It will make it much easier to manage your personal brand on a daily basis. 

PURSUE YOUR PURPOSE – uncompromisingly.
Your purpose is your WHY. When you’re clear about why you do what you do and the impact you create when you do it, you can make decisions that will propel you toward achievement rather than dragging you away from your reason for being. I always think about what exactly gets me up in the morning and remind myself, this is the reason I am working hard for what I wish to achieve.

BE YOU YOU YOU Not ME ME ME.
Although personal branding sounds self-focused, the most successful personal brands focus on others. When you replace “what can you do for me?” with “what can I do for you?” you’re able to connect deeply with others

CHOOSE YOUR PLATFORM – who do you actually want to talk to?
Think about how you’re expressing your brand. You’ll want to be on more than one platform, but it’s good to focus on those that make the most sense. Pinterest is popular with designers, while business consultants often use LinkedIn; how about you? Get started and don’t be afraid to say what you mean.

BE VOCAL – when you own your voice you own your power! 
Get used to regularly—even daily—sharing stories about the topic you feel passionate about. Create polls, ask questions, and converse with your followers. 
My personal top 3 elements for your social media posts: Speak, angle your camera on yourself, and make it about something interesting related to you and what you want to stand for/ own.

BE TRUE TO YOURSELF - Be the best version of yourself that you can be. It’s about love and kindness and being supportive, 
and being somebody that you’re really proud to look up to. 

EVERY TRANSFORMATION STARTS WITH YOU
And, to tell it in the word’s of the brand I have worked for: You are worth it!

Read more about Susanne Here