Writer & Personal Branding Expert
Do you know your story and feel confident sharing it online?
Perhaps, it’s difficult to describe what you do in a way that resonates and leaves a lasting impression. When you do talk about yourself, do you fear it comes across as bragging or self promotion? Do you struggle to have a clear and effective message that wows people to take action?
I’m betting you have many ideas for your brand; so many passions and interests that it’s hard to “niche down” like everyone says you should.
You may want build your personal brand, but it’s hard to know where to start and what you should prioritize first. Sound about right?
You’ve come to the right place.
At the end of the day, you need someone to help you focus on what’s really important: being your authentic self and finding your voice online. You’re ready for a step-by-step personal brand accelerator.
How I Discovered Personal Branding
I’ll never forget the first time I ever called myself a founder in front of a crowd full of people. My business partner and I had just arrived at a technology summit in San Francisco. As we walked through the corridor and past the check-in booth, we gave each other sideways glances. We were the only women in the room.
Before us laid a sea of men dressed in black suits with cocktails in their hands. They stood in small groups, chatting and exchanging pleasantries as though they had done it their entire lives.
The night before, we stayed up late to practice our “elevator” pitches in front of the mirror. We were careful to memorize every line, rehearsing until we sounded halfway-confident to present the real thing to anyone who would listen.
And now, in San Francisco, as I shook the hands of the men standing next to us,
I wondered if any of that practice had truly prepared me for this moment. I heard the shakiness in my voice and felt the sweat on my palms as I recited the words carefully. I thought it sounded forced. And the evening left me feeling discouraged and perplexed about my readiness for the role I had found myself in.
Truth be told, I was brand new at this thing. A total novice. I had just graduated from college two years prior and had taken a rather giant (dare I say naive?) leap into entrepreneurship with my business partner. Together, we wrote a business plan and created our pitch deck. We needed to raise money to build our product, so we joined an accelerator program for startups in San Francisco. As a result, we landed meetings with potential investors.
But there was a problem.
As a first-time founder, I couldn’t hide the fact that I was under-qualified. Investors want to keep the risk low. They want to bet on companies that have a high probability for a big pay-out and reward. And the best way to measure the success and longevity of a business is by looking at its founders. They’re looking for a sure-win. And I wasn’t a sure-win, I was a risk. Rather, my inexperience was a giant red flag that stood out like a sore thumb.
How I Almost Lost it All
Objections about my readiness for the role circulated in conversation. My own colleagues, advisors, and peers questioned whether I was the right person for the job, and even asked my business partner to consider having me step down. I let the pressure get to me. Their doubt planted a seed of anxiety, worry, and frustration in my mind. I saw myself as an impostor—and it showed. I lacked confidence in meetings and struggled to advocate for my place at the company.
Any founder knows the incredible sacrifice it takes to build something from the ground up, and here I was, in jeopardy of losing it all. Deep down I knew I was capable and competent, but it didn’t matter what I knew. It mattered how I spoke about what I knew. And I wasn’t speaking up for myself nor was I communicating my value in a way that my colleagues and potential investors could understand.
What Changed the Trajectory of My Career
I realized I needed to clarify my message and build my personal brand. This would finally help me look more credible, I thought.
I got to work.
I improved my social media profiles, built my own website, and began creating content for social media. I looked to other experts who had built their personal brands and modeled my content and my website after theirs. I posted regularly on my blog, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and I started a podcast where I interviewed industry experts on entrepreneurship and social media. Slowly over time, I built an engaged audience across multiple platforms.
But something was off...
The story I was sharing felt inauthentic. I used Instagram and LinkedIn as a means to bolster myself up and make a name for myself. Almost as if to say, "Look, here I am! Look what I can do and how much I know. Now, do you trust me?"
It took a while before I realized that I was building a personal brand out of fear and insecurity, not from a place of security, love and authenticity.
When I discovered TikTok, everything changed.
I started making videos merely because I wanted to (because it brought me pleasure) and not for anyone else. I documented my travels, shared stories from my life, and stopped trying to be something I wasn’t. My first viral video was about loneliness, and it changed the way I viewed personal branding forever.
After almost ten years of creating content, I had never received so much engagement. It felt rewarding to create a video that resonated with so many people. It wasn’t educational, informative, or anything of that nature. It was just…. me. A reflection of how I felt on the inside.
For the first time, things started to click.
I stopped sharing the story I thought others wanted to hear, and I started telling the story that was true for me. I began to use social media as an outlet for creativity and self-expression, while still sharing helpful information that showed others how to build their personal brand. I stopped struggling through content creation, and I started enjoying it. And the results were magnanimous.
My business grew exponentially, I started working with clients who were an amazing fit for me, and I grew an audience of 150k+ in less than a year. I was asked to share my expertise at conferences like Social Media Week and host workshops for companies like Walmart. My writing was featured in places like Foundr and Entrepreneur Magazine. And above all else, I got my confidence back. I was able to share my story with more self-assurance than ever before.
I started building my personal brand because I thought it would help me,
"look the part."
What I didn’t expect was that personal branding is so much deeper than updating your LinkedIn profile or starting a blog. It cannot and will never be a construct to hide behind; rather personal branding is about sharing who you truly are with your audience.
What I can tell you from coaching hundreds of people, is that no individual is the same; everyone has a unique story they are called to share. Do you know what yours is and how to communicate it to the world? I believe it takes a Personal Brand Strategist to help you uncover and convey your message in a way that’s powerful, imaginative and highly-effective.
I enjoy adventure and freedom, with a high tolerance for risk and not much patience for rigid structures.
MYERS-BRIGGS
As an ENFJ, I strive to be warm, genuine, and empathetic. I can be persuasive and desire to guide people toward a better life.
Get to Know Me
ENNEAGRAM
As a Type Four, I am creative and expressive. I am highly-attuned to my environment and love creating beauty.
DISC
As the Influencer (Id), I’m an outgoing thinker. I take bold action and try to articulate my ideas thoughtfully to build momentum around the projects I pursue.
VALUES
I place high value on wisdom, balance, beauty, leadership, and feeling fulfilled by my work.
Meet my pup, Laurence.
When my mom told me that our family dog, Zoey, was about to have a litter of puppies, I thought she was crazy. Although, I couldn’t help but wonder if one of them could be a good companion for me. After all, I was lonely. I had just moved from California to Boston without knowing a single soul. Months later, when I finally met Zoey’s puppies, I was immediately drawn to the last one of the litter to be chosen. He would’ve been my first choice. His name is Laurence and he is the best canine companion a girl could ask for. If you and I work together, you’ll surely see him sleeping next to me on one of our Zoom calls. Until then, follow our adventures on Instagram. @laurenceandleeza