Do You Have A Personal Brand?

’ve been working with a branding company the past few months. We’ve worked on logos and color palettes, and as much as I’ve enjoyed that part…I’ve really enjoyed working to develop my personal brand. 

What do I mean by ‘personal brand’? I’ve taken a deep dive articulating what’s important to me, my values, and ultimately, the type of client I want to attract. 

Vetting clients is simple if you know who you are and what you stand for. 

Through this process of identifying my core values, I kept circling back to relationships. I love people. I love meeting new people. I love cultivating relationships with friends, colleagues and clients I’ve had for years. For me, my entire business model revolves around my relationships.

I deeply value the people who bring joy to my life. That being said, I’m resolute on the types of people I bring into my circle. 

I want to share with you my 4-point checklist when determining if a new connection (personal or professional) will add value to my life.

• Connection. I take time asking questions and learning about someone new. I pay attention to how they react and respond to me. I smile a LOT…so, I want to see if they smile back or laugh at anything I might say.

• Vulnerability. Ya’ll, I’m an open book. You ask – I tell. I’ve tried NOT being that way, and it feels weird…like I’m not really being me. I freely express my thoughts, how I feel…all the things. I don’t have a poker face AT ALL. What you see is what you get. One thing is for certain: I only want to spend my time with people who give that back to me. 

• Energetic. For those of you who know me, I’m like the Energizer bunny. I’ve got a ton of energy all the time. I love to be around people who exude energy – whether that be energy for their ideas and passions or just to run around the block.

• Passionate. I was talking with a friend the other day whose boss actually told her she had too much passion for her job. What the what??!! You can’t buy passion. You can’t train someone to be passionate. I say bring it on! There’s nothing better than talking with a client or friend who loves their work and the people around them.

There you have it…my relationship checklist in 4 bullet points! 

We all have those things we pay attention to and determine if we want to be around someone again, right? At least for me, I want to spend time with those people who fill my bucket and not empty it.