day 1 of Starting your Personal Brand: THE FOUNDATIONS

What is your personal brand? Well, I'll first tell you what it isn't. Your personal brand is not your personal diary. Oh, but this person didn't like this, so that yes, they did. But that doesn't mean that that is for you. And that's why it's personal because it's you. I'm Alyssa and welcome to the Inspired Media Podcast, a space for creators, creatives, and entrepreneurs who know they're meant to do more than just stop the scroll. So we're putting the spotlight on the unspoken truths and unconventional takes on how to truly build a standout brand online. Now, let the show begin. Hello, hello. What did we think of that intro that took me 18 takes? So I hope it wasn't terrible. But welcome to the first episode of the Inspired Media Podcast. Now, let's get right into it because we have to. We have to talk about 2024's favorite new buzzword, personal brand. And it's right up there with the authentic. We've been hearing it everywhere. And I'm sure you've been hearing it and you're like, OK, but what does that actually look like for me? And that's exactly what we're going to talk about today. What does that mean for you? And why should you be paying attention to your personal brand? Let's get into it. So what is your personal brand? Oh, but this person didn't like this. OK, yes, they did. But that doesn't mean that you have to do it like that. And that's why it's your personal brand. That's why it's personal because it's you, but back to the first point, your personal brand is the way in which you market and present yourself to the world. It's not just about what you're talking about, but who you are, your personality, your experiences, your values, the story you are telling. OK, yes, we know. But here's what a lot of creators get wrong. A personal brand is not just how you see yourself. It is to a degree, but it is also the way in which other people see you, how you make other people feel. So this first action item-- OK, starting your personal brand, day one, we're starting right now. This mindset shift, I want you to kind of adopt as you're starting your personal brand. I want you to tell yourself you are not your brand, because listen, there are some things that are just between you and God, and that's OK. You don't have to over share everything online. You don't have to give away your entire life to have a successful personal brand. Yes, we've seen it done before, but it's not the only way to do it. So you are not your brand. Just in the same way as I would say, you are not your business. Your vibe is your brand. So now what we know what a personal brand is and what it isn't, why are people really paying attention to it? Why now? Now, if you know me, you know that we've been saying this forever. Whether you are an up-and-coming influencer, service-based business owner, product-based business owner, and existing and seasoned creator, you and your personal brand have always been your secret to standing out. And let's be honest, there's a ton of creators. There's a ton of brands, a ton of content we're consuming, and even a ton of overlapping content. But we are creating not only connection with other people, but there's something so attractive about curating an identity online that we can eventually profit from, obviously, have done ethically, of course, but that could literally be a whole 'nother podcast episode. So that's why your personal brand is so important. And I know this is going to sound so cheesy, and it used to make the eyes roll to the back of my head when I heard this, but it really is so true. You are the only one that can do you. And when it comes to creating a community online, it's not just what you say, but it's the way that you frame the what. That's the reason why people are going to come back for you. Because like I said before, there's overlapping content. And I think if you think about all the content you're consuming, there's probably some overlap. Maybe you are watching multiple influencers in the same niche or multiple business owners. And maybe they are overlapping some of what they're saying, but you come back to those people that you genuinely feel connected with. So when it comes to you leveraging your personal brand in a space that is so saturated in a space that has become more competitive, you want to make sure that your personal brand and the way in which you see the world is like that first lens that we see everything. It's kind of like when you're in a dog sick relationship and people keep saying, break up with him, break up with him, but then you don't listen. But then someone in your life, finally, with that conviction and that tone and those expressions, they say, every time you let someone disrespect you, you disrespect yourself 10 times over. And you're like, wow, out. Those two people could be saying literally the exact same messaging, but you're gonna listen to that person, that person that speaks with that conviction, that just framed it and set it in a different way that actually sparked that light bulb and you're like, okay, now I get it. Your personal brand should be that consistent through line that ties in all of your content pillars. So regardless of what you are talking about, it's not just about what you're saying, but how you say something, that's the reason why people come back for more. That's the reason why people go every time she says something, I'm gonna get that essence of her. I'm gonna get that effector of her. And that's why your personal brand is so incredibly important. Okay, so how did we get started? How do we start leveraging your personal brand to make this stand out impact, to be more memorable on the Explorer page or the FYP? Well, of course, you're here, so we have some action items that you can take with and run with, so pull out your notes because we're gonna get started with the basics. So action item number one, first thing I want you to think about, what is your mission? What are you setting out to do here? What are you doing that's gonna be outside of yourself? Because let's face it, it's already about you. You're gonna be on camera, you're gonna be taking the hot picks, you're gonna be doing all those things. It's gonna be your name. Don't worry, you're gonna have that moment. But in order to start building a community, we have to be coming from a place where you're setting out to do something larger than yourself. You're creating a space that people want to be a part of. Again, it's already gonna be about you and I can make a whole other podcast on really having some fun with owning your brand and owning being the face of your brand. But at the heart of this entire thing, this entire journey, I want you to think about what is in it for them. Because if we're just doing this for the fame and the money and hey, not necessarily any, they're not bad things at all, but the heart of our mission has to be bigger than ourselves. Number two, 'cause I hope you were starting to reflect that and right down on it, I know I literally started with like the deepest, most, probably overwhelming thing, but I promise, I promise, if you take some time to just sit down and really reflect and journal, it's gonna be worth it. Because if you're just doing this for the fame, the money, the cloud, like again, it's not necessarily bad things, but if you really wanna create an impact online, I want you to start with something that's bigger than yourself, answering the question, what's in it for them? And I know I started out with something that is like, okay, yeah, so you're actually gonna make me work for it. Like this isn't just kind of like a plug and play template, but I promise, I promise if you start from here, if you start from a good heart, you start from a place that's outside of yourself, it's gonna make everything so worth it for you. So just take that for now because we're gonna go into the second action item. So the second exercise is actually something I did in an acting class 'cause I don't know if you knew this, but before I started my business, I wanted to be an actress. I really thought I was gonna be on Disney Channel, I really thought I was gonna be doing the, hi, my name is Alyssa and you're watching Disney Channel. I thought that was gonna be me, it wasn't, but we're still gonna be learning from our life experiences. So take this acting exercise with you. And I want you to ask yourself, your peers, your family, your friends, what's your vibe? Let them describe you in three words and even more fun because the first part was kinda deep, the first mission exercise I gave you, this one's gonna be way more fun. Tell them to describe you in movie characters, TV characters, theater characters. What's the way that people see you? And then we can totally leverage this. The reason why I love doing both is because a standout creator will understand the way that not only they see themselves, but the way that other people see them. And since you're here, that's you, you're gonna be the next standout creator. And if you do this exercise, keep me updated on Instagram stories, TikTok lives, regular content because I'm very, very curious. I know the first part, the first little exercise I gave you was a little bit deeper, but this is so fun. Like, aren't you curious about what characters people see you through? I don't know if it's just me, I don't know if that's the theater girl in me, but I think it is so fun. And the last point I'll leave you with here is content creation is supposed to be fun. When you're excited about it, when you're passionate, when you feel inspired, we know it, we feel it, but when you're not, we know it too. So as you start building out your personal brand, truly putting yourself out there. And what I like to say entering your it girl era, becoming your own it girl, something I stand so firmly on is that in this crazy world of social media and entrepreneurship, you are and have always been your secret to standing out. So now that you've listened to this episode, I hope that you not only start believing it, but acting like it. All right, that's all. And as always, break a leg.