EP 76 – How To Grow A Brand In 2021
Hey, hey! Welcome back to Friday Bullpen Sessions!
I’m on the edge of my seat as I speak today because I’m going to talk about something imperative to making 2021 the best year you’ll ever have. We’ll be talking about your personal brand. I’ll also be giving a few tips on how you can build it!
I know you might be thinking, “But wait, Andy. I’m not even into business. Why would I care about a personal brand?” Well, I used to think the same thing. I never really thought of the impact of having a solid personal brand to my life in general. It was not until in my career as a professional baseball player for Milwaukee Brewers that I realized that I was fed up with getting unnoticed by scouts and receiving evaluations that do not represent who I am. If you are currently in the same position where I was years ago, then keep reading, because this might be beneficial to you in the long run.
I am going to share with you personal experiences that helped increase my self-awareness and eventually build the brand that I am proud of. It is through this personal branding that I was able to grow my business quickly in a span of just a few years. Whether you’re a 22-year-old just entering the business world for the first time, a college athlete trying to prove yourself, or an insurance agent trying to win a piece of business, a solid personal brand will help you win opportunities and succeed in life. Also, if you belong to that last group, keep on reading because I have surprising news at the end of this post.
So without further ado, let’s dive in!
What Is a Personal Brand?
Before discussing what a personal brand is, I would like to know how your Thanksgiving celebration went amidst the pandemic. Did you choose to spend it in person with your family in the same room or did you go the safer route and spent it with your loved ones virtually? How did the people around you react when you made your choice? Did their reactions make you feel proud of your decision? Regretful? Uncomfortable?
If you are wondering why I am asking these questions, it all has to do with personal branding.
To start, how people see you or the impression you give them is your personal brand. Your experience, skills, actions and achievement in life, work, or at home, shape their perception of who you are. It has everything to do with your words, actions and it might be reflected in the decisions you make on a daily basis. The way you speak, the food you eat, the books you read, and the actions you take, reflect your personal brand. It makes you the only you there is, and that makes you special.
However, having a personal brand does not only relate to a positive sense of self. It can also impact your career. Let me share my personal experience so I can explain this.
Back in the day, I joined the Milwaukee Brewers organization as a pitcher. And we all know what that means right? As a pitcher, people’s eyes are on me because they see me as the most important person in the game. I have the most impact on whether our team would win or lose. However, because I was not comfortable sitting in my own skin, I never tried to stand out. So, I became a target of baseless judgments and opinions. These were the biggest source of frustration I had throughout my professional career. I also started counting all the lost opportunities and hated each one of them. There was even a time that I started pointing my finger to the scouts who came up with evaluations that didn’t match who I was or what I could do.
I call myself the “Milwaukee Brewer Misfit.” It was only after many, many years that I realized that there was no one to blame but me.
Looking back, I now realize that the reason why I never left a mark is because I lacked a personal brand. I kept showing up different versions of myself on different days, and those around me never really knew who I am or what I am made of. I kept on twisting and bending my personality because I thought that it would appease my audience. I went unnoticed.
How did it happen? All I did was to mold myself into whatever environment I am in. I was afraid of other people’s judgments. I failed to represent myself consistently. I allowed the judgment of others to persuade me into doubting myself and the things I can do. I let others’ opinions doubt my decision to do my best and just live in the present.
Practical Ways to Develop a Personal Brand
We all have that moment when we try to match the words that come out of our mouths or the actions we do to the perception of those around us. Many of us do this because we are afraid to get rejected or hurt. We don’t want the world to see our imperfections, our vulnerabilities, because we fear we’ll never reach their expectations. Sadly, we lost ourselves in the process of pleasing others. So if you catch yourself in a similar situation to where I was once before, I’ve got two major tips to help you navigate the road to developing a personal brand.
#1: Take time for self-reflection. Take advantage of the pandemic to start working on your self-awareness. Focus your attention to your behavior, character traits, and feelings. In this way, you can control what you want to project in front of other people and what your personal brand should be.
If you find yourself struggling, I personally suggest for you to ask yourself this simple question: If you weren’t in the room, and your friends, your family, your target audience — we’re all talking about you. What do you want us to say about you? By asking that question, you’ll discover what your personal brand is.
#2: Be consistent. Once you have identified your personal brand, make sure to show up and match your actions to the words that come out of your mouth. When all of these are aligned, magic happens. Your business will grow faster than it’s ever had. You will finally gain the attention of that recruiter, that scout, that school you have always dreamt of getting into.
Lastly, when you finally achieve a solid personal brand, hold onto it tightly. Do not let yourself slip away from it. By holding tight to your personal brand, you will always attract the right people into your life.
Why You Should Listen to This Episode Right Now…
Guys, take this holiday season just to know who you are. Be 100% self-aware of what your brand is and show up every single day as that one version of you. Whether others love it or not really doesn’t matter. The realization that showing different versions of me on different days is hurting my brand was absolutely instrumental in finding my own voice and just being comfortable with who I am.
Also, as I mentioned earlier, I have some surprising news for all insurance brokers reading this Friday’s Bullpen Sessions post. I am inviting you all to the relaunch of the Complete Game Mastermind. This will show you the fastest way to create the brand awareness you need to grow your business. We’re only taking 20 people right now and seats are getting filled pretty quickly. You have to get on this list by texting 2021 to (414) 622-1462, so you can secure early access and sign up for it at a significantly reduced rate. If you have any questions, I’d be happy to jump on a call with you to talk it through! Just send me a DM.
You can also join my FREE text community! Just text the word “Mindset” to 414-622-1462, and I’ll give you access to a TON of free weekly coaching. If you’re not quite ready to take the plunge and join the Complete Game Mastermind, this text community is a great way to see if my coaching might be right for you.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this Friday Bullpen Sessions post. If you’re enjoying this podcast, please go over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe, and don’t forget to give it a five-star rating. If you know of anybody in your life, whether family members, your friends, business, colleagues who are working very hard to build a personal brand, share this post with them on Instagram and tag me, @andy_neary, with your best takeaways.
Remember — having 100% self-awareness could be the best gift you could give yourself in the beginning of this year. 2021 is all about making a new you. So go out and share your personal brand with the world!
Until next time, folks!
Resources:
- Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyneary/
- Connect with me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andy_neary/