Lessons in Personal Branding and Business Identity from My Self-Employed Journey

As 2024 comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the lessons I’ve learned through being self employed. From discovering new tools to mastering personal branding, this year has been full of growth. These insights have helped me build my business, and I hope they can inspire and guide you in your own journey.

The Power of Personal Branding: Why It’s a Game-Changer

I launched my business, One Girl Guru LLC, at the end of 2023, and 2024 became a year of building it from the ground up. Before this journey, I had never considered the importance of my personal brand or why it mattered. Your personal brand allows you to tell others who you are, what interests you, and what you're passionate about. Throughout my journey, I discovered that your personal brand must be consistent across everything you do. I.e. your messaging, voice, and story should be the same off and online. It sounds intimidating to post about yourself but the great thing is you can start small and build on it. Cultivating my personal brand on LinkedIn allowed me to build off that network, and begin to build my business brand on that platform. You should be sure that your posts are personal, and that you use a tone that resonates with others. There is a lot of noise out there, so in order to stand out you must be able to tell a good story. You can talk about your journey or about things you have learned along the way. I use my personal LinkedIn profile to tell people what I am up to professionally, i.e. what conference I am attending that week, or about a nonprofit I worked with recently.

Aligning Your Brand: Website, Social Media Presence, and Business Identity

After focusing on personal branding, I realized how important it is to align every aspect of my business, from my website to my social media presence. Here's what I’ve learned about creating a consistent brand identity. Just like your personal brand, your business brand, website and social media presence should work together with consistent messaging to tell your business story and engage your community. My business brand is still evolving but I use it to share information that I think my audience will find interesting. I post a blog once a month on topics that are relevant to nonprofits and small businesses and post weekly tips on my business LinkedIN profile. My company brand and company page on LinkedIN, One Girl Guru LLC are still a work in progress, but I have made strides in the past year. You can check out my blog here to see some examples of the content I create for my audience.

Personal & Business Brand Tactics

• Share Your Story
  Post about what you’re working on and what you’re passionate about. Make your story relatable and engaging to draw others in.

• Craft a Clear Message
  Create a short elevator pitch or mission statement that clearly conveys your personal brand and resonates with your audience. Keep practicing! The more you do it, the more comfortable and confident you'll become.

• Stay Consistent Across Platforms
  Align your messaging across your website and social media profiles. Use cohesive profile photos, logos, and ensure all your profile information is up-to-date and complete.

Building your Network, Connecting and Engaging with your community

I make an effort to network locally and I joined my local chamber of commerce, and attend networking, and other community events regularly. In addition to networking offline, I network online as well. I attend virtual conferences, webinars, and groups on social media. Don’t just attend events, engage and connect! Make the most of your time by building genuine relationships. Make it a goal to connect with three people at every event. This is an attainable goal that will motivate you. The same goes for social media: don’t just post and leave. Take time to interact with others’ posts, comment on what resonates with you, and stay active in your community. Engagement is key both online and offline!

As a small business owner, you should be prepared to market yourself, and your business during any and all conversations, should the topic arise. It sounds overwhelming, but this will help you tell your company’s story consistently. People want to know who they are working with as much as they want to know if the person is qualified.

Effective Networking and Engagement Strategies

• Stay Connected
  Maintain your network by reaching out regularly. Check in, offer support, or ask if they need professional help or references. Build genuine connections, not just when you need something.

• Grow Your Network
  Use LinkedIn or similar platforms to connect with professionals in organizations or industries that interest you. Reach out for brief chats or informational interviews to learn and expand your circle.

• Engage on Social Media
  Go beyond posting. Comment on posts that interest you, share content that resonates with your values, and actively participate in conversations. Engagement fosters relationships.

• Be Your Brand Everywhere
  Talk about what you do, not just at networking events but also in everyday settings—at your child’s game, social events, or community gatherings.

Building a personal or business identity can be overwhelming, but remember good things take time, hard work and patience. Start small, just start somewhere. There's no one-size-fits-all approach. What worked for me, might not work for you. Looking back at where my business was a year ago, I’m amazed at the progress I’ve made. 2024 taught me that progress doesn’t happen overnight, but that every small step counts. As you plan for 2025, remember to celebrate each milestone on your journey—it’s all part of the growth process.

What lessons have you learned this year as a small business owner? I’d love to hear your reflections—share them in the comments or connect with me!