I left halfway through her performance. The show had become unbearable for me. My roommate, Crystal, and I had gotten tickets to see Serena Kerrigan, the "Queen of Confidence” in Boston on a Friday night a couple of years ago. As she took the stage in her black power suit and stiletto pumps, the audience responded with cheers. I didn’t know what to expect, but her opening monologue revealed a hinted nervousness, and made me squirm in my seat a little.

Many people, although reluctant to admit it, want to build their audience as quickly as possible when they first start building their personal brand. Some are upfront about their desire for fast growth, while others may say something like, "Getting followers isn't my main priority, but I want my efforts to count for something."

The number of followers a person has become a new form of social currency. Even so, I’ll be honest with you: getting followers for my clients and students is **not** a top priority for me. And I’ll tell you why in a second.

Alright, alright, alright…. So I went to Vermont last weekend and it was epic…and a lot of you asked for my road trip itinerary so I’ll cut to the chase and give you the goods.

As many benefits as there are to building your personal brand, there are myths that often inhibit people from sharing what they know online. I’m here to tell you that these myths are exactly that… myths. Let’s debunk some of the main fallacies I hear and why you shouldn't let them get in the way of your personal branding goals.

I remember when I first started working in the office again after almost a year at home. As much as I was excited for the change of pace and scenery, it was a tough transition. I had almost forgotten how much effort and energy it takes to get yourself prepared for a day at the office. This is the article I needed to read 6 months ago. I hope it will serve as a good reminder to prioritize what’s most important to you during this season of transition.

I know the feeling all too well. It’s the feeling of coming home from a long vacation or business trip and being totally disengaged from work and unmotivated to accomplish your daily tasks. It can be hard to get back into the swing of things and pick up where you left off. So how can we avoid the negative feelings and stress that comes with this? I’ve found there are three things you can do to avoid the vacation blues so you can jump back into your routine. Let’s dive in.

I know the look all too well. The feeling of overwhelmingness written all over my students’ faces when they tell me their frustrations with social media. I empathize with them. Creating valuable content regularly will push you beyond what you are comfortable with. It is hard. And hard things require that we take breaks. So how does one take an intentional break from social media while still remaining aligned with the goals they have for their personal brand? Take it from someone who knows.

This week on my Instagram stories I asked you what you’re struggling with. A majority of people said they had a hard time posting consistently on social media. In response to this, I’m sharing my four tricks for being more consistent.

I created a personal website years ago. I remember loving the process. I’m an entrepreneur by trade and a creative at heart. I love my little ‘projects,’ and creating my personal website was the most fun of all. My personal website has continued to evolve as I’ve evolved. It’s always changing as I am always changing. I love that I have a place to share my knowledge, connect with my audience, and let others know how they can work with me. A personal website makes it real. Here are three main reasons you should start yours sooner rather than later.

To write well is one of the greatest challenges people face while building their personal brand. Everything you do for your personal brand involves the practice of writing; i.e, creating Instagram captions, voice over scripts, blog posts, emails, and most importantly, the copy on your personal website. If I had a nickel for everytime I heard, “But Anna, I’m just not a good writer, can I hire someone to do it for me?” I would be a very wealthy woman and I still wouldn’t hire anyone to do it for you. Here’s why.

What is a visual identity? We define it as a cohesive collection of graphical elements that are chosen intentionally to bring your personal brand to life. The purpose of a visual identity is to create an emotional impression on your audience and inform your Ideal Brand Adopter about the essence of who you are and the many different aspects of your personality and professional expertise.

Simply put, a Personal Brand Statement is an outward-facing statement that tells people what you do. That’s it. No need to overcomplicate it. If you do something they care about, they’ll follow you. That’s how it works. It’s also important to note the difference between a Personal Brand Statement and a Personal Mission Statement. A mission statement explains why your personal brand exists. What’s the purpose of your brand? What are you trying to accomplish by having a personal brand and sharing your content with others?

If you don’t have any real level of professional expertise, is it pointless to build a personal brand? Absolutely not. Take heart in knowing you don’t have to share educational content on social media to have a credible personal brand. Everyone has to start somewhere. If you’re a person who wants to serve others, share what’s true for you, and tap that creativity muscle, you will find immense joy and satisfaction from creating content consistently and engaging with an audience who is interested in who you are and what you do.

When you’re granted a vision, I believe it’s a sign you’re meant to carry it though. The “how” may not always reveal itself at first, but take heart that every great and perfect thing once began as a fleeting thought in someone’s head. Without vision, nothing would cease to exist. Vision is what enables us to plan our futures with wisdom and imagination.

PBA opens for enrollment on Monday, March 29. These are your questions, answered.

I remember when I first decided to call myself a “Personal Brand Strategist.” I woke up one morning and knew this was the name that felt most aligned with the work I was starting to do. During that time, I was designing Squarespace websites, writing copy, and helping people optimize their LinkedIn and Instagram accounts. I tried my hand at designing media kits, creating peoples’ visual identities, and even helped my clients take pictures for their social media posts. I tried my hand at everything under the sun…

You might have an idea of what it means to have a personal brand, but what does it mean, really? Simply put: a personal brand is you, online. A personal brand is every touchpoint of communication that people have with you; i.e., your website, Instagram profile, TikTok videos, emails, and LinkedIn posts, etc. Having a personal brand means that you are intentional about what you choose to share online. It is essential that you do not look at your personal brand as a separate entity. Your personal brand should be an honest reflection of who you truly are. A personal brand cannot be created as a construct to hide behind. A personal brand is not about creating one's “perfect” identity. Rather, it is the process of revealing your true self to the world. So how does one know if they’re truly ready to start building their brand? How can you be sure if this is the best use of your time and resources? Well, I’ll tell you, it starts with these 4 things.

Your personal brand is the key to getting paid for who you are and not just what you do. But there’s a catch. You have to create content for social media to reap the benefits that a personal brand can give you; benefits like a flexible schedule, working with highly-compatible clients and doing work that makes you feel fulfilled. There are many words of advice you will find on the internet when searching for things like, “Best tips to create content.” You might look for inspiration online to help you create better content, but it’s important to remember that the best ways to improve your content aren’t always found there. Your content will improve when you start looking inward for answers and inspiration.

Here’s a tip I try and remember: let go of the idea that content needs to be perfect for it to be shared. No piece of content will ever be perfect. A post can always be better before it is shared. The truth is, there are simply are not enough hours in the day to agonize over every detail. So how does one abandon perfectionism and share more content on social media?

One of the biggest questions I get asked on TikTok and Instagram is how I’ve managed to make friends in a new city after driving solo across the country and moving to Boston. When I arrived here almost 4 months ago, there was not a single soul who knew my name. Now, I’ve managed to make countless fantastic connections and planted seeds for a new and fruitful community. Making friends as an adult can be daunting, not to mention 10x more difficult during a Pandemic. So how do you do it? I have a few ideas for you.