Building Your Personal Brand in Your 50s and Beyond
Show Notes:
Personal Branding Snapshot
Summary:
In this episode of "Aging with Grace and Style, Valerie Hatcher dives into the fascinating realm of personal branding, especially tailored for women over 50. She debunks common myths about personal branding and emphasizes its importance in living life on your terms. Valerie guides listeners on how to own their narrative, build confidence during life transitions, and attract a supportive network. With actionable tips like self-awareness exercises, mini brand audits, and the significance of consistency, she inspires listeners to reveal their genuine selves and create a life they love. Valerie also introduces the upcoming journey of exploring personal branding in more depth, promising practical steps, inspiring stories, and the occasional expert guest.
**FREE RESOURCE:** Download your Personal Brand Snapshot here to get started on your self-reflective journey today!
Timestamps:
01:08 One year of podcasting and a new focus on personal branding.
03:20 The core elements of personal branding.
06:04 Busting myths about personal branding.
11:40 Simple actions to start building your brand foundation.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand that personal branding is about authenticity and showcasing the real you, not about faking a perfect image.
- Realize that building a personal brand allows you to own your narrative and challenge outdated stereotypes about aging.
- Recognize the importance of a strong personal brand as a tool for navigating life transitions with confidence and clarity.
- Engage in self-awareness exercises like journaling to identify your strengths, interests, and the unique traits others admire in you.
- Conduct a mini brand audit to ensure your current presence, whether on social media or in person, aligns with the image and values you want to convey consistently.
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Have questions, comments or feedback? Email hello@agingwithgraceandstyle.com
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Stay tuned for more inspiring chats, tips, and stories about the midlife journey.
See you soon!
Transcript
Imagine having the clarity and confidence
Speaker:to navigate any change life throws your way.
Speaker:That's the power of personal branding, and it's
Speaker:not just for career climbers.
Speaker:Hey, friend. Ever feel like those old fashioned
Speaker:ideas about aging just don't fit you? If you're ready to
Speaker:own this incredible chapter with grace, style, and a touch of
Speaker:sass, this is your space. Welcome to the aging with
Speaker:grace and style podcast. I'm Valerie Hatcher, and I'm here
Speaker:with empowering tips, inspiring stories, and a whole lot of
Speaker:fun just for us, women over 50. So grab
Speaker:your favorite beverage, turn up the volume, and let's
Speaker:get started.
Speaker:I can't believe it's been a year since
Speaker:I started this podcasting journey.
Speaker:For those who have been riding with me during this time, a big thank
Speaker:you. During this year, we've talked about a
Speaker:host of things, fashion, styles, skin
Speaker:care, confidence, imposter syndrome,
Speaker:AI, etcetera, and it's been a blast. You
Speaker:might wanna go back and see what you've missed or
Speaker:relisten to some of your favorites. But
Speaker:as I celebrate this milestone, I've had this
Speaker:realization. There's even more that
Speaker:I want to share. I'm calling it
Speaker:personal branding or maybe the art of
Speaker:being unapologetically yourself. It's
Speaker:not about becoming an influencer,
Speaker:but something deeper, especially for us
Speaker:amazing women ready to unlock our next chapter.
Speaker:You may or may not know that I'm a
Speaker:direct communicator. I'm not rude, but I keep it
Speaker:real, which sometimes makes some people
Speaker:squirm while others are appreciative.
Speaker:But I've learned a thing or two about owning who I am.
Speaker:You'll also quickly discover that I
Speaker:sometimes have a goofy sense of humor because,
Speaker:honestly, why should we be so
Speaker:serious all the time? I'm also creative,
Speaker:always trying something new in fashion
Speaker:with my hobbies, you name it. I tell you this
Speaker:because it turns out all of
Speaker:these things form the basis of my brand. And
Speaker:guess what? You have one too.
Speaker:Maybe it's time to dust it off, add some sparkle,
Speaker:and share it with the world. So here's the
Speaker:plan for this 2nd year. You can still
Speaker:count on those relevant and relatable topics
Speaker:with some fun mixed in, but I'm adding a whole new
Speaker:layer. I'm ready to dive into what it
Speaker:takes to build a personal brand that attracts
Speaker:incredible opportunities, amazing people,
Speaker:and lets you design a life that you love.
Speaker:So let's get started.
Speaker:Okay. So I've tossed around that phrase personal branding,
Speaker:but what the heck does it actually mean?
Speaker:So here's how I like to think about it. It's
Speaker:the combination of your reputation, your
Speaker:visibility, and how you make people feel.
Speaker:In other words, it's what people think of when they
Speaker:hear your name, how easily they can find
Speaker:you, and the overall impression that you
Speaker:leave. Now the important part,
Speaker:branding is about being your most authentic
Speaker:self. It's not about faking a perfect
Speaker:image or trying to please everyone. Think
Speaker:about some women, maybe even public
Speaker:figures or somebody in your real life
Speaker:whose energy or message really resonates
Speaker:with you. Chances are what you
Speaker:admire is their genuine brand
Speaker:that's coming through. Now the important
Speaker:part,
Speaker:Let's bust a few myths right now because these
Speaker:can hold us back. 1st, personal branding
Speaker:is not about faking it till you make it.
Speaker:Nobody likes a phony. Right? It's the exact
Speaker:opposite. It's about revealing the awesome, genuine
Speaker:you that's already there. 2nd,
Speaker:some people think that you have to be
Speaker:this world famous expert to have a brand.
Speaker:Nope. We all have unique
Speaker:experiences, skills, even quirks. That's the good
Speaker:stuff. Your perspective matters. And
Speaker:finally, let's address that fear
Speaker:of seeming like you're bragging. Think about it
Speaker:this way. If you have something valuable to
Speaker:offer, whether it's knowledge, support,
Speaker:or even just a good laugh, why wouldn't you
Speaker:share it with the world? That's how you find your
Speaker:people and make a positive
Speaker:impact. Okay. So now we've busted
Speaker:those myths. Just remember, a personal brand
Speaker:is for everyone. Alright. So
Speaker:maybe you get what personal branding is, but
Speaker:that question of why bother is
Speaker:probably popping up, especially for us ladies over 50.
Speaker:Let's be real. We've earned the right to
Speaker:not care what others think. But here's the thing.
Speaker:A strong personal brand is a powerful tool for
Speaker:living life on our terms. So let's break it
Speaker:down. Let's start with
Speaker:owning your own narrative. Don't you just
Speaker:roll your eyes at outdated stereotypes about aging?
Speaker:A strong personal brand lets you define
Speaker:who you are and what you're capable of,
Speaker:pushing back against those ages boxes.
Speaker:Picture this, maybe you've
Speaker:always been seen as the nurturing
Speaker:friend, but now you're ready to
Speaker:show that you're bold, adventurous.
Speaker:You're wanting to show that side. Branding is
Speaker:about expressing all those awesome facets of yourself.
Speaker:As women over 50, we've earned the right to control our
Speaker:image. Personal branding puts you in the
Speaker:driver's seat of your narrative.
Speaker:We need to have confidence in transitions.
Speaker:Life throws us curve balls. There's job changes,
Speaker:empty nest, maybe retirements.
Speaker:It can all feel disorienting. Having
Speaker:that solid brand foundation, knowing your
Speaker:strengths and what you stand for, it
Speaker:makes these transitions so much smoother.
Speaker:Think of your brand as your compass when
Speaker:navigating uncharted waters. Feeling
Speaker:confident and and clear on your value is
Speaker:a game changer, especially during life transitions.
Speaker:But confidence is just the first step.
Speaker:Imagine navigating those changes
Speaker:surrounding by a supportive network of people
Speaker:who get you. That's the power of attracting
Speaker:your tribe. And guess what? A strong
Speaker:personal brand is the magnet that draws them.
Speaker:Whether you are seeking new career opportunities,
Speaker:amazing friendships, or you just wanna surround
Speaker:yourself with people who understand you,
Speaker:a clear brand acts like a magnet. We
Speaker:all want that community. Right? And actively
Speaker:putting your passions and values out there, it
Speaker:helps you connect with your people. For
Speaker:example, I have a few tribes, and
Speaker:and that's okay. As a matter of fact, it's healthy.
Speaker:So I have my tribe who I met through work.
Speaker:Our work in HR is really what brought us together,
Speaker:but our values and personalities and
Speaker:goals and funny stories have kept us together
Speaker:well over a decade. And then within that
Speaker:group, there are 2 of us who
Speaker:we've connected on a whole other level and
Speaker:that we both have other interest in common
Speaker:that would be our creative sides. Then I have
Speaker:my tribe that I met through church. Over the years,
Speaker:we've become connected and bonded. Our kids
Speaker:have grown up together. We're growing
Speaker:older together. We've celebrated
Speaker:kids' weddings. We've celebrated our anniversaries.
Speaker:We've celebrated grandkids being born, etcetera.
Speaker:All of this, it's
Speaker:part of who I am. They are my community.
Speaker:Finding your tribe is amazing. Right? But
Speaker:building a strong network requires intentionality.
Speaker:In the next segment, we're gonna explore some
Speaker:practical, actionable steps that you can take.
Speaker:So if you're feeling a little fired up about this personal branding
Speaker:thing, then don't worry. You don't need
Speaker:to overhaul your entire life overnight.
Speaker:Let's start with a few simple actions that
Speaker:you can take today to start building your brand
Speaker:foundation. One would be like a self
Speaker:awareness boost. So grab your journal. Y'all know I talk about
Speaker:journaling almost every time we meet. Or even just a piece
Speaker:of paper and jot down some answers to these questions.
Speaker:What are you naturally good at? And
Speaker:what activities bring you a sense of joy
Speaker:or satisfaction? And here's a
Speaker:fun one to uncover some hidden gems
Speaker:about your brand. Think about
Speaker:the top 3 compliments that you get over and
Speaker:over. Maybe it's your sense of humor
Speaker:or your color advice that you give,
Speaker:or simply that you just brighten people's day
Speaker:and write those down. Now don't overthink them. And
Speaker:so why does this matter? Because
Speaker:these compliments aren't just nice words. They're
Speaker:clues. They show how others genuinely
Speaker:perceive you. Do you see them as part of
Speaker:your ideal brand image? So we'll dive
Speaker:deeper into this on the worksheet that we're gonna talk about
Speaker:later. So hold on to those compliments.
Speaker:And then we have, we can do a mini brand audit.
Speaker:So take a look at how you currently show up in the
Speaker:world. Does your social media presence
Speaker:feel aligned with who you are now? Does
Speaker:the way you dress reflect your personality
Speaker:and what you want to convey? This isn't about
Speaker:being judgmental at all. It's about
Speaker:noticing any gaps between
Speaker:your desired brand and how it's
Speaker:currently expressed and focus on
Speaker:consistency. You can't be everything to everyone.
Speaker:So pick, say 2 to 3 things that you want to
Speaker:be known for. This could be traits like
Speaker:knowledgeable, supportive, creative,
Speaker:or even has a good sense of humor. Now
Speaker:the key is to make sure these are coming
Speaker:across in everything you do, how you talk with
Speaker:your friends, the content you post,
Speaker:how you dress that consistency,
Speaker:it builds brand recognition with the right people.
Speaker:So are you starting to see how this whole personal branding
Speaker:thing is not only powerful, but it can be kind of
Speaker:fun. Remember, it's about
Speaker:revealing the awesome you that already exist,
Speaker:not forcing yourself into some unnatural
Speaker:mold. Now this isn't a
Speaker:magic fix it all solution. Building a
Speaker:personal brand, it takes work, but
Speaker:it's a journey to self discovery, to
Speaker:greater clarity and attracting the opportunities that you
Speaker:deserve. That's why in this
Speaker:next chapter of this podcast, I'm
Speaker:committed to including this topic, along with the
Speaker:others that we normally discuss, bringing you
Speaker:actionable steps, stories, and maybe even a
Speaker:few experts along the way to guiding you on this
Speaker:journey of self discovery and empowerment. And, of
Speaker:course, we still gotta have some fun while we're
Speaker:doing so. I am so excited to see
Speaker:where this takes us, how it changes our lives and
Speaker:helps us build an amazing community of women
Speaker:supporting each other. So what can you do
Speaker:now? 1st, download your
Speaker:personal brand snapshot from the link that I've going that
Speaker:I've placed in the show notes and start with those
Speaker:self reflection questions. Next,
Speaker:share this episode with a friend who could use a dose of inspiration.
Speaker:The more women we have uncovering their superpowers,
Speaker:the better. So stay tuned for our
Speaker:next episode next week. Until then,
Speaker:stay bold, stay beautiful, and most
Speaker:importantly, stay you.
Speaker:Thanks for hanging out with me today. I hope you're feeling
Speaker:inspired and ready to own your awesomeness. I
Speaker:love sharing this space with you. And if you loved today's
Speaker:episode, do me a favor, share it with a friend who
Speaker:could use some extra inspiration. A quick rating
Speaker:and review really helps too. Don't forget to
Speaker:subscribe so you never miss an episode. Let's
Speaker:keep this conversation going. Head over to
Speaker:pod.aging with grace and style.com to sign
Speaker:up for my newsletter. Until next time, keep shining
Speaker:with grace, style, and a whole lot of
Speaker:sass.
