I am passionate about learning. This passion generally leads me to immerse myself in ADHD, brain-related, and business-related education. (I also read fiction, but for a totally different reason.)
Podcasts are an easy way for me to consume information. It’s easy to queue up a podcast and listen during what may be otherwise unproductive time, like driving. Although most of the podcasts I listen to are ADHD-related, I recently revisited a podcast on a personal brand that I found fascinating.
John Lee Dumas is the narrator and a prolific podcaster who engages with a fantastic group of entrepreneurs who share wisdom. Recently, I was enthralled by the “Brand is Gravity “episode with Paul Daly.
In this episode, Paul shares five elements for building a brand.
- Honesty – understand who you are, what you bring to the market, and your unique selling points.
- Empathy – strive to understand before being understood.
- Attention – do something to get your buyer’s attention.
- Connection – the brand can build relationships, customer loyalty, and a tribe.
- Care – is an ongoing relationship with someone. No one is genuinely loyal and does not care about your brand.
I strive to embody all five of the above elements within my coaching practice. Each of them is essential, demonstrating my commitment to my clients.
As an entrepreneur, I pondered the difference between personality, character, and brand. Since I am my business, they must be the same, right? Not really. In looking to define each, here’s where I landed:
Personality: a particular way of thinking, feeling, and behaving. (britannica.com)
My personality is the different aspects of my individuality. My essence, traits, mannerisms, and nature. I may embrace bits and pieces of me while I work that I may only want to show to some clients. For example, I wear my emotions on my sleeve yet hesitate to show strong emotions during coaching sessions. In addition, I am sometimes hesitant to welcome change, although I ask my clients to embrace change regularly. Appreciating others and serving my clients with my expertise and empathy is essential, which is also part of my personality.
Character: the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing. (dictionary.com)
My character is a combination of traits where I put place value. Integrity, honesty, loyalty, affection, and accountability are all parts of my character that I strive to demonstrate. If you are looking for an interesting assignment, do this Values and Needs exercise.
Brand: A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller’s good or service from those of other sellers. (Wikipedia.com)
Then there is my brand. In my business, my brand is me and the product I deliver. David Ogilvy defined a brand as “the intangible sum of a product’s attributes.” It is about who I am in the minds of my client audience.
My vision statement sums up the core of my brand:
“To be a reliable and trusted resource for individuals with ADHD. To create a safe, judgment-free environment where individuals can learn about themselves, learn from others, and create the life they want.”
The statement also alludes to bits of my character: integrity, honesty, reliability, and loyalty.
How do I demonstrate my character with my clients:
Integrity: There are no hidden agendas or judgments, and all interactions are held in the strictest confidence.
Honesty: I am 100% honest with my clients. Although honesty may be challenging to hear, I am responsible for sharing what I’m witnessing and feeling during client appointments.
Reliability: Not only will I show up when I say I will, but I will show up fully present (there is a difference).
Loyalty: I could not have come up with a better descriptor than WellMind: “Loyalty is faithfulness, dedication, honesty, trust, and support in a relationship.”
When you think of your business or yourself, what do you want your brand to say about you?
Cindy Jobs, PCAC, PCC
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