I. AM. FULL. (Yes, I did just eat lunch, but I’m talking about something deeper here.)
Last weekend, I had the privilege of speaking at the Nonprofit Professionals of Color Collective Conference, and I was completely TOUCHED —not just by the intentionality of the founders, Tyneisha Gibbs and Victoria Marie Fernandez, MPA, but by every single board member and volunteer I met. Jean Trujillo, Tenisha Malcolm-Wint, and so many others—you all brought so much heart to this space.
The sense of community was real. If you weren't there, it’s hard to put into words, but trust me, you missed out.
During my workshop, I had the chance to guide professionals on how to stop standing in their own way and start creating personal brands that reflect who they truly are—using LinkedIn as their stage. Here are a few tips I shared with them:
1. Use What You Have!
You don’t need anything new to start creating opportunities for yourself. Leverage the work you’ve already done and are currently doing.
2. Be INTENTIONAL!
What do you want people to feel when they interact with you? What impression are you leaving behind?
3. Be VULNERABLE!
This one is tough, even for me. In higher education, the pressure to maintain an "ivory tower" mindset—where you’re expected to have all the answers and appear flawless—is real. But in striving for perfection, authenticity is often lost. HECK, I work in an environment where many feel the need to present a flawless journey because resources often go to those with the “perfect” story. But let’s be real—none of our paths are without challenges, and pretending otherwise can be exhausting. Pretending and playing like my life is perfect is a DISSERVICE to the students, faculty and staff that I work with and is quite honestly a DANGER to those I come in contact with because then they feed into the need to be perfect. Vulnerability isn’t a weakness; it’s a strength that builds trust and opens doors for true growth.
Hearing feedback from workshop attendees was humbling. It reminded me of something I always tell people: I don’t have a picture-perfect background. But that doesn’t make my story any less impactful, and neither should yours. Don’t let imperfection keep you from reaching the people you’re meant to inspire.
If you’re an administrator working with college students and want to help them level up by leveraging their personal brand, let’s talk. I have a few slots open for this year and next semester!