Tamara Edwards’ Post

Authenticity matters, but are you aligning your professional brand with “the real you”?🤔 We hear it all the time—“authenticity is the secret sauce” to brand success. But let’s be honest: finding that perfect balance between your professional and personal selves can feel like walking a tightrope. In my work with thought leaders, I’ve found that these 5 tips are game-changers for cultivating authenticity: Embrace Vulnerability🤲: Share the highs and lows. People connect with real, imperfect journeys—but always share within your comfort zone. Speak in Your Own Voice🗣️: Ditch the corporate jargon. Your unique tone is your superpower. Connect Through Stories📖: Facts inform, but stories inspire and entertain. Let your audience feel the human side of your brand. Show, Don’t Tell👀: Actions speak louder than words. Demonstrate your values through every interaction. Listen and Respond👂: Engage in genuine two-way conversations. Authenticity is built when your audience feels truly heard. The magic happens when your brand messaging feels as genuine as your conversations with good friends. How do you bring authenticity into your brand? Drop a comment below—I'd love to hear your thoughts! 💬

The real secret to building a lasting personal brand is not perfection-it’s authenticity. Here’s why- Authenticity is the backbone of every powerful personal brand. In a world filled with perfectly curated images and polished narratives, it’s easy to think that perfection is the key to success. But the truth is, people connect with authenticity far more than they ever will with perfection. When you show your real self - your struggles, your failures, and your successes - you build a brand that people can truly connect with. It’s not about showcasing only the good moments, but about sharing the full picture of who you are. Think about it: some of the most admired individuals and brands today have built their influence by simply being authentic. They’re not afraid to be vulnerable, to admit mistakes, or to share the challenges they face. This creates a sense of relatability that resonates with audiences. Authenticity doesn’t just build trust - it fosters genuine connections. By sharing your real story, you invite others to be a part of it, too. This is how meaningful relationships and lasting brands are built. What’s one authentic moment you’ve shared that made a difference in your journey? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

The Biggest Brand Blunder ;Losing Your Authentic Voice In a world drowning in noise, brands desperately scream for attention, but they forget the most critical connection: genuine authenticity. The fatal mistake? Trying to be everything to everyone, and ending up meaning nothing to anyone. Customers don't want polished presentations. They crave real stories, Raw emotions, And transparent conversations. When brands manufacture personas instead of revealing their true core, they become forgettable wallpaper in consumers' lives. Your brand isn't just a logo or tagline. It's a living, breathing narrative that should resonate, challenge, and inspire. “DM” us to discover Your Authentic Brand DNA,from background noise to a powerful, memorable voice.

❌ Authenticity = sharing about yourself without context/purpose ✔️ Authenticity = sharing about yourself in a meaningful way Authenticity should be applied in a way that aligns with your personal brand! That doesn't mean being deceitful or only cherry-picking things about yourself, but to be in tune with your audience and your messaging in a consistent way. Read Dustin Hauer's for more details!

𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 “𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜” 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝. (And it’s not what you think.) The advice to “just be yourself” sounds empowering. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡: • When authenticity = oversharing, ↳ It’s a trap. • When it’s honesty without context, ↳ It’s confusing. • When it’s transparency without purpose, ↳ It’s risky. 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: Authenticity doesn’t mean unfiltered. It means aligned. 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡: • The brand you’re building, • With the people you want to reach, • And with the message you’re committed to sharing. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐲: Real authenticity is about knowing what parts of yourself are right for your audience to see. It needs to be entertaining and engaging to your audience. So next time someone says “Be authentic,” Ask yourself: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 “𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜” 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭? --- P.S. Consider sharing if you've fallen for the advice to be more authentic.

𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 “𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜” 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝. (And it’s not what you think.) The advice to “just be yourself” sounds empowering. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡: • When authenticity = oversharing, ↳ It’s a trap. • When it’s honesty without context, ↳ It’s confusing. • When it’s transparency without purpose, ↳ It’s risky. 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫: Authenticity doesn’t mean unfiltered. It means aligned. 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡: • The brand you’re building, • With the people you want to reach, • And with the message you’re committed to sharing. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐲: Real authenticity is about knowing what parts of yourself are right for your audience to see. It needs to be entertaining and engaging to your audience. So next time someone says “Be authentic,” Ask yourself: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 “𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜” 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭? --- P.S. Consider sharing if you've fallen for the advice to be more authentic.

Embracing brand authenticity isn’t just for the companies we work for—it’s essential for our personal brands, too. So, I’m thrilled to share a little rebrand I’m embarking on as The Fantasy Marketer ✨. This shift isn’t a new identity but rather a small way to bring more of me into what I share here. Fantasy stories and worlds have always been a big part of my life and influence how I think, create, and problem-solve. So why leave that passion at the door? 🐉 To me, building a personal brand should be about expressing who you are authentically. Maybe the “polished and corporate” style works for some (and that’s brilliant for them!), but if you’re anything like me, that can sometimes feel a bit flat. Your interests, hobbies, and quirks are what make you unique—they help you stand out and build connections with the right people and opportunities.🌍 ✨ Key points on authenticity in personal branding: 🌱 Stay true to yourself: Your personal brand should reflect who you are, not just a polished image. 🌈 Let your passions shine: Whether it’s fantasy or finance, sharing what you love makes your content more engaging. 🌍 Stand out by being you: In a world of sameness, your unique interests make you memorable. 💬 Connect with others: Authenticity attracts the right people and opportunities—those who value you for who you are. So here’s to everyone out there looking to build a brand that truly reflects their passions and personality. Let’s keep it real and make personal branding something that feels right for each of us. 💪🌱

This is the most important piece of advice I’ve received in my branding career so far: ✨ Be authentic. ✨ The more real and true you are, the more people will resonate with your brand. At its core, branding is about connection. And people don’t connect with perfection, they connect with authenticity. Here’s why being authentic matters: 👉 It builds trust:  ✅People can sense when something feels fake.  ✅But when your brand speaks honestly, trust grows naturally. 👉 It creates loyalty:  ✅Customers stick with brands they relate to.  ✅Authenticity makes your brand memorable. 👉 It stands out:  ✅In a world full of noise, being real is rare, and it sets you apart. But what does it mean to be authentic in branding? → Tell your true story. Share the ups and downs. Show your journey, not just the highlights. → Speak like a human. Avoid corporate jargon. Simple, real words go a long way. → Admit mistakes. It’s okay to mess up. What matters is owning it and learning. → Stay consistent. Your message and values should align across everything you do. I’ve learned this through experience. The more honest I’ve been, about my wins, struggles, and even failures—the more people have resonated. Authenticity isn’t just a strategy. It’s the foundation of a brand that lasts. So, here’s a thought: 📌 What’s one real, raw thing about your journey that you’re afraid to share? Maybe that’s the exact thing your audience needs to hear. Think about it & follow Sanjana Kalra for more.

I see a lot of people talking about brand building, but nobody ever mentions this: Building a sustainable brand you're excited to market is directly proportional to ONE thing: The freedom you give yourself to push the edges of your expression. Feeling pissed off? Share it. Obsessed with something? Share it. Have a weird way of seeing something and aren’t sure how others will take it? Share it. The stopping and starting…. The lack of clients… The strained guilt of having to “show up every day”… These symptoms arise when you feel inspired to reach into the heights and depths of your emotions but stop because “someone isn’t going to like it or get it.” I’m willing to bet at some point you have heard: ▶ ”Tone it down a bit.” ▶ “That’s not how it’s done.” ▶ “Stay in your lane.” ▶ “That’s unprofessional.” ▶ “That’s not what they want to hear.” ▶ “Don’t make it about you.” You’ve been conditioned to stay in the middle - not too high, not too low. Safe. Boring. Neutral. This is a straitjacket - and trying to express yourself in it is a recipe for burnout and exhaustion. Will you need to hone your message? Tweak it? Let it evolve and grow with you? Absolutely. But making it resonate doesn’t come from retreating back to the middle. It comes from bursting through the seams. Honoring what is yearning to be expressed THROUGH you. Because the Unfiltered You is what draws both you and your ideal clients into your ideas. It’s what keeps BOTH of you coming back for more. So fuck the middle - building a brand is about pushing your own boundaries - not defining them.