026 Confidence Without the Cringe
How do you confidently build your personal brand without falling into the trap of trying to do everything, be everywhere, or copy everyone else online.
Quirky Quiz Time 🥳
What’s one of the biggest pitfalls in personal branding according to this episode?
A) Copying someone else's voice and tone
B) Having too many colour schemes
C) Posting only during holidays
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Correct Answer: A) Copying someone else's voice and tone - you are not them or your audience would just follow and pay them 👀
026 Confidence Without the Cringe
Let’s tackle the all-too-common pitfalls of personal branding and how we can dodge the cringe while still showing up powerfully and consistently. Whether you're just starting out or knee-deep in your content strategy, you'll get clear guidance on finding what content format suits you best, and how to make it sustainable.
Building a personal brand doesn't mean becoming someone you're not. One of the biggest game changers is creating content in a format that feels easy and natural to you. Whether that's writing, speaking, designing, or a combo of all three; start with your strengths and grow from there. It’s not about chasing algorithms; it’s about crafting stories that stick and feel good to make.
Zoe emphasises that the key to avoiding content burnout is consistency, not perfection. You don’t need to be on every platform, sound like your favourite influencer, or have polished videos from the get-go. What you do need is a story worth sharing, and the willingness to share it in a way that feels sustainable to you. From capturing voice memos to typing blog drafts, start with your message and let the format follow.
Lastly, the episode dives into five common mistakes people make when building a personal brand; including mimicking others’ voices, over-niching, and only ever talking about themselves. The best way to stand out? Be yourself, consistently. Want help building a brand that people remember (for the right reasons)? Reach out to Zoë Wood at Video Confidence Coach and let’s work together to create content that’s authentically you and gets results.
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00:00 – Welcome and Good Friday holiday banter, exposure woes, and livestream setup chat.
06:00 – Acknowledgement of Country and updates on Geelong appearances and mentoring projects.
12:00 – Upcoming events, Easter shoutouts, and newsletter reminders.
18:00 – Answering the big question: what feels most natural to create for your personal brand?
24:00 – Why creating content shouldn’t start with format, but with the message behind your stories.
30:00 – Choosing the format that matches your personality: talkers, writers, and visual thinkers unite!
36:00 – Repurposing content creatively and sustainably without burning out.
42:00 – Addressing content fears and misconceptions, especially around consistency and perfection.
48:00 – Common personal branding mistakes: copying voices, platform overload, perfection paralysis.
54:00 – The biggest reminder: your personal brand is for your audience, not just for you.
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G'day and welcome
to this week's video
confidence connect
with your host
Zoe Wood the video
confidence coach
This is an hour a week
where I get a chance
to answer your video
Confidence personal
branding and marketing
questions that I collect
throughout the week
so hello to everyone
and I hope you have a
Wonderful good Friday
as we are recording
this it is currently
the 18th of the 4th
2025 as I go live
which is good Friday
So for those
in Australia,
we have a public
holiday or a day off
It was nice to drive
around in the morning
and see so little cars.
It was kind of nice
And hopefully
everyone is getting
ready for Easter
either a nice relaxing
holiday or Easter
with the family
Those two things are not
necessarily exclusive
So welcome everyone as
per usual I'll get set up
The makeup didn't
exactly turn out how
I envisioned today,
so please bear with me
It's
not futuristic
than I planned,
but I think it
kind of works
I have noticed that
I am a bit bright
so I have
had some of you mention
Hey, Zoe when I watch
some of your videos
you are a bit bright
So I think that's just
because I need to play
around with the
exposure of it.
Okay, so like
turning on
turn off
Because I'm gonna
take the exposure down
So then I put
the exposure on
Yeah,
we're getting
there and then
if I take the
brightness down the tad
I'm currently working on
a tool that can actually
make this a lot
easier for myself
and for you as well
There we go. I think
I'm feeling a bit
better about that
There we go,
so we're gonna work
with that for now
So
as per usual welcome
everyone to the video
confidence connect
smashing your marketing
mayhem with killer
video strategies
With me your host
as I would the video
confidence coach
Feeling stuck
trying to build a
personal brand that
actually turns heads
Women and non
-binary superstars
deserve better than
just the cookie cutter
approach to their worries.
So the video
confidence coach
That's me untangled your
marketing mayhem with
marketing strategies
helping women And non
-binary folks behind the
camera crafting killer
video marketing strategies
and connect with their
audience like never before
You'll leave with
the tools to show
up stand out and
smash your goals.
That is not exactly
my full elevator pitch
But here we
are regardless
So as you're watching
this you can interact
comment leave any of your
thoughts or questions
Or any podcast topic ideas
that you have for the
unvoring your brand
podcast that I run
on a weekly basis
And yeah, you can
always check out
this live stream on
the hashtag replay
You can make sure you
can check this on
LinkedIn twitch Facebook
YouTube and there
is a fifth one
LinkedIn
or have I already
mentioned that we'll
see how we go today
What else but yes,
if you have any
other questions
You can always check out
all the show notes and
all the other details on
my website VCC training
I like to have
all my details
or I like to have
show notes of the
Live stream so you
can get a both a
written down version
and a couple of other
my thoughts that
I may not have been
Able to put in the
live stream itself
Before you officially
begin I would like
to acknowledge and
pay my respect to
the water on people
of the Kulin nation
The traditional
custodians of the land
on which I conduct
my business today
I pay my respects
to their elders
past and present
I stand with the traditional
custodians of these
lands in working towards
a more equal future
Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander
people continue to face
discrimination and
disadvantage due to our
country's colonial past
I stand with them
in their fight
against injustice
always was always will
be Aboriginal land and
Looking ahead
over this path.
Well looking back a week
over this past week
you would have seen
me at and about in the
Geelong area at the
2025 April connect
for the Geelong
chamber at the war
the wrong co-op.
So
Hopefully,
I don't have
or see I don't
have all the details
at the moment
But I may be helping
mentoring some of the kids
out there in the new
podcasting studio out in
Bulim Bulim,
which is just on the
surf ghost highway if
you're out a long way
So if you're interested
in that feel free
to check that out
And I'll obviously
mention it on the live
stream as well when
that comes into practice
Hopefully that doesn't
conflict with other
like other mentoring
opportunities that
I have with the Gordon
and other places,
but that's what
we'll work with now
In the future over
this next week
So obviously there is
a lot of public holidays
over this next week
as we reach the
end of April
But on the Thursday
on the 24th of April,
I will be in Geelong
for the net one
roof network one
One roof women's and
networking group held
in Geelong by the Jane.
Thank you Jane.
So you'll see me at
Man O'Dally, which is
just on Shannon Avenue.
So you'll say hi
So feel free to say
hello if you're interested
in seeing me there
And as I mentioned because
we are in the midst of
public holiday season
as in it is
currently Good Friday
Sundays Easter
Mondays Easter
Monday and then on
Friday is Anzac Day
So next next Friday.
So next live stream is
going to be on Anzac
Day. It's going to be a
rather interesting week
So I wish everyone a
beautiful time with
either themselves
or their
family during this
public holidays and any
religious observances
I wish you all the
best during this time.
Make sure to stay
safe and stay hydrated
I say that as I walk
in here already
sweating my makeup off
It's already
not gonna stick
but what we'll do
I'll focus on the
upcoming things
that we have with
the Unboring Your
Brand podcast as
I mentioned before
So get your personal
branding questions answered,
especially in
the comments
I always do my best
to repurpose those
into podcast episodes
so more people can
learn to build
their personal brand
Last week we had episode
55. We are getting
there in numbers folks
When trolls
attack your brand,
so is a story of
I had a bunch of
Americans
Love you
some of you
had attacked one of
my videos and
proceeded to
be very strange
and be very weird,
so I've
Broken down that
story for you in
the event that not
necessarily that
it'll happen to
you and your brand
But what you can do
and the actions that
I took and the reasons
that I took them
But this upcoming week
episode 56. We have trust
your own marketing mojo
When it comes to
marketing and making these
very big decisions for
yourself and your brand
There's a little
bit of concern about
if it will work and
if it won't work
So trusting your mojo
you will definitely see
I'm dressed up as Austin
Powers on the cover
So you'll definitely
keep an eye out for that.
Why cuz I want to
be a little fun
and with big
podcasters my
My group for Victorian
podcasters that I run
on Facebook LinkedIn
and on email newsletter
We have a lot of
good things coming
up in the pipeline
So if you are a
Victorian podcast or
interested in podcasting
and you live or
work in Victoria
Make sure you check that
out in the link below or
check it out at VCC
training slash
Vic dash podcasters
And you can join
the email list there
Last week we had episode
30 about blunders
to kill your podcast.
That was a serious
My apologies
That was the second
of a series of
Podcasting mistakes
that I have a
lot of people ask
questions about so
I answered that in
that podcast for you
and in Episode 31
we have coming this
week what counts
as podcast success
So I do get a lot of
especially new podcasters
But even seasoned
podcasters who
feel a little bit
downtrodden regarding
their podcasting
numbers or metrics
and they're just like
I don't know what it
means to be successful
anymore Zoe and that's
what we go through
in that podcast episode
So on screen if you are
watching this live and
not just listening to my
beautiful calming voice
I have updated
the website now,
of course with the
VCC dot training
I update the website
like every day or so and
for those who are in
service-based businesses
I recommend that
you do the same
compared to like once
a month to other people
but essentially what
I've done is I've
updated aspects of the
Website specifically
the services page.
So we've got all our
services and we've got our
marketing coaching our
speaking and emissing
Online media producer
marketing strategy and
marketing mentoring
So if you are interested
in any of my
services and you need
to get a little bit
more details before
reaching out to me
Personally again, I'm
happy to answer any
of your questions.
You can check out
all the details here
You can check out some
more details there and
you can see some proof
with our past clients
And you can also book
in a chat with me
just to be able to
get your head around
How we can serve you
and help you at the
video confidence coach.
So look forward to
that in the meantime
I'm going to turn on
that air conditioner
I'm gonna blast
myself for a couple
minutes and we're
gonna get ready for our
first community question
Which will be
What feels the most
natural for you to create
when discussing what
type of content to create
for my personal brand?
Do you've heard
that the algorithm
on many socials
favors faces
and yes, that is
definitely true
Because humans like
to connect with faces
We like to see other
faces and we like to
see what they look like
what they're about
and on social media that
and especially the
Algorithm is based
on our actions
and the actions or
whatever the social
media overlords
wants us to do,
but I digress So if
you are able to get
your face onto camera
and you're confident
About having your
face out there
then do it
Practice a couple of
times maybe you're
a film a different
couple of videos
before you put
anything out there
And then once you put
that video out there,
make sure that you share
it with the community
Like us here or
you share the video
to other groups
that you're a part
of maybe just to
get some feedback
on what you can
improve on in a nice
way, of course
because people are
willing to support
other people and
The algorithm
Famers a lot of things
at any different time.
I highly recommend
that you don't
Dictate your
actions of creating
content or videos
Based entirely on
what the algorithm
is going to do
Because unfortunately,
it's a beast
all in itself
and nobody knows
what it's doing
at any given time
Vision
I need to do that again
Written
video image.
Oh my where do
I even start?
When promoting
my personal brand
Welcome to the unborn
your brand podcast with
me your host video.
So we would the video
conference coaches
is not a great start
Yes,
welcome to the
podcast today and
today we're going to
answer a question
from a bigger context
that I had with a
Potential client
called Gemma.
I'm gonna say hi
Don't worry. I'll follow
you up soon enough
so the question that
we had specifically was
When it comes to
creating content and
specifically
creating content for
a personal brand
so what I mean by
creating content is
the way of marketing
yourself and and
Allowing yourself to
become that industry leader
that industry thought
leader when it comes to the
area that you want
to focus your
personal brand in
Because ultimately
remember your personal
brand is not for you
It is for your audience
is for the people
that you serve and the
people that you help
So in turn you need
to be able to both
Draw their attention in
to make sure that you
can actually serve them
and help them over time
But also allow
yourself to be able to
give yourself some
focus and some
guardrails when it comes
to creating content
so what I mean by
creating content is
it could be anything
from creating videos
or podcasts like
you're on now or
Written blogs or articles
or generating
images for social media.
It's a lot of different
Flexingly a lot
of different things
and for people
who are starting out or
maybe someone who has
For Gemma's case and
excuse me if I say
this for you Gemma
You kind of stumbled
into your personal brand
It was clear that you
had a reputation in
the space that you're
working in and you kind
of just stumbled into
the realization that oh
Right.
I have a personal brand
I should probably do
something about it or
do something with it
Especially as you are
reaching that point
where you're thinking
about retiring
So as you're doing
that you're like, ah
So don't worry.
That's why we're here.
That's what we're
focusing on today.
So the context for
this question that was
What feels most
natural for you to create
is the question
but it was more
about like what type
of content should
Gemma or in case you
as you're listening
to this podcast or
watching hopefully
is What is the
best way to share
my bread message?
And that's usually a
question that I get a
lot outside of the
really basic questions
It's like how long
should my video be or
how do I do a video
without showing my face?
Which is a question
that I get an awful lot
This particular question
about where do I
even begin or what are
we even start with?
What format ultimately
should my message
be in is usually
where a lot of people
start when they
think about creating
content for their
personal brand or
Or ultimately marketing
your personal brand
because that's what
you're doing when you're
creating content
for your personal brand
You are marketing
yourself.
You're gaining
attention Using the
stuff that you create
to hope to hopefully
educate entertain
Maybe even both
to help get your audience
to either where they
need to be or get
them to contact
you to help them
Succeed
to where they need to be
if you get where
I'm coming from
So what feels the most
natural to create is
where we usually begin
because ultimately
when you are first
starting out
creating this content
You aren't usually
that practiced in
it unless you have
hired someone else
to do this who has
done this multiple
Many times and many
years before then you can
reasonably rely on
hate and they know
what they're doing
I can reasonably give
them the information that
I need and get them to
do what I need to do
But for a majority of
my clients you kind of
need to have that
information to start with
Before you even think
about handing it
off to anyone else
because you can't just
say hey go create
like 10 blogs for me
It's not going to
be quality content
and because it's
ultimately going to
be representing you and
your personal brand
if it's not anything
That's aligned to you
Then you're going
to be wasting your
money and your time
and also the time
of the professional
that you are hiring
And if you aren't
in a position to
hire someone else
What are you going to
do in the meantime?
because it reasonably
makes sense,
especially when you
are promoting yourself
and marketing your
personal brand
to have a catalog to
have a collection of
stories of content of
Proof to back up
what you were saying
because you are the
professional here
You are the personal
brand here and you
need to prove to
people with evidence
that you know what
you're talking about
see
VCC dot training where
you can go through all
of my resources my
articles my podcasts on
And my client testimonials
all of the proof to
show that I know what
I'm talking about when
it comes to personal
brand and video marketing
So scrolling down a
lot of people when
they come to you first,
they think
of the end of the story
they think about
the format that that
Idea should take
the story should
take they like to
think of the container
that that story
is going to go in
What I like to
remind people is
Thinking all
the way back
to the story itself
What is the message
that you want people
to resonate with?
What do you want
people to know about?
Your story or a
story that maybe you
have experienced
in the past that will
resonate more with them
To help them with a
solution or help them
deal with a problem
that they're having
The format is all
the way at the end
how you actually
go about displaying
that story is all
the way at the end
first off what you need
to do is make sure
that you write this down
or you
Maybe record yourself
even with a mobile
video or maybe
a voice recorder
I've recently
got mine mine out
my like little
machine that I purchased
back in like 20
2009 and it was a
voice recorder that I
used to record videos
so I reused a record
audio for videos and
I think it was like
60 bucks and I now use
it as a voice recorder
To be able to help
me get my notes
out of my head with
the app the use of
opening my phone and
distracting myself
I do so what I do is
I make sure I get that
story out of my head
I don't think about
where it is going
what it is doing what
format it's taking
I just get the story
out of the head
out of my head
thinking about
what messages
that it resonates
with who this will
Have resonate with
who will it be for?
Again,
ultimately who is
the
end piece of content
the end story for?
And then once we
have the story
we can start thinking
about how we
start implementing it
Now as you can imagine
this type of method
requires you to maybe
have some stories
But I'm sure if
you start talking
with an old friend
a family member or even
an old colleague of yours
Those stories will
start flowing.
I'm gonna tell you now
So take that
opportunity to just
record your either
the conversations
with their
permission, of course
to be able to get those
stories again out of your
head and into
something tangible
that you can then
hand off to someone
else if you paying them
or in the
opportunity that
you're doing yourself
be able to reflect
on those stories
and those messages
and Ultimately when it
comes to the format end
So now we're jumping
to the format
and because we've
already got a story
we've already got a
message or probably in
your case a wealth of
Messages and stories
we're able to think
about what comes
naturally to you
asking yourself
What did I do without
overthinking what can I do
without overthinking
Now this will help you as
the type of personality
the personal brand
that you are this
will help dictate
the type of content that
you ultimately create
now
if you like to talk
things out loud,
so if you use the
method to actually
capture your stories of
Recording your voice
or recording your self
speaking the story to
a camera, for example
maybe that might lead
you down the path
of YouTube a podcast
of video podcasts of
turning that content
into a series on of
Videos on a podcast maybe
an FAQ section again
All these formats
can get really
into the weeds as
you can probably understand
with what I'm saying
But then being
able to see that.
Okay, what I find
natural and what
I find easy to do
I'm honestly going to
find easier to do and in
turn do it more often
if you are someone who
loves writing and finding
it easy to you know,
clackity clackity clack
on a Google Doc or a
Word document
or if you are someone
who likes to write
down your stories
by hand
This it might take
a little bit of time
to actually transfer
those words on to
On to a digital format
but
you can use things in
that form and container
like a blog like a
newsletter like
social captions like
other Like articles
like guest articles
on other people's
websites or platforms
You can use the written
word to your advantage
because you enjoy
doing it and you
will definitely
Do it more because
you enjoy it
And If you are someone
who is obsessed with
design and visuals,
maybe you are someone
who is more image-led
so for example,
you might find your
content more easily
sways into the
bucket or the
content format of
carousels infographics
or stylized photos
that help tell
your story
Yes, you might
need either a video
or an article to
support that content
But what again start
starting with what is
easier for you allows you
to get the things done
Without feeling overwhelmed
and feeling like
you it's just another
chore on your to-do list
Because it's not
about what everyone
else is doing
Especially not what
everyone else is
doing in that your
industry or space
It's about what you'll
keep doing consistently
Because again,
it is your
personal brand
You may not be doing
it for yourself,
but you are the one
running the engine
Speaking of running the
engine keeping your
energy levels in check
So being honest
with yourself and
being honest with
me because I am
your marketing coach
for this session
What brings you light?
What brings you fun?
And what is the opposite
of pulling teeth
for you when it comes
to creating something?
A lot of the people
well to be honest,
I'd say 99.9% of the
people I work with
are creative beings
Are beings who use
their imagination freely
and consistently?
so if the idea of
filming a reel for
Instagram or tick
tock if that's
still a thing and
It just wants you
to just put it
away and take a nap
then obviously
don't start there
don't work
with the format
that is going to
cause you harm or
force you to put away
the phone or the laptop
or the computer and
Scare you essentially,
you know breach
your comfort zone
to the point where
you're not feeling
like doing it again
because it goes against
what feels sustainable
and what you
can do consistently
for your brand and
It will also help you
not burn out in two weeks
Because if you do something
that you don't like
for any of us
who have worked a nine
-to-five or who have
worked in corporate
when you're being asked
to do something that
you don't want to do
you end up hating
the job and
When it comes to
your personal brand,
no matter what
you are the one you
are the driving force
You are the one
thinking of the stories
you are the one
putting things together
most of the time
if you are privileged
enough to have
some capital or
Resources behind
you that you can
hand it off to a
staff member or a
contractor or what
have you awesome
You are still the one
paying for that because
ultimately you are
the one betting from
that because it is your
face and your brand
So in turn you need
to be the one
running that engine
If that feels
positive for you
So keeping in mind
that no matter what
option that you choose
Being consistent
matters because your
message will travel
That brilliant idea that
story that resonates so
heartily with everyone
that you work with
Can shape in a
few different ways
if you record
a quick video,
that's great
You can also use that
video and you can
run it through
A multitude of programs
to get a transcript
of it and then help
you write a blog
Yes,
you're doing it a
different form of
Media that may not
exam exactly resonate
with what you
initially started with
But you're doing it
in a way that's
easier for you to do
You can even start
with a written
post or a blog post
and then take out
certain quotes and put
that into graphical
titles or into
infographics
Braking down these
complex ideas into visual
Visual graphics, I should
say I was gonna say art
One idea
can become many
One video can become
five six eight
pieces of content
Broom you have something
that is perpetual that
is ongoing and is able
to reach those people
So say for example the
people that you are
there to help and that
you are there to serve
May not be the type
to watch a video or to
listen to a podcast
But they will read
an email from you.
They'll read an email
newsletter from you
They'll read a blog
post from you an
article from you
Or maybe you appear in
one of their preferred
newsletters
or newspapers
I'm pretty sure
they're still a thing
In those moments you
then build that credibility
and that knowledge
So then when they
hear that story for
you and maybe a story
that you yourself
Abort with and you've
told thousands
countless of times
But they have not
heard it and in turn
they will take action
because they saw it
in a place that they're
comfortable with
They're familiar with
and ultimately they trust
And that trust will then
get transferred to you
So in that method I
Want you to ultimately
remember no matter
what you do or whatever
you find easy enough
to do and consistently
easy enough to do
Is not forget who
you're talking to
Think ultimately think
about the audience
think about the
potential client
think about that
customer avatar
as we like to say
Who is the ultimately
the person that
you are serving that
you are helping?
What format will your
audience actually watch
read or engage with
and if it's not
necessarily the one that
you find the easiest
Is there a workaround
is there a
trick for example
like recording that video
turning into a script
transcript and
turning it into an
article Or a blog
There are ways to
get around things
everything can become
everything else
You can always repurpose
content that you've
done in the past
because it has worked
If your crowd
loves tik-tok or
Instagram reels
the vertical videos
and they are like
maybe it's worth
trying it out and
Maybe still having
an aspect of learning
to it may not be your
favorite thing to do
But say for example
trying something in
smaller doses if you
are not a fan of it
Or something that
again working around
those tricks how
what can you do?
Creatively to meet
the expectations
of your clients
and even if something
may not be directly
linked to what they
like or they prefer
Maybe showing them
an alternative that
actually ticks all
their you know ticks
all their boxes
Actually shows them
because say for example
There's a lot of
people that I work
with who say I can
never get any of my
people like any of
my fans any of My
clients to read
anything for more than
like you know more
than two paragraphs
well
All we did was change
the formatting and then
people started reading
they found the nuggets of
wisdom and started
emailing her back
and going Hey,
I had this experience
too when I was younger
or there was this
conversation that started
All we did was
because we changed
the format of how
it was written out
wasn't just a
large swath of text
on her website
So in that turn what
can you do to help?
you know
Get yourself out there.
We're also making it
easy enough for you to do
and If for example another
example that I have on
my list here if your
people are on say LinkedIn
Can you do a smart
post and photo that
might do the job?
And again,
you are allowed to say
things over and over again
because not everyone is
going to see your message
Repeating yourself
over and over
again may annoy you
but it's not going
to annoy the
people who love you
So the bottom line is
Ultimately from today's
podcast and hopefully
today's session
you've been able
to pick a format
There's the easiest
to start with again
think of the story
Then think of format
that you can do
consistently over time.
You can always add
you can always test
You can always
mix things up
But starting with a
container or a format for
that story that you
think works best for you
Maybe it's something
that you have experience
in or something
that you're willing
to try because you're
interested in it
You are not locked into
that format forever
You're just picking it
off because it's the
first cab in the rack
You can always try new
things as they come up
So next time if
you're wondering
what to post or if
you're wondering
what to say or
how to even say it
Think about what
feels most natural for
me to create today
Create it and
then hit publish.
It's always done
is always better
than perfect and
Let me know how your
versions go and
you can always reach
out to me Zoe the
video confidence coach
to give you any sort
Of feedback regarding
the methods that you use.
I look forward to
seeing you around
And I look forward to
seeing your content
because you're
gonna do it, right?
Keep growing your
personal brand
When when I work
with clients,
my goal is to get them
to their desired outcome
Yes
If I need to be a
little bit harsh and
a little bit mean
which is probably me
just messaging them and
just being like Hi,
you said we were
gonna do this.
Let's do this.
Like that's my
mean face, but
when it comes to
Helping people achieve
what they need to
achieve that's what I'm
here for that's what
you've hired me for to
get to where you need to
Go to use the expertise
and hopefully to use the
knowledge that
you have as an expert
in your field
Because ultimately if
you are running a small
business if you are
Working with clients
and helping them
achieve what they
want to achieve.
You are an expert
You don't need a
degree for that.
You don't need some
fancy piece of paper
if you are
helping people and
You're doing it, right?
You're an expert if you're
constantly growing and
evolving your
education on your
particular subject.
You're an expert
You're growing your
knowledge and can admit more
importantly you can
admit when you're
wrong about something
You're an expert.
You're a thought leader
In your space.
I
don't want to
make any mistakes
But I'm also gonna
make mistakes
Welcome to the
Unborrowing Your Brand
podcast where as
you can imagine
Yes, we are gonna
be talking about
the mistakes when
it comes to your
personal brand.
So
Nada intro to
intro intro
Yes,
it may feel like
something that's gonna
bring you a bit of
a tear to your eye
But do not worry
these common mistakes
Regarding your
personal brand or when
you first start
tackling your personal
brand are things that can
be easily remedied
once you know
them Ahead of time.
So let's get on to
today's podcast episode
so this was from a
conversation that I had
a yolks ago with a
friend of mine mark and
essentially,
it was from a bigger
conversation that
we were having
about some like common
mistakes that
people have when building
the personal brand and
Obviously how can
they be avoided?
But
ultimately they
wanted to know
what they can learn
from these mistakes
They're very much a
you know, take what
other people have done
learn from their mistakes
So you can improve on
your own type of person
and as you can imagine
when you first start
tackling your personal
brand because again
We all have one we
all have a reputation
and when you first
start tackling it as in
taking control of it
I should say it
starts off with a bang
like you start like
really going at it
You start getting
some like maybe
professional photos done
You start running
some bios you start
actively working
on your personal
brand in whatever
industry niche or area
You wish to focus
and again wherever
you wish to help and
serve those people.
That's all that's
what it's about folks
but then you
make an oopsie
you stumble you
maybe get a dramatic
eye roll from some of
the people that you're
trying to serve or
maybe even people who
you're not trying to
serve who are not your
people that is also
definitely something
that can
definitely happen and
Finally you eventually
sort it out,
but it still made you feel
like you're behind and
That is something that
I've had to remind
both myself and many
of my clients when
You are not behind
you are not set on
anyone's timeline
You're all set up
to your own timeline
and for me. I'm very
perfectionistic So my
timeline is always
very far ahead of me,
but I digress
So in that time there
is no shame in the game
We all make mistakes
and we all stuff up
somewhere along we all
stuff up somewhere online
So for you What are some
of these common mistakes
regarding your personal
brand that you can avoid
making if you are starting
out or even if you are
Well in the weeds
regarding your personal
brand things that you
can avoid doing if you
haven't run into these
mistakes of yourself
And again all of
these mistakes I
have done myself
and I've had clients
who've done this as well
So do not worry if
you come across these
or if you
haven't just yet
It's okay.
So the first one I
want to get into is
Copying someone
else's voice
So when I say voice a
lot of people turn
that usually into like
the actual like voice
that people are
using when they speak
but what I mean usually
when it comes to
personal branding or
marketing a voice is
what is known as an
identifying signature and
Tone,
how do you speak?
How do you communicate
both in written
and in verbal format
is the way that you
speak very different to
the way that you write?
Is it other words
that you use common
between the two and
When you are copying
someone else's voice
So say for example a
good example of this or
someone I worked
with yolks ago even
before I think
I technically started the
video confidence Coach
was I was working with
someone who was very
much a Gary V fanboy
So Gary V is this
I think gentleman
who whose family ran
a winery and then
He took over their
marketing team
and is in turn like
build an entire marketing
Empire Empire from that
He's very much a
remnant of the hustle
culture that constantly
grind constantly grind
Which unfortunately a
lot of people are still
in so if you are in
that and my apologies
Take a break. Take
a breather on me.
You can do that
And he is the type
of person who is
always go go go
constantly constantly
pushing which
again is admirable
but also not very
sustainable for
anyone outside of
Who maybe doesn't have
the wealth finance and
backing that he does
and this this person
that I was working with
Was someone who had
recently finished university
But had that mentality
and also was having
the voice of Gary V
like physically
having the accent
as someone who was
born and raised in
Australia was having a
North American accent
not not Canadian.
I mean like America,
New York,
but not quite New York,
New Jersey I don't
entirely know where
Gary V where Gary V
is from my apologies
But that type of
accent like to the
point where he was
beginning to speak
in Gary V in isms
like using terminologies
and taglines
from him when when
he was trying to build
his own brand himself
so in those moments
being able to see
what someone else is
doing and if they are
doing amazingly and
Especially when
they're doing it
online where it's
accessible to you
and you think I want
to be just like them
That is great. That
is awesome It
is awesome to have
role models people
who are well into
their craft and well
into their personal
branding journey
to see I want to
Be like them awesome
But remember they
are not you and
this might be feel
a little bit awkward
But you are ultimately
going to sound worse
and very inauthentic
Because your
personal brand is a
reflection of you
when you fix your voice
you fix your vibe and
The words that you
actually use are a
good place to start
But also keeping in
mind that the people who
are very successful
that you come across in
no matter which fashion
online or in person
These people have been
working incredibly hard
to get to where they are
and you maybe just
starting your
journey or maybe
someone you've been
Working very far
into your personal
branding journey
You are still you're
you are still yourself
You have not had the
opportunities that
they have and in turn
Utilizing their voice
to appeal to their
audience may make you seem
as like a copycat or
Inauthentic to the
people that you're
ultimately there to serve
so taking that time
to think about okay,
what are the
The way that I like
to speak in the way that
I feel comfortable
speaking what
taglines or voices that
I use am I very
Outgoing into my
personality like
me. I like bright.
I like glitter.
I like crazy makeup
I like hair that is
everywhere or are you someone
who is a bit more reserved
a bit more subtle?
But how do you plan to
stand out with your voice?
That is the question
Second thing is trying
to be everywhere at once
like the movie with
the sausage fingers
You cannot be everywhere
at once because
we don't know how
ultimate timelines
That any of us have
fallen into to
my knowledge feel
free to quote me
on that if you have
I'd love to hear
You down in the comments
When posting on Instagram
LinkedIn YouTube
Pinterest and your
mom's Facebook group
It can feel overwhelming
and that's not even
just all the options
You can when trying
to be everywhere at
once you burn out
faster than a candle
in the wind
R.I.P. Deanna
So in those moments
when you feel like you
have to be everywhere
at once because again
Role models and other
people who are much further
in their personal branding
journey have done this
You in turn
should start off
again starting off
With picking one or two
platforms that you feel
comfortable with that
you have either an
established audience or
something that you can
regularly see yourself
contributing to
and spending time on
that feels manageable
and growing from there
Because your audience
are going to help
dictate your not just
your branding voice
But also what you
end up posting on
these platforms
You are there to
solve their problems
and to serve them
Even if it is just
saying I have been
where you've been
here is how I fixed
The problem here
is your solution if
that's what you're
doing or you could be
Someone in the personal
branding space who is
in the same journey as
the people that you are
trying to get on board
But you're a couple of
steps ahead either way
Making sure that
you're able to be
consistent on the
platforms that you are on
is more important than
being everywhere at once
Third mistake is
overthinking your niche
So overthinking the group
of people that you're
trying to get on board
overthinking your industry
so the best way that I
think about this is I
I Help burnt out plant
-based entrepreneurs in
their 30s who are journaling
my moon by moonlight
Okay,
but
That is a sentence,
but it also helps
you figure out
That might be a little
bit too specific
and you might be thinking
a bit too hard on
The type of people that
you can get a board sure
Internationally, I'm sure
that you can get a good
handful of people that
fit that exact description
But for everyone else who
does not fit that exact
Description they
may not feel catered
to your message
or your personal
branding even though
you can definitely help
them and serve them
so what can you do to
expand that little box
that especially that
comfort box for them and
start with what
you're good at and
Love what you're
working with
let it evolve from there
And if you want to
start getting specific
specific later on
because that helps
you create your
content that helps you
Personalize your
messaging awesome,
but that's not where
you start with you
start with something
a little broader
And then you can
start niching down
once you get more
interaction communication
back and forth
with your audience
Because again,
you're not doing
it for them. Sorry,
you're not doing
it for you.
You're doing it for them
Maybe your personal
brand you're ultimately
doing it for them
Mistake number four is
waiting for perfection.
This is something that
I can whoop whoop
whoop attest to that
I do an awful
lot and mmm.
Hi my mentors and
business coaches.
Hi, I
Do have a tendency
of waiting for
perfection to kick
in before I release
something out into the world
I'm waiting for the
17th time to tweak with
a bit of fonts
or get my bio just right
Because I've had maybe
five to six identity
crises in that time and
I've shifted it too often
And in the meantime,
I am NOT
helping
who I am there
to help with I
Am NOT putting
them first
and it's just crickets
People don't
know who I am
People don't see me
as an industry leader
people don't see
me as a solution to
their problem
because I'm not there
So to fix that
I just do it
I get started I
Lower my BFM and
you can check out my
podcast about that my
bare effing minimum
I lower that down
what my minimum is
Because remember your
minimum is usually a lot
higher than everyone
else thinks it should be
So I lower that down
Because in fit in perfection
still gets results
I can refine as I go
And as long as I'm
attracting the right people
I'm serving the
right people
Then i'm doing my job
And hopefully you are
too by taking action
And the last mistake that
I want to get on to in
today's podcast is only
talking about yourself
As you can imagine
when you are building a
personal brand it
can be inherently
you're falling
into the pit trap and
the pit trap and the fall
Of talking about
yourself because
that's where your
experience comes from it
comes from I should say
But your brand
isn't about you
And
your content that
is all about me
me I myself and I
People will just scroll
past because they
don't care about you.
They care about them.
They care about
their problems
They want solutions
to their problems
their needs.
So in turn you
need to focus on how
you help others
Yes,
you are there
because you're
the one ultimately
doing the action,
but it's their results
that is coming first
Make the audience
be it in your content
in the way that you
communicate and the
way that you address
people face to face
Make that audience feel
seen and understood
Before you even come
into the equation.
Yes,
your experience helps
But that should
come after
you have put them on the
pedestal that they need
So ultimately what can
we learn from all of
this we can start off
by reflecting
on what has worked
And what hasn't and
what is maybe just noise
when it comes to
the work that you've
already done with
your personal brand
You can start
by adjusting
One thing at a time
don't feel the need
to take off the whole
picnic table blanket
You just need to
start with one thing
No need to go through
a full rebrand.
Just start
things one by one
And I recommend starting
yourself with
some really easy goals
that you can achieve
to get yourself in
that momentum phase
And if you've already
got an audience or a
group of people that your
Personal brand has
already catered to
start asking
them questions
What do they
enjoy and what
can you achieve and
also what can you shockingly
achieve for them?
So then they are shocked
by your ingenuity
and hopefully
your patience
And most importantly
Laugh at these mistakes
If you any of these
mistakes have
resonated with you
Feel free to reach
out at bcc.training
or you can check out
any of our social medias
where i'll be posting
this episode for sure
We've all been there
and
We all have to get our
straps somewhere, right?
So as I was finishing
up with mark and
In the end your
personal brand is
more about consistency
than perfection
because people need to
see that you're there
It's okay to be messy.
It's okay to not
be absolutely
perfect all the time
You're allowed
to be brilliant.
You're allowed to be you
and mark felt that
was a little bit
too cliched, but
ultimately
You still listen to
me for like 20 minutes
Not everything is going
to be perfect at the
gate when you first
started your business,
were you crack hot?
straight away
Did you not
make mistakes?
Did
you like the first
thing that you
ever created that
you ever serviced
that you ever did
for your business?
Was it absolutely
perfect?
No,
can anyone argue that what
you do now is perfect?
No
The reason I ask that is
because when it comes to
Marketing your
business in general,
you're going to
make mistakes.
You're going to
make pitfalls
But hopefully the work
that and the
message that I put
out there is that
if you're willing
to make mistakes
That um ultimately in
the end of the day don't
harm yourself and do
not harm anyone else
Then it's okay
to make mistakes
Thank you everyone for
Joining us for the video
confidence connect this
week on good friday the
18th of the 4th 2025
I want to thank you
all for your
comments and questions
throughout today your
thoughts and ideas
for podcast episodes
And make sure that
if you're on the
hashtag replay squad
that you put up your
hand or speak
your questions there
Because I always do my
best to follow up with
everyone no matter what
has been said or done
If you've missed any
part of today's live
stream that I refer to
Feel free to watch
or listen the
whole live stream on
linkedin youtube
twitch facebook and
many other platforms
But more importantly
you can check out
the show notes at vcc
dot training slash
Video dash confidence
dash connect.
See I remember
my own URLs
Where you can find out
the details and the
show notes and a much
more in-depth rewrite
of everything that
we've discussed today
In the podcast and yes,
do not worry. I did
have a podcast episode
planned for today, um,
which was called
confidence isn't magic
It's just press
Confidence isn't magic.
It's just practice and
maybe even a river walk
but unfortunately looking
at the time we are
five minutes to 11 and
It is warm. I'm
sorry I am barely
holding on as it is
and I thank everyone
for your patience
during this time
As we move hopefully
within the next
couple of months
We will definitely
have a place either
that's slightly bigger
So I don't have to
roast in here or take the
opportunity to just
Breathe
But I am zoe the
video confidence coach
You have been watching
the video confidence
connect with the video
confidence coach smashing
a marketing mayhem with
killer video strategies
Make sure to check us
out at vcc dot
training for any of your
personal branding needs
I am here for you
and I am going to
Sit down in front of
the air conditioning
for the next two hours
Hope you all have
a beautiful easter
Check out our podcast
episodes that are coming
out this sunday and
our email newsletter
If you are if you
have not joined
you can check that
out on the website
And I look forward to
seeing you around and
hopefully growing
your personal branding
while taking this time to
also enjoy the holidays
The above livestream episode description and transcript were generated together human knowledge + ai.
Listen to the edited livestream in a podcast episode
Who is your host?
Feeling stuck trying to build a personal brand that actually turns heads? Women and non-binary super-stars deserve more than just a cookie-cutter approach to their worries. Zoë Wood the Video Confidence Coach untangles your marketing mayhem, helping you own the camera, craft killer video strategies, and connect with your audience like never before. You’ll leave with the tools to show up, stand out, and smash your goals.
Find out more about how to grow your personal brand with the power of video right here on vcc.training
Smashing Your Marketing Mayhem With Killer Video Strategies 🧡
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