by Jamie Smith CPA, CA
Thanks to the technology-driven culture we live in, everyone, in some form of another, has a personal brand, whether it’s intentional or not. However, choosing to influence and build one’s brand is an important way of designing a life and living it. This is especially important for CPAs in the early stages of their careers, as creating a personal brand can open doors and change the course of their lives.
But how do you start defining your personal brand? Look to your purpose and your values: if setting a personal brand is about designing a life and living it, you want it to reflect what matters to you. Ask yourself where you want to make an impact and what values you want to live by each day. Regardless of whether you’re at home, at work, or enjoying spare time, what consistently matters to you? These are the components that help build sustainable and authentic personal brands that create lasting impressions on others. Keep in mind that using your purpose and values to guide your personal brand takes courage, but the result is enormously rewarding.
Over four years ago, my business partner and I took a risk by living our purpose and values and starting a business: Amplify Advisors. As a result, I have the opportunity to live out what really matters to me in both my personal and professional life, such as enhancing communities, amplifying opportunities for others, and cultivating connections with interesting and inspiring people. But starting a business isn’t the only way to incorporate your purpose and values into your career. Seek opportunities to define your life according to what matters to you by finding a job that aligns with your personal brand; be purposeful about where you volunteer, the people you surround yourself with, how you raise your family, where you invest your money, further education you seek; and support organizations that share your purpose and values as an employee, a customer, or a volunteer.
It takes courage to find your purpose and to live by it, but perhaps even more brave is to tell others about it. How you choose to do so can take many forms and it’s a common misconception that focusing on one’s personal brand means becoming an influencer or seeking fame on YouTube. Practicing mindfulness on social media can make a huge difference in how you are perceived by others: before you post, like, or comment, think about how you wish to be perceived and whether your actions online reflect the personal brand you are working hard to cultivate for yourself. Another way to publicize your personal brand is to speak up—sharing knowledge and expertise earns you credibility, as does hosting others to speak on topics that matter to you. The most important part of setting a personal brand is that your actions, words, roles, and time are aligned to the image and impact you are trying to establish.
Finally, prioritize what I like to call “Ride & Refine & Revise.” If you are taking the time to plan and establish a personal brand, chances are you have a growth mindset, and that will serve you and your brand well. As you grow, you’ll want to ride your brand to help open doors and live a life that allows you to be the difference you set out to make. But you’ll also want to refine it as you—and your personal brand—mature and change. And, if all else fails, re-brand!
Jamie Smith is the co-founder and chief experience officer of Amplify Advisors.
Want to learn more about personal branding? Check out Jamie’s session Personal Branding for the Modern CPA at the 2022 Evolve Conference November 16. Register Today!
