How to Overcome Challenges in Building a Personal Brand Online
Building a personal brand online presents challenges that many professionals struggle to overcome. We asked industry experts to share one challenge they’ve faced while building their personal brand online — and how they overcame it. Discover strategies for creating a consistent brand identity that resonates with your target audience while staying true to yourself.
- Redefining Digital Identity Beyond Past Success
- Stop Editing Yourself for Others’ Comfort
- Developing a Unique Voice in Crowded Spaces
- Embracing Authenticity Despite Fear of Judgment
- Creating Clarity and Consistency for Target Audience
- Turning Accent into International Expertise Advantage
- Transform Vulnerabilities into Sources of Authority
- Shifting from Perfection to Authentic Storytelling
- Focus on Expertise to Maintain Sustainable Consistency
- Building Trust Through Personal Connection Abroad
- Continue Working with Integrity Despite Criticism
- Managing Expectations Through Measurable Small Wins
- Balancing Professional Image with Authentic Self
- Reframing Self-Promotion as Sharing Valuable Insights
- Share Trade Secrets to Build Trust
- Recognizing Your Value Through External Perspective
- Remember Your Purpose Despite Negative Comments
- Finding a Starting Point for Brand Identity
Stop Editing Yourself for Others’ Comfort
The hardest part of building my personal brand was dealing with the discomfort of being visible. Especially online. It wasn’t strangers that made it hard. It was people close to me. Comments like, “What is she doing?” or, “Who does she think she is?” made me pause. Even if no one said it directly, I felt it. And I started to hold back. I’d reread every post. I’d soften my tone. Not because I didn’t know what I wanted to say but because I didn’t want to deal with the weight of people’s opinions of me. I remember thinking, if my own family thinks this, what do people who don’t even know me think? I stopped trying to manage how I was perceived. I started focusing on being consistent. Personal branding, to me, is more about personal reputation. Especially while building a business. It’s how people describe you when you’re not in the room. It’s what your words feel like over time. That mindset shift helped. I didn’t need to say more. I just needed to say what I actually meant, in a voice I could stand behind. I also read “Let Them” by Mel Robbins. It helped me stop trying to control how people respond. Let them think what they want. The right people will stick around. And that’s who I care about.
— Ashley
Kedra&Co
