The Soggy Grilled Cheese That Haunts Him 30 Years Later
Corey Andrew Powell hasn't been to an Applebee's since 1994.All because of one soggy grilled cheese sandwich. That's it. One mediocre meal thirty years ago, and he still remembers it in vivid detail. He's never gone back. When he told me this story on the podcast, I laughed. Then he said: So that is what I want people to think about when it comes to personal branding. Like you might not have another chance to redeem yourself. Ouch. Your personal brand isn't built in the big moments. It's built in the thousand tiny interactions people remember (or can't forget). And whether you're managing it intentionally or not, you have one. After my conversation with Corey, a media strategist who's interviewed Olympic athletes, CEOs, and Grammy winners, I realized most people are making the same three mistakes with their personal brand. Fix these, and everything else clicks into place. Mistake #1: You Don't Actually Know What You're SellingMost people try to build their personal brand by opening LinkedIn, staring at the "Headline" field, panicking, and writing something generic like "Experienced professional seeking opportunities." The problem isn't that you can't write a headline. The problem is you don't know what you're selling.
Until you can answer these clearly, everything you build is going to feel like you're performing someone else's brand. Stop trying to figure out your brand on social media. Get out actual paper and write:
That's your foundation. Mistake #2: You're Different People on Different PlatformsThat Instagram post you made last weekend that was way too spicy for LinkedIn? Your potential employer already saw it. 😬 People who need to see your professional presence on LinkedIn can (and do) click through to your other platforms. They Google you. They scroll your Facebook. They watch your TikToks. They're forming opinions based on all of it. Corey's filter: Don't post anything you wouldn't want a boss or potential client to see. And please, check your privacy settings. He told me about a teacher who lost her job, pension, and career because she posted something in what she thought was a private Facebook group. One wrong setting. Everything gone. Pull up all your social profiles right now. Would someone looking at all of them recognize they're the same person? They don't have to be identical, but they should be consistent in values and professionalism. If not, you've got work to do. Mistake #3: You Think Your Brand Is What You PostYour personal brand isn't what you post on LinkedIn. It's how you make people feel when they interact with you. The stranger you passed this morning? Branding moment. Think about how department stores make you feel: Welcomed? Ignored? Valued? That feeling determines whether you come back. That feeling is their brand. You're doing the same thing in every interaction. And unlike a corporation with a PR team, you might not get a second chance. That person you blew off at a networking event? They just became the hiring manager at your dream company. For the next week, treat every interaction, no matter how small, as a branding moment. Make people feel valued. Every. Single. Time.
You're building a personal brand whether you're intentional about it or not. The question is: Are you building the one you want, or are you leaving it to chance and soggy grilled cheese sandwiches? Pick one mistake you're making and fix it this week:
Start with one. Master it. Move to the next. I'm going to start with building better connections (mistake #3). Which mistake are you fixing first? Hit reply and tell me. I read every message. Talk soon, Tara |
