Happy Juneteenth. If you don’t know what Juneteenth is, it’s the day in 1865 that black enslaved folx in Texas found were free. This is 2 years after the emancipation proclamation. This is part of my country culture. See even though I was born and raised on the streets of L.A., my momma and nem are from Texas. My mom raised us on Juneteenth picnics and red soda water. So while my personal brand has a little bit of country, it’s not all up and through. It also took a long while before I was comfortable enough to be cultural bold about it. It didn’t take nearly as long to include it in my personal branding.
Here’s another bit of history/trivia. There is a 1960’s song by The Temptations titled Beauty’s Only Skin Deep. The same can be said for culture in personal branding. What I mean by that is when folx look at you they make cultural assumptions about you AND your business. You don’t have to open your mouth. Take me for instance. You would never think I had country roots. Oh, how I gorged on family get togethers where I heard story after story of my maternal grandparents, my mom, and her siblings. I never thought they would play such an important role in how I do business.
As someone specializing in strategic personal branding, I recognize the diversity of culture beyond ethnicity and heritage. Knowing that some folx can be judgmental dicks can make you want to tone down your cultural brilliance. You don’t want to scare off folx with money in hand. As a black person I often hear the phrase, representation matters. I say it matters less when it’s watered down and diluted for mass consumption. That’s why strategic personal branding should come with cultural courage.
Cultural courage in personal branding is not about highlighting what is patently obvious. It’s about owning what is true to you. Think about when you had to stand up to a bully who taunted you about who you are. That courageous moment happened because that part of who you are is not to be fucked with. Wikipedia defines culture as “…umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.”
I nurture my clients in finding the hidden gem of their chosen cultural courage for their personal brand. That gem gives them the courage and confidence to market with genuine authenticity. So how do you infuse more of your chosen culture into your strategic personal branding?
Embrace It:
Embracing a chosen culture in personal branding goes beyond surface-level marketing tactics. It is about cultivating a community of individuals who share or resonate with your common values, interests, and get down. When you align your personal brand with a chosen cultural identity, you stand in a place with courage. That courage leads to confidence. That confidence makes space for you to become a brand leader. You begin to create a sense of belonging for your target audience and that makes for a deeper connection.
By embracing a chosen culture, you attract folx who respect you even if all the dots don’t line up perfectly between the two of you. Eventually they become part of your chosen cultural identity. This shared identity becomes the foundation for building a loyal audience that supports and engages with your personal and business brand. By standing ten toes down in the culture you choose to embrace, you gain a deeper understanding of your audience's needs, desires, and aspirations. This insight clarifies the brand message and offerings in a way that creates a greater impact.
Unleash It:
Personal branding and courage go hand in hand. It’s what allows you unleash your chosen cultural identity. Unleashing comes across as courageously expressing your opinions, values, and expertise. It is about having the confidence to be true to yourself and your younique perspective. Cultural courage gives you the freedom to single yourself out from everyone else doing what you’re doing.
Being culturally courageous is not about arrogance or self-centeredness; it is about having genuine confidence in your abilities to get the job done and the value that comes with it. By embracing your cultural courage, you captivate attention, inspire curiosity, and establish yourself as an authority in your field. You don’t have to regurgitate bullshit. When you courageously share your thoughts and expertise, you create a magnetic presence that attracts an audience that likes your get down and the way it comes across.
Inspire With It:
One of the most impactful aspects of cultural courage in personal branding is its ability to inspire others. You fearlessly expressing your opinions and embracing your chosen cultural identity makes you a beacon. You inspire other folx who have yet to raise their voice for themselves. This is you stepping into your role as a brand leader that impacts and influences others. By taking up space in your chosen market and/or industry, you’re making room for others to follow and become the next generation of leaders.
When you lead with cultural courage, others come out of their comfort zones to embrace their own younique voices. Your personal brand becomes a platform for empowerment, giving others the courage to break free from societal norms in business and makes a lasting impact in their respective fields. As your audience witnesses your journey of self-expression and success, they are motivated to pursue their own passions and create their younique path.
Personal Branding Culturally
Cultural courage is not an instantaneous thing; it is a continuous journey of self-awareness and growth. It requires ongoing dedication to the chosen cultural identity of your personal brand. Then you use your personal brand to amplify the voice of your business brand and connect with your audience on a deeper level.
Your personal brand will evolve and mature as you learn to lead better. With each step of growth, your courage becomes more refined, and your message becomes clearer. Cultural courage means staying true to you, expressing yourself, and making a meaningful connection. It means taking calculated risks, stepping out of your comfort zone, and pushing the boundaries of what you thought was possible. And if you’re triggered, don’t run and hide because it will happen again until you face it down.
Cultural courage has the power to transform your personal brand and create a lasting impact on your audience. By embracing a chosen culture, unleashing your courage, inspiring others, and wholeheartedly embracing your cultural identity, you position your personal brand as a brand leader. Remember that cultural courage is a continuous journey, one that requires self-reflection, authenticity, and a genuine desire to connect. So, embrace cultural courage in your personal branding strategy, empower your voice, and witness the transformative power it has on your brand's growth and overall engagement.
