Brand Compass: Personal Branding for Consultants & Experts

I share what I’ve learnt from my conversations with Janice Wagner EP63 (Executive Search Specialist, based in Jo’burg) and Jack Fleckney EP64 (Expedition Leader, based in the UK).

I’m hoping by having very different professionals come on the show and share their ‘personal brand’ story with you, it will energise you into creating something for yourself that feels more like you, and will excite you in going out and marketing and communicating yourself, for your business.

From preparing, recording and re-listening to my conversations with Janice and Jack, there are 3 things that came up for me which I dig into, in this episode with you:

#1 The vital issue of trust in personal branding

#2 How integrity is multi-faceted

#3 The importance of thinking through brand experience

You know what? It’s exhausting wearing different masks every day. Let’s not do that.

Let’s get you closer to shining a light on your beautiful uniqueness as a talented human, and move away from trying to please everyone and becoming grey.

Come join me. Do me a favour and let me know what’s swirling around in your head when you listen to this one and the conversations in this series. I’d love to know if they are hitting home or are useful for you. I respond to everyone.

Instagram : @shelleyrostlund.

Or LinkedIn:  /shelleyrostlund

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𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led personal brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in helping her clients to uncover their genius gifts which the world needs and translate that into something that can be marketed and communicated in a way that’s comfortable for them.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work. She runs her specialist marketing agency Harbour 32, with her magically gifted friends, where they focus on personal brand strategy and podcast show positioning.

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All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube. (Click here for the full audio transcribed version).

Part of my mini-series: ‘Real life Personal Brand Examples’.

I introduce you to Jack Fleckney, a local friend based in Northamptonshire, who runs a business that specialises in designing, organising and leading adventure expeditions.

Jack comes on to share his journey as the ‘go-to person’ behind the business who had to lead from the front and be visible.

You’ll get to hear his path to specialising in the outdoors and extreme environments, which started in the Royal Marines at a young age, and includes being asked to organise and lead a 40-day challenge across 3,000 miles of ocean from the Canary Islands to the West Indies.

Jack has had to learn, and he’ll say he is still learning, like most business owners, how to work out that balance between being the face of the business, hiring and delegating, and ultimately how to ‘scale’ being personable.

Come listen to this episode - Jack is genuinely a down-to-earth person who works hard and has managed to create a business (finally) that really does align with his special talents as well as his passion for being outside and challenging himself.

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𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Jack Fleckney is a former Royal Marines Commando who is best known for taking on some of the hardest challenges on Earth, like rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, completing the toughest footrace in the world across the Sahara, kayaking the length of the most dangerous swim in the world, and setting 24-hour World Records.

He is a highly detail-orientated and experienced outdoor professional who thrives in extreme environments. His business, Legend Expeditions, specialises in designing, organising and leading life-changing adventures for people who are keen to create their own Legend Story.

𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led personal brand strategist working with knowledge experts… those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in helping her clients to uncover their genius gifts which the world needs and translate that into something that can be marketed and communicated in a way that’s comfortable for them.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work. She runs her specialist marketing agency Harbour 32, with her magically gifted friends, where they focus on personal brand strategy and podcast show positioning.

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All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube. (Click here for the full audio transcribed version).

Mini-series: ‘Real life Personal Brand Examples’. Conversations with people who are experts in very different fields to what you’re used to hearing about. I talk to them about how they are faring ‘out in the world’ - building and shaping their personal brand to suit them.

I introduce you to my friend, Janice Wagner. She heads up her own executive search and recruitment business in Johannesburg, serving clients across the African continent.

She shares how she realised (fast) that she had to work out who she was and why someone should be interested in talking to her, in order to choose her work with, instead of her competitors. This was the beginning of her journey to shaping a version of herself that she could be 24/7, 365 days a year (a.k.a. what her personal brand looked and felt like).

For me she is a great testament to why it’s important to do this work on yourself. She kept things simple: be the human that treats people compassionately and empathetically, regardless of their role or the size of their organization. She also shares the moment it hit her very early on that really: everyone wants to just be listened to, and remembered

Come listen, Jan is a firecracker and you’ll get to hear about her boxing as well.

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𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Janice is a trained and qualified as Chartered Accountant with a Higher Diploma in Taxation. After 10 years with Price Waterhouse Coopers and before becoming a partner - she upped sticks and changed careers.

Today, she is an award-winning Chief Exec, who runs her own executive search and recruitment business, EDGE, based in Johannesburg and working with clients across Africa.

EDGE position themselves as career consultants and the go-to holistic talent solution. They have won numerous awards in the professional services category, as well as from the point of view of the job seekers themselves.

When Jan isn’t working, she enjoys boxing and getting some road trips in for quiet and restful get-aways.

𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led personal brand strategist working with knowledge experts… those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in helping her clients to uncover their genius gifts which the world needs and translate that into something that can be marketed and communicated in a way that’s comfortable for them.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work. She runs her specialist marketing agency Harbour 32, with her magically gifted friends, where they focus on personal brand strategy and podcast show positioning.

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All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube. (Click here for the full audio transcribed version).

In this episode:

I share what I’ve learnt from the last two conversations I’ve had in my series talking to real life examples of humans who are out there, shaping a version of themselves that they are happy to take out into the world. (Gordon Fong in Ep60, and Ryan Enslin in Ep61).

I’ve worked really hard on this series - to try and bring you the best conversations we can have… around this tough, tender and personal concept of communicating yourself with the world…and to do it in a way that feels natural and almost like breathing for you.

Many people struggle to be MORE of themselves in their day-to-day work lives, and that also has knock-on effects on:

…self-confidence and bravery

…leaning into your genius properly and shining,

and ultimately, for me… in feeling misunderstood.

I’ve been there. I’ve had to squish myself into a different shape in order to fit in with what an employer wants to see and hear. Both in South Africa and in the UK. It was worse in the UK, because when I arrived I was only 23 years old, and my sense of self took a massive beating, having never lived away from home or left my home country before.

I touch on three aspects:

- the value of vulnerability and context

- the part that JOY plays in our choices

- we can shape ‘personal brand' to make sense to us.

Come join me. Could you do me favour and let me know what’s swirling around in her head when you listen to this one and the conversations in this series. I’d love to know if they are hitting home or are useful for you.

Instagram : @shelleyrostlund. Or LinkedIn:  /shelleyrostlund

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𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led personal brand strategist working with knowledge experts… those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in helping her clients to uncover their genius gifts which the world needs and translate that into something that can be marketed and communicated in a way that’s comfortable for them.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work. She runs her specialist marketing agency Harbour 32, with her magically gifted friends, where they focus on personal brand strategy and podcast show positioning.

==================

All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube. (Click here for the full audio transcribed version).

Mini-series: ‘Real life Personal Brand Examples’. Conversations with people who are experts in very different fields to what you’re used to hearing about. I talk to them about how they are faring ‘out in the world’ - building and shaping their personal brand to suit them.

Meet my old university friend, Ryan Enslin. He is a travel journalist who writes for luxury and lifestyle publications, mainly in the hospitality and travel industry.

In his conversation with me he shares how he came to shape a version of himself that he comfortably shares and expresses with the outside world – through his own definition of his personal brand, and through his work.

He’s a great example for all of us in how to listen to our instincts, get comfortable with who we are, and what we want, and to then go out into the world and be open to whatever may come from that.

Come listen, you will not regret it – I promise! There is hope for you yet, if you are still tackling bringing more JOY into your work life.

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𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Ryan Enslin is a vibrant, charismatic creative travel journalist who has the special talent of turning photography and words into beautiful works of story-telling art.

Through every photograph he takes and sentence he writes, he breathes life into the stories that capture his imagination, offering glimpses into worlds both familiar and unknown.

He writes for hospitality and travel publications like Getaway, South African Sunday Times, Garden & Home and other luxury travel magazines.

Ryan is a huge proponent for responsible tourism and the restorative opportunities it affords, particularly in South Africa. He spends a lot of time travelling internationally and around his home country of South Africa. His main home base is in Johannesburg.

𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led personal brand strategist working with knowledge experts… those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in helping her clients to uncover their genius gifts which the world needs and translate that into something that can be marketed and communicated in a way that’s comfortable for them.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work. She runs her specialist marketing agency Harbour 32, with her magically gifted friends, where they focus on personal brand strategy and podcast show positioning.

==================

All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube. (Click here for the full audio transcribed version).

Mini-series: ‘Real life Personal Brand Examples’. Conversations with people who are experts in very different fields to what you’re used to hearing about. I talk to them about how they are faring ‘out in the world’ - building and shaping their personal brand to suit them.

Meet my friend, Gordon Fong. He is a businessman who specialises in the areas of digital, data and defense.

For me, he provides us all with a great example of just getting out there and seeing what works both for the people he’s trying to engage with, but also – for him, in what he’s comfortable with and what he enjoys doing.

Gordon proves that even in a business area like his where the world seems scary, secretive and terribly serious – personality and smiles still play a vital role in connecting humans at all levels of decision-making.

Do come listen. You will not be disappointed. (And you will get to hear about Battle Labs and Battle Busses!)

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𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Gordon is a British-Born Chinese businessman who specialises in the areas of digital, data and defense.  He is a director, partner and shareholder in three businesses; sits on a committee for Bournemouth and Poole College; and is a Dorset Ambassador through Dorset LEP.

His formal day-to-day working role is as the Director of Sustainability and Social Value for X-net where his focus is on getting the message across that being a better business for the environment and local community, is in fact… better for business.

He gets involved in many initiatives, events and campaigns to help contribute to the future positive development of the Dorset region.

When he is not working, he enjoys getting deeply involved in his local community, is a big foodie and loves championing local eateries and businesses on social media.

𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in helping you uncover your genius gifts which the world needs from you and translate that into something that can be marketed and communicated in a way that’s comfortable for you.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work. She runs her specialist marketing agency Harbour 32, with her magically gifted friends, where they focus on personal brand strategy and podcast show positioning.

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All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube. (Click here for the full audio transcribed version).

This is a reflection, of how I think the show is going and what I have next in store for your hungry ears. If you’re curious about having your own show, maybe come have a listen on how I am feeling and what’s going through my head…now that we are at episode 59.

Like many new independent podcast hosts, I had an idea when I started this show, but I didn’t know where it was going to go in terms of final destination.

However, I’ve learnt first-hand that actually that’s not the way it works. Your show is something that moves with you, over time, and evolves as your voice and message matures.

I’m also aware that up to 80% of independent podcasters don’t even get past episode 23, so I’m happy to still be here! Thank you for sticking with me.

In this episode I share where I am at right now with the show and what I’m going to be doing for the next few episodes. I have a really exciting angle to the conversations and guests I will be bringing you in the next series episodes – so come have a listen.

PS – I’m still staying in the lane of talking about the ways in which your personal brand meets the humans you serve, I’m just going to go deeper and possibly wider with a fresh lens on the topic.

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𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in helping you uncover your genius gifts which the world needs from you and translate that into something that can be marketed and communicated in a way that’s comfortable and energising for you.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 10+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work. She runs her specialist marketing agency Harbour 32, with her magically gifted friends, where they focus on personal brand strategy and podcast show positioning.

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All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube. (Click here for the full audio transcribed version).

Do you REST? Do you prioritise resting in your day, week and month?

If you are anything like me, I spend a whole lot of time inside my head, and I can feel quite depleted by the end of the day and even the week – if I’m not careful.

In this episode I bring on a guest who specialises in educating her clients on this very subject.

We talk honestly about how we need to be more aware about how we move through our working week, particularly as knowledge workers who are highly dependent on their brains.

I am a Gen Xer, and was brought up to always “work hard” and there was this not-so-subtle implication that that looked like: working like a demon consistently through the day and doing the 8 or 9-hour slog, with lunch at your desk.

And, underneath that – was my belief in what “work” looks like and, for me, that usually that means delivering something for someone else.

In case you resonate with any of that, come and listen to this conversation about rest, workflow and what we need to know about our brains, our nervous system and our human stores of energy.

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𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Nikki St Paul is a Mind, Body, and Breath Coach and the Founder of Breathing Mindful Coaching. She is a certified life and breath coach and an accredited mindfulness meditation teacher.

She specialises in supporting female founders who are 'always on' to create momentum, freedom and flexibility in their business without burnout.

𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in helping you uncover your genius gifts which the world needs from you and translate that into something that can be marketed and communicated in a way that’s comfortable for you.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work. She runs her specialist marketing agency Harbour 32, with her magically gifted friends, where they focus on personal brand strategy and podcast show positioning.

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All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube. (Click here for the full audio transcribed version).

If you haven’t across Human Design before – my guest and I introduce you to the concept in this episode and you will see that, if anything, it supports my assertion that ANY time and work you can spend in getting closer to being more of yourself every day, is time well spent.

‘Human Design’ has come to fruition by way of Alan Robert Krakower who, over time, has come to be known by his pseudonym of Ra Uru Hu. He published a book in 1992 called The Human Design System.

My guest is a specialist on this fascinating and deep system and she helps you and I to wrap our head around how it works, and more interestingly how it can reflect some crucial insight into why it is really important to lean into being more of yourself because, if you don’t, there are very real energetic consequences.

Come listen! It’s fascinating.

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𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Jacqueline Kent is a Human Design specialist, award-winning coach, author and speaker.

She focusses her work with female creatives and manifesting generators (we’ll learn more about those today) and she thrives in inspiring her clients to stop shrinking and start shining.

𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in helping you uncover your genius gifts which the world needs from you and translate that into something that can be marketed and communicated in a way that’s comfortable for you.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work. She runs her specialist marketing agency Harbour 32, with her magically gifted friends, where they focus on personal brand strategy and podcast show positioning.

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All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube. (Click here for the full audio transcribed version).

I have a conversation with a strategic story teller who is incredibly talented in helping people like you, and me, to bring our stories to life, so that we can share them in ways that make a difference and get people to take notice and engage more with us.

At the heart of it – we get down to how you take all of those deep insights you get from doing personal branding work and then start to permeate it into your every day through stories.

Now, I know that “words” and “stories” are not everyone’s skillset, that’s why I wanted to bring this conversation to you, so you can realise that sometimes it doesn’t have to be as hard as you make it. ALSO – there are some very capable, talented HUMAN copywriters who help you to bring out and tell your stories.

When I talk about stories here – we are talking about the ones that are directly linked to your values, your beliefs and the crucial elements that make you unique as a professional.

Come listen.

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𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Katie Caiger is a German-born, British-based, strategic business storyteller who works with brands across the DACH region, the UK, and the US to help them to connect better with the right audiences, drive B2B growth, and attract top talent.

From healthcare to IT, food to travel, finance to industrial engineering – she’ll work with you to uncover your story, define your message, and help you communicate it with clarity and confidence. Her goal for you is to turn into a beacon of influence in your field, with employees who are passionate ambassadors for your brand.

𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in helping you uncover your genius gifts which the world needs from you and translate that into something that can be marketed and communicated in a way that’s comfortable for you.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work. She runs her specialist marketing agency Harbour 32, with her magically gifted friends, where they focus on personal brand strategy and podcast show positioning.

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All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube. (Click here for the full audio transcribed version).