In this insightful episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Anthony Sapountzis sits down with Kateesha Hembrow, Founder of BeKnown Academy, a coaching agency specializing in personal branding and sales,  to explore the art of personal branding and effective sales strategies. Join them as they discuss the power of authenticity, converting content into leads, and the importance of aligning values with clients. Get ready for expert insights and practical advice to elevate your brand and sales game!

 

Kateesha shares her journey to founding BeKnown Academy and her passion for helping individuals grow their sales through personal branding. She highlights her extensive experience on LinkedIn, where she's been building her personal brand for four years, noting a significant increase in coaching inquiries after actively promoting the business last year. Kateesha discusses her transition from running a done-for-you-service-based business to coaching, finding fulfillment in coaching compared to the stress of managing services end-to-end.

 

Anthony and Kateesha delve into the concept of the "zone of genius," where Kateesha explains hers lies in growing brands and converting followers into paying clients, especially on LinkedIn. She emphasizes the importance of consistent content reflecting clients' desired message to establish them as experts and maintain top-of-mind presence. They discuss the distinction between personal and business branding, with Kateesha highlighting the human connection in personal branding and its ability to foster engagement and loyalty, using examples like Elon Musk and Tesla.

 

They further explore personal branding nuances, emphasizing consistency and authenticity in content creation to build trust and authenticity with the audience. Anthony reflects on his journey of overcoming discomfort in sharing personal content, realizing its value in building a relatable brand. Seeking advice on converting content into lead generation, Kateesha stresses platform choice, understanding the audience, and creating clear funnels with a call to action, citing her personal experience on LinkedIn leading to new clients.

 

Lastly, Anthony emphasizes the importance of aligning with values when working with clients, and Kateesha advises against taking on misaligned clients due to potential long-term costs. They discuss the pitfalls of offering discounts versus working for free, agreeing that discounts can lead to resentment and opportunity costs.