Career growth today looks very different than it did even five years ago. In this episode, Desiree sits down with leadership expert and author Andy Storch to unpack how leaders and professionals can intentionally build their personal brand, reputation, and network—without becoming influencers or chasing attention online.
This conversation reframes personal branding as something every leader already has, whether they are intentional about it or not.
Why Personal Brand Matters More Than Ever
Andy explains that the traditional belief—work hard, keep your head down, and success will follow—no longer holds true in most organizations. Opportunities often go to people whose skills, contributions, and values are visible, not just those who are doing great work behind the scenes.
Personal brand is not about self-promotion. It’s about:
- Being intentional with your reputation
- Making sure people know what you’re capable of
- Allowing opportunities to find you
Andy describes personal brand as what people say about you when you’re not in the room—and everyone already has one.
Personal Brand Is Built Everywhere, Not Just Online
A key theme of the episode is that personal brand does not require social media.
Desiree shares how her reputation grew through:
- Joining Rotary
- Teaching fitness classes
- Showing up consistently in community spaces
- Building relationships outside the four walls of her workplace
Andy reinforces that most personal brand building happens internally:
- How you show up to meetings
- Whether you are reliable and prepared
- How you collaborate with others
- How you support your team
Every interaction shapes your brand.
Self-Reflection: The Foundation of Personal Brand
Andy emphasizes that personal brand starts with self-awareness. Before posting content or networking strategically, leaders need to reflect on who they are and how they want to be known.
He suggests beginning with questions like:
- What are my values?
- What energizes me?
- What do I want to be known for?
- Am I showing up in alignment with that reputation?
One exercise Andy recommends is writing “I am” and listing personal and professional identities to clarify how you see yourself—and how others may see you.
What Do You Want to Be Known For?
Andy encourages leaders to ask themselves:
- If someone introduced me in a meeting, what would I want them to say?
- When people talk about me, what traits would I want mentioned?
Common examples include being known as:
- Reliable
- Helpful
- Strategic
- High-integrity
- A developer of people
- A strong communicator
Leaders can then regularly check whether their actions support that reputation.
Using Personal Brand to Strengthen Team Culture
This approach isn’t just for individuals. Andy explains how teams can use the same reflection process by asking:
- What do we want to be known for as a team?
- Are we showing up in alignment with that identity?
This becomes especially powerful during times of growth, turnover, or organizational change. When values and expectations are clearly defined, culture becomes easier to protect and sustain.
Encouraging Entrepreneurial Thinking Inside Organizations
Andy introduces the concept of being an entrepreneurial employee—someone who looks beyond their job description to solve problems, add value, and contribute strategically.
Leaders can support this by:
- Encouraging curiosity
- Allowing people to leverage strengths beyond their role
- Recognizing and naming individual strengths
- Supporting internal mobility and growth
This not only helps employees grow—it strengthens the leader’s own reputation as someone who develops people.
Why Developing Others Makes Leaders Harder to Replace
Desiree and Andy discuss a powerful leadership truth:
While every role is technically replaceable, leaders who develop others are much harder to replace.
Leaders who:
- Hire people smarter than themselves
- Encourage growth instead of hoarding talent
- Advocate for team members’ advancement
…build stronger legacies and attract better talent over time.
Andy points to Apple’s leadership transition from Steve Jobs to Tim Cook as an example of how great leaders build systems and people that outlast them.
Feedback and Authenticity Matter
Andy emphasizes that personal brand should never be fake. Authenticity matters—but so does feedback.
Because we don’t always know how we’re perceived, leaders who want to be intentional with their brand must be willing to:
- Ask for feedback
- Observe how others respond to them
- Adjust when needed
Personal brand is something you build toward, not something you perfect overnight.
Resources Mentioned in the Episode
- Book: Own Your Brand, Own Your Career by Andy Storch
- Website & Free Digital Workbook:
👉 https://ownyourbrandbook.com
(Includes reflection exercises and LinkedIn profile templates) - Availability: Paperback and Kindle on Amazon; audiobook coming soon
Final Thought
Personal brand isn’t about becoming visible for the sake of visibility. It’s about being intentional with your reputation, your relationships, and your impact.
Leadership is a privilege—but it’s also a responsibility.
And you’re the boss now—so what are you going to do with it?
