How can young professionals in Thought Leadership create a unique personal brand?

For Gen Z, (re)frame thought leadership as corporate influencer marketing. According to a 2023 survey by Morning Consult, 57% of Gen-Zers are interested in becoming an influencer. The primary idea is to become a lifestyle influencer, but why not use that interest to become a corporate influencer? Young working professionals can pursue that aspiration by finding a career topic - from technical or industry topic expertise to corporate culture trends - that they are passionate about and by building thought leadership content around it, using influencer marketing techniques.

What are you amazing at? What are you passionate about? What do people in your industry clamor to know more about? The overlap of these three things is your niche. The challenge for most content creators is sustainability and avoiding burnout. The best way to do this is to find something the world needs that you know about and are excited every time you get to talk about!

1. Solve problems. 2. Innovation. 3. Team up. (Don’t try to do it alllll yourself.) 4. Enjoy. Thrive. Thanks - Sheila

Young professionals in Thought Leadership can create a unique personal brand by embracing their authentic voice and unique experiences. Start by identifying your niche, something you're passionate and knowledgeable about. Consistently share insights and ideas through blogs, podcasts, or social media to establish expertise. Network with industry leaders and engage in relevant discussions to build connections. Stay informed about the latest trends and innovate in your field. Remember, a strong personal brand is a blend of expertise, authenticity, and continuous learning. Stand out by being uniquely you!

Thought leadership is the wrapping paper to your gifts. Here is your journey to unique personal brand: 1. Moment - That life altering decision. 2. Mission - Your intention. 3. Movement - How you deliver on that intention. 4. Marketing - Creating your tribe. 5. Management - Making it business as usual. One misstep and it'll fall apart like a pack of cards. Just like how a skyscraper can only rise based on the depth of the foundation - your thought leadership journey has to be anchored in the steps shared above. If this is helpful, please do me a favour and hit 'Like' below. :)

Remember to build your network of professionals in your industry or similar work areas. That is, connect with people at other companies but in your industry as well as in your field who work in all industries. Chances are there’s an organization that caters to that group—or the desire to have one created! Attend their events to build your network of fellow practitioners and movers and shakers so you’re hearing and sharing ideas from a wide range of people and experiences.

you can't create a unique personal brand without the stories and experiences that make you, YOU. Share and rely heavily on your volunteer, extracurriculars, internships, study abroad, and personal experiences and stories where you learned about yourself. For example, did you develop your grit and work ethic playing high school basketball? Did you develop your confidence playing or acting in a musical? Share stories about when and how you grew as a person so that your audience associates those stories with you and only you.

Dolly Parton said "Figure out who you are then do it on purpose." That's half of the personal brand equation. Personal brand = Personality x reputation. Reputations are built through your body of work. So there you go.