3 Personal Branding Tips I Learned From Hugh Jackman.

The first time I ever heard about Personal Branding was from Hugh Jackman.

I was in my final year of drama school in Perth, Western Australia.

Hugh, (who trained there also many years before me) had been invited to officiate the opening of our new theatre.

The whole thing was kept very low key as the school didn't want to risk paparazzi turning up and ruining the day.

From memory, we, the students, were only told Hugh was coming the day of the event to ensure word did not get out.

As you can imagine we were all beyond excited to be so close to a Hollywood star and one that had trained at the same academy as us!

The time came for the official opening to begin and to all our astonishment in walked THE Hugh Jackman.

We were absolutely star-struck!

My classmates and I were in the graduating class of that year and so our eyes were glued on Hugh the whole time in the hope we would gain some insight into how to BE MORE LIKE HUGH and see the same level of success for ourselves.

The opening of the theatre ceremony went well. Our school was and still is relatively small so there was a lovely intimacy about the whole event. Hugh and the rest of the heads of the school gave their presentations and Hugh was/is exactly as you imagine him to be. Charasmatic, beaming with presence and energy, generous and inclusive.

This is not why I'm sharing this post.

This is why I'm sharing this post.

Afterwards, my class and I were directed to go into one of our rehearsal rooms and wait for our teacher.

We all thought we were going to be rehearsing the play we were working on but to our extreme delight and surprise, our acting teacher walked in with none other than, Hugh Jackman!

We all started cheering and clapping wildly! No one had expected this!

Hugh had generously offered to speak with us for 30 minutes about becoming a working actor and answer any questions we may have about "making it" in the film and television industry.

WOW. I could hardly believe it. We were going to be given guidance by a living, breathing Hollywood actor who also happens to be an alum.

The room fell dead silent as he began to speak. We hung on his every word.

This is when Hugh told us about the importance of building a personal brand.

This was a new concept to me and no doubt to everyone else in the room. I had never heard of personal branding before. Branding was something I associated with products, not people.

So I leaned in and paid close attention. It was Hugh Jackman talking after all!

That was 15 years ago.

Since then, I've had a lot of experience working in the arts and in corporate across multiple industries. I can say that everything Hugh taught us then still applies today when it comes to building your personal brand. Although Hugh was speaking to a group of actors, the underlying concepts and activities he shared are applicable to anyone working in any industry. Especially, online.

Let me share what he said to us with you now.

1. Create your own content.

The best way to get noticed in the film and tv industry by the people who can influence your career is to create your own work ie write, act and direct your own short films and plays then tell everybody about them. Don't wait for or rely on your agent to get you work.

In other words: Create your own content!

2. Network.

I also remember him saying to treat the work (ie creating content) like a business and think like a business owner. Do something every day that helps you meet more people and get in front of those that might be looking to cast new actors for new films.

In other words: Network!

3. Be yourself.

The last thing that stuck in my mind he said was, be yourself.

Bring your training and technique to the work you do whether you're in an audition, in rehearsal, or on set but don't forget to be yourself. Have fun and play. Don't take yourself too seriously.

In other words: Be yourself! (You knew this was coming and I'm repeating it here for consistency but more for emphasis because too many people forget about this and think building a personal brand is being someone you're not. It's not. It's about being yourself. Your(best)self.

He also went on to share some of his experiences working in Hollywood but as we were all sworn to secrecy about those stories they shall forever remain in that rehearsal room. #sorrynotsorry

Over the years I have witnessed the immense value building a personal brand holds for individuals who embrace this concept and go out and build their own. They encounter incredible opportunities and experiences that otherwise would never have presented themselves.

Over time they become sought after for their expertise and instead of having to go out and find work, it comes to them.

Thanks to the internet personal branding is no longer reserved purely for high-profile or famous people.

It's for everyone and anyone who has something to contribute that helps make the lives of others better.

I don't write and share this article to name drop.

I wrote it to inspire you (as well as entertain) because in this day and age it's become more important than ever to build your personal brand consciously to create a business (and life) that is full of opportunities and relationships that are meaningful to you!

Hello, I'm a Personal Branding Strategist and Photographer based in Melbourne, Australia. I work with ambitious entrepreneurs and business leaders who want to build their personal brand online.

When you're ready here are 3 ways you can work with me:

1.?Personal Branding Strategy Session - Work with me 1:1 to identify and amplify your own Personal Brand.

2.?Personal Branding Photoshoot - Let's bring your unique Personal Brand to life through a collection of beautiful photos you're proud to share.

3.?Headshot Refresh - Whether it's for you or your company's team a great headshot is a must for building your business online