3 Reasons Why Black Women Struggle to Build Their Personal Brand

As unorthodox as you may think he is, that Kanye West said “your attitude determines your latitude”, perfectly describes how Black women self-sabotage. This is especially true for Black women building their personal brand and business. In essence, the more convinced you are of your own limitations, the harder it will be for your brand to grow.

If you're like most ambitious and overachieving women I know, you'll never admit to having self-limiting or negative beliefs about yourself.? It's too painful to admit to ourselves we're our own worst critics.?Yet we continue to hold on to these thoughts and feelings, unknowingly sabotaging the growth of our personal brands.

The rise of social media has given more women the chance to share their perspective with the world. It's also given Women of Color a platform to create personal brands and be seen and heard. Sadly, when we're in positions of authority, Black women, specifically, often times vilify and downgrade ourselves. We have a pattern of judging our competency and worth based on the opinions and words of others, which is why so many of us find ourselves in self-limiting boxes because of one hard lesson or bad experience.?

We’ve been conditioned to think that we’re less than or that by having one hair out of place we’re no longer qualified. It’s an absurd constraint that needs to stop.        

I was that person who was afraid to show up. I was also a shy middle child who grew into an outspoken adult. Once I ignited my personal brand, I knew my views about women in business and branding as well as my personality would elicit the “side eye” and controversy from other people. Consequently, I let that perception stop me from showing up.

One of the most challenging things about growing your personal brand and/or business as a Black woman is past trauma and stigma, which is deeply rooted in our society and collective consciousness. When we talk about the challenges of building a personal brand and business, we often discuss things such as access to capital, barriers to entry, or the challenges of entering an already crowded space. While these challenges are valid, the struggles that hold us back more are internal.?

In this article, I’m going to focus on 3 self-limiting beliefs that Black women building personal brands hold on to that limit their success and stifle their ability to grow. This list was created out of my own experience as a Black woman who wears multiple hats (entrepreneur + brand strategist + speaker + observer of people + web designer), and my own experience interacting with Black women with personal brands and businesses.

1. Having the “Superwoman” Complex. I am and was raised by a line of strong Black women. I grew up watching my mother do everything: she cooked, cleaned, raised 3 children (with no help), had a green thumb (meaning she took care of jungle of houseplants), worked 30+ years in the government, drove us everywhere, was at almost every school event, and I could go on & on. You get the picture. I watched her be that strong black woman, which turned me into the same.

My story isn’t an anomaly. I know many children grow up in single-parent households. How Black women show up in their personal brand can start in childhood and emerge as this complex of thinking you can do everything on your own. The reality though is when building a personal brand you cannot DIY it. Imagine walking into an operating room, taking the scalpel from the doctor, and trying to work on a patient. Outrageous, huh?!

Superwoman, thinking you can do everything in your brand or business with no help isn’t good. That thinking limits the growth you can experience. By working with qualified professionals to build out your brand, you’re freeing up your mind, time, and energy to just do you and be great. That could look like working on your first book or e-book, developing new programs or applying to speak at a conference. While the person or team you hire to develop your brand do what they do, you can hone in on your expertise and amplify your voice.

Bonus! And when you hire someone or have a team working on building your personal brand, let them do their job. Don’t micromanage or criticize everything they do. Remember, Superwoman: it’s more than one method to solving a problem. Your way isn’t the only way.

2. Being a “Perfectionist”. Remember that commercial where the Hair Club president was also a customer? I know I’m showing my age (42) but the point is I know first-hand how being a perfectionist stifles your business growth. I failed to ignite my personal brand for years because I wanted everything to be “just right.” I had to have the perfect website, pictures, words, social media account, etc. My perfectionism restricted my momentum and the organic growth that could’ve come from just putting myself out there.?

Perfectionism is a trap and a snare because no matter how hard you try, you’ll never be perfect. Therefore, trying to do everything perfectly is a myth and an excuse. It’s what holds many Black women and women in general back. We’ve been conditioned to think that we’re less than or that by having one hair out of place we’re no longer qualified. It’s an absurd constraint that needs to stop! Since you're walking through the world making bold decisions, declaring what you want, pushing for more authority and visibility, it’s important that you show up as a real person. People connect to real (imperfect) people.?

When you realize that perfectionism is a lie, what’s the alternative? I get it: you no doubt want to show up as the best version of yourself and so do I. I, however, have adopted an “excellence over perfection” attitude. Favoring excellence over perfection means you do your best to build a personal brand and platform that people flock to; yet when something doesn’t go right, you don’t beat yourself up about it, vowing to never do that thing again. Because let’s be clear: things will mess up, but you can’t stop asserting yourself because something doesn't go exactly how you intended. Realize that outcomes and circumstances don’t dictate your excellence and expertise.

3. Buying into “Imposter Syndrome”. “What does she know about branding?” “She doesn’t have a marketing or computer science degree.” “She only has a few followers!” This isn’t what others were saying about me (not to my face anyway). Instead, this was Me vs. Me. I imagined myself inferior to people who had been in brand development for years who seemingly had all the clients. Or, who had 5-digit follower counts or impressive college degrees. I was comparing myself to others and shrinking back because I felt they were somehow better than me. I was discounting my own success.

The article “Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome” defines it as “...doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud.” The article goes on to say that “it [Imposter Syndrome] disproportionately affects high-achieving people, who find it difficult to accept their accomplishments. Many question whether they're deserving of accolades.” Believing you don’t deserve to be where you are frustrates your personal brand plans and success. For example, if you look at other women online and wonder why your brand doesn’t have the same success, it’s sabotaging your brand and confidence.

It's important to celebrate your success and your wins. You take your own joy away when you shrink back because of the success you see other women experiencing. Also, Imposter Syndrome can also breed jealousy and envy. Besides destroying your personal brand, jealously and envy can destroy your life! Just think: you don't know what other women have had to do to be successful, and really, it's not your worry or business. Let them have their success, and you have yours.

In conclusion, despite my own fears of showing up as myself, I've pushed forward and built a personal brand that has allowed me to work with amazing women, speak on a few stages, and get recognized for other opportunities. I still struggle from time to time, but I have a "you do you and I'ma do me" kind of attitude, which helps me keep things in perspective. I encourage you to take ownership of your uniqueness, magnify your strengths, stand tall in your personal authority and speak with confidence. Being bold, confident, and real makes you more amazing and by extension attracts people to you.

Hi, I'm Toni, Brand Strategist and Designer, capturing the spirit and energy of what makes Black women brilliant, I develop your personal brand, strategy, messaging, and visuals. If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe & share. Let's start a conversation about your needs, vision, and goals. Visit brandcoachtoni.com for more information.