‘Hi, My name is Donna (well Donna-Michelle by birth)!’

Personal branding is a crucial part of today’s business. This is particularly so in the eCommerce space, or when wanting to appeal to an international market, where consumers often look for trust from a familiar face.

While large companies such as EMAAR – the third largest lifestyle developer in the world, first outside of China rely on their corporate image and branding its part of my job as a Sales Manager to support my chosen employers brand and for this personal branding is key.

I have to be honest, for many years I chose to ‘fly under the radar’, work hard and let my results speak. But of late I have begun to understand the value of personal branding. Quite frankly my market reputation has been strong without any conscious personal branding effort however, I have begun to realize the value of trying to connect more and allow people closer to my personality. I have nothing to hide, so why not! I’m going to give it a go!

Where to start? Well, for me start is often with reading/researching. I like to understand. So, I know my values – authenticity and enthusiasm – otherwise known as passion and energy are key personality traits. When researching how to expose my personal brand I stumbled across an entrepreneur called Sean Ogle. Although I am far from an entrepreneur, preferring the comfort blanket of being a ‘corporate bunny’ I do share some connection to Sean’s brand style. The first article Sean published on personal brand was entitled ‘Hi, My name is Sean’ so as a kick-off here is me….. ‘Hi, My name is Donna!’ In this post, you’ll learn things about me that most don’t know (now exposing myself to a 14,000 connections on network LOL, (blood pressure has increased). I’m hoping you will see me for me maybe stick around.

1)     I used to dance:

Under the influence of my grandparents I started Ballroom and Latin American dancing at the age of 3 years and attended multiple times per week until I was 21. I wanted to become professional, but back in those days, before the airing of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ etc there really was no money in it. I had just graduated and fell in love with marketing so perused that career instead.

2)     My favorite film:

Well I love films that completely absorb me. Connect to my heart, provoke emotion and give ‘goosebumps’. I love to feel!

English Patient is my all-time favorite and to this day makes my heart explodes! I purchased the soundtrack and still listen often, to the point of tears. There’s also one line of the movie, that when I think about it makes my heart race “I’ve always loved you”.

Other favorites:

• 10 Things I hate about you – mainly because of the poem
• Under the Tuscan Sun - because of the hope and romance
• Seven Pounds – because of the act of giving and emotional connection
• As good as it gets - romance and humor
• Five feet apart - oh dear god my heart exploded (proper blubbering on a flight to KL)!

3)     Why Tiffany (my daughter) is called ‘Tiffany:

Another favorite film is ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s) a film from 1961. It was a little risky back then! Audrey Hepburn plays an expensive escort looking for a wealthy man to marry. She’s very sassy! It’s a romantic comedy with moments of intense depression (which reviewers often miss) but also full of hopeful optimism and these moments working together make the movie ‘thought provoking and memorable’ – exactly how I would like my daughter to live - a thought provoking and memorable life! Plus, I adore Audrey Hepburn. She was a very classy, humble, talented and giving lady. 

4)     Passion for 5* hotel interior design:

I love interior design and frankly if I had my time again, I would enter this field. Instead I travel when I can and work allows me, to see some of the best examples of stunning interior design which can often be found in 5* hotels. I am very blessed to have a ‘reverse bucket-list’ of many stunning experiences of hotel design. Now including some of the EMAAR brand – Address Boulevard being my favorite in Dubai, to date.

5)     Favorite quotes:

Oh I have so many – here are but a few and in no particular order (as I have little order in my brain):

• Life’s a climb, but the view is great.
• I love you. I don’t like you at times, but I love you.
• And suddenly all the love songs were about you.
• God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.
• It’s my passion to thrive, not merely to survive and I wish to do so with passion, some humor and hopefully a little style.
• Head up, shoulders back, boobs out and bum in.
• Travelling is like flirting with life. It’s like saying, ‘I would stay and love you, but I have to go’.
• At the end of each day your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling.
• Don’t adapt to the energy in the room. Influence the energy in the room.
• People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.

6)     What I struggle with most:

I have no patience for people who don’t give something their all. I cannot tolerate ‘half-assed people’.

I want transparency throughout my relationships and struggle with those whom can’t communicate authentically.

I am very quick to cut people out. I don’t let many people close, so if I do and theirs some betrayal I cut very quickly. Not very forgiving. Maybe need to work on this?!

So, there's a little about me. The start of exploring my 'personal brand'. Not terribly sure at this point how this helps with my role as a Sales Manager with EMAAR. Does exposing myself make me more knowledgable or more trusted in the Dubai Real Estate market? For anyone whom understands this better can you offer me some advice. At this moment, think Ive lost the point of what i'm doing! HELP!