Written by: Kelsea Abston
What does it mean to “be your own brand?” According to Elite Daily, being your own brand is identifying with something (a hobby, a job, etc.), standing out from the crowd, embracing your knowledge, being real and taking a chance.
The first person that comes to mind when I think of someone who embodies the definition of being your own brand is Beyoncé. Her reputation precedes her; all you have to say is her name for people to know who you’re talking about. Beyoncé surrounds herself with people who boost her up. She supports causes and projects that she wholeheartedly believes in, not just because she has to. She creates pop and R&B hits with meanings and lessons behind them for everyone to enjoy.
Beyoncé proved she doesn’t need to be advertised when she unexpectedly dropped her self-titled album in 2013 with ZERO warning or clues to the fans before hand. In the US, 80,000 albums were sold in the first three hours after the release and a total of 430,000 in the first 24 hours alone.
Beyoncé is not afraid to collaborate. From Gaga to her own daughter, Blue Ivy, Beyoncé has rocked all genres of music while going out of her territory to do it.
Beyoncé exudes a confidence that is starting to show up more often in stars like Taylor Swift and Harry Styles, who bring the Beyoncé-style branding technique into their own careers. How can we, as everyday people, bring that into our lives? Is it possible to brand yourself the Beyoncé way? The answer is YES!
Being your own brand is about being shamelessly you. First, you have to embody your own identity and personality, not someone else’s. Beyoncé doesn’t pretend to be Kim Kardashian and you shouldn’t try to be someone else either. You are YOU.
Second, you have to find something to associate yourself with. Beyoncé associates herself with her music, and people make that connection every time. Associating yourself with something you excel at will help people get to know about you at face value before you tell them the insider details.
Third, don’t hide your differences. Those differences make you stand out. Beyoncé can float across genres, collaborate with pretty much anybody, AND be a great mom and wife. She doesn’t hide that. Instead, she embraces it and mixes all those things together. Find something unique about yourself and embrace it.
Fourth, don’t be afraid to continue to learn and share your knowledge. Beyoncé was a part of the 90’s female group, Destiny’s Child, before she was ever the Beyoncé we know and love. She had to learn from others in order to grow. She grows every time she collaborates with another artist, especially if they’re a different genre. Embrace learning and knowledge. If you can be open minded to learning and sharing, you’re putting yourself one step ahead.
Fifth, be real. I can’t think of a time where Beyoncé has ever been fake about herself or her reality. She has been real and open with her fans from the start and people admire her for that. Be real with people; it gets you a lot further in life than being fake.
Lastly, take a chance. That job you want to apply for, but you’re not sure if you’re good enough? Go for it. That pair of shoes you can’t stop thinking about? Go for it. If Beyoncé held back every single time she had a chance to do something, she wouldn’t be where she is today. Beyoncé might not have been completely sure that releasing an album out of nowhere without any advertising was a great idea, but she took that chance and it worked out really well.
These six tips can be applied to many aspects of your life -- especially job interviews. When you apply for a job, you don’t have an advertising and marketing team to set up the perfect campaign to show why you are the best candidate. You only have yourself, so you have to present yourself in the best possible way. Employers want to see who you are, what makes you who you are, and that you are unapologetically and authentically you. They aren’t there to interview Kylie Jenner or Ryan Reynolds. They are there to meet you and find out about you.
Just like Beyoncé didn’t become an overnight sensation like her self-titled album did, building your own brand won’t happen overnight either. Being your own brand requires self confidence and being comfortable in your own skin. So do a power pose, keep your head up, and get ready to exude some Beyoncé-level confidence.
Schreiber, K. (2014, March 21). You Are Your Own Brand: Why It's Important To Create
Your Own Image. Retrieved from https://www.elitedaily.com/money/entrepreneurship/you-are-your-own-brand-why-its-important-to-create-your-own-image