This was new for me. The concept of being confident. I never knew it could be a game changer. That the impact on whether you’re confident or not could break or make you. Being born and raised as an Asian I wasn’t raised with the same self-confidence as my Dutch classmates. You need to be humble at all times, the world doesn’t revolve around you, so if you’re good at something, fine, but keep it to yourself. This naturally turns into insecurities and doubts because you hardly got any recognition for your achievement and knowledge.

Now that I run my own brand and digital agency, I have noticed that confidence is more important than ever. And if you lack this, it’s about time to work on those assets. Not only because you want to succeed in your business, but also because it’s important for you as a person.

Confidant is key in order to succeed in life.

Whether it’s in business or in our personal growth. If you’re not confident you won’t be able to speak passionately or free on matters you believe in. And how can you convince others when you’re not even convinced of yourself?

If you feeling lost or don’t know what you should be confident about, it’s time to take a closer look. I am a strong believer that everybody has a talent. There is always something that you’re good at. And that is something you should celebrate and be confident about. Is it your knowledge about a certain matter? Your superpower to help others? Your passion for something in life?

Find your superpowers and be confident about it.

Walk with a straight back and send out your love, confidence and superpower to the world, because your light will shine on others and they will be convinced as well because you have an energy they can’t ignore.

It’s not bragging about yourself.

It’s about celebrating something that you can be proud of. I’m proud of my unbeatable mindset. I never give up and when I have my mind on something I make sure I will get it.

So, tell me shamelessly, what makes you proud? Let’s celebrate us 💪✨.

The image you leave behind on social media is more important than ever before. Where previously your LI account would only be checked for resumé purposes, or your FB would be checked to verify your personality or behaviors, social media has transformed into a whole new beast. Business. Business. And more business.

If you want to stand out from the crowd, screaming is not enough anymore. Profiling is the new thing, and make sure whatever you get out into the world is consistent with the profile or image you want to create of yourself. Research has shown 53% of decision makers have eliminated a vendor from consideration based on information they did or did NOT find online. Hence, what you show on the internet is crucial for getting that opportunity.

What you tell your audience on social media is, is exactly what your future clients see from you. By offering the solutions your future clients are looking for on social media, your social media presence will become a tool for generating business. Building a personal brand is all about YOU and what solution you OFFER to your client.

So what are we selling with personal branding? We sell YOU. Your likeability and your quality as a professional. What do you stand for and what makes you DIFFERENT from others in your industry that makes clients want to work with you or buy from you?

So be conscious of what your OWN brand is. If you are in the biology industry, then focus on the newest scientific bacteria discoveries, or if you’re in oceanology, focusing on the effects of global heating on the coral reefs (or new innovations with regards to harvesting new reefs).

But only sharing your interests is not sufficient. We are people, and we are looking to CONNECT with people. So you need to not only verbalize your interests, but also place it in the context of your passion, tell your story of the things you do, of WHY and HOW you want to add value. The passion you express for your own services will become the reason clients will come to you.

So make sure you get noticed by being present, showing a consistent version of what you do and who you are, be authentic, and be passionate of what you can offer to the world. And you will find that the world will come to you.

In today’s digital age, it is increasingly important to stand out. Not only in the offline world, but just as much in the online world, on the social media platforms. Being deliberate in how you present yourself is the difference maker between getting the ‘Hell yeah!’ or the ‘No way!’. That’s where personal branding comes in.

Everything we do is becoming traceable, and our future employers, clients, partners want to have as much information as possible on who they’re dealing with. They search for us on Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and even Instagram, and you want to OWN the information they find. That’s why it is important to be aware and conscious of the information we put out there; if they don’t find any information about you, you get the question mark of “Who is s/he really!?”, however if people find discreditable info, you definitely have a deficiency to repair.

It’s not only important to present yourself in a positive manner, it is just as important you create the (online) image of yourself that you want people to see. You want to make yourself stand out, be the expert in your respective field. If you are an IT-professional who wants to continue in Blockchain, then make sure you post or comment on related articles, attend those events and interact with professionals in that area. That’s how you get noticed, and that’s when people start viewing you as ‘that Blockchain enthusiast or expert that we can build on’.

What matters is, how you deal with your expertise. I know of many professionals who are excellent in their respective fields, but are not open to share their knowledge with Average Joe or Jane. Being protective of your expertise only gets you so far; if you want to make a true difference, an open source approach will make your brand. Nobody can replicate the knowledge like you own it, so don’t be afraid of educating your (friendly) competitors, rather try to uplift your peers and they will do the same for you! So be open about what you know, share it, and most of all, put in the effort to create the image you want others to see of you.