Last weekend, I was spoke about entrepreneurship and personal branding at my alma mater, Mount Holyoke College. This was part of the annual student-run conference about careers. Mount Holyoke alumnae and friends were invited back to speak about their experiences. There were several panels covering many industries: entrepreneurs, marketing, creative arts, investment banking and non-profits.
Even though the industries were very different, the message was the same. In order to create a successful personal brand you must:
1. Be passionate.
If your heart and soul isn’t in your work, you won’t succeed.
2. Be proactive.
Get out there and talk to people, take that first step towards your ultimate career goal.
3. Keep practicing.
As they say, practice makes perfect. Keep talking to people, keep refining your 30-second pitch.
4. Be persistent.
Most people want to help, but they are very busy these days. If someone doesn’t respond to your email, send a follow-up. Of course there is a fine line between follow-up and being annoying. Use your common sense.
5. Go public.
Get out there and let people know who you are! Speaking at events is a great way to get known. Speaking on panels is a fun way to get started.
My fellow panelists:
Bob Lowry – UMass Alum. Owner of Bueno & Sano Restaurant and coordinator of the UMass Entrepreneur Initiative.
Linda Craib – MHC alumna and Yale MBA. Founder and CEO of Alea Diagnostics.
Elizabeth Eiss – MHC alumna. COO of Dreambuilder Investments; Managing Director of Golden Seeds.
Nancy Loderick's Blog 
Posted on November 16, 2010
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