Personal branding has become a popular term in recent years. But what exactly does it mean? 

Broken down, the term refers to an individual confidently promoting an ethos (or service) that they stand for and establishing it as their own. If you think about brands like Apple, Coca Cola or Google, they are defined by what they offer as a product or service, but also by their ethos and in turn, their reputation. Done correctly, personal branding can differentiate you from other professionals within your industry, and allow you as a brand to grow. 

In her 2017 article entitled 5 Reasons Why Personal Branding is Important, Maria Estrada says, “Personal branding aids a person in establishing his [or her] name as a thought leader and expert in their area of speciality. [Building] a lasting impression and a self-reward for the individuality itself. Admiration, respect, and trust will come along with a person’s name.”

Background

Colt, an English multinational telecommunications company, based in London, is most known for its effort to connect 900 data centres across Europe, Asia, and North America's most prominent business hubs, with over 29,000 on-net buildings. 

They support worldwide connectivity and strive to provide the best customer experience and the first with a Net Promoter Score. 

The company also aims to combat the stigmas around how a work environment should look like by adopting its mantra and encouraging a person's individualistic drive. 

Abadesi Osunsade, who had previously given a talk at a Colt event for Girls in Tech International Women’s Day in 2018 received a note from Millie Nelson, a talent advisor and Early Careers Specialist. They recognized how well her experience aligns with the Colt vision. 

Workshop Style

One of the main objectives of this two-hour workshop was to build on participants' skills and give them experience using social media to build their network or personal brand.

The pre-workshop survey allowed participants to see how much confidence they had in using social media to accomplish their personal goals. 

The first part of the workshop covered understanding and recognizing one's self-awareness. Specifically, participants were asked to determine their personality type, take into account the benefits of a self-awareness toolkit, and explore building a unique personal brand that mirrored their personality. 

This workshop also discussed Dr Carol S. Dweck's theory of The Growth Mindset, which was then followed up with an open dialogue on failure and how we learn from it. 

The second part of the workshop focused on group activities, including how to create a solid career through the Internet, how to network, and how to construct elevator pitches. 

At the end of the workshop, the participants engaged in a thoughtful and fruitful discussion about how they would complete the individual tasks set for them and grow their business.

Outcome  

Colt has been interviewed and reported that the workshop has been a success, with participants feeling the learnings will give them the inspiration they need to create and grow their brand. 

This workshop aimed to create a space where people could share obstacles they had faced when building a personal brand, share how to overcome them, and discuss challenging topics such as failure, vulnerability, and imposter syndrome.