029 I Building an Authentic Personal Brand: A Journey of Self-Discovery, Impact, and Purpose with Rachel Gogos

In this episode, we're diving into the power of personal branding—not just as a tool for visibility, but as a journey in personal development with Rachel Gogos, owner of BrandID. Rachel shares her career journey, from starting in higher education and working at the United Nations to launching her agency focused on personal branding and business strategy. The importance of self-discovery in personal branding Rachel shares when we truly understand our strengths, vision, and how we want to be perceived, we're better equipped to attract the right opportunities and have a greater impact on our audience. Building a personal brand isn't just about creating visuals or a website. It starts with self-discovery. Doing the inner work helps us to communicate who we are and what we stand for with authenticity and confidence. Starting with a clear sense of mission and the legacy you want to leave behind. This could be a game-changer for superintendents aiming to elevate their career, as it aligns their daily actions with a bigger purpose and helps others understand their unique value. 360-degree approach to gain valuable insights Using a 360-degree assessment allows individuals to see themselves from others' perspectives. This technique could help superintendents understand the strengths others see in them that they might overlook, which could be particularly helpful in interviews or networking. Focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses can accelerate growth. Superintendents, often perfectionists by nature, could benefit from identifying what they naturally excel at and finding ways to use those skills to differentiate themselves. Personal branding doesn't have to be boastful In fact, sharing expertise and experiences humbly is a powerful way to build credibility without feeling overly promotional. Superintendents can educate and inspire through their personal brand, which would naturally attract more opportunities and align with their authentic selves. Having a clear, authentic intention in one's messaging makes a difference. For leaders who genuinely want to contribute positively to the industry, it's important to keep promoting these values without worry. It resonates, as Rachel said, and reinforces trust with your audience. From using websites and visuals to create a compelling experience to empowering employees as brand ambassadors, strong branding is as important internally as it is externally. Plus, we'll touch on trends in brand-building, like using video, organic social media, and focusing on educational, inspirational content rather than constant selling. By the end of this episode, you'll have a roadmap to building a personal brand that not only attracts your ideal clients but also brings clarity to your purpose, team and impact—enhancing your personal and professional life. Let's get started! Soundbytes "As leaders or business owners, we can only build our team and culture as much as we ourselves have grown. To create winning teams, we need to keep developing personally, whether we own the company or not." (14:59-16:00) "Building a personal brand isn't about creating a facade—it's about understanding who you truly are, the reputation you hold, and the qualities people associate with you, then consistently showing up as that person in all areas of your life." (22:42-23:05) Quotes I truly believe that when things come together easily, it's a sign that our path is being guided—a green light from God to move in that direction." "We can only grow our team and culture as far as we've grown ourselves. If we want to keep building winning teams, whether we own the company or not, we must continue investing in our personal growth." "The more we work in our strengths, the more fulfilled and joyful we feel day to day. Recognizing our weaknesses helps us round out our team by placing the right people in roles where we may not excel." "This isn't about crafting an image or results; it's about clarifying who you are at your core—your reputation and the qualities others associate with you—and showing up consistently across all areas of your life." "Share content under your personal brand, even if you work for an organization, because people want to connect with people. We've seen this firsthand—our personal posts generate far higher engagement than those on our business page." Links Mentioned in This Episode: Tyler Bloom Consulting: https://tylerbloomconsulting.com/ Connect with Rachel Gogos on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelgogos/ BrandID: https://thebrandid.com