This week's inspiration, Tanja Tabrizian, shares her expertise on Personal Branding. With a background in PR and communications, including roles as Head of Press at TV4 and Head of Communications for the Liberals, Tanja shares some thoughts on Personal Branding. She now runs the company Tabrizian PR & Management, where she helps individuals and companies nurture and develop their brands. Read on to learn about Tanja's insights on building and nurturing your Personal Brand!

How do you define Personal Branding and why do you think it's important?

I am convinced that everyone has a magic. It's just about finding it and making it shine. For me, Personal Branding is like being the artist of your own masterpiece. It's about carefully choosing colors, brushstrokes, and motifs that represent who you are – and yes, sometimes it takes a little creativity. Nurturing and developing your personal brand is essential, especially for business leaders. You will then, among other things, be perceived as credible, be able to retain and develop employee talents in your organization, and transform any media crises from a stormy sea to a small breeze. A strong Personal Brand will lead to business benefits, I promise!

Can you share some concrete steps or strategies for building a strong personal brand?

Consider who you are, how you are perceived by others, and how you want to be perceived. It is the gap between the former and the latter that allows you to work to strengthen your Personal Brand. Also, remember that everything starts with authenticity.

I usually say, "Be yourself, everyone else is taken."

By that, I mean that you should highlight your own uniqueness and maximize it as much as possible. Also, consider how you should position yourself against your competitors by enhancing your own qualities.

How do you handle challenges and mistakes in your own Personal Brand?

When I was younger, I made the big mistake of trying to be someone other than who I really am. As a relatively new graduate, I was to have a lot of contact with management teams and then dressed in a stiff suit and used difficult words that I barely knew what they meant. All to fit in. My then boss was the one who made me realize that I should rather be myself, with the words "Tanja, you are best at being Tanja. So be that instead of someone else." After that, I have always dressed in the clothes I want and use my own vocabulary. So, a message to everyone who strives to fit in; it doesn't work. Be yourself instead, but times a hundred. Good luck with bringing out the best version of yourself!

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