a successful woman: is her own brand

'You're not defined by your job title and you're not defined by your job description.  Starting today, you are a brand.'

Tom Peters

I've recently been inspired by the idea of a personal brand and how it can help one's success.

Essentially, a brand is what sets apart a certain product or service to others on the market, e.g. an airline seat with different companies will still take you from city A to city B whichever you choose, but the brand provides the travel experience - ultimately what people associate with the company.  Clever brand positioning can evoke its company philosophy in the mind of the consumer simply through name, logo, tagline, colour, soundbite or even a feeling or promise. Branding is important; if successfully implemented it can: be a lucrative commodity in itself'; create preference over other brands; drive loyalty; command a price premium and be a base for brand extension.

So this is all very well for companies selling products and services, but we can use the same techniques to sell ourselves.  Our own personal brand can set us apart, make people remember us and give us control over the image we wish to project.  In this 21st Century competitive world where company loyalty is largely absent and you don't stay at a company for life like your granddad did, it's important to have a sense of self beyond where you work.

I've been completely inspired by an article in FastCompany written by Tom Peters called A Brand Called You.  He encourages us to regard ourselves in terms of our unique skills and talents rather than our employer.  He has a point.  If we think of any well known figure, they have elements of traditional branding.  They evoke a 'mental shortcut' in the mind of the general public, who immediately have an expectation as to what they represent.  They are instantly recognisable and have an 'angle'.  They could be summed up in a short phrase.

Peters' article was written in 1997 before the advent of social media.  Luckily, nowadays it is much easier to cultivate a personal brand with internet presence.  On the internet, you can simply create this 'mental shortcut' through providing the image, the angle and the short phrase on social networking profiles.  Jaleh Bisharat wrote an excellent article for the Women in Leadership section of The Guardian newspaper, reminding us that nowadays employers have to make quick judgements on potential employees, and can often make such decisions with a few clicks of the mouse and a trip to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter...

So I've made a go at becoming my own 'brand', following Bisharat's three step plan.  I've taken a hard look at myself: who I am, what my skills and talents are and what I'd like to project about myself.  Much of it is provisional and over-reaching as I haven't become an expert at anything yet or even started in PR, but I feel it's a healthy thing to outline a set of aims for the future.

1. Define it

What is my desired soundbite? Luxury product PR whizz (OK, pretty flat, but something to work on...)

What gives me joy? writing, blogging, women in business, career success, travel, world cultures, luxury products, cooking, good food, wine, languages (French and Italian)

What are my skills? confident public speaker, persuasive writer, creative thinker, organised, meticulous planner, self-motivated.

What is my image? tidy and well-groomed, chic, well-spoken, British style.

2. Earn it

Make your work visible: Every great project I spearhead or am involved with shall be placed in a growing portfolio, both hard copy and online.

Become really, really good at what differentiates you: continue reading articles, blogs and books to expand my knowledge.  Eventually find an avenue I am passionate about and cultivate expertise in one specific area.  For the moment it's important to keep broadening my horizons.

3. Promote it

Be present on the internet: Check!

Be consistent in your online image: I must organise my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and Blogger so that they are uniform in style and projecting the same brand image.  Must buy domain name www.lollihall.com

A last piece of advice from Jaleh Bisharat: 'Your brand is nothing less than your reputation...Define it well, earn it diligently and promote it tastefully and you will have an asset that pays dividends over a lifetime.'  Well said.

a successful woman: takes risks

'Be brave. The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of making a mistake.'

Meg Whitman, CEO of Hewlett-Packard

Successful women are brave. They trust their instincts and act on hunches.  Sure, they will occasionally make decisions that don't turn out well, but taking a calculated risk is better than stagnating for fear of a bad outcome.  Some can be trailblazing, pioneering the way for the rest of the industry.  For example, from the moment Anna Wintour became editor-in-chief of Vogue she wasn't afraid to shake things up.  Notably she began using celebrities rather than models on covers (unheard of at the time).  Although initially criticised it paid off; sales went through the roof and it has since become a popular magazine tactic.

Unfortunately, the risk-taking gene seems to have evolved to a greater extent in the y-chromosome. The evolutionary instinct that helped men hunt for food is still prevalent today (hence they are more likely to be adrenaline junkies and in car accidents).  Of course, this sets them up well for the business world where risk-taking is essential.  We women stayed in the cave doing the much less exciting job of protecting the young, so we're much more sensible in our approach, preferring to keep safe than go out on a limb and risk a catastrophe.  Such traits are perfect for a mother, but not for a businesswoman.

Recently I read an interview with Karen Finerman, an investment manager on Wall Street.  When asked how women sabotage themselves in the workplace, she replies that we're afraid to stretch ourselves.  She says we tend to 'avoid opportunities we don't feel qualified for yet' and advises we should 'grab risky opportunities that will force us to grow on the job and learn to do it.'

No one walks into a new role an expert.  Take Mireille Guiliano, former CEO of Clicquot Inc.  Her career began in public relations despite having had no former training or experience.  In her book Women, Work and the Art of Savoir Faire she recalls feeling under-qualified and not up to the challenge, but she eventually flourished due to her enthusiasm, personal qualities and natural talent. 'Anyone can learn to write a press release,' she muses, 'We are who we are, but we can learn new things all the time, evolve over time by working hard and smart, and realise our potential.'

Taking smart risks is an essential quality of a 'gutsy girl', according to Kate White, former edtior-in-chief of American Cosmo.  According to her in her book Why Good Girls Don't Get Ahead But Gutsy Girls Do, there is no magic formula to become a risk-taker - our genetic makeup has much to do with it.  Her advice is to practice, and it will get easier in time.   So how do us ladies who lack this gene acquire the guts to make that first move?  She outlines a four-point plan of protection:

1. Re-labelling a 'risk'
Perspective is everything - remember the old adage: optimists see a glass half full, pessimists a glass half empty?  You can view a risk as terrifying, or a challenge.  You can regard it as foreign and out-of-your-depth - or intriguing and interesting, new territory to conquer.  It could expose your ignorance - or ability to learn.

To apply this to my own life, I've just been offered the chance to intern at a travel PR company in November with a view to a paid role if all goes well.  I have no idea whether I'll be any good at it, or whether I'll even enjoy it.  But if I don't try I'll never know.  I would sorely regret stagnating at my current cabin crew job merely because I was too afraid to take the next step.

2. Know exactly what you have to lose
Knowing what's at stake can help you feel more in control.

This internship is unpaid (as per industry standard).  I could have taken a month's unpaid leave from British Airways but wouldn't have been able to survive without a paycheck.  For the sake of dipping my toe in the water, the financial instability would've been too much to risk.  Instead I have chosen to use my annual holiday entitlement.  It might not work out and I will have used up all my paid leave, but I am fully prepared for that outcome.  Besides, I will gain experience and have a clearer view of the PR industry which is worth more than a couple of weeks' holiday.

3. Take smart risks rather than stupid ones
Doing your homework will lead to a well-informed decision that has less chance of failing.

I have been researching the PR industry for a while now.  I've read many books on the subject; subscribe to PR Week, Campaign and Enterprise; follow PR blogs and have read countless articles and interviews with interns to industry leaders.  From what I've gleaned, I'm fairly certain it's for me but I'm glad I clued up on the good and bad aspects of the job.

4. Give yourself a safety net
Having left university and straight into a job as a flight attendant for two years, I was in a predicament when it came to thinking about changing career track.  Leaving my job and hurling head first into a new industry was a scary prospect.  I needed the safety net of my current job while tasting the pie.  By using my annual holiday leave, I still maintain job security just in case I feel it isn't for me.

Yet again, I might absolutely love it, and then I'll know the risk was worth it.

'Know that you will fail at some point, but learn from it. The lessons from that failure will be extremely valuable.'

Karen Finerman

goodbye trolley, hello business world...

So I've decided the time has come to hang up my wings.

I've loved every minute of being a flight attendant (OK, perhaps not every minute - 3am wake up calls, my favourite...), I've seen half the world, enjoyed exploring the cultures and flavours of exotic places and made some great friends along the way.

But there's been a finger tapping on my shoulder for a while, urging me to get back to the 'real world' before I get too comfortable and it's too late.  Some people say once you're used to the lifestyle you can never go back to a 9-5, but frankly I'm craving a routine.  I long to be on the other side of the trolley cart, the passenger off to a business meeting...I want to make my mark on the world!  And that's going to be hard if I'm 30 years old with nothing to my name except a decade-long stint as a trolley dolly.

Don't get me wrong, I have utmost respect for the job - it takes a special kind of person to keep their hair on when they're sleep-deprived and faced with a sticky, or potentially emergency situation.  And not just keep their hair on, but their lipstick too...it's not all tea and coffee or chicken or beef.  But it's not for me, forever.

So what now?  Where am I going with my life?  It's a question many of us young people ask ourselves, as we're encouraged to be successful, make money, be a somebody on this planet.  I'm still hoping I find my passion.  I've decided on public relations as a career as I feel I would enjoy it immensely.  It's a dynamic industry that involves writing, building relationships, creative and intelligent thought, brainstorming and new challenges.  No wonder it's so competitive!  I've been fortunate enough to have connections with a few people in the industry and after a couple of meetings I'm crossing my fingers, hoping I've been accepted to join an agency.

In a parallel to my life, I've decided to start anew and create a blog to detail my experiences as I begin a new chapter on a different trajectory.  Seeing as my life stages so far have been education - university - cabin crew I haven't had the chance to be a professional, city kinda girl and hence I'm a complete novice!  So I thought it might be fun to write down and share what I'm learning, for myself to read back one day and realise how far I've come and how much I've improved...and also for anyone else in the same situation, recently graduated, new to the world of work and aching to make the best of themselves.

I hope it helps you in some way or at least provides a little entertainment!