Ever wonder if your LinkedIn posts are hurting or helping you professionally? Do you ever consider how people in your network feel consuming them? Are you someone that people want to mute? In this episode of 'Leave Your Mark,' I focus on effective personal branding on LinkedIn, sharing practical tips on how to post valuable and engaging content without coming off as self-centered or insincere. The episode explores common pitfalls like oversharing, bragging, and creating disingenuous posts. It also provides actionable advice on crafting posts that foster a positive personal brand.

00:00 Introduction: Are You Being Muted on Social Media?

00:36 The Importance of LinkedIn for Professionals

01:18 Shaping Your Narrative: Dos and Don'ts

02:15 Avoiding the Bragging Trap

03:18 Creating Value-Driven Posts

05:03 Engagement Strategies and Pitfalls

09:05 Balancing Vulnerability and Professionalism

11:48 Authenticity vs. Disingenuous Content

13:37 Final Thoughts on Personal Branding

In this episode of 'Leave Your Mark,' I sit down with Erica Diamond, a certified life and career coach, yoga and meditation teacher, and founder of the women's empowerment brand EricaDiamond.com. We discuss prioritizing self-care, recognizing burnout, and practical tips for time management. Erica shares her personal journey from a young entrepreneur facing burnout to a wellness advocate, providing actionable advice on managing stress, setting boundaries, and incorporating self-care into daily routines. You'll also learn about the importance of delegation, the power of walking and breathing exercises, and the concept of 'smart care.'

Jennifer Lopez has a lot going on right now, and her personal brand isn't telling a pretty story. You might assume her celebrity woes are due to overexposure, but I have a different take. You see celebrities, they're not like us. They don't like to pay attention to the chatter, and lord knows they don't like reading the comments. But when you find yourself performing in an almost empty stadium in Italy, it's time to take a long, hard look at yourself and do a brand audit. Can JLo reset and evolve, or is she over? Analyzing perceptions from social media, I delve into criticisms of JLo's public image, including her perceived lack of relatability and fan engagement. Drawing from my experience as a former fashion publicist who has worked with JLo, I make some recommendations for JLo's necessary rebrand if she wants to stay relevant in today's social media-driven world.

In this episode of Leave Your Mark, I welcome my longtime friend and former industry colleague, Larissa Thompson. We discuss Larissa's path from graphic design to the fashion industry and eventually co-founding Onda Beauty in 2016. She aimed to create a beauty and spa destination dedicated to a curated collection of clean, conscious, and safe beauty products. Larissa shares her journey of identifying a gap in the market, manifesting her vision, and building a community in a trusted space to discover, learn, and experience clean beauty products.

The episode also delves into her many challenges, including the sale and eventual repurchase of Onda Beauty from bankruptcy. With anecdotes about friends helping during tough times and the importance of authenticity, Larissa gives a deep insight into her personal and professional growth through these experiences. The episode is filled with career advice, entrepreneurial spirit, and the importance of following one's intuition.

There are millions of people doing commentary on last night's presidential debate. You don't come to the Leave Your Mark podcast for political commentary. Instead, I have broken down the three most important takeaways from the debate, based on my book, On Brand: Shape Your Narrative. Share Your Vision. Shift Their Perspective., ones that can significantly impact your career.

In my first solo episode of the Leave Your Mark podcast, I dive into the common myths of personal branding. Does it make you cringe or does it make you credible? There are many misconceptions surrounding strategy, and I address common misconceptions about personal branding, such as the idea that it is primarily about self-promotion or that it requires complete transparency. I also deliver tactical and specific actionable advice on how to build a personal brand that accurately reflects your professional identity and values, underscoring the value of taking up space confidently. This episode serves as a teaser of much more advice in my book, ON BRAND, and how to manage your personal brand effectively, both online and offline.

In this episode of Leave Your Mark, I sit down with Aliza Freud, founder and CEO of SheSpeaks, to discuss the evolution of influencer marketing and the nuances of understanding women's consumer behavior. We explore Aliza's experiences from her time at American Express, the concept of the female reality gap, and the importance of authentic influencer collaborations. The conversation highlights how She Speaks uses data and qualitative research to help brands target their audience effectively, as well as the ongoing challenges and successes in the influencer industry, particularly for women. We also explore how the industry has shifted towards content that is native to social platforms and the continuing battle for pay equity among female influencers. This insightful discussion provides actionable career advice and underscores the importance of diversification, authenticity, and understanding consumer benefits over product features.

In this episode of 'Leave Your Mark,' I sit down with my friend, Amy Shoenthal, a seasoned journalist, marketing consultant, and author of The Setback Cycle: How Defining Moments Can Move Us Forward, a USA Today bestseller. We all know what failure feels like, but what if we are sleepwalking into a setback? What does that feel like? How do we proactively protect ourselves against it, or is it a defining movement that will ultimately move us forward? Amy and I discuss the pervasive nature of setbacks, especially in the context of societal and professional challenges. Amy shares insights from her book, which includes stories of leaders who have overcome significant obstacles to create impactful ventures. We explore the concept of setbacks through a four-phase framework: Establish, Embrace, Explore, and Emerge. The conversation also delves into the importance of resilience, combating self-doubt with an 'inner hype person,' and the role of continuous learning and personal branding in navigating and rebounding from setbacks.

Sex & the City meets Six Feet Under was how Alix Strauss' novel, The Joy of Funerals, was described by the LA Times 20 years ago. Inspired by a 1988 piece for the Lives section of the New York Times Magazine, this trend, culture, and lifestyle journalist and award-winning and four-time published author discussed her obsession with funerals.

As an only child, Alix's personal experiences and unique perspective on life are deeply intertwined with her work. She felt the greatest connections to others at family funerals, the only occasions when she would see most of her relatives. The Joy of Funerals is a collection of humorous short stories that will both captivate and disturb you. But this trend journalist and author was way ahead of her time.

In this episode of Leave Your Mark, I sit down with Alix to discuss her decision to give her groundbreaking and controversial book a second chance by rereleasing it for its 20th anniversary at a time when grief and a loneliness epidemic are even more prevalent in today's society. Alix shares her personal experiences, and the profound narratives explored in her work, shedding light on the human desire for connection amidst life's extremes. The discussion also touches upon the broader implications of social media, pandemic influences, and the changing landscape of storytelling.

Host's note: This episode was recorded prior to October 7th.

In this episode of Leave Your Mark, I sit down with Kim Shapira, celebrity dietitian, nutritional therapist, and author of "This is What You're Really Hungry For: Six Simple Rules to Transform Your Relationship with Food to Become Your Healthiest Self." Kim breaks down the fundamentals of transforming one's relationship with food, and we relate all of this to work. Whether it's stress eating or feeling like you "deserve it" after a hard day, our relationship with food and our careers are intertwined. Drawing on her 25+ years of experience, Kim breaks down her 'Kim Shapira Method,' which includes six simple rules to help people eat healthier and manage their weight. She delves into the influence of emotional triggers and the importance of sleeping well, staying hydrated, and getting enough physical activity. Kim also shares personal anecdotes from her journey and insights on the controversial diet drug Ozempic. The episode provides actionable advice for anyone looking to change their eating habits and overall well-being. 

In this episode of Leave Your Mark, I sit down with my friend Karen Robinovitz, a multi-faceted entrepreneur and visionary. Karen shares her diverse career journey, from a journalist contributing to major publications and authoring a book to pioneering the digital influencer management industry with Digital Brand Architects (DBA) and co-founding Sloomoo Institute, an interactive experience focused on joy and play through slime. Karen discusses her unique ability to foresee trends, from the rise of digital media to the influencer movement and the therapeutic role of tactile play in her personal grief recovery. The episode also explores Karen's contribution to addressing mental health, inclusion, and neurodiversity through Sloomoo. While discussing her career, Karen and I discussed the rise of antisemitism and the importance of speaking up against hatred. It's worth noting that this episode was filmed before October 7th. Karen's story is a testament to the power of resilience, healing through passion projects, and the impact of reinventing oneself and one's career.