Written by Fay Sharpe O.B.E.

Let’s talk about Brand You – not the corporate you, not the team-player you, not the you-who-remembers-everyone’s-dog’s-name-at-networking-dos. I’m talking about the real you.
The you people remember long after the canapé tray has gone cold.

In events, incentives, leadership, and business-building, there’s one golden truth:
People don’t buy services. People buy people.

And if you’re not visible, vocal, and intentional about your brand, you might just be the industry’s best-kept secret. And we all know best-kept secrets don’t get keynote slots, referrals, or that dream client in St. Tropez.

So grab your metaphorical glitter gun – here’s how to build your brand without becoming a walking billboard.

What Drives You?

Start here. Why do you get out of bed before 6am and juggle timelines, budgets, and VIPs who want a flamingo petting zoo in February? What lights you up? What makes you feel useful, inspired, alive?

If you don’t know, find out. Because the strongest brands are built on clarity of purpose – and that clarity becomes magnetic.

Show Off Your Magic

What are you really good at? Not just the job title stuff, but the things people come to you for. Crisis calmness? Killer briefs? Making sponsors feel seen? Never losing your cool when the printer breaks five minutes before doors open?

Your skills are your superpowers own them out loud. That’s not ego. That’s smart branding.

Think 10 Years Ahead

What do you want people to say about you in a decade? “Oh, they ran great events” or “They changed the way this industry works”?

Build that reputation now. Future You will be grateful you started showing up today like the legend you’re becoming.

Coffee, Mentors & the People Who Inspire You

Who in your orbit lights a fire under you? Who would you queue to have a coffee with? Ask for advice. Offer value. Tell people you admire them. Build your circle before you need your circle.

And if you’re the most interesting person in the room – you’re in the wrong room.

Visibility: Are You Seen or Just Good at What You Do?

It’s not enough to be excellent behind the curtain. The world doesn’t reward best-kept secrets. It rewards visibility, consistency, and connection.

Map your stakeholders. Who knows you internally and externally?

Be seen by the right people, in the right rooms, for the right reasons.
Don’t just network—build net worth in people.
Networking Isn’t Speed Dating With Name Tags

All networking is not created equal. Here’s how to make it work for you:

Be interested, not just interesting.
Ask better questions than “So, what do you do?”
Listen fully. Don’t just wait to talk. Build on what people say.
Aim for three real new connections at every event—and follow up. Always.
And for the love of lanyards—don’t judge a book by its blazer. That quiet person by the wall might just be your next client, collaborator, or co-founder.

Sales vs. Relationships

We are  not in a single-transaction game. We are in the business of trust.

Connection = positive communication.
Proactive beats reactive every time.
Anyone can send a proposal. Very few build relationships that matter.
Be the person who remembers birthdays, follows up without an agenda, and recommends others without being asked. That’s how reputations are built in this industry.

Top Tips to Build Your Brand (Without Becoming “That Person”)

✨ Post weekly on LinkedIn—genuinely, helpfully, unapologetically you.
🎤 Ask to be on event panels or podcasts—then show up.
🧍‍♀️ Attend events, but don’t just loiter near the bar. Say Hi… Be nice!
🙋 Say yes to opportunities that scare you, push your self out side your comfort zone.
🎯 Be relevant, be real, be memorable.
🤓 Network like a curious human, not a business card machine.
🎉 Final Thought: Your Brand Is Already Out There – Time to Own It

People are already forming opinions about you. Your job is to shape that narrative. Curate it. Amplify what makes you different. And above all else – be you, but louder.

This industry doesn’t need more beige. It needs more you.