Personal branding | Kontrary by Rebecca Thorman – Careers, Business, and Life Advice

Originality & Influence in Personal Branding, Architecture and Walmart

by Rebecca Thorman on July 1314 Comments

We are told to show streaks of our soul, to be original. To show irreverence. And especially, place your mark on the world. Eschew tradition. And while you should be yourself, you should also, somewhere along the line – if you’re lucky, between high school and turning thirty – find that originality is only the beginning.

Renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright is known for pioneering one of the most important movements in architecture. His mastery of the compression and exaltation of space has little to do with inspiring awe (although that it does), and much more to do with a space that is living.

The Corruption of Authenticity

by Rebecca Thorman on December 0835 Comments

Personal branding Self-management Get the free newsletter: sign up

The derision and drama on blogs, news and broadcast nowadays is entertaining, like a domino of tabloids back-to-back. And while we instinctively know that insistent self-actualization is an incredibly banal form of entertainment, it remains so vast in its infectiousness, and so strong in its self-referential feeding, that navel-gazing is now suffocating in its empire.

Let’s poke some holes for air.

You are not genuine because you told me of your heartbreak, or your success or your disease or your strengths or your weaknesses or miscarriage or move or relationship or promotion or demotion or disability or conflict or how your cat peed outside of its litter box.

Personal branding, integrity and blogging

by Rebecca Thorman on August 075 Comments

Blogging Bonus Content Personal branding Get the free newsletter: sign up

This is a short video I created at the request of Bret Simmons who teaches a college class called Entrepreneurial Psychology. Since I couldn’t speak to his students in person, this was the next best thing.

While it’s longer than most of my videos, I share a story that I have never talked about publicly before, and discuss personal branding, integrity and how blogging can affect your life.

This video will not show up on the home page. The post was shared exclusively to my subscribers and Facebook fans as bonus content. Thank you for being such a great community!

A plug for the blogosphere I love

by Rebecca Thorman on April 07Comments Off

Blogging Personal branding Get the free newsletter: sign up

I’m exhausted. I worked eleven hours today. And it wasn’t the work, but the emotional excitement and fatigue that comes with ideas and the wherewithal to execute on them.

I’m exhausted from putting myself out there and taking risks and worrying too much that I’m not doing the right things. I’m exhausted from working the entire weekend. I’m exhausted from missing my friends.

The last thing I want to do is write a blog post. But I made a promise to a fellow blogger. I made a promise to Dan Schawbel, author of Personal Branding Blog, and one of my first friends in the blogosphere.

Brand yourself tomorrow

by Rebecca Thorman on October 313 Comments

Personal branding Get the free newsletter: sign up

What could be called the bible of personal branding is coming out tomorrow, Thursday, November 1. It’s the Personal Branding Magazine and you should go purchase it now. I worked with founder and personal branding expert Dan Schawbel to proof and edit the first half of the magazine, which was worth it just to get a sneak peek of the articles from the thirty-seven different authors. The length makes it encyclopedic at times, but every article has value.

If you’ve been following Dan’s progress on the internet, you know that he’s one of the hardest workers around. His efforts to bring personal branding experts together in the magazine are unparalleled.

Prioritize your authenticity

by Rebecca Thorman on August 3032 Comments

Inspiration Knowing yourself Personal branding Get the free newsletter: sign up

I don’t openly discuss the fact that I’m a tree hugger because it makes people uncomfortable. See, Mother Nature reminds us a lot of our own mother; we believe they’ll always be there for us no matter what. So I don’t talk about being an environmentalist. It would be like reminding the other person that they haven’t called their mom for two weeks. And no one wants to be reminded of their mother during happy hour.

That’s a mistake, however, because I get miffed when others claim to be environmentally concerned, and are blatantly not. Like the people who shop at Whole Foods, and think that gets them a golden ticket to the garden of earthly delights, even though they have a SUV parked in the lot.

The best time-management advice. Ever.

by Rebecca Thorman on August 013 Comments

Personal branding Time management Get the free newsletter: sign up

I recently asked Dan Schawbel, personal branding guru, how he gets everything done: “I don’t know how I do it at this point, but I’m passionate about what I do so I make it happen. Is that a fair answer?”

Not only is that a fair answer, but it’s the best time-management advice. Ever.

Dan, just 23 years old, has launched his Personal Branding magazine today. I strongly recommend you head on over to his website to download the PDF for $12.95. All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society. I’ve downloaded my copy which is chock-full of valuable information from an interview with Donald Trump, to a slew of guest articles that tell you how to reach your full branding potential.

Personal branding, accountability, and how to just be yourself already

by Rebecca Thorman on July 2040 Comments

Accountability Career Knowing yourself Marketing Personal branding Get the free newsletter: sign up

I’ve worked hard over the past two years to change my image. I used to dumb myself down, play my looks up. It was easier that way. I didn’t have to buy any drinks in college, for instance. That was my brand, an image that wasn’t who I was or wanted to be. But it worked, so I kept on.

Until my boyfriend told me I wasn’t interesting enough. Until I came home from a meeting one day, furious for not speaking my mind. Until I had one scary frickin’ visit to the ER. Yeah, those life-threatening events, they’ll get you every time.