Goldie Chan knows how to put herself out there.
Chan, the founder and head of content for branding agency Warm Robots, is also an author, a frequent keynote speaker and a LinkedIn Top Voice.
Still, she describes herself as an introvert at heart — which presented a challenge in growing her career.
“I think a lot of people underestimate introverts in the workplace,” she says.
According to Chan, building a personal brand was key to her success. Earlier in her career, Chan worked “completely behind the scenes” in various marketing and social media roles, she says.
In 2017, she began posting short videos about pop culture branding and marketing on LinkedIn, which was beta-testing its video feature at the time.
Becoming a content creator wasn’t initially her plan: “I really thought, I’m just going to do this until I get my next full-time job,” Chan recalls.
While in between roles, she posted over 800 consecutive daily videos — a pace she doesn’t necessarily recommend “unless you never want to sleep again” — and quickly attracted a large audience.
Today, she has over 100,000 followers on LinkedIn, and that platform has helped her land new roles, obtain a book deal and share her expert advice as a Forbes contributor.
“I grew my own personal brand through a lot of consistency and hard work,” she says.
Chan writes about how introverts can level up their careers in her upcoming book “Personal Branding for Introverts,” which debuts in October.
How introverts can master personal branding
Whether you know it or not, “everyone has a personal brand,” Chan says.
If the idea of a personal brand sounds intimidating, just think of it as “something in your career that people know you for,” whether that’s your penchant for public speaking, affinity for colorful blazers or your humorous LinkedIn posts.
Developing a strong personal brand can help introverts bring their talents to the forefront and boost their careers, she says: “It allows you to shape the story that other people are telling about you.”
Still sound scary? Chan hears that a lot.
“I’ve had so many introverts who have come up to me and said, ‘I’m so terrified of growing my personal brand because I don’t want to put myself out there,’” she says.
Chan herself used to feel the same way. To combat her social anxiety, she challenged herself to speak with a new person at her local coffee shop each day for a month.
Just one small, consistent action can help you break out of your comfort zone, she says.
If you’re nervous about reaching out to professional connections, commit to sending one networking email a month, Chan says. Trying to grow an online presence? Post one update a week.
“The more you do it regularly, the easier it is to keep going,” she says.
Keep in mind that your personal brand doesn’t just exist online. According to Chan, participating in social events like hobby groups or networking meetups can also contribute to building your brand.
Your unique interests help set you apart, she says, and you might be surprised at the opportunities that arise.
“A personal brand is never created in isolation,” Chan says. “Being involved in groups that interest you, even if they’re not directly related to your career, can actually help with your career.”
She describes personal brands as the “hub in the center of spokes.”
“All these different spokes are all the different things that you do, and they all connect back to a central hub — so whatever small things you do are always going to help your overall personal brand,” she says.