Finding My Authentic Voice: My Journey with Personal Branding
A few years ago, I was completely invisible online. Not because I didn't have things to say, but because everything I tried felt like wearing a costume that didn't fit.
I'd write posts that sounded like everyone else. Delete them. Try again. Delete again. Scroll through other people's content wondering how they made it look so effortless while I felt like I was performing a role I'd never auditioned for.
Today, I run a thriving social media consultancy helping neurodivergent founders and creatives build authentic visibility. The journey from invisible to unmissable wasn't about becoming louder; it was about becoming more myself.
Here's how that transformation happened, and what it taught me about building a personal brand that actually works.
The Invisible Phase: When Authenticity Felt Like a Luxury
Let me paint you a picture of where I started. I'm AuDHD, though I didn't know it at the time. I'd worn many hats, including saddle fitter, pizza delivery driver, project manager and bra fitter. To be honest, it felt like I didn't have a "legitimate" business story to tell.
Every piece of marketing advice felt impossible to follow:
"Post daily!" made me burn out hard
"Share your wins!" felt like bragging when I was still figuring things out
"Be vulnerable!" terrified me because I was already oversharing in all the wrong ways
"Find your niche!" was laughable when I felt like I was five different people depending on the day
I tried copying what worked for others. I used their templates, their posting schedules, their confident language. But everything I created felt hollow. My engagement was terrible because my content had no soul—it was just me performing what I thought success looked like.
The worst part? I started believing I was just "bad at marketing." That some people were naturally good at self-promotion and I wasn't one of them.
The Turning Point: Permission to Be Human
The shift happened during a particularly bad bout of impostor syndrome. I'd been struggling to write a post about my services for weeks. Every draft sounded like corporate speak written by someone I didn't recognise.
They were… empty.
In frustration, I wrote something completely different. Something honest about feeling like a fraud. About not knowing if I was qualified to help anyone when I couldn't even figure out my own messaging.
I almost deleted it. But something made me hit publish.
The response was immediate and overwhelming. Messages from other business owners saying "I thought I was the only one." Comments from people sharing their own struggles with visibility. Connection where there had been crickets before.
That post taught me something crucial: my struggles weren't weaknesses to hide, they were bridges to my audience.
The Building Phase: Finding My Voice in the Mess
Once I gave myself permission to be human online, everything changed. But it wasn't instant—it was iterative.
I stopped trying to sound like everyone else. Instead of "Let's dive deep into strategy," I'd say "Let's figure this out together." Instead of confident proclamations, I shared observations and questions. My language became conversational, curious, sometimes uncertain, and people responded to that honesty.
I embraced the non-linear path. Rather than hiding my varied background, I started talking about how being a saddle fitter taught me about problem-solving, how pizza delivery showed me customer service, how project management gave me knowledge of systems. My "scattered" experience became proof that there's no one way to build expertise.
I let my neurodivergence inform my content, not hide it. I talked about needing to batch content creation because daily posting fried my brain. I shared strategies that worked for people who think differently. I stopped trying to mask my quirks and started treating them as features, not bugs.
I focused on depth over frequency. Instead of posting every day, I posted when I had something meaningful to say. Instead of broad advice, I went deep on specific problems. My audience was smaller but more engaged because they could feel the authenticity behind every post.
The Unmissable Result: What Aligned Visibility Actually Looks Like
Here's what being "unmissable" actually means, and it's not what I expected.
It's not about having the most followers or getting the most likes. It's about the quality of connection you create and the clarity of your message.
People remember you. When someone needs what you offer, your name comes up in conversations. You become the person others recommend not because you're the loudest, but because you're the most memorable.
The right opportunities find you. Instead of chasing every collaboration or client, you attract people who align with your values and approach. Your visibility becomes a filter that brings in better matches.
You feel like yourself online. There's no disconnect between who you are and how you show up. No exhaustion from maintaining a persona. No anxiety about being "found out" because you're not pretending to be anyone else.
Your message cuts through the noise. In a world of generic content, authenticity stands out. When you speak from genuine experience and perspective, people stop scrolling and start listening.
The Roadmap: How You Can Make This Shift
If you're feeling invisible right now, here's what I wish someone had told me all those years ago:
Start with self-awareness, not strategy. Before you worry about posting schedules or content pillars, understand how you naturally communicate. Do you think in stories? Questions? Systems? Lead with your natural patterns, don't fight them.
Audit your content for authenticity. Look at your recent posts and ask: "Does this sound like me talking to a friend?" If not, what needs to change? Your voice is your biggest differentiator—use it.
Share your learning, not just your knowing. You don't have to be the expert who has it all figured out. You can be the guide who's a few steps ahead, sharing what you're discovering along the way.
Embrace the messy middle. Your non-linear path isn't an error, it's a feature. Your struggles aren't disqualifiers; they're connection points. Your questions aren't weaknesses; they're invitations for engagement.
Build systems that work for your brain. If daily posting burns you out, batch your content. If perfectionism paralyses you, set "good enough" standards. If comparison derails you, curate your social media feeds carefully.
The Permission You've Been Waiting For
Here's what took me too long to learn: you don't need permission to take up space online. You don't need to wait until you have it all figured out. You don't need to sound like everyone else to be taken seriously.
Your perspective matters. Your experience matters. Your voice matters.
The world doesn't need another carbon copy of someone else's success. It needs your unique combination of experiences, insights, and quirks.
Being unmissable isn't about being perfect or having the biggest platform. It's about being undeniably, authentically you, and trusting that the right people will notice.
Three years ago, I was invisible because I was trying to be everyone else. Today, I'm unmissable because I finally learned to be myself.
Your journey might look different than mine. Your timeline might be faster or slower. Your voice might be quieter or louder. That's not just okay, it's essential.
The world is waiting for what only you can offer. Stop hiding. Start building. Your people are looking for you.
Ready to move from invisible to unmissable in your own unique way? Let's explore how to build authentic visibility that feels aligned with who you really are.
