Hi Reader,

Thanks for being on my mailing list. I'm grateful for your support.

You know that feeling when you're in new territory and people don't know what you're capable of? That's what I'm talking about today.

Right now, I'm juggling client work alongside a deep dive into my own brand. I'm halfway through an 18-week exploration from the inside out called MirrorBrand. Like I do for others, I've been gathering outside perspectives on my brand and reflecting on my unique experiences and expertise.

One defining element in my background is that I moved to Australia on a whim, leaving behind a successful TV career in London.

In my early days in Melbourne I got a job developing programs for a production company. One of the first ideas they wanted me to work on was a reality show about people who struggled with overeating. I was uncomfortable with the concept.

I had never wanted to work on reality shows because I saw them as formulaic and even exploitative. Plus, as someone with a less-than-perfect relationship with food, I didn't want to risk shaming others.

Buuut... as this was my first gig at the company, I tried to do a good job, even though my mind was in rebellion.

A Jewish high holiday, ‘Yom Kippur,’ rolled around and I went on a rare visit to a synagogue. Standing in synagogue, reflecting on my values, I knew I couldn’t make that program. The next day I went in and told my colleagues.

My boss Alex said it was okay. Sometimes people aren’t a good cultural fit. They were happy to part ways.

The problem was, I did want work at the company, I just wanted to work on other stuff. There was a historical series about Australian immigration coming up that I was keen to get a role on.

Now I had to overcome the image that I had unfortunately created - that I was a difficult person to work with.

At a meeting with Alex, I laid out my case. I told him about my relevant experiences. How I had worked on various histories and multicultural topics. Then I told him about the time I spent a month in Jamaica, filming a history of Jamaican independence.

These things were on my CV, but now I was telling him the story. Where we went. Who we met. The narrative we crafted.

“Hmmm,” he said, “That’s quite impressive.”

And that’s how I became a co-writer on a series about the history of immigration to Australia.

The point is, when people don't know you, they don't automatically trust you.

They can't see everything you're capable of just by looking at your face.

You have to spell it out for them.

You have to tell them your story. You have to show them you care.

If you’re entering a new market, you have to position yourself well from the beginning. When people first find you, you have to signal who you are and who you’re not.

For example, are you:

• Populist Vs Highbrow
• Contemporary Vs Traditional
• Affordable Vs Expensive
• Authentic Vs Polished
• Noisy Vs Nuanced

And, more importantly, what does your brand stand for?

Once you identify who you are, you can tailor your stories to give the right impression.

.....

Do you have a story about a time you made a poor first impression and how you turned it around? If so, I'd love to hear it.

Be in touch if you'd like to talk about developing your brand story. I'm taking bookings for September 2022 onwards.

Big love,

Sara
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