No Logo, No Problem: 8 Ways to Build Your Brand from the Inside Out
MeShae’ Prophet, AdaMarie Expert and brand strategist, delivered a powerful Career Accelerator session on how early-career professionals can show up more fully—and more strategically—through personal branding.
Here are 8 gems from her talk that will shift how you think about visibility, authenticity, and storytelling in your career.
1. Your brand is an experience, not just a look.
“Branding is about more than what we see. It’s about what we experience.”
Think beyond logos and color palettes. Your brand is built through how you make people feel, how you follow up, and how you show up in conversations, emails, meetings, and interviews. It's the full impression you leave—both online and off.
2. There’s space for you in the marketplace.
“Not everyone is going to be a Nike, but you don’t need to be a Nike. You can carve out your space in the market place. There is room for all of us.”
You don’t have to be a household name to make an impact. Whether you're building a personal brand as a technologist, creative, or community leader, you can thrive in your own lane by being clear about who you are, what you value, and who you serve.
3. Stop hiding parts of yourself at work.
“You shouldn’t have to feel that you hide parts of you when you’re at work.”
Your authenticity is your superpower. When you suppress aspects of your identity to fit in, you not only limit your self-expression—you also limit your opportunities. Showing up as your full self can lead to more aligned connections and a career that fits, not just functions.
4. Choose the platforms that fit you.
“Do what isn’t going to feel like a chore for you. Pick your channels based on your goal.”
You don’t need to go viral on every platform. If you love writing, start a newsletter. If you’re more visual, focus on Instagram or TikTok. Prioritize platforms that energize you and align with your strengths, audience, and capacity.
5. Practice your pitch like a story.
“In order for you to get really good at giving your pitch, you have to become a storyteller.”
A compelling pitch doesn’t list your roles and responsibilities—it communicates who you are, what you care about, and what makes you uniquely positioned to solve a problem. The more you practice weaving your story into your introduction, the more confident and connected you’ll feel.
6. Accept your story before you share it.
“In order to use your story for personal branding, you have to first accept it. Trust that all your experiences—good and bad—have brought you to this point.”
Whether you’ve taken an unconventional path, faced barriers, or changed directions, your story is valid and valuable. Embracing your full journey—without shame or apology—is the first step to owning your narrative and inspiring others with it.
7. Lead with the highlights.
“Your pitch is not your history, it’s your highlights.”
You don’t have to cram your entire resume into an introduction. Focus on the most relevant, exciting, or impactful elements of your experience. This helps people remember you—and understand what you bring to the table—without information overload.
8. Your quirks are your edge.
“Lean into the things that make you weird and quirky—they probably make you super special.”
What sets you apart is also what draws the right people in. Don’t shrink yourself to fit a mold—embrace the passions, habits, or skills that make you memorable. Your authenticity could be the exact thing that makes someone say yes.
Final Word
Your personal brand isn't something you have to force—it's something you can own. When you lead with your story, your strengths, and your values, you give people something real to connect with. Take what resonates from MeShae’s wisdom, and build a brand that reflects who you are and who you're becoming.
Want more gems like these? Join the AdaMarie Network to catch the replay.
