The unexpected journey
How personal branding leads to self-discovery
Initially, I thought building a personal brand was about marketing real estate better. Oh, how short-sighted I was! Looking back, I see it was a profound journey of self-discovery that challenged me to define my boundaries and embrace courage.
The Self-Discovery Paradox
If you begin building your personal brand, you'll be forced to answer fundamental questions about who you are. This process reveals more than just your professional identity - it unveils your core values, beliefs, and the principles you're willing to stand for.
Realtors who aren’t interested in defining such things are all around us. They swim in a sea of sameness and rely on contact-to-close ratios.
Is that a problem? Maybe. Maybe not. Candidly, it was a problem for me.
But the process wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It was one thing to claim my identity - it was another to integrate it into my business practices.
That took courage—it still does.
If I were talking to someone just beginning their journey, I’d encourage them to think less about their “realtor image” and more about what they’d like to be eulogized for.
The Evolution of Identity
If you’re wondering what it feels like to begin building a personal brand, know this;
You’ll be asked to define what you stand for
You’ll be asked to articulate what you stand against
You’ll be asked to identify your non-negotiables
For instance, “Respect. I don’t associate with others who can’t communicate respectfully.”
This clarity becomes the foundation of your boundaries - the lines you won't cross and the standards you uphold.
The journey from “image-to-identity” was how “The Law of Boundaries and Bravery” came to exist inside IBRE.
Just as a home has load-bearing walls, boundaries provide me and my clients with structural support—but only to the extent that I have the discipline (bravery) to maintain them.
This fundamental truth manifests in two critical ways:
Boundaries: Creating clear rules of engagement and knowing exactly who you serve
Bravery: Having the courage to say "no" to those who don’t align.
The Action-Identity Loop
True personal branding (as I learned) isn't just about making claims - it's about living them. This creates a powerful feedback loop:
1. You claim who you are
2. You act in alignment with that claim
3. Your actions reinforce your identity
4. Your strengthened identity makes it easier to maintain boundaries
Don’t get me wrong. This is not to say, “In just four easy steps, your brand is done!” Far from it. It takes constant gut checks, recurring check-in’s and mindful marketing.
But I wouldn’t practice real estate any other way, because I know the right doors don't open if I don’t.
The Cost of Authenticity
This personal brand journey demands daily courage. Anyone doing the work is required to;
Take off the masks that life delivers
Be willing to be truly known
Accept that we’re not for everyone
Stand firm in our boundaries, even when it's uncomfortable
If you’re willing, the by-product—the real reward—is creating the business you want in a life you love.
Here’s to doing the work alongside all of you. We’re in this together.
