We have turned the table!
It was time to introduce myself and tell my story!
The lovely Rachel LeRoy, Founder of HipMaps, custom maps with a modern twist took over BrandsTalk and turned the mic on me.
She interviewed me on
💡my life journey, which was a very unconventional path from flight attendant to student to corporate to professor to business owner
💡how easy and hard it was to transition into a business owner, what challenges, and surprises popped up
💡my big WHY and my purpose
💡what a personal brand is and how to strengthen it
💡who my clients are and how I serve them
💡the brand naming story of BridgetBrands
✨Please leave me a comment below or send me a message for any feedback, for questions about how I can serve you, or if you want to be a guest on my show!💫
Get in touch with Brigitte Bojkowszky:
Get in touch with Rachel LeRoy who took over the mic:
Get in touch with Brigitte Bojkowszky:
👉 Download Your Entrepreneurial Branding Starter Checklist: https://courses.bridgetbrands.com/f/entrepreneurial-branding-starter-checklist
We have turned the table!
It was time to introduce myself and tell my story!
The lovely Rachel LeRoy, Founder of HipMaps, custom maps with a modern twist took over BrandsTalk and turned the mic on me.
She interviewed me on
💡my life journey, which was a very unconventional path from flight attendant to student to corporate to professor to business owner
💡how easy and hard it was to transition into a business owner, what challenges, and surprises popped up
💡my big WHY and my purpose
💡what a personal brand is and how to strengthen it
💡who my clients are and how I serve them
💡the brand naming story of BridgetBrands
✨Please leave me a comment below or send me a message for any feedback, for questions about how I can serve you, or if you want to be a guest on my show!💫
Get in touch with Brigitte Bojkowszky:
Get in touch with Rachel LeRoy who took over the mic:
Get in touch with Brigitte Bojkowszky:
👉 Download Your Entrepreneurial Branding Starter Checklist: https://courses.bridgetbrands.com/f/entrepreneurial-branding-starter-checklist
The whole mix of being authentic, being vulnerable being not perfect. I think that's the blend. That's the mix that makes us a human being. And that makes us connect with other people. Yeah. I think this has something to do with integrity because having this courage to show this vulnerability, and in order to really discover ourselves is the highest form of integrity showing us out there. And that's beautiful. So, do not out there whoever is listening, do not apologise for being you, because being unapologetically you makes you true. Ready for brains stories, and get inspired and learn from thought leaders, CEOs, business owners and managers who tell their brand stories who share their valuable firsthand insights. Welcome to brand stuck. I'm your host Brigitta kowski. I'm the founder and owner of bridging brains and branding strategy boutique, I help my clients craft meaningful strategies that effectively elevate their brands to unleash their full potential to shine. For all brand lovers. This show is to help you develop and grow your brand in the most strategic intentional and most of all, authentically, locally and globally. Whether it is your personal brand, or company brand, your product or service level brand, walk the talk. Now let's get started and dive with me into the world of friends in a slightly different way. Hey, I love everyone. I am taking over brands talk. It's been arranged though she's okay with it. We have a very special episode today. And I'm going to turn the mic on Bridget and I am going to ask her the questions. I am Rachel LeRoy, founder of hip maps. I create custom maps with a modern twist and I was a guest on Bridget's show. And now I want to ask her the questions because I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants to learn more about Bridgette and what makes her shine so brightly. So are you ready, Bridget? Yes. So yeah. Yay, this is gonna be fun. Yeah, it's gonna be fun, really fun to just be a guest today instead of played host. And I've never played the host before. So hopefully my questions are good. All right. Okay, first one is how do you describe what a personal branding strategist does? Absolutely. So in general, you know, everything can be branded. So branding is to infuse meaning into something. So making a product or service and experience an idea, a cause, or a process meaningful to stand for something, making it expressible occupy a position in and create a perception of smiles that can be your audience, your listeners, your clients in stakeholders, whoever that is. And it's really attaching meaning to something respectively, making something relevant, likeable, distinctive, and most importantly, making a difference in other people's lives. I do that for brands, all kinds of brands, organisational brands, their products, their services, their experiences, and also the individual. So personal branding is all about branding a person. It's empowering a person's brain helping individuals discover, define and design their person. So they have personal brand, and really helping them unleash their full potential to be the best version of themselves. And there are some people that are the best kept secret and often do not know what makes them special, unique and distinguishable. So that needs to be discovered that needs to be understood that needs to be brought to consciousness, and then leverage so that you can self advocate you can self promote, and then advance your career within an organisation or you start your own business or it's about your personal life. So whatever you have bee dreaming of and you desire. And yeah, have a better and most of all, and what choice a full life that it is all about being happy. And only when you understand and comprehend who you are and what value you can bring to the world, when you are truly you. And when you are connected with your, we call it your inner wisdom, right? Only then you can truly shine and be it your best. And also thereby you inspire others. So that's personal branding. That's what a personal branding strategist does. Wow. Yes. Don't be the best kept secret. That's fantastic. Yeah. So how, how did you end up where you are now? What was your journey? Like? I know you've got some very interesting path, like the most interesting path I think I've heard in a long time. So So tell us about your journey. Yeah. It's a very unconventional path and unconventional journey. So it's really an interesting question. And to cut a very long story. And long journey short, I've gone from being a flight attendant, to a student to a corporate to a professor, and now a business owner. So that's me. So that's kind of my my life journey. And it's, as we said, it's a rather atypical story and in some parts of my turnover, more fun and exciting, and other parts really hard and painful. And it would say with lots of setbacks, and major obstacles in the way to eventually yet get there where I am now. And the interesting thing is, in hindsight, it all makes sense. It does not make sense when you're within venue, and within this detours and major obstacles, and you don't know how to solve it. So anything oh my god, what is this all about in my life, but it makes sense, at the end of the day, and just to dive a little bit deeper into my life stages. So my, my first job in my life was working as a flight attendant at an airline called Laudaair. And it this airline was owned by the former Formula One car race driver, Niki Lauda. And there's actually a movie about him on Netflix called Rush, you should watch it, it's really interesting about his life, from a Formula One car race driver to an airline owner. And yeah, so I flew for him. And my goal was, I wanted to see the world break out of my small mental, you know, box in life being kept my best kept secret, actually, and to be kept safe. So I wanted to see the world I wanted to get to know the world and the people and in in these different faraway countries, you know, so I wanted to know, how they take what their wants are the likes or dislikes, their desires, their struggles, their needs, and what ultimately makes them happy. So I also figured out that I always always wanted to serve people. So offering them a service, you know, being a host and I really liked that and yeah, so I liked flying and I have to admit, I loved the long haul flights to go to Los Angeles and Miami and Sydney and all these different destinations and yeah, when when being on the go and flying 24 days a month, you know, going back and forth and you get to know the cultures when you stay there for a week or 10 days. Yeah, you get to know the mentalities and also the people and then that's when I got interested in brands because I looked at the different brands and what brands they buy, they use the desire they admire and what they value about them. So I really really got interested in in this behaviour in this what is it all about this brands, you know, and every time I was in the big cities such as in Singapore and Sydney in Bangkok, la Miami, you name it, I followed this brands over time and I did my vendor shopping tours and the learned about them and I observed others how they experience brands, you know, in the streets, in the, in the in the restaurants in the hotels and in the subways basically everywhere. And that was so much fun and and then also when I eventually bought them because at that time it is how many users does it go 30 years ago, it was not like now that you have smartphones and that you can try Like everything so easily, you know, and brands were not that global as they are now. So it was almost like, oh my god, I have a brand I bought that in the United States or in Australia or in Thailand, or here and there. So this was really kind of already a sports. Yeah. So it was fun. And that's what was the time when I really became a global person understanding all this, you know, motifs and why people do things. But at the same time, I felt like so I was climbing up the career ladder and became also check cabin. And there was no room to grow for me anymore. And I thought there needs to be more in life than flying from A to B and sitting on an island when it's like raining for a week, and you don't know what to do. So I reached the ceiling. And I was so young, you know, I was 24 years old. And I thought, Oh, my God, this cannot be going on for the rest of my life. And there was an adult date anyway, with 36. Because 36 was the age when the contract automatically terminated. He had to be young, you know? Yeah. So everyone who reached that age had to actually leave the company. So with knowing all of that, and you have to do something else, so I decided to become a student. Yeah. So I went to school when I was already finished their studies, I started so anyway, so since I left International, being an international person, I loved brands, so it made sense for me to study international marketing and management. And on top of it, I did this educational education. So I combined both international marketing management and business education. So by doing that, I'm automatically a certified teacher. So I started that with a focus on international marketing and management and personal development and food education. And my goal was to go back to the airline industry, because there it was, where I was coming from, it was my you know, my life, it's I was infected by this. May I say so a virus because when you are an airliner, it's like a virus you you never can get rid of it. It's in you. It's you know, it's aeroplanes stay in the airline life is its own life. And it's really, really interesting and desirable, I will say so. But at that time, this the airline industry was really shaped by mergers and acquisitions, you know, and so they were rather firing than hiring. So there was no way going back for me at that time. And then I worked for other companies, and I've worked for company, they had this autocratic leadership style, and I really didn't feel well, and there was an opening at the university to do a PhD in international marketing and management. So I applied for that. And I got the chunk out of I think, 100 applicants, I was like, Yeah, I got it, that means something. So I did my PhD in that. And after that, I, I finished within, within time, you know, I was finished before the programme even ended. And I did, I taught one semester at the University of Missouri in St. Louis International Management, but with the aim to go back to Austria and go back to the industry, and I wanted to say as a professor, because I really want to be with people, I want to be in a company or I want to, you know, consult companies or to coachings, working with people helping, empowering, supporting, and, yeah, I always wants the person to rather look inside into companies and help from outside and being within a company for a long period of time. But I was not there yet. Yeah. So I started with an international real estate company that did a lot of development in Eastern Europe. And then you know, 2008 does it during about the financial crisis. So, I started, I think I was four months into starting this job as building up the market research department, and the company went bankrupt. So the university at the same time asked me if I want to take on more teaching. So teaching more classes, I said, Yes. So that's how I suddenly found myself being a professor at the University. So it's 10 Yeah, when I started teaching at different universities at the same time, because the universities do not pay well, I mean, not. I mean, this is the least amount of money. I don't know what you can earn. So I had to take on several jobs to teach in order to support the living and then I became full time at the University I'm here in Vienna, the business University, and taught also at other universities in Austria just to make a living. So that's how I became then the professor. Yeah, until I did. That is that is that is a lot of transition from wearing one hat to another roll to the next hat to the next thing. And so when you transition into a business owner, why, what was easy, but you know, you had already you already had done all these transitions. So what was easy? What was hard? Were you surprised by anything, when you when you transition to that, to the place you are now? Yeah, I mean, as you say, it's it was really kind of a roller coaster ride all together, because each you know, each company, each university, they all have their own organisational company, whatever it is culture. So as as kind of a chase and or always being part of it for a temporary or limited amount of time, you always have to kind of fit in adapt or kind of cope with all of that different cultures. So, so you learn to basically stand on your own and try to make sense of things and, and take the best things out of it and try to fit into the for the time being that you are there. Yeah. And then in 2010, it was in February, my eight year temporary contract with the university and terminated So yeah, that was just a few days before COVID rolled in. And I knew this was coming, that my contract is going to end it was inevitable. And that's why I already prepared, I plan to building my own business and I knew I want to become a solopreneur. Because I do not qualify as an employee, it's just impossible. So because, you know, as a professor at the university, you do your own planning, especially when you're at a chase and and when you are just a teaching professor and not being part of of, you know, a whole kind of team that is that is permanent. And so yeah, I wanted to maintain that. And once you enjoy designing your own lifestyle, your own day, you do not want to go back to being told what you have to do and what the limits are, and the boundaries are. So I always wanted to make my own decisions, work on my own schedule, take responsibility for what I'm doing. And I want to be in charge. And I already did workshops, you know, as a sideline, I was successful. And so for example, I did a training for branch managers have an organic track store chain, with more than 20 stores. And it was really about leading in alignment with the company's vision and mission and values. And it was really a blast, and I loved it so much. And you know why? Because it's so beautiful and rewarding seeing how each individual, each person, after the workshop leaves with the feeling of being in his own best self, and through the alignment with the organization's overall goals, helping them being inspired and thrive. And so the individual and the company as a whole. And I find that's really rewarding. This is this is why I'm doing that, you know, because everyone understands and suddenly realises, yeah, this is me, and this is what I want for my life. And that really goes in alignment of the with the organisation I'm working for. So this is really beautiful when you see how their eyes are opening, you know, opening up and I'm this understanding having this epiphany. So anyway, but then COVID rolled in, and everything came to this stop. And I've thought God, I haven't even started yet, you know, so I had to pivot and be creative and come up with another business model. So basically reinventing myself and my business from the beginning. And at the same time I continued teaching at the university is because they needed me. There were courses to teach and they asked me to teach another semester and one more semester and but when COVID hid, everything wasn't shifted online overnight, so students had to leave from Austria. My my core students were people from all over the world, I sometimes had 14 different nationalities in my courses. So they had to fly home in the lesson next 2448 hours back to their families and continue studying online. So I was in Austria, then you okay, these guys are arriving in Singapore discuss arriving in Los Angeles in New York, blah, blah, blah, and then getting these guys together again, to continue teaching the course that I just started. Yeah, in that semester. So that was a massive change. And at the same time, it opened the doors and the opportunities. Because I thought what I can do as a professor within a university, I might be able to do as a business owner, start my own courses. That's what I want to teach for everyone else, right? At the internal general, the learnings that I take away from this shift, you know, you asked me what was easy, what was not easy, is that this shift, first of all, opened the doors to understand where I had to pivot to, it seems like also COVID Being a detour, because it kind of you know, it, it messes up with your business model, you can't just continue how you have it planned. So very often this these details are triggered by these external factors that you you cannot factor in because you don't know this is coming up, but everything has a silver lining. And it's really about you, whether you recognise this these opportunities, and then what are you doing with this opportunity. And what I did, I started my own podcast. And the goal was to get my voice out there to overcome my imposture, or deal with it in a better way. So that was my first goal with being out there being present creating awareness in the market with a podcast, it was in Europe, it was rather a new tool and new communications channels to connect with the world. And for me, I was conditioned to play small and to go with the flow, you know, not attracting attention and do not make a noise. And it's like, the way of how we employees are more or less conditioned. And this is not the way a business owner can do business, right, because you have to create a tension, we have to break through the clutter through the noise, make ourselves our products relevant and distinctive and distinguishable. And also you must actually unlearn everything you're taught as an employee or in my generation, you know, in my sphere, in the society in my hobby that I grew up with, or in just to unlearn that, because I am allowed to play big and I am allowed to make noise, you know, to stand up for something. So what I want to say is, when you start your business, you have to shift your mindset from you know, especially for me, as an educator, as an academic, as a teaching professor, where everything is served on a silver tray, is that you have to really take on another perspective on things, you know, you have to have a business owners mindset. So yeah, I started my podcast, as I said, and then I tried to figure out all the opportunities I have, and then yeah, arrive at a best possible solution to serve to serve my market with the experience that I've gathered and know how and the skills so it was a rough time. Yeah, it sounds like you are really good at seeing the silver linings. Really, you know, all of these roller coasters and you you are able to identify the silver linings and the way to move forward it's i i love this conversation. This is great. It's really going deep and you know, it's not just yeah, the opportunities that are out there. But it's so much hard work. It's you have to really take your time. It's it's you know it you need to go on such a we call it self discovery, immersion, you're doing that deep work. It's you are doing an introspection, it's sometimes really hard to look at yourself and go into it and do this work and figure out who you are what you want. What are your strengths? Where is room? Let's say, room for improvement? Yeah. Where are the blind spots, being in conversations with other people getting this feedback, constructive feedback, sometimes not really easy feedback to take, oh, wow. Oh, you know, this is, it's really taking a lot and then reflecting on it, and what is really something I should take and look at and integrate and what is not my thing and belongs to the other person. So if you need to figure out strategies, and there are strategies out there, and that's why I'm a personal branding strategy, because I went through all of it. I know what it means, you know, to go through the whole process to figure out what is your big why, what is the purpose? Why you're on earth? Why you are breathing? Why you are here? What is the legacy you want to leave behind? So this is some some work to do. Yeah. And you've hinted at it, but what is your big why? And your, your, your purpose? Yeah. So I, it took me a while. And I also wrote a book chapter about it. So because it it, this book deal came right in the time and I was questioning myself, how what am I here for, you know, so it is a co production, a book project written by 21 Other unstoppable and significant and courageous women, it's called significant women, leaders reveal what matters most. And I wrote a book chapter about my life journey about my pain of being an imposter of you know, of playing small of all this distressed talk this, what you're making up what kind of stories you have in your mind that are not real, and kind of shifting your mindset. So I am like, the book is titled, my pain became my purpose. So and writing this book chapter are already tremendously healed. And what I figured is making brains Shine. Yeah, so that is a part of my vision, it's playing big understanding the uniqueness each person and each organisation has or owns. And this really has become my, my purpose, my North Star might be quiet. It's about helping people and organisations and companies and their products, their brains to make them shine. It's creating a world of shining brains. That's the legacy I want to leave behind. Yeah, so it's really focusing on providing this or these individuals and these companies with clarity and self worth and some practical knowledge about being their best so and what I can do, I can use my on one side, and I think that's a real asset. It's my academic intelligence now of teaching 22 years at the University and also being a certified teacher. And my private sector know how, as another pillar, and my global cultural experience says, I gathered through all, you know, the teaching at the different universities around the world and through the time as a flight attendant, and really put that together, bring that together to help others be the best and Shine. Yeah, so that's what I'm doing and all you know, all these detours and the setback and reset rejections, I have learned that these are the times when you are growing most when you are leaping when you are really getting into your zone of genius, I will say because it's the time when you are it's the pain. It's it's the suffering, what makes you creative, what makes you innovative, and have a different perception on life. And it's then you let go of things out before that. You can't let go but it's like, okay, there's nothing worse, the worst that can happen is that I die. So you just let go of everything. And then you know, a new perspective can come in, it's kind of an exchange of energy. That is That is beautiful. Yeah. Fantastic. You know, and you know, what you're talking about with the mindset work and the personal branding work and finding our our why's and our purposes. It's really, really hard to do on your own It is so much better. And I'm not even sure you could ever get to where you could get on your own without help, you know, you really need the help. So what for your clients? What are their? What are their pain points? What how do you how do you, you know, can you tell us a little bit about the clients and how you help them with their with their journeys? Yeah, so, um, I have clients, it's businesses and individuals, the business is here and liked work with them in them in businesses, so it can be startups, it can be solopreneurs, enterpreneurs, I coached them to set up branding strategy to best position them in the market. And it's a very strategic approach. You know, it's not that I come up with a formula and a narrative and do everything for them, and, you know, provide it for them. And they just, you know, take that what I, what I come up with as a consultant, and they try, they try to implement that. So it is more so that I'm empowering them with what they already know, but don't know they know, now. So it is really unleashing their superpower, it's guiding them as they are the hero in their journey in setting up their own business. I mean, they do that, because they have a reason for it, you know, they do that instinctively, but making things conscious and bringing it up to the, to the surface. So because they have to live and breathe it, it's what inspires stem, it's their big why it's their mission, it's not mine, you know, I could come up with a narrative and say, okay, and use that. But it's really, it really needs to come from them, it is them, they who bring this business to life. And it's it's not being just to consulting to present a narrative or a plan that is put into action. So I guide I support and I'm here to help them clarify and give them a hand on the journey. So and especially when they are the face of their own company. So that's basically what I do. So I really empower them to unleash what they don't know they have access to make it clear for them. And so that's what I do. And then I also have one on one exclusive coaching in personal branding. So it's really understanding their their own personal brand, who they are and then bringing that to shine. And what I do for corporates, it's also kind of within the personal development programmes, so personal branding in the context of organisations. So it's, it's leading as a personal brand in the context of the corporate brand. And my value to come to the companies is their employees greater, let's say self awareness and empowerment to be their best, it's really, that then leaders understand what value they and the employees can offer to the company and to make the company thrive, because behind every organisation are human beings, and they make an organisation and brand strong in the market. And when they are knowledgeable of what they can bring to the table, then you can really tap into the full potential. But this is this is really something that I do and this this is what makes company brain strong. It all starts with the employees, with them, being empowered with them, knowing who they are and how they can best serve in the alignment with the company's vision, mission and values now to ultimately best serve their clients. Again, especially in a service oriented company, where you offer the service where you offer any experience. Think about Starbucks, think about all these companies where you'd like to go there because you feel comfortable there you feel like I have to go I have to support the brand. I feel great wearing that brand, using the brand. Whatever. Yeah, it's very often that through that brand, you identify yourself. It's an it's an extension of yourself, right? So it's all about making the customer feel something about you and that starts with each individual as an employee in the organisation. I would imagine that if a company was having, seeing a hard time with morale, with their employee morale, that having some personal branding work done with their employees, to their employees feel better about themselves and how they can contribute to the company, then it just improves the morale of the whole Exactly. And it really starts with the onboarding, it's who really is the best fit for you as a company. And also for you, as someone who is applying for a job, it's really about how do you feel walking into that company premises? How do you feel like being in that organisation, and this there needs to be this cultural fit, you know, the values. So the, the underlying values that the organisation is living by, that you live by, they have to be in sync, otherwise, it will not work long term. So that's why I, this one company I was talking about, right after I did my master's degree, it was a leadership style, autocratic leadership style. Yeah, leading by fear, and I don't want to get up and being afraid that when I show up there, that this is going to be a disaster, or that I'm getting punished for I don't even know why, you know, it's yeah, there needs to be this fit. And the advantage of that every human being has something unique, which he or she is bringing to the table, and that needs to be cultivated and that needs to be appreciated. I mean, imagine the world if we are focusing on that and not this person, Slack or whatever, they are not having, you know, and they are not good enough, because of you know, we are focusing so much on criticising others, then valuing and appreciating what what uniqueness we have that we bring to that table. Yeah. Oh, fantastic. Let's do it. Do you have something that you've added to your business lately that you're that you're really excited about? Yeah, it's this a one on one exclusive personal branding coaching, it's a 10 session coaching for women damn being the best kept secret golf ladies, this is it, you know, yeah, who really wants to shine in personal brand, and everyone has that specific thing, that singular thing that makes you shine and being different, and I want to bring that out or help my clients to bring that out of them, you know, and there is one more thing, it's I got to launch in the next couple of months, I'm not quite sure when exactly how it fits into my schedule. It's that bad as a workshop style course, that spends over four weeks. It's a kind of personal branding course. It's also interactive, high quality, high touch with community live classes, q&a sessions, hot seats, office hours, also for women than being the best kept secret. And I do that, because it's interesting, you know, there are some that prefer one on one, they want full attention. And this exclusively, yeah. And there are others, they need to belong, they need to belong, exchange their needs, wants fierce experiences, how to do it, you know, with like minded people who go through the same thing. So they need this kind of sphere, the community with, let's say, accountability partners who help them during this sensitive time. Because it's really hard work. And when you have partners, you really, to walk that path, it becomes easier because you have each other's back, you lift each other up, and you're going through tough times and it helps to have people around you that cheer you up. But then there are others again, they need the one on one because they they really didn't want to do it fast and they they need that guidance. They need a helping hand and his overseer with email support and you know, so everyone is different. So I want to offer this programme in different formats. I love it. Yeah, something for everyone. And I think I mean, I didn't realise this until farther into my entrepreneurial path that you can read all the self help books that you want, Because sometimes you need a shoulder other than your own one, you know, and other than people in your, in your environment, friends, family, there's people out there that go but you're not going to get as much out of your growth and through the same thing. It's people that really understand you that understand your business. And it is a different different support. Yeah, then. Yeah, so either you have a coach or a psychologist or a group of people. So it's nice to have your, you know, becoming a better person that you know, you someone who has who has gone through that and partners, a team, a community who is going through that with you, you know, so everyone is different. And some, some are fine, just with reading books, but and I think, the more options we have, and can be without someone helping either one on one or in a group, the more the better understanding we have of ourselves, how will we best learn how we best level up how we can be the best version of ourselves? It's great to, to know what we need and find it beautiful that there's so many you always get more than you could on your own. options out there between EB can choose from Yeah, yeah. Yeah. That's great. And so, so your company, Bridgette, brand? What is the what's the branding story behind that? Actually, yeah, you know, naming a company is not always easy. I mean, a lot of people go with the name first. You know, I also have my last name registered in the company register, it stocked up by kowski consulting, but I couldn't go with a name because who remembers why kowski and who can spell it and who can pronounce it? No one. So this was a no brainer to not do it, you know, right. So then I came up with Sprint fit. And then brand fit was like, okay, that can be confused with the fitness and nutrition or whatever sphere in the industry. So that was also not a goal, and others already jumped on this bandwagon. So I came up with and everybody calls me Bridgette, you know, all around the world of the people because Brigitta is a very German, you know, Swedish kind of thing. And then there's Guruji that's the French version. And Bridget is kind of very universal. So, I know like that, I have to admit. And then I was like got Cambridge, and why not combining the whole thing as Brigitte brands. And it's kind of it has richness because it's full of meaning you know, it means something you can kind of tell a story about it and Brigitte brands so I brand you know I brand others but British brands is also an umbrella name for other brands that are sub brands or so called individual brains. Under the umbrella of Richard brains like brains talk is an individual brand belongs to Bridget brains. Yeah. So I can kind of extend and through that family or we call it parent brand or umbrella brand into other individual brands. So Brigitte brands, brands talk out and can add on let's say if I have a newsletter or this or that, so there would be other sub brands or individual brands I can add on to that. So it's kind of founders name, but also its lexicon because there is a wordplay integrated with Prichard friends. Right. And it's also descriptive. So yeah, that's that's how I came up with it. I love it. I love it. I absolutely love all of the things about that name. So I was very excited to ask you that question. Yeah, there's always a branding story behind you know, it's it's fun to to see how brands brand names are created, actually. But it was a long a long path. It was lots of thinking I can remember was on a on a on a fitness camp or sports camp in Thailand and because I like muay thai boxing, and it was an after a hard Boxing Day was getting a massage and I was lying on this massage table with my face down. I was like, Okay, how should I? How should I call my company? So what is the best brand name? And it was like, What should I call it? What should I call it? I remember that time. So it's really a process. And yeah, I think it's important to get a lot of feedback from others to just get more perspective into it to have a more holistic view on naming because you always you know, very narrow minded, you can't get out of your own trap, basically. So you need to be to be inspired also by others and see how that can be woven into into your brainstorming. Yeah, yeah. Boy, do we get into the weeds in our head has the do's and don'ts when it comes to naming but that would be another session. So maybe I do episode about it. I would be I would love that because I had quite the journey with naming my business too. And I found it fascinating. Yeah. And tip Max is just unbelievable. I interviewed you yours. So that is also a great story. Thanks. Yeah, maybe the listeners can, can comment on our life and tell their story of how they came up with their brand name or write us an email. That would be fun to read that. I love to hear those stories. Absolutely. So switching to more personal brands, your you are a powerful personal brand. What what do you what does it mean to you to be a personal brand? And do you have any advice of how we can strengthen our own personal brands? Oh, wow. Yeah, thank you, for you said I'm a powerful personal brand. Yeah, let's say powerful is can I think you can also say relevant because when you're relevant, awful, because even though maybe you are impacting only one person, you already powerful, and you make a difference for that person. So it usually starts very small. Yeah, everyone is a personal brand. First of all, so everybody has a brand. And in Italy, it's not good or bad. It's more really being aware of it. It's the awareness that you have and what you do about it, about you, about your you, you're being you know, and at long last you want others to perceive you as being relevant in their lives, especially if you are a business owner, if you are playing a role in in a company, so some shine stronger than others. So the choice basically, that you have is to decide how strong you want your personal brand to shine and how powerful how relevant you want your brand to be from another person's perception, that is the key. It is the perception that matters. So how you express yourself is how others perceive you. And perceptions define your brand, your personal brands, as you can also say your brand identity, that's who you are how you express yourself, how you present yourself to the world, that is how others perceive you. So the way others perceive you is the brand image that you have created through your brand identity in the market. So then the in order to shine, your identity needs to match and need to be in sync with the brand image that you create in the market. So you need to make sure you are in control of what you're sending out. And that, again, is the reflection that people have on you that send the brand image. So it's your reputation in the market. And yeah, it's really, that's why it is so crucial how you show yourself to the world. And yes, and don't let others define you and others define you if you are not clear with yourself, then you give room to the others to make sense of you and that might not be favourable. So a personal brand is what you stand for, and the difference you make in other people's lives. It's really the sum total of the audience's experiences with you, through the interactions, the memories they have about you. It's what they think what they say, and most of all, what they feel about you. It's all about the feeling that you miss it in the others with you being present with what you have to say, what you bring to the world, how you express yourself, how you present yourself. And everyone is different. We are all unique. We are not one more of the same. Even if society tells us yes, we are all equal in one sense that we all have something to give we have all something to offer. And that's it's that we might offer the same products and services but the differentiating aspect is your humanity. It's your character. That's how you are how you communicate and offer your products and services and experiences to your clients or who you are at the end. In your private life, you know, so a strong personal brand is memorable, it stands out, it tells a story, you know, it highlights it x, it's expertise that what it is. And it is when you are at your best. And that is also called your sweet spot. Yeah. And that is made of the secret sauce, it's your experiences, it's your knowledge, you know how, and then your character, your human being that that makes the difference? You know, and that is that is the uniqueness it's difficult to be copied by someone else. It's your single thing that you bring to the world. Yeah. Yeah, that's what it is. So it's really your humanity blended with your experiences with you know, how capabilities and with your expertise. And you also asked me what we can do to strengthen our personal brand. So very quick, yeah, I want to mention that, be courageous. So get out there, step into your power, own your voice and own your brilliance, this uniqueness that you have, show it to the world, you have something to say that is important. And even in it is important for one individual person, you made an impact to one person out there in this life. So that means something you know, and I know it takes courage to do so. But especially when you walk on unknown time, if something is new to you know, we always worry waiting for the perfect time, especially people who are in this perfection has strap. It doesn't get you anywhere. And so if perfection is the lowest standard insofar as you're not taking action, nothing is happening. So take action and do it. It doesn't need to be perfect. And and that's what also you are saying Rachel, yeah, this imperfection connects the people. Yeah, we are fraught with fear. Oh, my God, if I fail today, what do people think about me? Be unapologetically authentic. No matter what other people say what he says. She says, You are not them. They are not you. They should have the courage to get out there and do what you're doing. So think about that. So don't wait for the perfect timing, there will never be the perfect time. And there is always the perfect time. Yeah. So forget about perfect being perfect. Because also Perfection is the enemy of authenticity. So if you're not being courageous, you're not your true self. And then you're not getting out there, nothing is happening. And there's always the risk of something. Yeah, but when you're not doing it, it doesn't get you anywhere. And usually it's not as bad as you think it is. And usually what did I make up? What kind of stories did I make up to protect or to hold myself back to walk that talk to go it and hide we connect to that is also the vulnerability. So we are vulnerable, we are afraid of getting unfavourable feedback, showing ourselves to the world. And so that comes along with it. But the whole mix of being authentic, being vulnerable being not perfect. I think that's the blend. That's the mix that makes us a human being. And that makes us connect with other people. And I think this has something to do with integrity, because having this courage to show this vulnerability, and in order to really discover ourselves is the highest form of integrity showing us out there. And that's beautiful. So do not out there, whoever is listening, do not apologise for being you, because being unapologetically you makes you true. And 100% I really believe in that. And it's when people will follow you because they truly see themselves in you. And then you make the real connections. Yeah, and these are the foundations of any powerful business or, let's say powerful and relevant and distinguishable brains. The more you show yourself as a genuine human being, the more authentic you are and also the more magnetic you are, you know, there's people suddenly showing up popping up there are the right people that are here for you and want to do business with you want to go the next few years with you, you know as as partners as accountability partners as business partners as business besties, you name it, you can really establish long term relationships in any respect. So the steps very quickly to build and brand is really to start with a big vision. And that's where you start your strategy you know, have your big why have your purpose. Know your core values that make you authentic, you really relate to and live by and know who you are, get external feedback to really understand integrate what what you can need and what makes you complete and understand. So if you have a business, your ideal customer inside out, and then know how you connect with understanding what's the single thing that you can provide, nobody else can provide to that specific customer group, and then magnetify with your content really know what channels they are on how you can connect with them. Also, where you feel comfortable, it doesn't help if you're on Tik Tok, and your client is not and you feel not comfortable at all, you know that it also needs to really match and get an understanding of that. So I think wow, that is so much goodness and value packed in. Thank you. Wow, fantastic. So now because I've I this is like my favourite part of your brandstalk. The word wrap I get to do the word wrap with you. So are you ready? Are you ready for word? I think I'm ready. Okay, what's what's going here we go. Brands. Oh, my favourite. makes someone irrational. Oh yeah, you got a unique blend. You're single thing that makes a difference in people's lives. Love it. Love it. Accountability. Mindfulness. Nice. Fun. What makes me laugh there's a lot of things that make me love sports travelling, baking cooking, you know? Yeah, but it's generally what makes me love Yeah, love it. Ah strategy who as strategy is a clear direction of where you are intentionally heading and at what pace Wow Yeah, it's you know, we are different now. It's the pace you have to basically be agile and respond to changes in the market wherever it comes from. Yeah. known or unknown. Okay, last one podcast. Enjoy intentional learning on the go. Yeah, that it means to me. I listened to podcasts all the time. You know, sometimes I just need quietness. But most of the time, wherever if I cook or whatever I do in the garden. I listen to podcasts even though in the car. I don't like radio anymore. I just listen to podcasts. Yeah. Thank you. This was fun. This was so fun. I really appreciate it. My last question, and then um, then I'll turn it back over to you. You can have your pod your your brand's talk back. My last question is what is the best place? What is the best place for people to find you? Okay, so actually, I'm on all major social media platforms, but I also have a website. It's bridgetbrands.com. Or you can also send me an email to BB@bridgetbrands.com. And very, very, very active on LinkedIn. It's my preferred platform. I'm also on Insta I'm also on Facebook. I have a YouTube channel I will put everything into our show notes. Yeah. Great. Great. Thank you so much for allowing me to take over BrandsTalk and ask you questions. This was really fun. I learned so much. And it was really, I loved hearing your story. Yeah, they really fantastic. Thank you so much, Rachel to turn the table with me today. It was wonderful. I felt wonderful talking about my story. It's different when you're just doing a solo episode on yourself, you know, but if somebody asks you interviews you and thank you for bringing out what makes me me. Yeah. I really appreciate that you are a fantastic host. Much more often. Thank you so much. And for the listeners who would like to know more about Rachel Leroy and her company Hipmaps. Go to one of my episodes, you'll find it on all the major platforms and BrandsTalk. Thank you. Thank you. If you like my show, follow BrandsTalk on your preferred app, share it on social media. And if you find a minute or two leave a quick grading or review, thank you so much. If you want to learn more about me, head over to bridgetbrands.com and get inspired. If you need support in becoming a strong and truly authentic brand whether it is your personal or company brand, drop me an email. I'd love to be your guide on your hero's journey. I hope you will stay tuned in the next episode when we dive into the world of brands.