Creating A Personal Branding Plan in 30 Minutes

You're ready to make a career move—maybe you’re looking for a new job, launching a side business, or eyeing a promotion. In all of these instances, boosting your personal brand can help you achieve your goal.

That’s because a strong personal brand is a carefully designed message that’s compelling and attracts the right people. It helps you stand out for who you are and what you do best.

You’re probably nodding along, because you already know all of this. You don’t need to be convinced how valuable personal branding is: What’s holding you back is the time commitment.

That’s why you have a LinkedIn Profile, even though you haven’t updated it since you set it up. After all, who can devote hours each week on top of working or job searching? Well, believe it or not, 30 minutes is all you need to take your efforts to the next level. Here’s how to spend them:



Minutes 1-10: Evaluate What Makes You Stand Out

The first thing you want to do is perform a self-assessment. This step is often overlooked, but it’ll be super helpful as you find your voice in a sea of professionals with similar experience.

This evaluation helps you have a clear vision of your USP, or “unique selling proposition,” which is just a fancy term for the value you offer to your target audience.

Here are some questions to get you started:

1. What are you passionate about? You want to think about what excites you, and what things you truly enjoy doing.

2. What are your core beliefs? This is important because it’s like a mission statement. It’ll help you relay your personal approach to getting things done.

3. What are your top four strengths? This’ll help you share what you do better than anyone else, to set you apart from the competition.

4. Are you a good leader or a good doer—or both? This is good to know because it’s a way to identify and highlight the kind of roles that complement your strengths.

5. What do others say about you? Ask around! You may have strengths you’re unaware of, or talents you need to put more emphasis on so people know they exist.

To be clear, I don’t expect you to answer these questions with witty taglines. This exercise is to help you target your branding efforts. So, answer the question(s) that inspire you by jotting down notes, and honestly writing what comes to mind.



Minutes 10-20: Compare That to What You Already Have

Now that you’ve done some reflection on what you want to say, it’s time to see how it stacks up against what’s already out there.

If someone were to read your LinkedIn profile, tweets, or personal website, would they see messaging that points them toward the answers you came up with?

You might be thinking: Wait, I only have 10 minutes, that’s not enough time to read my whole website or review my LinkedIn line by line. But, here’s the thing, people who click into one of your social profiles or visit your website are probably going to spend a fraction of that time looking at it.

So, you want to look for things that shout what you do. On LinkedIn, that means moving beyond filling out the basics and adding links to media, writing posts, and getting endorsements for skills. On your website, that might mean building a portfolio. On Twitter, it’s about not just following influencers, but composing tweets, too.

This step is about comparing what you want to highlight to what you have and asking yourself: What’s missing? What can I add?



Minutes 20-30: Create a Schedule

Truth talk: Personal branding isn’t a “set it and forget it” kind of thing. Once you’ve figured out what you want your message to be and how you can share it more effectively, you’re going to need to start posting—consistently.

A helpful way to be consistent is to set a schedule that you can use as a guide. It shouldn’t feel like a chore, but if you’re anything like me, if you don’t schedule it, it could get back-burnered. All I ask is that you give it 10 minutes a day!

Here’s an example of a schedule you can start with:

1. Monday: Make (or update) a list of people you’d like to engage with more (a former manager) or simply connect with (an industry influencer).
2. Tuesday: Reach out to someone from that list. If it’s someone you’re reconnecting with, try one of these ideas. If it’s a stranger, you can test out this Twitter trick, or, if you’re brave, just send a cold LinkedIn invite using these templates.
3. Wednesday: Spend time looking for industry-related articles in publications popular in your field and share one. Or, alternatively, comment on someone else’s post (or at a minimum, share it).
4. Thursday: Make (or update) your list of improvements you’d like to make to your online presence. Break it down into baby steps. For example, you wouldn’t write, “Build personal site.” You’d write, “Look into site designers” and “write copy for personal site bio.”
5. Friday: Spend today looking yesterday’s list and knocking just one thing off.

Of course, you can tailor your plan to whatever works best for you. Honestly, if you just do the five things above even once a month, you’ll see traction. Regardless of the schedule you choose, feel free to switch it up, and see what gets the best response. You won’t see results overnight, but, that’s OK.

My final piece of advice is to avoid being misled by the term “personal branding.” What I mean is: The most successful brands aren’t just about you. Take the time to know your target audience, and listening to what’s on their minds as well. Genuinely connect and build relationships! As best-selling author Dale Carnegie said, “To be interesting, be interested.”

Have You Thought About Investing In Treasury Bills?

What is a treasury bill?

A Treasury bill (or T-Bill) is a short-term government debt security, which yields no interest. Rather, it is issued at a discount on the redemption price.

Basically, the Federal Government issues treasury bills at discounted prices for maturity periods between 91 and 364 days. At the end the selected maturity period, the government buys the bills back at full price. For example, let’s say you buy a 182-day ₦200,000 treasury bill at a discounted rate of ₦180,000. The Federal Government of Nigeria writes an IOU for ₦200,000 and agrees to pay back in 182 days. You don’t get any monthly interest payments, rather you make your money back when the bond is purchased back from you at full price. In this case the T-Bill pays 11% interest rate (₦20,000/₦180,000 = 11%) over the 182-day period.

Speak Up for Yourself More (Without Becoming Unlikable)

A few years ago, I was tasked with creating a standard PowerPoint presentation that my company would use at a variety of trainings and conferences.

Needless to say, I was really putting my all into it, determined to prove that I could handle an assignment of this size. I was already up to my eyeballs in fonts and statistics when my boss dropped by my desk and said, “Turns out we need this presentation sooner than expected! Can you have it done by the end of the week?”

My internal monologue went a little something like this: “Absolutely not, you crazy person! Unless you expect me to live here, there’s no way I can get this done that far ahead of the original deadline.”

But, what came out of my mouth? Something along the lines of, “Absolutely! Not a problem.”

Following that dishonest exchange, I worked ridiculous hours to get that presentation wrapped up in time. I arrived early, ate lunches and dinners at my desk, and took work home with me late in the evening. It was torture.

Sigh. Can you relate? Have you put yourself in a similar situation because you didn’t want to stand firm and speak your mind?

You’re not alone. It’s tough to speak up and advocate for yourself, even when you know it’s important. None of us want to be viewed as unhelpful, uncooperative, or defiant. So, we grit our teeth and bear it—even when we know we should be standing up and saying something.

Fortunately, there’s a tactic that you can use to voice your concerns, opinions, and even disagreements—without seeming totally unlikable. It’s called “perspective-taking.”

HABITS THAT MAKE PEOPLE UNHAPPY

Circumstances can certainly make life unhappy. But a part – often a big part – of unhappiness comes from our own thinking, behavior and habits.

In this article I’d like to share 7 of the most destructive daily habits that can create quite a bit of unhappiness within and in your own little world.

But I’ll also share what has worked, what has helped me to minimize or overcome these habits in my life.

1. Aiming for perfection.

Does life has to be perfect before you are happy?

Do you have to behave in a perfect way and get perfect results to be happy?

Then happiness will not be easy to find. Setting the bar for your performance at an inhuman level usually leads to low self-esteem and feeling like you are not good enough even though you may have had a lot of good or excellent results. You and what you do is never enough good enough except maybe once in a while when feels like something goes just perfect.

How to overcome this habit:

Three things that helped me to kick the perfectionism habit and become more relaxed:

• Go for good enough. Aiming for perfection usually winds up in a project or something else never being finished. So go for good enough instead. Don’t use it as an excuse to slack off. But simply realize that there is something called good enough and when you are there then you are finished with whatever you are doing.
• Have a deadline. I set deadlines every time that start with a new premium guide. Because about a year ago, when I was working on my second e-book, I realized that just working on it and releasing it when it was done would not work. Because I could always find stuff to add to it. So I had to set a deadline. Setting a deadline gave me a kick in the butt and it is generally good way to help you to let go of a need to polish things a bit too much.
• Realize what it costs you when you buy into myths of perfection. This was a very powerful reason for me to let go of perfectionism and one I tell myself still if I find thoughts of perfection pop up in my mind. By watching too many movies, listening to too many songs and just taking in what the world is telling you it is very easy to be lulled into dreams of perfection. It sounds so good and wonderful and you want it.
  But in real life it clashes with reality and tends to cause much suffering and stress within you and in the people around you. It can harm or possibly lead you to end relationships, jobs, projects etc. just because your expectations are out of this world. I find it very helpful to remind myself of this simple fact.

Make Your Life Simpler

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
“The aspects of things that are most important for us are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity.”
Leonardo da Vinci 

I love simplifying my life. It makes me more effective and life less stressful. It makes me calmer and happier.
But where do you start? Or continue if you are already on your way?


These are the ways to simplify your life. Pick one of these to get started and keep doing it until it sticks and becomes just another normal part of your life.

1. Breathe. When stressed, lost in a problem or the past or future in your mind breathe with your belly for two minutes and just focus on the air going in and out. This will calm your body down and bring your mind back into the present moment again.


2. Do one thing at a time. You’ll get better results and feel better and less stressed while doing those things.


3. Write it all down. Use your mind for better things than remembering what to do. And the mind is often like a leaky bucket. So write down all your great ideas, insights and thoughts before they go missing somewhere and add what you need to do to a to-do list.


4. Do all your food shopping once a week. You’ll save time, energy and – in my experience – money.


5. Stop trying to do things perfectly. It will only get you stuck and drain your self-esteem. Go for good enough instead and when you are there you are done. Get things all the way to done this way and then move on to the next thing.

Questions to Ask Yourself if you’re Questioning Your Career Path

You’re not completely sold that you’re on the right career path, but the idea of making a change is daunting. There are so many unknowns, and we all know the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Plus, if you do decide to change course, you may have to take a step back to develop necessary skills .

The time and energy required to transition into the right career path may be valid concerns, but they shouldn’t stop you from pursuing a path you love.

Before you make a switch of your own, ask yourself the following three questions.

1. Are You Developing a Competitive Advantage?

In The Start-up ofYou , authors Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha teach that we’re all entrepreneurs of our own careers. They argue that to become competitive in today’s global market, it’s critical to understand your assets (what you’re good at), your aspirations (what you want to do), and the market realities (what people will pay you for).

As you look at your work history, think of these three areas as puzzle pieces. Having only one or two isn’t enough. You need all three to develop a true competitive advantage.

You’ve likely heard the axiom, “Find a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” This may be true for some, but blindly following passion can lead to an unsustainable career. I’ve found Hoffman and Casnocha’s framework more practical. Know your assets and aspirations in light of the market realities—then pursue a path that maximizes all three.

PHOTOS: At The Premier of "Industreet"

 

The highly anticipated TV drama series “Industreet” created & directed by JJC Skillz and produced by ace Nollywood actor, Funke Akindele Bello premiered over the weekend on the 19th of May, 2017 at the IMAX Cinemas in Lekki.

The premiere of the music-oriented TV drama which is set to start showing on the 26th of May 2017, was an interesting one, as many stars like Kate Henshaw, Toke Makinwa, Ariyike Akinbobola, Rita Dominic, Bolanle Olukanni, Linda Ejiofor, Akpororo, Lilian Afegbai, Lolo and more were in attendance.

See more Pictures Below

Discover Who You Are and What Will Make You Happy in Life

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” ~E.E. Cummings

At twenty- six  I had graduated and had a great career, many friends, and some money. During that time I also became deeply depressed and entered what would be a very long relationship with worries.
It was a real struggle for me to understand why I wasn’t happy when I had everything that I thought was important in life. Was I selfish? Were my expectations too high? I honestly couldn’t understand what was missing and how to fill this huge void that gnawed at me every day.

When I look back at my life later, I realize that I really had no idea who I was or what made me happy. I kept expecting something or someone to answer this question for me.

The journey to find out who I was and what really mattered to me eventually involved meeting people,  and resigned from my job


Who am I? What do I believe in? What is my purpose? What fills me with joy and wonder? These are questions that I am just beginning to understand after thirty years of living my life, and I have to admit that getting there has been extremely difficult.

The hardest part for me was just knowing where to begin. After  meditation, self-reflection, and reading, I asked myself five big questions that served as a launch pad to begin my journey of self-discovery.

If you are ready to begin the process of truly understanding who you are meant to be, start here:

1. What or who would you be if you knew you couldn’t fail?

The risk of failure terrifies most people. How many times have you wanted to change jobs or careers, move to a new city, promote a cause that is important you, or become an expert in a certain area? Think about it. No risk of failure.

If you were 100 percent certain that you could be or do anything you wanted and not fail, do you know the answer?

Topics You Should Steer Clear of in a Professional Setting

For most of us, finding just the right words to use when striking up networking conversations is, at best, intimidating. For some, especially the more introverted among us, it can be downright terrifying. Small talk is pretty much never a breeze, but chit-chat can feel even more complex because you may have more to lose than someone just thinking you’re uninteresting or too talkative.

You may have a future job opportunity or business deal at stake.

That being the case, it’s important to avoid bringing up anything that may give the person you’re speaking to a reason to pause and reconsider working with you (or even just reaching out in general).

Here are five topics you should never bring up :

1. Polarizing Views About Tribe, Religion, or Politics

I’m having this, “Do I really even have to remind people of this?” moment as I type, but you’d be amazed at some of the awkward, uncomfortable discussions I’ve been pulled into over the years. Am I saying it’s not your entitlement to have strong views or opinions on sensitive topics?

Absolutely not. I’m saying that a professional event is almost never the forum to share these opinions, especially if you’re a job seeker conversing with someone who has decision-making influence.

What happens if that person you’re talking to feels strongly about the topic, too, in the exact opposite way you do? Chances are you’ll reduce or eliminate your opportunity for further conversation. Even if you’re not a job seeker, if you blurt out something annoying or offensive to the other party, you might alienate someone who could have been an ally or professional friend.

What do you do if someone brings this up?

Simple. You smile and say, “I’m sure this would be an interesting conversation, but I typically keep my views on this one to myself. Care for another glass of wine?”

How to Find Business Deals Online

When we say the internet, it actually covers a few things, which we will try and discuss. Everything boils down to your online presence. This includes being active on some of the most popular social networks, but also active on forums and other websites where you can showcase your portfolio. It doesn’t matter if you are a dentist, or if you are selling chocolate, there are some common ways of properly advertising yourself online, and we are going to start from the basics:

Social Networks
Using social media to your advantage is of the utmost importance. Current trends suggest that you are not likely to be really successful if you do not incorporate every popular social media into your marketing plans. Facebook is generally the weapon of choice, as it is extremely easy to promote yourself and your page, and also target your desired audience. All the major businesses around the world are using Facebook, combined with Google+. Both offer paid advertising, where your page will appear as sponsored. Even Pinterest is great, although it is more inclined towards the visual products, as the majority of its users are female. Social networks are perfect for engaging your audience and maintaining a constant flow of information back and forth. You can easily ask questions, have Q&A, and everything you find out there, you can use to improve your products or services.