Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome to the Authority Playbook. I'm Jeff Brandeis, and today we're talking about the strategies to help you stand out, be seen and be heard. You're watching now Media Television.
Welcome to the Authority Playbook. I'm Jeff Brandeis, and today we're diving into one of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs, executives, and thought leaders today, standing out in a world overloaded with content and competition.
Because authority today is no longer built simply by being talented or experienced. It's built through clarity, positioning, trust, and the ability to communicate your value in a way that people instantly understand.
And in a marketplace where attention is constantly fragmented, many brilliant professionals remain invisible because they struggle to define what truly makes them different.
Today's guest helps businesses solve exactly that problem.
Joining me is Bryn Bruner, founder of MindSpark Branding, where she helps entrepreneurs and brands develop authentic positioning, compelling messaging, and strategic visibility that creates lasting impact. Bryn, welcome to the Authority Playbook.
[00:01:13] Speaker B: Hello, Jeff. I'm so glad to be here with you today and talking about my favorite thing.
[00:01:17] Speaker A: Awesome. Glad to have you here today, Brynn.
In this opening segment, we're going to explore how authority begins long before marketing campaigns or even social media strategies begin.
It starts with identity, clarity, and understanding how people perceive your value.
Bryn, when entrepreneurs struggle to grow their authority, what's usually missing first? Clarity, confidence, or consistency?
[00:01:43] Speaker B: 100%. It's clarity every time.
Million percent. And here's why I'm so glad we're starting with this, because people talk about marketing their services or, you know, their thing, but before marketing has to come, like, I'm, I'm, you know, me as a messaging person. But the branding piece means who am I? Like, how do I want to be perceived in the marketplace? What am I going out with philosophically as well as skills? So the first thing is we got to figure out, like, what's. Who am I to me and who am I in the marketplace and, and that we could talk about that more, but that, that kind of clarity comes first. Without it, you're just scrambling and you, you sound like it.
[00:02:23] Speaker A: So what causes that confusion is the people hearing other things in the marketplace, other people telling what to do, and it's just a confused state of mind.
[00:02:34] Speaker B: Well, and we know what to say about a confused state of mind. It's actually, they're, they're so. We're all so saturated and suffused by what we're supposed to do, and we've lost touch with kind of. I don't want to say it like that. We don't know really how to track who we are and who we are differently than other people. So positioning is, you know, what people say about you when you're not there in the room. It's the market that you're trying to reach. We have to. We think it's a go, go, go thing, like, sell, sell, sell.
But before we can do that, we got to actually figure out, like, where are we compared to our competition? And often I think about competition is what's in the client's head, what are they thinking they've got to do on their own. Most mostly it's what do I got to do on my own. It's not like comparing me to Nike, right, Or Coca Cola, the big guys. It's comparing me to what everybody says I should be working on and what everybody says I should be doing and saying. And all those shoulds are messing us up.
[00:03:31] Speaker A: That's interesting. So a lot of people think about branding is more about logos, visual designs, colors, and know, how would you actually define branding in the practical business terms these days?
[00:03:43] Speaker B: I mean, for sure, it's all of those things, and I spent decades making all those things, and I loved it. But it's really that. The icing on the cake, the real branding is the cake itself. And that means who am, you know, who do I serve? What's the problem I solve? And why do those people need it? And how will I make a difference for them? How am I different from. From anybody else delivering that service? How do I stand out in the marketplace? Now, all those words sound like things that you'd see on a bumper sticker, right? But they're. They're core.
What do I do? What's the problem I solve? Who needs me to solve it, and why does it matter to them?
[00:04:21] Speaker A: It's almost like the chicken and the egg. Which one comes first? You know which. What do you display out to the world before you do anything else?
[00:04:28] Speaker B: So well, and honestly, if I have to, like, if I'm focused on who I am to the world before I figure out those core pieces, I got nothing.
[00:04:37] Speaker A: So figuring that those core pieces is the first step in defining yourself, your brand, and your messaging is really important.
[00:04:44] Speaker B: Here's a funny add to that, Jeff. Is that what I'm finding now more and more people struggle with a different core piece. What do their clients actually want?
And I mean, like, oh, they want a life in a Bentley, in a pool. Not the dream terms, but what do they actually need for their business? Like, I need to. I need more conversions or I need to close this Big client or I need to really rock this talk that's coming up. Like, what specifically do they need? And then what's the knock on what will that, if that need is resolved, what will that give them? And unless we tie right into that, we're not going to meet them where they are. And we're going to, we're going to blow more smoke up their skirt. Like, that's another, oh, you should do this. So if we're going to make a difference, we got to really know what they want.
[00:05:31] Speaker A: Nowadays, I think we see a lot of entrepreneurs and businesses start with, you know, hey, let me tell you all about me. Let me tell you what I've done. Let me tell you how I can do this, how I can do that. But at the end of the day, I mean, what you want to talk about from, even from a branding perspective isn't necessarily what's going to resonate in the marketplace or to your ideal client, correct?
[00:05:50] Speaker B: Well, yeah. And I was, I was on a call with a potential client the other day, and in the first 15 minutes, she was just talking about me. And my experience is my credentials. I'm a, I'm a master, certified something or other. I'm a master. Like, what. What does that mean to anybody else? So once we center us, I think of Joseph Campbell and the hero's journey, right? Our job is not to be the hero. We're the guide. Our client is the hero. So once we center us and talk about me, me, me, me, like, who wants to hear that in any context of our world, anywhere?
[00:06:26] Speaker A: So we were talking about, obviously, credibility, being able to relate to your clients. So what would I be able to do in my marketplace to basically stand out to others that are looking for my services and make me come to mind when people have this problem or this issue?
[00:06:44] Speaker B: I'm. I'm going to go back to what we were just saying. What do your clients want?
Like, like, and, and when we're talking about it generically, it's hard for us to sort of boil that down. So why don't you and I come up with a fictitious business and, and put that into real terms for them.
So let's say I'm teaching people how to fly small planes, right? So if I'm saying, okay, I'm, I'm gonna, I'm gonna take you up in the plane and I'm gonna strap you in, and I'm gonna give you this left paddle and the right paddle, and you're gonna learn how to take off and flip your ailerons and other flying talk that I don't know, but like, why are they flying? Do they want to go someplace? Do they want to, you know, do they want to experience something that they've never done before? Why are they putting all that time and effort into becoming, into trying hard to do this hard thing? So we have to find out why they want that. And so to your question then, me as the person, person who's teaching them how to fly, the service provider, I've got to tap into that. Instead of talking about all my instruments and my, you know, my, my glasses and the equipment and the Cessna 482 and the Beechcraft 1249, I've got to drop right into where they are and find that dream, that longing. It's funny, an old saying is coming to my mind. Branding is the language of longing.
So we have to.
[00:08:09] Speaker A: Branding is the, is the what?
[00:08:11] Speaker B: The language of longing.
We're not talking bring out the violin and be dramatic. It means really listen acutely. Listen. If I could give any, any tips for any business owners. Listen to your people so you can hear that. And if I'm just talking about me, me, me, my plane, plane, plane, I've left no room in that passenger seat for the other person to even get on, let alone feel me caring about them.
[00:08:41] Speaker A: So to me it comes down to a little bit of the why behind the buy at the end of the day why. Why are people looking to buy your service? Why are people looking to do business with you and dive into those areas when you're trying to brand yourself and build that rapport, if you would, with them as, as you move, move ahead.
[00:09:00] Speaker B: So there's another level of that why behind you buy. And it's the, it's the inside why, right? Emotions say, well, it's the knock on why. So I call it the triple big O. Like oh, oh and then oh, and then oh, when they finally get that knock on. So I'll, I'll take it. I'll take a client example of someone who was a, trained as a physical therapist and was doing kind of different kind of massage to really heal people. Heal people. And what did the people want? They wanted to feel better.
But what's the Y underneath that Y before they buy? So they can have X, Y and Z about their life.
So it's to dig deeper and find out more so you can match them. You can zero in on that and speak to that need instead of speaking over it or around it. And they're like, what's the point of me Working with you.
[00:09:52] Speaker A: All right, listen, there's those.
Let's take some notes there because those are some pearls of wisdom that everyone should practice every day while they're talking to their clients or their prospects. It's great information, great things to share, Bryn, so thank you for doing that. So, Bryn, a question before we take our first break here.
The online world has changed how we do business and how we obviously all brand ourselves moving forward.
So I'm just trying to establish my online authority at this point. What should I do first? How do I begin to build that authority?
[00:10:27] Speaker B: The first word that came to my mind was quiet. Like, how can you become a quiet resource? Like a quiet, wise person who's not just shouting from the rooftops, adding to that sea of noise that we talk about.
Figure out what's the main thing that your people want and speak to that message consistently, clearly, with all of your presence and all of your caring so that they hear you stand out from the noise.
Does that make sense? Yeah.
[00:10:55] Speaker A: I think speaking to what people want is what's going to resonate you and honestly probably differentiate yourself from, you know, the mass majority of the people as well.
[00:11:07] Speaker B: It's ironic because we talk about me, me, me, because we worked hard to get there, but our clients don't care about that.
[00:11:13] Speaker A: Yeah, we grown up in the world of me, me, me, and we also grew up in the world of, with all due respect, features and benefits of what my product does and how it benefits people. But again, if you're not really understanding their why, what's in it for them, so to speak. What. What's the with them, as they say, what's in there for me, everything else that you're talking about is just noise, for lack of a better phrase. So, yeah, some great perils there. So that's awesome.
So thank you, Bryn. Authority is not built by copying what everyone else is doing.
It's built by becoming unmistakably clear about who you are and the value you bring. When we come back, we'll talk about visibility strategy and how entrepreneurs can build trust in a noisy digital world. We'll be right back. We'll be right back with more insights and frameworks to help you elevate your brand and your influence. Stay tuned.
And we're back. I'm Jeff Brandeis, and this is the Authority Playbook on NOW Media Television. Let's dive deeper.
Welcome back to the Authority Playbook. Don't miss a second of this show or any of your favorite Now Media television programming. Download the free Now Media TV app. On Roku iOS and on Android to watch live or on demand, anytime, anywhere. You can also stream full episodes and podcasts now at NowMedia TV.
I'm back with Bryn Bruner, founder of MindSpark Branding, and we're discussing how visibility today is not just about getting attention. It's about creating trust and connection.
And in this segment, we'll focus on content, strategy, storytelling, and how entrepreneurs can build sustainable authority instead of temporary attention.
Bryn, welcome back.
[00:13:05] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:13:05] Speaker A: How can entrepreneurs avoid becoming background noise online?
[00:13:11] Speaker B: Well, it kind of goes back to the same thing we've been talking about, that when you even tell a story, you're telling a story about your client.
Sure. Like, even on your about page. Right. It's about me, sort of. It's more about how I transform the world for you. So at every. At every point, we want to be making sure that our clients feel themselves as you are, the possibility that they're creating for them.
And that's. That's a kind of a quiet authority that comes with time. And they're like, aha. Aha.
[00:13:41] Speaker A: I get it. I mean, when we talk about branding and building authority, building that credibility becomes a key factor in the people's minds that you're talking to. One of the things we're hearing more and more about today is storytelling.
So how does storytelling help create, build that trust and the authority in today's world?
[00:14:02] Speaker B: Well, I think we all know what a good story does to our brain. We're right there, right? Good story. We might have heard about neurocoupling. When you're telling me the story in the same part of my brain lights up as I'm hearing it. So we're born. We're born storytellers. We're born to put our hands around the fire and feel that.
When we're telling business stories, though, when we can bring somebody into a client's, like, I think business success stories are money in your pocket. Because if I'm talking to Joe and Joe's got a problem, that sounds just like Jane's, I can say Joe, what you're saying is exactly like my client Jane, and I take her through the. Take him through the story of her transition. Her. Her transformation. So whenever we can tell a story that grounds the outcome in the other person's mind and lights it up for them, then we're on the right track.
I'm thinking for a second here, Jeff, about. I spent years coaching TED speakers, and the whole point of TED was to light up a possibility in the audience's mind, have it take fire and have them go, yeah, yeah, I'm in there. And. And a good story does that. I was just on another call this morning, and they were talking about a team of people that decided to do a triathlon for the first time ever. And most of them had never swum a lap or had never taken a jog. So it was all this story of, I didn't think I can do it, and now I really can't do it because I'm really tired. And. And so we were right there with him, like tears, right? I'm clapping. I'm a sucker for a story like that. And to watch them overcome, like, I think we're also, all of us overcomers. I talk to my people, talk about my people as becomers, but I think we're all overcomers. So when we can get stuck, it like tagged into a story about somebody else's becoming. I think it's. I think it's fire.
[00:15:53] Speaker A: So I think kind of goes back to also what we're talking about earlier. If you understand why. Why they're doing, why they're reaching out to you, and then you could relate to them through another client or an experience that you actually had personally, and you take them on upon expression, this journey of. And the transformation that they're going to have, that's what also begins to build that authority or that brand for you as well. How valuable is that?
[00:16:19] Speaker B: A hundred percent. So the other thing too is part of that's happening in our mind, but I feel like it's happening in our body too. Like that. Oh, I want that. I want that.
And that's what makes people decide to make a change. So if it's not like in your. One of your top three priorities, you won't do it. We think in business that it happens. Up here it doesn't. It happens in our being. So when we're talking about it, we're talking to all of them, not just their intellectual, their conceptual brain. And if we talk up there, we leave people out. We leave them. They're like, wow, that's very interesting.
And then they're not interested in moving ahead with us.
So when we touch them with a story, it's not manipulative. We're not trying to get them.
We're trying to, in a way, get us getting them. Like this is this human experience of being lit up by transformation. And that's what stories do.
[00:17:10] Speaker A: That's awesome. So, Bryn, if I was your new client coming on board and you wanted to. You were going to tell me about branding and becoming an authority. What would be the first couple of recommendations or what steps or frequency would you kind of recommend that I do to get my. Get myself out there?
[00:17:30] Speaker B: So I'm using the same overarching theme of what they want in this flight experience and then touching on it in different ways. So the consistency is your consistency reaching out and excited about the same area and you're dialing right into again what your clients are looking for.
[00:17:51] Speaker A: Or is there a.
An area of branding that is stronger for people to focus in on initially that would get.
Have it resonate more with their clientele or their potential clients? Then whether it's a video, whether it's slide deck, whether it's a webinar, whether it's like a vehicle, a speaking gig, what vehicle would be, you know, a good vehicle for them to start their journey in branding?
[00:18:18] Speaker B: It's going to be about speaking. So it's not so much. I mean, yes, everybody's posting, and I get that too. But what really touches us is stories. So live video, Live, messy video. Like when the, you know, when we go all fuzzy here in the video. So live video that tells your story and shows you. Not you're just not talking about it, you're showing up at it. So those are Facebook lives, LinkedIn lives. Get practice in giving more of those, like the longer form, you know, 11 minutes or more. That really keeps people. And then, of course, those build on. And then speaking on stages, virtual stages, real stages, so that you can get used to yourself speaking in that public forum.
[00:18:59] Speaker A: I think that's the, the fear that most people have is I don't like to speak to people. I don't like to be on video. I don't like to be in front of people. How do we actually get people to honestly feel more comfortable? I know you and I are in some of speaking classes and we talk to folks about this all the time, but a lot of our listeners, I'm sure once we say go live on Facebook, they go, oh, no, I can't do that.
[00:19:25] Speaker B: Sure, sure. Now I get you. And I feel all of you.
Here's the truth. It's not about you.
If you can make this not about you, then you're going to be able to survive it and then get used to it and then feel really happy about it. I know that when I get on a stage and I'm, I think this is going to be so fun. Fun is my kind of magic solvent. It's my WD40 for anxiety. I still get the shakes. I Still get nervous. But if I'm having fun and I'm really loving the idea of lighting up that audience, I know I can do it. So think about your audience. And I don't mean this in any kind of a, a bumper stickery way.
It's a way to get out of your own nervous system. Crash. Think about them. What do they need to know? Why do you care about them? Hearing your, your message, what's important to them? If you focus on what's important to your audience instead of how your body is freaking out and your head can't remember anything. Yeah, there's things you can do about that. You can give yourself a little note card, but mostly it's doing it. It's doing it so you understand what's going on in yourself. And like, oh, you know, I remember Bruce, the story about, you know, Bruce Springsteen or somebody like got nervous and got the shakes and then somebody else got nervous and got the shakes and that person decided at stage fright, I can't do this. And you know, Bruce Springsteen or whoever I remember is like, I'm getting nervous, I'm getting shakes, I'm getting the sweats. And that tells me I'm ready. That tells me this matters. What we're talking about is high stakes communication. When the stakes are high. And for all the business owners, it matters if your message comes across, if you create that impact, because you're going to feel it in your sales, you're going to feel it in your impact and you can feel it in the clients that make that transformation.
[00:21:16] Speaker A: Now, I'm going to open up a can of worms here, so excuse me for if I go down this path here, but I, I know recently that you were a guest speaker on a, on a the show and you had some trepidation and some concerns as yourself about some trepidation.
[00:21:33] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, I was trying as hard as I could. Like, abort, abort. Get somebody who knows what they're doing.
[00:21:38] Speaker A: So you, you're on the plane going, abort a mission. Abort.
[00:21:41] Speaker B: We're out of here. No, I'm not.
[00:21:42] Speaker A: We're out of here. Houston, we have, we have a problem.
[00:21:45] Speaker B: Land the plane quick.
[00:21:47] Speaker A: Yeah, but, but you got through it. You know, you, you mustered up the, the, the gumpure, the energy to do it.
The last, the first three seconds. Once you get going, the anxiety begins to dissipate a little bit too.
[00:22:05] Speaker B: For me, it's like, oh, I can do this. And I've practiced this a bunch of times, granted, in the middle of the night and Then I found that, that this is fun thing. So I feel like all of us need to find a reason that will get you through it and also to know that what you're feeling inside isn't necessarily visible to the outside. But it sure is if you go like this. I can't. I can't do it. I can't do it. I'm afraid, like, if your hands are shaking, do them where the camera can't see. Right. Have another drink of water. But find the audience caring, like care about them than he care about you.
[00:22:48] Speaker A: That's awesome, Bryn. We're going to take a another short break here. So visibility without authenticity may attract attention temporarily but won't create lasting influence, which is ultimately what we're trying to do here.
Up next, we'll be diving into the psychology of trust and why audiences today are becoming far more selective about who they follow and who they believe. We'll be right back.
We'll be right back with more insights and frameworks to help you elevate your brand and your influence. Stay tuned.
And we're back. I'm Jeff Brandeis, and this is the Authority Playbook on NOW Media Television. Let's dive deeper.
Welcome back to the Authority Playbook. I'm Jeff Brandeis and I'm here with Bryn Bruno. And today's conversation has really centered around how entrepreneurs can become more visible without losing authenticity. But the authority is not just about being seen. It's about being trusted. And in today's digital environment, trust has become one of the most valuable currencies in business.
And in our next segment, we're going to explore the psychology behind influence, trust and why audiences are becoming more selective about who they listen to and who they support.
So, Bryn, what makes audiences trust a brand or public figure today?
[00:24:09] Speaker B: I think it comes down to one thing. Whether they're being real, whether they're being real. And I don't mean like all of their foibles out for everyone to see. I mean whether they trust themselves enough to be really real with their audience. So let's go back to that event that you mentioned where I was completely losing my mind.
I had to.
What I found is the feedback that I got is people really related to it. And I think it's because I wasn't. I was far from being not just perfect, but I know it all, for lack of a better way to put it. Like it. That's what I talk about means a great deal to me. Yeah, I was choked up and I feel like. And I. That's not a That's not a place that I want to be, Jeff. I don't want to be out of control of my own self. But what I found from the comments in the chat and, you know, afterwards is like, I so related to you. So trust and relatability and rapport are all coming together in this little triumvirate.
I think people want us to be real. We've all heard about the trust recession and, you know, alternate facts online is part of it. AI is part of it.
So we have to be our own guardians of what's real and true for each of us.
[00:25:31] Speaker A: Yeah, I think the so important and I think the.
I was obviously on that call. I watched you actually give that speech. I think the thing that I took away from your presentation or your speech at that point was your vulnerability. You opened up to the audience about you personally. And I think people relate to that more so than just standing up there and just telling a story. But, you know, your personal emotions, your personal story just came through, you know, especially today when we're all on zoom or we're all on watching something on video. So how important you think that vulnerability really plays into building that know, like. And trust that we. Everyone always talks about
[00:26:16] Speaker B: everything.
And let's be careful when we're using these words like vulnerability and authenticity, that it's not just, you know, the big word or giving it lip service. Let's figure out what. In my. In my world of language, I am. I feel like a little bit like a human thesaurus. And I'm trying to figure out what is the actual word that we're talking about. So when we're talking about vulnerability, I'm translating that into real and into sharing aspects of my own transformation that could help somebody else. And it's also making it micro instead of macro. Like, I grew up on a. Like, it's not a big drama story. It's a little moment, a touch point, I think. I think that might be what people related to, where they. It matches up with a touch point of their own. Almost like a constellation in disguise. Like, it's not like the universe or the sky. It's like this little touch point, this little star on that constellation. Wow. I so relate to that.
And now I'm with you.
[00:27:19] Speaker A: So we've been talking a lot about all the good things that we could do about building credibility, building trust. But what kind of the common mistakes that you see out there that people who try to build credibility, but they're not doing it the right way.
[00:27:33] Speaker B: We've talked about the first one, and it's the biggest. Me, me, me, me, talking about me.
Talk about me. And have I mentioned me lately? So the more. I mean, we don't want to be that bad first date, so more that we can say, right. I hear you and what's going on over there. And you'll see people do this. I do this a lot, too. Like, I call about looking up into the vault. They're going into a memory.
So to be trustworthy, to be credible, to have authority, is to be able to be quiet and hear other people and have a strong presence with them. Stand for something. Stand for what you believe in on their behalf. Not me, me, me.
[00:28:18] Speaker A: Yeah, I think that's so important, especially in today's world of.
It's so easy to get distracted if you're. If it's all about me, with all due respect, no one wants to listen or. Or hear about me. I rather just pick up my phone or click a different tab and do something different at that point in time than listen to five minutes of what makes you great. With all due respect.
[00:28:40] Speaker B: So can I jump into. Because there's something coming in that's. That's. I've been looking at the news from Hungary a lot lately, and Peter Magyar, or however we say his name, and he's going in front of people and he's saying, I'm really sorry to journalists and these people and these people who were shut down. So part of trust and like creating that rapport is to own what didn't work, to own your own. Not. Not. And not fall on a sword, not go throw into a drama moment, but to be real, because you can see what that guy is standing for. Right? You can see the conviction. It's conviction, Jeff, like the truth he's speaking and how much it matters to him. Gives. I just give myself goosebumps.
[00:29:25] Speaker A: That's awesome. So as you work. As you work with your clients, Bryn, how do you help your clients align their messaging with who they really are?
[00:29:36] Speaker B: Okay, I'm going to love this question.
A lot of times people come to me, and who they really are is a broader topic. So I'll break it down.
We know what we're good at in terms of the marketplace. We know what this is, a saleable skill. Somebody's going to buy this because it means something to us. I often, especially the people that I work with, what they're really good at, they don't know it. And it's that whole fish can't see water problem. We can't see a Real genius, because it's second nature to us. And if it's that easy, then it's not worth talking about. You know, that human impulse to really value what you're not good at and you see it in someone else. So the impulse to value what I am good, at least let alone even see it, is just really hard. But that all changes when you're in connection with somebody. You built that rapport and that trust, and I can start seeing who they really are. And I bring it out and I'll say stuff like, I'm thinking of one client.
She. She phoned me the other day and she said, bryn, have I got this right? Am I kind of a big deal? And it's like, yeah. And that's it. Like, that's a moment. And what is a big deal is not her entire body of work. So again, it's the micro touches. It's the genius. Her genius ability to do X.
So what I do, I. I think of it as kind of finding the. The treasure, hiding in plain sight. And when I surface that and I give it back to them, often it's just what they said. They're like, how did you know? It's like, buddy, you told me, I'm just giving it back to you. So when somebody else can see what, what you're really good at, I think a lot of us can understand that. Like, friends tell you you're really good at that and you're like, oh, that's nothing.
But then if you leaned in and listened not just to what they're saying, to take it in and see why that makes a difference to other people, I think that we might have a better facility to hold our own brilliance when we can see why it matters to someone else.
[00:31:36] Speaker A: Then we underestimate sometimes our own impact or what we've learned over the years and how we can actually align it with others and have an impact on other people.
[00:31:45] Speaker B: I think we downplay it all the time because we're con. Like, nobody wants to be a bragger, right? So we've. I think we've gone. I think we've mistaken the role of humility and silence. Like, humility doesn't mean not knowing. Not knowing what we're really good at. That's a disservice. First of all, like, people would say to your clients, yes, and to yourself, because if you don't know the things that you do, the moves you make, I. I could think of it as the genius edge. If you don't know what it is, how can you. How can you put it to work in the world? And how can you see yourself fully
[00:32:23] Speaker A: nowadays? AI is all over the place.
Okay. And I can type into whether it's chat, gbt, Claude, and you know, hey, help me build my brand.
How do you see that impacting businesses both negatively and somewhat positively? And one of the things I always say to people is just remember what that A stands for. It's artificial. But at the end of the day, people are relying upon AI to do more of this. What are they missing? What are they losing? And is how much is it really costing them?
[00:32:56] Speaker B: All right. I think of that. A is assistant.
And I always see. I see AI and like, when I was in college, the great big library, the tomes in the back. I think of AI as my very helpful librarian. She's running back to the stacks to find this one thing for me.
[00:33:14] Speaker A: I like that.
[00:33:15] Speaker B: Yeah. And I'm on AI every day. I use it a lot, and I use it with perspicacity. It's like, we got to be careful with it. And what I mean by that, a lot of people weigh in is be careful of, like, make sure you know what job you're giving it. AI is a really good thought partner for me. Well, what do you think about that? You know, And I'm giving my friends and family a big break by not just badgering them with a million questions every day. What if? What if? Right. So I can do that with AI until the cows come home. And that spurs more ideas. Like, it becomes. It generates ideas for me, and it's like, I can double down on that. Like, okay, okay. Then it's time for me to go offline and clarify what all that means to me. So it's a. It's a partnership. It is certainly not a replacement. And if we give hand over the reins to our brand to AI, well, that's the furthest thing from real, isn't it?
[00:34:11] Speaker A: That is very true. And I think you said a number of things in there is to make sure whatever AI gives you back is really what you really want and what you want to actually have out there in the world.
Of course, that's your brand. That's your credibility. And if AI misinterpreted you, that could be a major blow in your branding and your business. Have you seen that happen?
[00:34:34] Speaker B: I'm thinking of that. I'm thinking of a certain quality that I look for when I'm writing and when I'm working with people.
It's like if you're hearing somebody singing and they're on key or they're off key. Right. Like people that make it on stage can sing on key. Like the shower, maybe not so much. But like that. I. I think of it as like that one true note.
And I'm looking for that. I'm looking for that in my own writing. I'm looking for that. So if I have to, I have to be really rigorous with how I see the results from AI and not get too rushed or too lazy or too sloppy by assuming, whoa, that's good enough. Assuming. Nope. I have to keep poking at it to make sure that it's still true to what I mean.
I have to be. I have to take a stand for. For my people and what I believe. And AI is helping me do that, but I'm sure not giving it the keys to the castle.
[00:35:30] Speaker A: I really like the. The assisted. It's like you're a librarian. Just go do some research, but don't take it as gospel or final print or use it everywhere. Because I think, especially nowadays, because there are actually apps and there's people who can actually, with all due respect, know or tell that you actually, this is all AI. It's not even you.
[00:35:52] Speaker B: I mean, I follow professors on old Twitter and it's like, we know. We know when you're using it. And I think AI is a great tool. AI has taught me how to think better, to think more clearly, to ask for things more Clearly. So I 100% am on board. And we just have to know.
I was on a call this morning and they were talking about, have you heard about the thing that you can let Claude go into all of your content on your computer? And it's like, no, sister, I'm not going there. Right? So to know. To know what the guardrails are, to make your own guardrails, to not be. To be aware, but not afraid.
[00:36:31] Speaker A: That's awesome. So, Bren, we'll be back. So trust is earned long before a transaction ever happens.
And audiences today are looking for clarity, honesty, and consistency more than perfection. And when we return, we'll close with the practical strategies for stepping confidently into your visibility and becoming the face of your brand. We'll be right back. We'll be right back with more insights and frameworks to help you elevate your brand and your influence. Stay tuned.
And we're back.
[00:37:05] Speaker B: Jeff.
[00:37:05] Speaker A: I'm Jeff Brandeis, and this is the Authority Playbook on NOW Media Television. Let's dive deeper. Welcome back to Authority Playbook. Watch this episode and all Now Media television programming anytime on the Now Media TV app available on Roku iOS and Android. You can also stream episodes and podcasts anytime at NowMedia TV.
I'm Jeff Brandeis and I'm back with Bryn Bruner. And today we've talked about branding, visibility, influence and trust. We've talked a lot, Brian. Now let's focus on one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face.
Becoming visible personally and confidently representing their brand publicly.
So we talked a little bit about speaking and getting out in front of the audience and being able to be Facebook lives, LinkedIn lives. But why do people really hesitate to become visit visible personally?
[00:38:03] Speaker B: One of the first things that comes into my mind is that I think we're also looking at an identity issue, Jeff. Like, people interesting see themselves kind of in this old kind of sense of who I am and what I do and what I'm all about.
A lot of people come to me when they're pivoting to a new kind of business or new offer a new client.
The visibility hesitation is like, do I know what I'm about? Like, am I the real deal here? But also this is a whole new identity for me. How do I shift from who I was to who I am?
[00:38:38] Speaker A: Very interesting. Yeah. How? I mean, that shift can be very radical for a lot of people and it could be a, a mind blowing event also in some ways. Correct.
[00:38:48] Speaker B: Right. And so think of it this way. I was listening to a conversation with two professional athletes and what happens after they retire? There's this huge identity.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. What do I do on a Monday morning? Who am I? And I was thinking that so much of that comes from the deep fulfillment and satisfaction you would have gotten from your old identity, whatever that is, whatever that role was in an old corporate job. And now you're moving into entrepreneurship or. I used to sell this and I got good at that. And now I'm a little sketchy on this new terrain. How do I build that trust in myself first and that deep grounding so that I can move into this new identity and amplify my visibility from that new space.
[00:39:33] Speaker A: So do you help people? How I like to phrase this is whether I want to be again when I grow up.
[00:39:38] Speaker B: Yeah, as long as I don't ever have to grow up, I'm in good shape.
[00:39:43] Speaker A: I agree with that. I always want to be a child.
[00:39:46] Speaker B: It's.
I think I don't ever want to be done cooking. I like, I just feel like I'm every, every, every opportunity I can get to learn something and be something bigger. Like be a more expanded version of myself, I'm down for it, and I want to do that till the day I'm not here. So I don't think it's just about being a kid for me, although I'm probably still an 8 year old.
It's about expanding. And so when people are making those visibility shifts, I think that's first and foremost an identity shift. Like, and it's not just before, but it's like, wow, who am I as this visible person? And if you become a public figure, how do I preserve my.
Not my privacy, but my inner being? And the people that I. That I love, that my inner circle, how do I keep them safe and private and expand my public, safe face? So I think all of that plays into it.
[00:40:41] Speaker A: That's really interesting. I think it also leads into.
We've also have heard the term imposter syndrome, right? Where people maybe go from the corporate world down to, you know, entrepreneurship and.
Go ahead. You're. You're reading ahead of me here.
[00:40:57] Speaker B: Well, what do you. What do you think? Like, what do you think, Jeff? Because I think that if you are trying to find your ground and things were known.
So we talk about the comfort zone a lot. I have a.
I have a bone to pick with that phrase.
But it's like, I think it's all about knowing the place in me, the ground I know, and the place in me that I don't know. And it's a big risk, like, not only to our brains, like, whoa. Danger, Will Robinson. It's a risk to ourselves.
So of course we're going to be afraid to step up into those bigger risks. So I think, again, that why it matters is, is gonna help us cross that ground into that new stepping stone. I don't. I'm really not a big believer in taking massive risks and way out of your comfort zone, because I think you're gonna snap right back and go, whoa. See to yourself. Told you you weren't ready for that. But if we can take measured risks and stretch ourselves a little bit and a little bit, we're gonna be become pros at stretching. We're gonna become champions of the next step. And I feel like visibility will come a little bit easier if you can do that and let me just go back to the TED world again. That's a huge, huge step for a lot of people to step onto the TED stage. And so, like, building up to that, I mean, if that's your dream. It's not my dream, like, building up to that, and it's like honing your craft. Honing your physical craft of speaking, honing your idea craft, making sure that idea is resilient and tough. My son and I would talk about boxing our ideas around.
So proving it to yourself, building the evidence that it matters and it works and it's marketable and it's validated by the market. All of that goes into boosting that credibility and authority.
[00:42:44] Speaker A: That's interesting. Let's kind of shift a little bit towards. I'm a leader of a bigger company and I, I'm leading my people, I'm leading my team. I'm, I'm also visible in, in the marketplace. What is true leadership visibility look like in today's world?
[00:43:01] Speaker B: What a question. And we could talk for three hours on that one. I had a really interesting meeting yesterday with a leader in a different industry and talking about how some of her top leadership was totally failing. And it came down to nobody was training them, nobody was showing them how. So I feel like if leaders expect people to pick it up and follow them without showing them, I think we're, we're not going to get there. Like to show leadership, to show ethics in action, to show, not just talk, vision and branding, we talk about vision, mission, vision, values. And it sounds like, no, no, no, no, no. Like checkboxes. But to live mission, to live vision, to live your values and to call yourself out when you're not making them, that's leadership.
[00:43:50] Speaker A: It's. I think you're hitting the point here also that I also firmly believe in also, and I think you do too, is really have the true leadership. And visibility comes down to having people understand why you're doing what you're doing and what's in it for them by doing what you're doing, if that makes sense. So I'm gonna let you clarify that a little bit better than I just did.
[00:44:11] Speaker B: But I think it's, I think it's all experiential. So a big idea is, I mean that's my favorite thing. But a lived big idea makes all the difference. So we can talk all the talk, but when you live it and then you like. I've been watching this in myself lately. I'll be curious about you too.
Like take action, learn like feedback, right? Good, bad, take a different action, learn like that kind of experiential leadership, first of yourself and then of the people that we lead matters. So to notice and the situation. I was talking about this woman yesterday. To notice when her team is stepping up, stepping out of their own kind of role and being better than that, to notice that and reward it, like, honestly to notice it, to like, appreciate it, to acknowledge it. Like, look at you. Look at you. Thank you.
[00:45:02] Speaker A: I think the noticing and appreciating people sometimes is a trait that's overlooked by leadership at times. To acknowledge what people have done and where they're headed and why things are going to be hopefully brighter for them in the future.
[00:45:20] Speaker B: So, so it kind of comes back to, like, this brings me back to the other conversation about the genius edge and what we don't see in ourselves. Like, are you kidding? That's not a real thing. It's like, oh, it's a real thing. Because those people can't do that when we notice. I, I think that's my drug of choice, is noticing and appreciating. And also, why not just golf clapping people along? But why, when you did that with our, you know, with our customer, you changed her life in that moment. And here's why. So that if you can point out the impact that these really good people make and so they, they can take it in in a different way and then they see that opportunity again to create more impact. We don't need to be leaders to create impact.
We just need to be human beings that care and put ourselves into. That put ourselves into other people's shoes and, and care about them.
[00:46:16] Speaker A: So is there a. I won't say that one actually, if there's a tool. But how does one kind of self diagnose if they're effective at leadership, effective at branding, and they're doing well in basically marketing themselves in, in that leadership, visibility, branding picture?
[00:46:36] Speaker B: It's a really cool question. I was thinking to myself not very long ago, if you go down to like a bookstore like Barnes and Nobles and look in the leadership section, how many millions of books are there? Like, have we not talked about everything about leadership already in the world? No, because I think we're still living into it.
So in terms of branding, I think it comes down to, like, you're going to know you're making an impact if people are buying what you're selling, if they want what you do and they want more of it. And they sit there and they go, I never thought of that before. And then they can apply that to their own lives.
Like, when we talk about a ripple effect, what I mean in branding and messaging is that if what I do is creating a ripple for my client and I can watch them thrive or I can watch them struggle and meet them there again. That leapfrog thing, I think we're leapfroggers. We're becomers. So meet them where they're becoming, watch where they get stuck, how they can lead themselves out of it and join them there.
[00:47:34] Speaker A: So how, how does one begin that shift where I maybe have not done a good enough job in branding, getting visibility, and now I kind of go, okay, I'm working with Bryn and now it's time to do xyz.
How. What's that shift? And how do we go about changing the perception that people already have out there of me or my business?
[00:47:57] Speaker B: I think we gotta start with an assessment. What has worked, what hasn't worked, where have you fallen off?
When I know things are working with people, it's all about connection.
So if I'm in a conversation with a potential client or in a sales conversation, or just here with you, I know if I've broken connection or not. That's what I've trained myself to notice.
So that's the first thing. Are you breaking connection with your clients?
Have you dropped into a me, me, me, or are you able to listen for their words and pull them into your conversation so they feel heard? The first thing is always going to be about breaking connection.
If you break connection, they're gone. They might they have a chance to come back because now comes the trust. And if it's like, whoa, you know, oh, my gosh, I was monologuing again.
Let me. Can you say that again? So we don't have to be perfect, but we have to be on it.
[00:48:53] Speaker A: So if I believe, which I do, that I'm meant for bigger and better things than I am today, what would you tell me or recommend me to go do?
[00:49:04] Speaker B: Well, first of all, you're so right. Of course you are. I've seen you. I've seen you. I want to see you go big.
Well, I mean, aside from reach out to me, I'd love to have that conversation with people.
I think I'm allergic to bumper sticker phrases like reach high, go far, figure out what you care about, what matters to you, what's the difference you need to make? Not the difference.
And start creating that with the people that you care about. Right. And know when you did a good job and acknowledge that and know why you fell short when you did.
We have conversations about sales, Jeff, you and I, and it's makes me giddy to know where I fall short because I know I can get better.
So to know where you fall short, to know why, that's the first step.
[00:49:58] Speaker A: I agree with you 100%. But, you know, there's also a.
I guess there's always a balance of private versus being authentic and being open.
How do you actually balance, you know, the parts of my private life versus the part that I want to appear to be authentic and I want to be able to reveal to the public. Is there a balance or it's.
[00:50:20] Speaker B: I think that's really individual.
I think it's just really up to who people are in the world.
I am.
I became more successful when I tried. When I stopped trying to split parts of me off and let me be specific about that.
The part of me that thought I needed to do it a certain way in order to be perceived well, to be professional, to be successful. When I stopped aligning myself with that and I got more real, I started becoming more successful.
So in terms of private and public, I think I don't see it that way. I think. I think I see it in the way of real or trying, proving, proving and pushing instead of being, dropping into presence and being and having compassion for yourself, like, yep, that happened. Now what.
So like to be leapfroggers and to be proud of that and then keep trying.
[00:51:23] Speaker A: Bryn, thank you so much for joining us today. I love your passion, I love the way you talk about your product. I love everything about your mission and what you do for entrepreneurs and what you do for business leaders. I appreciate you sharing your expertise today. Thank you so much for joining me on the Authority Playbook show. Where could our listeners wanted to find and learn more about you. What's the best way for them to reach out to you?
[00:51:49] Speaker B: First of all, thank you to you and your whole team.
What a joy to talk to you. Can we stay on?
If people want to find me, they can go to my website, MindSpark Branding, all one word or reach out to me like send me an email, tell me what you're working on, tell me what's fascinating to you and how it's not really, you know, landing on with the people that you serve. And that's Bryn at mindspark Branding and I think we can drop that in the show notes, but it's B, R y n N and then all one word. Indeed. Sparkbranding.com and I look forward to it.
[00:52:24] Speaker A: I was going to add the dot com at the end, make sure everyone it's not net, it's.com at the end.
[00:52:29] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:52:29] Speaker A: So one thing that stands out from this conversation is that authority isn't about pretending to be someone else. It's about becoming more aligned with who you truly are and communicating that clearly to your audience and to everyone watching. Remember your authority begins to grow the moment your message becomes clear enough that for the right people to recognize your value.
I'm Jeff Brandeis, and this has been the Authority playbook on NOW Media Television. We'll see you next time. Thanks for joining.
