The Brand Called You!
Your unique history merged in with everything you do from day to day represent an image, a brand, the brand called YOU! This brand evolves as you do; changing and growing with every milestone you cross. Knowing and understanding this brand helps you market yourself so you can continue to step forward to what lies ahead.
I had an image, a brand, an identity. I remember walking up the steps to the stage ready to be handed my undergraduate degree, confidence beside me, ready to conquer the world with a new job, and my new life that was waiting outside for me. Being confident and aware of who I was, was knowing my brand.
Today, almost 5 years later ready to walk onto another stage to get my Masters Degree my brand isn’t all that clear anymore. Trying to move onto the next step in my life I am told I have to be able to sell myself , I have to know my brand, I have to have an elevator speech, and I think to myself, if I don’t know my brand how am I going to sell it to the world.
This confusion has been haunting me through the last year, and I was never able to find an answer or any direction to even come close to one. That is until I attended a lecture at the University of Michigan last week where the guest speaker, Rishad Tobaccowala (CIO of Publicis, Starcom and Digitas, and CEO of Denuo) shone some light on the matter. Tobaccowala stated your personal brand is all about three things: your story, your niche, and your voice. The words had just touched my ears and my mind was going haywire, here I was trying to build a brilliant, perplexing branding strategy for myself when I really just had to focus on a few smaller things.
I guess sometimes when you have your whole life to work with it is nice for someone to give you some guidance on how to steer it all in the right direction. This is what Rishad Tobaccowala’s words did for me, and I am running with it.
So who is Deepti and what is her story? Well, I can honestly say I am one of those people you don’t meet everyday, and I couldn’t possibly sum up my story in one blog post. But even for the shortcut version I have to start at the beginning. I was born and raised in Hong Kong till I was 14 and then moved to Mississauga, Canada. Finished high school there, started college and soon transferred to Eastern Michigan University halfway through my undergraduate degree. After graduation I moved back home to Canada only to realize I was still in love with my Michigan boyfriend and ended up back here and married a few years later. Travelling has not only been my lifestyle it has also been a big part of my life as I have also travelled to over 15 countries around the world not including those I have lived in. I believe the experience of seeing the world first hand has a lot to do with who I am today.
To add to all this I haven’t exactly had a smooth transition from school to work and back to school like most people have had either. After I graduated with a bachelor’s degree I worked as a marketing analyst for a financial consulting firm, I then did marketing for a trading company based out of Hong Kong and Canada. I taught English as a second language to students at a not-for profit organization in Canada, as well as the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I then working as a marketing analyst once again for an international automotive supplier in Southfield, MI while I finished my master’s degree. That is until I got layed off while on medical leave. Only to find myself today as an eco-friendly digital marketing intern. Quite the array don’t you think? The circumstances in my life from moving, getting married, and having to surgically remove a 13 pound cyst in my ovary didn’t allow me to have anything that was constant and I found myself bouncing from one place to another trying to find where I belonged. Fortunately for me having experienced so much in such a short time has taught me more than sitting behind the same desk for 4 years ever could.
I am at the point in my life where I am ready for that constant, but the piece of paper that is supposed to sell me, my so called resume, that will get me this constant isn’t designed for people like me who have no constant. There is no room for explanations on the gaps of time between my jobs, or the disconnectedness of going from a marketing professional, to a teacher, to a public relations student.
All I have left is my brand. This, I hope, is what I can develop and slap in front of my resume so people know who I really am, and of course want to know more about me at an interview J
But first, my niche which includes: cultivation, communication, and change. Cultivation because I am in constantly feeding my mind with the nutrients the world provides to grow into a better person everyday, communication because without this it is impossible to share and learn or in my mind even live, and last but not least ambition because this is what drives me to keep trying no matter what comes in my way.
The last piece of my puzzle to help me develop my brand is my voice which is authentic, unconventional, and positive. I believe the most important quality of any voice is authenticity, and I am glad to say at this stage in my life I am confident enough to be authentic and real to myself and the world around me. My voice is also unconventional because with all the voices out there who is going to hear you if you simply blend in with the crowd, I am not afraid to be the one that is different and unique. Having a positive voice is a quality I think everyone should posses because it resonates happiness and movement towards the right direction. There is almost always a positive side to anything; you just have to look at the situation from the right direction to see it.
These are the foundations to Deepti‘s brand.
Deepti's Blog 
Deepti:
Thank you for sharing your story. I was so deeply moved by your authenticity and clarity in your voice. In a world that compartmentalizes the masses, you unselfishly allow others to be who they are by simply being you.
My pastor always says that your job is not your source. You are a talented and gifted young woman. A gift is not a gift unless it is given. Believe in yourself and have the courage to walk in your destiny and please keep writing.
Kind regards,
Heidi
Heidi
February 15, 2009