Notes on strategy and storytelling.

Hey Reader,

Last week I read an email from a business person I admire, explaining some changes to her model. I can’t honestly remember what her larger point was anymore, just what her words revealed about her mindset.

She described her long opposition to “pimping her pain” to grow a personal brand. She said she believes everyone is entitled to their privacy, including family members who may be part of any stories she could share.

My thought?

That’s an intense perspective.

Maybe you can relate.

I hear it often: people feel like they can’t build a personal brand because they’re introverted, have children or aren’t interested in celebrity.

The thing is, anyone can be highly visible, with a successful brand, and maintain their privacy.

Take Beyoncé. Everybody knows who she is… and she’s fiercely private. We only know what Beyoncé decides to tell us. Her social media posts are carefully curated, her family life is mostly off-limits, and she still sells out global tours that serve millions of people.

Or take me. Last year, I achieved record growth in my business, despite it being one of my most tumultuous personally. From literally the first day of 2025 all the way to the end of the year, I was rolling with the punches.

They included a near-death in my family, being sick what felt like every other week, breaking out in emotionally-induced hives and filing a police report.

I told not a single one of my infuriating, devastating or shocking stories online. I even hesitated to give you the high-level gloss of those few. But they illustrate how wrong people can be about what it means to be visible or to grow a brand.

In fact, also last year, a colleague told me “I feel like I know you,” and that they appreciate the way I mix business and personal content.

This is my point: you don’t have to bare your soul to be visible, relatable and memorable.

You get to decide.

You set your own boundaries.

Whether you’re a business owner, artist or public servant, your personal life can inform your work without being your marketing tool.

Regardless of your circumstances, you can build a personal brand that positions you as an authority in your field, creates impact that ripples beyond what you can do on your own, and respects your privacy.

You don’t have to compromise your integrity to grow.

Have you been holding back on your visibility because of privacy concerns? Hit reply and let me know your thoughts.

Yours,
Gabrielle

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