Last week, I was technically on leave, but all of us business owners will know we still do work/connect when off. I got invited to an exclusive event that I knew I needed to be at, The Circle, an intimate event hosted by Luke Staton at The Ivy in Manchester.
I jumped in my car and drove from Lincoln to Manchester on my own. The city was its usual chaos, traffic, trying to follow my sat nav that never updates fast enough, multi-storey car parks that felt like they stretched into the clouds, but I made it. And the moment I stepped through the doors of The Ivy, I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.
The Ivy is one of those places that just oozes luxury. Every detail whispers success and possibility, it’s the kind of environment that reminds you what you’re working toward. As I walked into the Dalton Suite, I found myself in a room full of strangers. But I could already feel it, these strangers wouldn’t stay strangers for long.
We’d each been asked to bring a personal item that told a story about who we were. I brought my beret, the one from my RAF days. I’d chosen it intentionally, knowing that it would clash wildly with my bright pink, ultra-feminine outfit. It was unexpected, a bit rebellious, and completely me.
When it was my turn to speak, I stood up, popped on the beret, and shouted “ATTENTION!” The whole room straightened up, instinctively. I could see the surprise, the intrigue. And that’s when I knew I had their attention, not just their eyes.
I told them about my twelve years in the RAF, about how I thought the military would shape my confidence and growth forever. But the truth was the biggest transformation didn’t happen in uniform. It happened after I left. It’s been in the ten years since, in “civvy street” where I’ve learned who I really am. That’s where I’ve built the confidence you see now, from the courage and connection I’ve built over time.
Something shifted in that room, I could see it in people’s faces. The beret, the story, the honesty, it broke through the assumptions. Because when people see someone from the military, they often see discipline, order, strength, but not necessarily vulnerability. And it’s vulnerability that connects us.
That moment reminded me why I do what I do. Because this is exactly what personal branding is about, showing up as your full self, not just your polished self. It’s about letting people in on the real stories that shaped you, so they can connect with you as a human, not just as a headline.
At The Circle, Luke Staton said something that has stayed with me since:
“You are only one conversation, one word of wisdom, one piece of inspiration away from a life-changing opportunity.”
That hit me right in the soul, because it’s true, opportunities don’t fall from the sky. They’re born from conversations, from connection, from first showing up so the conversations and connection happens.
But showing up isn’t just about being online. It’s about being visible, in the rooms, in the feeds, in the conversations that matter. It’s about planting seeds. Each post you share, each event you go to, each story you tell, they’re all tiny seeds of connection. And even when you can’t see the growth yet, something is happening beneath the surface.
I always say, people are watching even when they’re not engaging. I affectionately calls these the lurkers 👀 They’re reading your posts, listening to your voice, getting to know you quietly. They might never like or comment, but they’re building trust with you all the same. And when they need what you offer, you’ll be the first name that comes to mind… but only if you’re still there!
That’s the power of your personal brands visibility. It’s not about shouting louder through the online noise; it’s about staying present. Because if you fade away or don’t show up at all, those same people will simply go to someone else, someone who was brave enough to keep showing up despite the crowds online, the self-doubt, or the busy days.
Driving to Manchester reminded me that doors don’t just open, we have to walk up and knock. We have to keep putting ourselves in the rooms, on the feeds, in the spaces where opportunity can find us. Whether it’s a post, a conversation, or a pink outfit with a military beret (if you have one) every act of visibility is a seed.
And when you keep showing up, watering those seeds with authenticity and courage, that’s when everything starts to grow.
We know it’s hard, we know you might not have the time to show up, you might not know where to start, you haven’t got the clarity to give you the confidence to start planting the seeds. This is where we can help.
Just because it’s called “personal” branding, doesn’t mean you have to do it all yourself. There’s help out there, let us at Quirq help you plant the seeds, we’ll even help water them if you need it. Pop us a message, we don’t bite 😜
