Recap: 24 Ideas for 2024

Table of Contents

Introduction

01 Are you a starter or finisher? 02 Building a brand is a scaffolding project. 03 An actionable goal answers the following… 04 To have agency over your work… 05 Influencers vs. Professionals 06 Instead of "pivoting", what if we thought about "centering"? 07 Your professional brand shouldn't stretch you… 08 Benefit of youth vs. age… 09 Thought leadership as business development 10 Attention economy vs. knowledge economy 11 Building a brand is… 12 Your greatest long-term asset… 13 You need one great headshot. 14 Interruptions in your career are a feature, not a bug. 15 A personal brand is not a vanity project. 16 Successful thought leaders all have two things in common. 17 If you're starting out as a professional speaker, here is your first priority… 18 Your professional brand and your current stage in life or career… 19 Expert vs. Talent 20 The size of your audience and success… 21 The motherhood penalty at work is an uncertainty penalty. 22 The best strategy for managing "name" issues… 23 The recipe for a good strategy… 24 Build your own house.

This past year presented us with a series of wonderful projects, some meaningful pivots in our own strategy, and lots of opportunities for growth and learning about how we want to grow. Before we turn the page on 2024, I thought I’d publish a recap of some of the ideas that I personally shared on LinkedIn.

In January, at my annual personal retreat, I decided that it was time I started sharing some of my learnings in this work more broadly with the professional community. And of our clients who have worked with me personally know that I’m big on being very honest about the constraints of personal preferences and natural inclinations.

I don’t love spending time on social media. That is my personal preference. So I gave myself the framework for sharing 24 ideas for 2024 over the course of the year. Some are more personal, some are more closely related to work. But the framework provided me with a set structure, a deadline, and a mandate (slash permission) to share unrelated ideas, unsolicited.

I had a strong start in the first few months, then summer brought hectic camp schedules, lots of travel, and a healthy pause. Then I rallied to the finish line in Q4.

Here is a recap of my 24 ideas for 2024. If anything speaks to you, give me a shout-out on LinkedIn.

Warmly,

Sy

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01 Are you a starter or finisher?

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02 Building your brand is a scaffolding project.

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03 An actionable goal answers the following...

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04 To have agency over your work is to reframe your attachment to your employer into a brand partnership.

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05 Influencers vs. Professionals

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06 Instead of "pivoting", what if we thought about "centering"?

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07 Your professional brand shouldn't stretch you; it should affirm you.

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08 The benefit of youth is blind ambition. The benefit of age is focused ambition.

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09 Thought leadership is the most resilient form of business development.

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10 Don't confuse the attention economy for the knowledge economy.

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11 Building a brand is simply the act of showing up consistently.

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12 Your greatest long-term asset is your personal, professional brand.

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13 You need one great headshot.

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14 Interruptions in your career are a feature, not a bug.

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15 A personal brand is not a vanity project.

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16 Successful thought leaders all have two things in common.

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17 If you're starting out as a professional speaker, here is your first priority: Get on the biggest stage or platform.

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18 Think twice before building your professional brand around your current stage in life or career.

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19 Decide where you want to live on this spectrum: Expert vs. Talent.

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20 The size of your audience and platform doesn't equal success.

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21 The motherhood penalty at work is an uncertainty penalty.

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22 The best strategy for managing "name" issues: don't stress.

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23 The recipe for a good strategy: 80% constraints, 20% action.

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24 Build your own house.

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