#95: How to find your authentic voice online without faking it | Mallory Contois (VP Growth @ Maven)

The Evolving Landscape of Online Presence

• 💡 The era of glossy, aspirational influencer content is ending, making way for audiences who crave authenticity, humanity, and actionable takeaways.
• 🚀 Building an online presence is crucial in today's work environment, as people now expect to find information about individuals online.
• 🎯 Distribution is essential for influence; it's about building a trusted relationship with a group of people, not just audience size.

Overcoming Barriers to Public Sharing

• 🧠 Three common mindsets hinder people: the "influencer hater," those who doubt their interestingness, and professionals believing their "work should speak for itself."
• ⚠️ Relying solely on "good work" is no longer sufficient; a personal brand reveals your beliefs, future potential, and alignment to hiring managers and VCs.
• 🗣️ Communication skills have evolved, and a personal brand is the modern form of demonstrating these abilities, especially for product leaders.

Cultivating an Authentic Personal Brand

• 🌱 Discovering what you want to be known for is an iterative process; follow your natural momentum and childhood inclinations.
• ✍️ Start by curating content or reacting to existing ideas, gradually moving towards original creation as comfort grows.
• 💬 Content can be educational, entertaining, or inspiring; sharing vulnerabilities and "fuckups" fosters relatability and connection.

Leveraging AI for Thought Organization

• 🤖 AI serves as an effective thought organizer and brainstorming partner, especially for clarifying and structuring disorganized ideas.
• 🔍 Use AI to ask follow-up questions that help dive deeper into concepts and uncover unarticulated thoughts.
• 📊 Reflecting on your LLM chat history can provide insights into your focus areas and personal growth over time.

Strategic Personal Branding and Impact

• ✅ A strong personal brand requires picking your audience; you cannot be for everyone, and creating distance from some allows for closer connections with others.
• 📈 Applying product principles to personal branding means building for a specific audience and having a clear point of view.
• 🌟 The ROI of sharing publicly is high, as even a few engaged individuals can lead to significant opportunities and impact.