Baby steps to authenticity

The bigs’ growth playbook is mass appeal vs. niche appeal. Wandering generalities trying to mean something to everyone. Dull edges.

Some boutiques are watching the bigs… checking their moves. But I’ve got a better idea.

Authenticity is our advantage. Bigs can't embrace authenticity. Authenticity is niche appeal. Attract and repel, meaningful specifics, sharp edges. Bigs can't grow with that blueprint, but we can. In fact, it is the only way we can.

But being authentic isn't easy. It requires vulnerability. Which isn't easy (I know). So let's baby step together.

One part of authenticity is acknowledging that there is more to you, more than your 9 to 5. Sharing a hobby or passion doesn’t make you unprofessional. It makes you a person; it shows you have a heart and a life outside of your work. If all you share is this biz win or that biz advice, you lose an opportunity to connect at a human level. It’s a miss.

I like rap music. Lyrics pop into my head randomly and often. So, I weave lyrics into my communication (spoken and written). Last week, I put some Skee-Lo and some Mobb Deep in my social media posts. Some people won’t notice and won’t care; others will see the quotes and vibe with me. It’s a way to connect over a shared interest and it’s who I really am. It’s okay to be real. (More than okay actually.)

People connect with people.
People invest with people.

“Be a person. Put a little you into your communication. Make some friends and watch what happens.”