Tedi Migdalovici: On Personal Branding, on a personal note

Newsroom Branding, Know-how Sharing

I see there is a trend subtly condemning Personal Branding. Somehow I understand – there are so many “Adibas – like” players on the market, saying they are experts, without having the slightest idea what they are talking about, there is no wonder people think Personal Branding is equal to bragging or wrapping nothingness in a silky paper and adding a bow on the top. The thing is –Personal Branding is a hygienic tool, just like soap and toilet paper. It is about cleaning yourself from unnecessary waist and at least telling your story to the point, without consuming extensively people’s time, if not informing, entertaining and / or enchanting them in the blink of an eye, as you should. Personal Branding is a management tool, a fine distillery and a time machine condenser. Do you aspire to take a place in a public space? Even the smallest one? Then don’t expect people to applaud when you’re going out in pyjamas, wearing despaired socks while your breath is slightly reminding of a hangover.

Don’t get me wrong: I am 110 % for authenticity. But the authenticity behind the best of yourself, not the one behind “Whatever”. Because “whatever” is uninteresting and I don’t have time for irrelevance, digging weirdly in a pile of junk, in the hope to find a spec of “maybe” . Are you a teen or do you want to play with the grownups? Ooops – bad news: ”Whatever” didn’t work for 16years olds starring in American sitcoms and I’m afraid is not working very well for business people either.

Personal branding is about declutter, stopping the noise and speaking up with clear voice, ideally the best you have; it is about condensing information, using a credible articulated narrative and practicing visual languages like a pro. It is about proposing a valid perspective and the associated acknowledgement.  It is a decent answer to the questions: What do you put on the table and what sets you apart ?  It isn’t about a monkey wearing lipstick, just the opposite. It’s respecting others time and retina, while not insulting their intelligence. Are you on Linkedin, Instagram and Facebook? Do you practice the social media game? Then you should know those basics about Personal Branding. Do it properly and get over it.

About Tedi Migdalovici – MeAlchemy:

As an international speaker, Tedi shared her view of the industry’s future on global stages, from London to KL, from Paris to Singapore, from Vienna to Lisbon, working in the last two decades with British American Tobacco, Coca-Cola, Google, Geometry, DDB Malaysia, Nestle, Mauritius Commercial Bank, McCann Adriatics & Lisbon, P&G Europe, UM or Vodafone.

She is the founder of several pioneering initiatives – MEALCHEMY.COM for personal branding, The Alternative School for Creative Thinking, one of the most successful Creative MBAs in Eastern Europe and LOVEANDLOBBY.COM, a private diplomacy platform exploring less known cultures through the lenses of their design, innovation and creative industries.

As a firm believer in the benefits of diverse thought and a constant supporter of genuine talent, in 2016 at Cannes Lions, she launched Ladies First, a LoveAndLobby project to promote female talent in the cultural context of their nations. She started with Romania, continued with Turkey and currently she is documenting the topics of innovation for the better, the rise of local design as cultural statement and the gender dynamics in the Middle Eastern creative industries.

Beyond her BA in Literature and Foreign Languages, she has entrepreneurship and innovation studies via ESSEC Business School and the ambassadors’ post-university Diplomatic education.

Private Diplomacy Award, Brand Leadership Award, Global Super Achiever Award, European Excellence Award, Stevie Award, Lions Most Passionate Ambassador – silver, Dragan Sakan Award for the impact on Eastern European Creativity are distinctions associated with her books, research or educational projects.