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What you’ll learn in this episode:
In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, where information travels at the speed of light, it has become crucial to stand out from the crowd. This is where personal branding comes into play.
A strong personal brand can open doors to countless opportunities. It helps you establish credibility, build trust, and differentiate yourself in your industry or area of expertise. A well-crafted personal brand not only attracts new customers, but also allows you to connect with like-minded individuals, expand your network, and even become a thought leader in your field.
In this episode with Branding and PR expert Jackie Zuk, we explore what personal branding is, why it’s so important, and why having a strong and unique personal brand not only builds your business in a powerful way, but it’s essential if you want to build a lasting career and legacy both in your current business and profession, as well as into the future.
Here’s a glance at this episode:
- Understand what personal branding is and why it’s important for you AND your business
- Realize that whether or not you have intentionally created a personal brand, you have one, and how you can take control of the narrative now
- Uncover opportunities to stand out and position yourself as an expert and a thought leader in your space
- Learn why visibility is so important, and how a strong, unique personal brand pulls you out from behind your business and amplifies you as an individual in the marketplace
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About Jackie Zuk
Jackie Zuk’s (JZ) business is to get her clients ‘on the scene’ where it matters. She has hundreds of thousands of social media connections and loyal followers all looking for the very latest trends, fashion, inspiring products, and cutting edge business ventures.
Originally from New York, JZ relocated to Boston in 2014 and has been blazing a trail ever since. Based in Everett, MA, she is the CEO of NEXTonSCENE Media LLC, Editor in Chief of NEXTonSCENE® magazine, podcast broadcaster for “NEXTonSCENE®”, and a producer of high-quality promotional events and PR campaigns.
Jessica Miller
[0:00] Hey, Jackie Zuk! Welcome to the It’s Your Offer podcast. We’re so happy to have you here.
Jackie Zuk
[0:07] Jess, I’m so honored to be here. I love being in your space.
Jessica Miller
[0:09] It’s so good. I love having you back on. I can’t believe it’s been literally almost a year since you were on last time. This is so crazy. Time flies!
Jackie Zuk
[0:19] But all great. All great things for us.
Jessica Miller
[0:22] It’s booming business new mom. All the things, right? Yeah, journey. What a journey. Right now a little cutie. I’m following him on your social media feeds all the time. Just want to go give him a little squeeze.
Jackie Zuk
[0:35] Thank you and your kids are getting so big too.
Jessica Miller
[0:37] Oh my goodness, like at the drop of a hat? Yeah
Jackie Zuk
[0:40] Yeah
Jessica Miller
[0:41] It’s crazy. Time flies, time flies. Oh, so I’m so happy to have you here today to talk about personal branding, PR and all the things. It has been an awesome journey, just being in your world and watching your business change. Watching you change. And as I was joking with Jackie, for all the listeners, before we even got on the call. All the wisdom that Jackie has shared with me over the years and all those little moments when it kind of comes full circle. I’m like, there it is. That’s what she was talking about. So I’m excited to have Jackie here in the studio to talk to us about as I mentioned, personal branding and PR and, and her journey. And Jackie for every, for the audience too, tell us a little bit about you know where you started, your journey, how you got here. It’s such a great story. And my goodness, it’s been such an awesome thing to witness.
Jackie Zuk
[1:26] Thanks, Jess. Yeah, it was we were talking even before we started recording, we have both been growing together, right? Like, literally like, so awesome. So I’m from New York, like Jess, basically started my podcast in my guestroom closet eight years ago. And before it was even, actually it was a nine years ago. Now I don’t even know like something a long time. 2015 I started my podcast, crazy. So it started in my guestroom closet, I would showcase people for like $50 because I didn’t have a job at the time. So I was like, I’m just gonna figure out how to set up a studio. I’ll promote you on my social media before social media even really became bigger, right? And then people were like, what else can you do? Like we’re getting a lot of attention. We’re growing our visibility. And that kind of funneled into like all the other avenues that I do. So I launched a magazine because I was like, why not? Even though I have no experience. I was just like, I’ll go on YouTube. And like, I’ll figure out how to create a reliable publication that people can get in and be visible, you know. So that’s kind of what started originally for my clients, and now it’s gone international. It’s been so awesome to watch too. It’s mostly digital. I do have subscribers in print, and I print for my events. But outside of that, then it funneled into like my social media business. I do photo and video shoots, and PR. So that’s we are a full one stop shop marketing PR agency.
Jessica Miller
[2:44] Oh my goodness. So amazing. I remember the first time I came across your podcast, and I went to maybe I don’t know if I think it was your website. And I was like how many people are listening to this thing. It was my first foray into podcasting 100 years ago, and I was like, oh, my goodness, that was so amazing. And it’s been amazing to watch the magazine. And you know, full service.
Jackie Zuk
[3:04] We’ve had you in the magazine, we’ve had your podcast.
Jessica Miller
[3:06] Oh yeah. Full on fan girl Jackie Zuk, for sure. And I love that you have always talked about branding, you always talk about branding, you’ve always talked about PR. And I love this topic of personal branding because it is something that is so important. I think a lot of people either don’t understand what it really means or forget about it, because we’re so hyper focused on our businesses, as entrepreneurs, as we should be. But this is an integral part of the journey. And it’s, I would say it’s almost one of the most important parts when you think about the evolution of your career and your full journey as an entrepreneur, not just the micro journey that you’re in right now. But how to position yourself for the full scope of, of your career, your entrepreneurial career, and all the things that you can touch or create from you as your personal brand with your business being part of that. And so I wanted to, you know, ask you to share a little bit around like, what is personal branding, from your perspective? And why is it important and why, regardless of where you are in your business right now, is it something you should be thinking about?
Jackie Zuk
[4:12] Yes, yes, yes. It’s all the above. Yes. So I mean, personal branding is how you show up and people remember you like that’s the first thing that I always say like when you’re when you’re walking into a room, like your personal brand is how people are seeing you and remembering you and how you made them feel. You know, like I think if you’re going into a job and you’re your personal brand is how people are going to remember how you made them feel right. So it doesn’t even just have to be in your business. It could be at any capacity in your life, which is why it’s so valuable. And you can have multiple passions and multiple things you love to do. But you’re still you at the end of the day, right? Like we were saying earlier, like if Jess decided to change careers or I did, you’re still following one of us.
Jackie Zuk
[4:48] So you’re going to like us for whatever we decide to do. Right? And if you don’t, that’s okay. But still like I think it’s so important that people have something to represent their name because people are remembered by people and not necessarily what their products or services are. So I always say like, always stand out as like, when you introduce yourself, like make your branding your name, because people will remember, people will search for it, not necessarily by your company name, you know, but I think you need. Absolutely. You know, if you are an entrepreneur and you’re listening to this like you do you need a business, of course, if it’s something you’re super passionate about, but you are what’s running the business train. So people will remember you in the post, remember how you made them feel. You know? So I always say that that’s so important.
Jessica Miller
[5:31] So when we think about personal branding, I think you said something that was really important. We are thinking about, like, you know, how people show up, like, what they look like the you know, the colors, the fonts, like all the things we think about around branding, like what sort of things encompass you and how you show up as a personal brand, but also the vibe, like, what energy do you put out there? What do you stand for? What is that essence of you that touches all of the things that you essentially create? Yeah.
Jackie Zuk
[6:00] So true. So true. So that’s where it’s like, so different from like, the branding visuals online. For a business, like the fonts, the colors, that’s like one aspect of branding. But a personal branding is for a person. You don’t need fonts for your name, you know what I mean? Like, you just need to be like, how you’re showing up, exactly what you said, the vibe you’re giving off, how you make people feel. Like that’s, that’s the consistency of a really good personal brand.
Jessica Miller
[6:25] Yeah, it sounds like too, the things that you care about, having an opinion, what do you stand for, your values. Things like that as well.
Jackie Zuk
[6:32] Exactly. Because we’ve, I mean, we were talking earlier about Victoria Beckham, right? Spice Girl, right? Like, I love Spice Girls, but it’s so like, now she’s a makeup line, she’s probably a clothing, like anything that she does. Like he’s made such an impact that you do these things because of her. Right? Not necessarily because it’s a Beckham brand, like you wouldn’t know her from a hole in the wall. But because you follow her, you’re more intrigued to buy her stuff and look for it.
Jessica Miller
[6:59] Yes. And I would say to that end, because she has such a strong personal brand, now the things that she creates, because they’re connected to her personal brand become more valuable. I think a lot of times we think we are our businesses, or we are our products, and while those things are valuable, when you start to build a strong personal brand for yourself, then it becomes kind of the reverse, like, rather than the thing that you created being the goal, and you’re just connected to it, now, it’s everything that you create is gold, because you are the creator. And I think that’s where things get really fun because it gets creative. You’re not just known for the product anymore. It’s like the product is now known because of you, which makes it so great, because people can do all sorts of amazing things, from their experience.
Jessica Miller
[7:46] And all in Victoria Beckham, for all of you listening, you know, I love her, and I love her makeup. She’s one of those people like I’m more interested in, not that I’m a huge fashionista or anything, although I think I am in my own mind. But if it’s hers, I’ll go and check it out because I just think she’s amazing and has really high quality. And yeah, and to be able to move from being you know, kind of a rock star to now like doing the Paris runways and competing in that whole cosmetic industry is just phenomenal.
Jackie Zuk
[8:21] Right? And it’s still just following up with that thought like the “like, know, and trust” factor, right? So you already like her, you trust her because you you’ve watched her, you followed her like that inspires you more to follow her and purchase more of her products and share more about what she does. Right? So I think that that also plays a huge role into that too.
Jessica Miller
[8:40] Yes, 100%. And I was actually sharing with Jackie, for all of you before we got on today, that I am one of the things that I see as a as a gap in many people’s businesses is the ability to find the person behind the brand. I think that as consumers, and definitely in this day and age, and I would say probably I would say for most men and women, I see it on both sides, people more than ever want to know the person behind the brand. They want to know why you created this, who you are, and they are more likely to buy from you when they feel like they know you and they can relate to you. So if you’re a business right now who sort of burying that lead somewhere in your, you know, website or whatever, I really encourage you to listen to this podcast, take notes and get out in front of the camera here. Because, you know, for brands that I go to where I cannot find that person and it’s not standing out, I will leave the site. I’m not going to buy from a business or somebody that I cannot see or that I don’t connect to, and I think that’s true for most people. What do you think, Jackie?
Jackie Zuk
[9:49] Yes, I think the world is evolving there now. It’s something you absolutely have to do. Because how are you separating the who-you-are from your competition?
Jessica Miller
[9:57] Yes.
Jackie Zuk
[9:57] And I don’t even like competition anymore, really. I think it’s more. There’s just people doing what you do. And it’s how you differentiate yourself from people doing what you do.
Jessica Miller
[10:05] Yes.
Jackie Zuk
[10:05] So they hire or buy your stuff versus people that are doing the same thing as you.
Jessica Miller
[10:09] Yes. Agreed, agreed. And I think that really talks to that why in addition to your business branding, you need your personal brand. And because it is a huge differentiator, and it is the thing that makes it uniquely you, right? It’s the that really that secret sauce, would you agree, Jackie? What do you think about that?
Jackie Zuk
[10:28] I totally agree. I absolutely think like people, when they look at social media feeds, when they go to the site, exactly what you were saying, like, if there’s not a physical person presence there, their attention is not going to be the same on your feed, on the content, they’re going to move on to the next thing, because people like to connect on a deeper level now. Because they can, you know, and if they’re doing that, they’re just they’re moving on.
Jessica Miller
[10:50] Yeah,
Jackie Zuk
[10:50] So, I agree.
Jessica Miller
[10:51] Okay. Yeah. Would you say, speaking of social media and personal branding, and for us that are entrepreneurs, do you see that people have like a separate account for their personal brand? Is it all interweaved? Like, how are you seeing people navigate that?
Jackie Zuk
[11:04] Great question. You should have both accounts. So like, if you have a business, one, if you have, like, yes, I think it absolutely, because your business, attention, and stuff, like the people are not always going to resonate with everything that’s on your business page more, or the audience might not be the same. There might be crossover, but there might not be. But I do recommend that once a week like in your content that your personal brand content is in your business. So that is a real person there. Because I, like we said earlier, that’s what’s separating like you from what other people are doing what you do, because you’re showing up. But I do think like personal brands are becoming so big now even for a passive income stream. You can get hired by other brands, you can get hired by like other companies to speak and do whatever you want. I just, I think it’s so valuable to do it all. Like what do you have to lose, right? I mean, that’s, I have nothing to lose.
Jessica Miller
[11:53] Yeah, I mean, that actually dovetails perfectly with this idea of the overlap between personal branding and PR now, and how people are using personal branding and their PR, why it’s important. Tell us a little bit of what you’re seeing there and what you think there.
Jackie Zuk
[12:06] Yeah, for sure. So personal branding. When it comes to PR, when you watch a TV, or you see like when people write books, or they’re on radio shows, it’s always a person. It’s not, it’s not about the product or service, you talk about it, but they’re interviewing a human.
Jessica Miller
[12:22] Right, right.
Jackie Zuk
[12:22] So like, finish in, that’s really going to like help you grow to your next level. So from a PR side, people are always looking for commentary of experts in your industries. You know what I mean? Like, that’s what they’re looking for, even if it’s for five seconds. And if you are, if you do have a product company, they usually don’t show the products alone. You’re usually there.
Jessica Miller
[12:41] So true.
Jackie Zuk
[12:42] Know what I mean? Really like, I think that’s also what helps grow your business to the next level, like Shark Tank, a prime example. They all are products, but the people that own the company are sharing their stories, and they’re talking about their products. Right. And they’re there live on the show.
Jessica Miller
[12:56] Yes, totally. That makes complete sense. And I, again, I think that goes back to like people want to buy and know other people. Yeah, so we’ve piqued so if you’re an entrepreneur listening to this, and you’re like, okay, yes, I, I’m on board, I need to start building my personal brand more. How would, where do they get started? What should they be focusing on to do first? What would really, like what direction would you give them?
Jackie Zuk
[13:20] No, great question. So I think people, just like you do a marketing plan for your business or a business plan, you need a PR plan for your personal brand. So sit down, and even if me, if you do this on your own, like you do a brain dump of all, like dream big, like, where do you really see yourself? Where do you really want to go, you know? And then you need visuals to depict that, so then when people come to your content, or they see you online, or they’re getting an email blast from you, they’re seeing that you speak, they’re seeing that you’ve been on TV, they’re seeing that you’ve been on podcasts and radio and like getting out there, you know what I mean? So like, depict how you want to be seen and that’s how these opportunities present themselves.
Jessica Miller
[13:56] So would you say so sit down sort of, you know, kind of dream big, visualize where you want to go? And it sounds like you’re also saying, you know, think about like what things do you want to be out there talking about? What things out there do you want to be associated with? What places do you want to be showing up and whether it’s like immediate placement or even I’m thinking, too, like just around even the visuals that you start to create around your personal brand need to be in line with that journey. So if you’re like someone who wants to, you know, be on a big stage some like maybe it’s you in front of, I don’t know Carnegie Hall or something, you know. Whatever stage you want to be on, you know. You start weaving all that into your visuals as well.
Jackie Zuk
[14:38] I completely agree with that. And I also think to like see what you said, too like, even if you just get practice on your own social media feed doing videos. Because people now book people through seeing people on video, they see how like you present yourself, like can they see that you could show up on TV? You know what I mean? They think about all these things and TikTok is so huge now it’d be fun. And so like for a PR step, from a PR side, so I feel like any place that you can be visual like YouTube, TikTok.
Jessica Miller
[15:07] So anywhere where they can find you visually gives people a good indication of how you would speak in front of people, how you show up on in media, things like that. So you want to be putting stuff out there, to be able to give people that kind of fodder so that they could, you know, you could be discovered essentially.
Jackie Zuk
[15:25] Right, and also to have you look up things that people that are trending, right, that are going viral, and you remix it and you make it your own, that gives you a much easier way to be found. You have to connect with the cause, and whatever they’re talking about. But that’s another great way from a personal brand and a PR standpoint to stand out to people that are looking to feature you, you know. So that works.
Jessica Miller
[15:47] Really interesting. That’s a great, great point. I never thought about doing that. Going to those trends, looking for the things that resonate with you and then pulling that into your own feed, your own branding.
Jackie Zuk
[16:00] Exactly.
Jessica Miller
[16:00] It’s funny.
Jackie Zuk
[16:01] You look at most successful entrepreneurs out there, even successful TV shows, the magazines like, they’re re mixing things that have been trending for years. They’re just re mixing and making it their own.
Jessica Miller
[16:12] So fascinating. And we all you know, I want to just speak for myself, where I’m constantly racking my brain of like the next new thing to write, to talk about, or what do I would have some new thing that’s happened for me recently. And yet, at the end of the day, I mean, some of these things are just evergreen, right? People want to hear about it, they want to understand some of these topics, or some of these, you know, call them trends, you know, from your perspective.
Jackie Zuk
[16:38] Right.
Jessica Miller
[16:38] And that’s what makes it unique. It’s not like you have to come up with the next new idea.
Jackie Zuk
[16:42] No.
Jessica Miller
[16:42] And it’s just a matter of what it is to you.
Jackie Zuk
[16:44] The themes are always like, consistently the same, they just become updated. Right? Look at AI, its content creation now on automation.
Jessica Miller
[16:52] Yeah.
Jackie Zuk
[16:53] Right, like a prime example. So like, there’s still consistent themes that are just, that have always been there, they’re just becoming updated. So just stay updated with trends, and know your zone of genius, but like, if it’s trending, bring it back and talk about it from your own personal perspective, right?
Jessica Miller
[17:09] Yes, I love it. I think also that, you know, one piece that’s super important, and all of that, and I talk about this all the time, but, you know, a lot of times we will go out there into the ether, and we’re like, what do people care about it? Okay, there’s that thing, I’m just gonna go talk about that. But I actually think the best brands are the, are the brands that pick the thing, first starting internally, and then they go out and find that trending thing. So it still comes down to this concept of like, starting with your hell yes. Like, what do you care about as an individual? What is your vibe? What do you get lit up about? What do you want to see more in the world, and then go out there and have fun researching and kind of cherry-picking that thing that’s kind of caught the wave that you can now incorporate into your hell yes. And now make it your own.
Jackie Zuk
[17:58] I love it.
Jackie Zuk
[17:59] It’s so true. No, I completely agree. And I want to follow up with something earlier you said, too. I think it’s super interesting for people to get in front of their business or in front of the camera. And I think like the best way to do that, especially when building a personal brand, is to like, who do you really look up to, right? So we talked about like Victoria Beckham, like what would she do, right, if she was thinking about her next makeup line? Like, how is she going to show up for her brand? So, like, if people you really idolize like and think of yourself in their shoes. It’s like the alter ego book you sent me years ago, I’m like obsessed with it. Like, it’s just the facts, right? Like, show up as that person, right, and that helps you get comfortable and then you start realizing like, okay, I’m showing up as them in my own way. But how can I be my own person in that way, right?
Jessica Miller
[17:59] And I think when brands stand behind that, like when personal brands stand behind that, people really shine because it’s so authentic. It’s not like me going out there and deciding to talk about the next big trend that I could care less about, which I think people really pick up on, you know, from an energetic perspective. Like it feels out of alignment. So I think this is really one of those areas where it really does come down to like, what do you want? What do you care about? What lights you up? And go put that thing out into the world? You know, grab on to that trend that’s in alignment with that, so you can ride that wave? Why not? Right, that’s the best way to do it. And then let your people find you. Because they are going to find you, right? And the ones that are not your people, that’s great. They can go find somebody else, right? But it just puts fuel behind you as a human being, I think so much more. And you shine as a brand, and it’s so much more attractive to, I think, any media outlet than doing it the other way around, wouldn’t you say?
Jessica Miller
[19:47] Totally, totally. I think that it’s so true. And one of the things that I see people that really step into their personal branding, one of the things that I see them do whether it’s Victoria Beckham, we’re coming on and we’re still in the whole Taylor Swift like craze, right? I mean, I love Taylor Swift too, is they connect with their audience.
Jackie Zuk
[20:09] So true.
Jessica Miller
[20:10] They are out there, they have found that thing, and then they really talk to their people. And it’s so fascinating because I mean, Victoria Beckham and makeup is a perfect, you know, example of this in my world, like I am not someone who has had a lot of experience with makeup. I was never a huge makeup wearer. I didn’t know anything about applying it, just right, no clue. But then she gets on there, and she’s like, doing her thing with her super cute accent. And I’m like, I need to, okay, I am in, I am in watching the reel, I got the kajal eyeliner. And it’s just, it’s really remarkable how much we draw people in, when we are passionate and connecting with our audience. And there’s nothing like it, like, no matter what ingredient or technique or whatever she could have written on her website, it would have never pulled me in the way her showing up in that way did. And I think that’s what we do, when we step out behind our business, you know, from behind our business.
Jackie Zuk
[21:13] And I love the authenticity. I mean, that’s trending so much more and more now. Like, just be yourself. Like, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Perfect will actually turn more people off. You know?
Jessica Miller
[21:23] Yes. Totally. Yeah. And I think to that end, too, this is for everybody listening, when I think a lot of times when people say authentic, we get this picture, like you need to like roll out of bed and get in front of the camera and like not shower, and it’s just like truly, quote unquote, you and it’s just like your messy self. And I just want to offer that, it doesn’t have to be that, and it shouldn’t mean that. Like I am a person, I will be totally transparent, I will never get on the camera rolled out of bed and not showered. Like that is not authentic for me. But I will get on here showered with my hair done and tell you exactly what I think. So whatever is authentic for you, you know, do that don’t, sometimes we get this picture of like, you need to be, like messy and you know, whatever. Like I said, half rolling out of bed in your pajamas. And it doesn’t need to be that it just needs to be whatever is in alignment for you. And I think energetically it shows. It’s really about the energy behind it more than anything and doing what you love and standing for the things that you care for, and surrounding yourself with the people that are going to cheer you on and align with that which will always come when you have a strong personal brand that way and you, you show up. And I think like we said earlier, you know, your business will benefit from it, your clients will benefit from it, the world will benefit from it because PR and media love that. They will pick that up. And it just makes every, it’s like win-win for everyone and so, so powerful. So powerful.
Jessica Miller
[21:38] And also, it’ll grow your business to the next level. Because when you grow, the business will grow.
Jessica Miller
[22:59] Yes. Yes, I agree with that. 100%. Yeah. Jackie, this has been so amazing. And I could go on and talk about this forever. I want you to tell people where they can find you. And you know what’s going on in your world right now with your business in this vein.
Jackie Zuk
[23:18] So right now I’m working on my next magazine that will be out in the fall. I usually book six months out so like that’s now like what I’m working on. I’m also working on some events, which I’m excited about. I really want to bring those back. And I really love to help people with their marketing like PR strategy. So like if people are looking to like up level like from where they are and they have a business and they know they need more. I want to be I would love to be a source for that. So you can reach out at next on scene.com, anywhere at next on scene or Jackie’s Zuk on social media.
Jessica Miller
[23:50] Awesome. Okay, so you’re Jackie Zuk on social media, and then next on scene. I love it. I love it. Jackie, this was awesome. Thank you for everything you do, for being the shining light that you are, for teaching me so much about marketing, PR, podcasting, magazines, all the things. It has been such an honor and thank you so much for all your wisdom that you shared today.
Jackie Zuk
[24:10] Thanks, Jess. I love being on with you. I’m so excited to have you back on my show. This was awesome.
Jessica Miller
[24:14] Awesome. And for everyone till next week. We’ll see you then.
