The early days (mornings) of building my brand in 2020
In 2019 - I was posting a weekly podcast about wellness and was too embarrassed to tell people at my 9-5 job I was doing so.
Now in 2025 -
I post 2x a week on LinkedIn
Write 1 newsletter a week on Substack
Host multiple Morning Routine Workshops a year at my 9-5 corporate job
Am often greeted with “hey you’re the morning routine girl” when I meet someone new at work or at a conference
In 6 years - I’ve made so many…
Scary
Wandering
Cringy
Exciting
Throw-spaghetti-at-the-wall
So-worth-it…
…mistakes while building my personal brand.
But I got up early (most) mornings with the belief that there is so much more to me than my 9-5 job title — and building a personal brand that includes my interests/passions/quirks would be a testament to that.
—
If you want to be known for something and start building your personal brand online in the morning before your 9-5, here are 3 things I would do (and not do).
1) Ask — What do I want to have more conversations about?
This question helps you:
Experiment with topics
Gather data on what you enjoy talking about and what others enjoy hearing from you
Move past the fear of what people might think
It’s normal for thoughts like “What will my coworkers or friends think?” and “I don’t exactly know where I’m going with this” —to creep in.
Asking a low-pressure question like “What do I want to have more conversations about?” helps you:
Find your people who will like, comment, and engage with your content
Realize everyone else will scroll by and not think twice!
Ask yourself this question and see where it takes you.
2) Pick a Format & Platform You (and Your People) Like
It’s easy to feel like you need to post everywhere — but you don’t.
Pick one format and platform you enjoy and where your ideal audience spends time.
Then, get really good at it!
Examples:
Podcasting — perfect if you want to reach busy moms who listen in the car.
Instagram — great if you love visual creativity, like interior design
LinkedIn — ideal if you like to write and start conversations about topics like millennials in leadership.
If you like the format and platform, you’ll naturally:
Put more energy into it
Get better over time
Connect with people who enjoy your content too
3) Start Posting 1 Morning per Week
Creating before work ensures your personal brand stays a priority — and doesn’t get put on the back burner (again).
A weekly routine example:
Monday: Create your post
Tuesday: Edit and post
(this gives you time to edit without overthinking)
Habit stack it:
Do it right after brushing your teeth or pouring your coffee.
Linking it to an existing habit increases consistency.
Create before you consume:
Write your post with a fresh mind before scrolling to avoid comparison trap or going down the rabbit hole.
Start small:
Begin with just one post a week.
You’ll be surprised how far 1 post a week pushes your brand (and your confidence)!