I've been meaning to write this post for a while now, but when trying to put words on the screen I've always struggled to explain myself coherently. People (on the internet) generally know me as Hello Miss Potter – I decided I was going to stand behind my own personal brand using my real name quite a long time ago now, and I have used it as a username, identity and brand ever since. Most people know me as 'Hello Miss Potter the designer', or Hello 'Miss Potter from Twitter'. A few know me as Hello Miss Potter the Leaping Tiger co-founder /blogger /streamer /gamer /crossfitter. No matter what I'm putting my energy into, I use my Hello Miss Potter "brand" to do so, and I give it 110%.
Over the years I've grown and changed – as most people do – and with it my online personality has shifted too. But just lately I've been feeling like my internet identity is a little fragmented, and I have spent a bit of time trying to bring it all together again. A lot of my followers on Twitter have been there since my days of running half marathons, or since I started my graphic design business in 2009, and some are newer additions since the gaming industry and all things start-up business related have come into my life. I truly appreciate everyone I connect with, on and offline, that shares my passions, of which there are many! I love the conversations, the sharing of information, and how tiny the internet makes the world feel sometimes. I also love the crossover connections and overlap of interests that happen when you have every facet of your personality involved in your personal brand all at once, and that's why my profile almost always reads – designer, co-founder, kiwi, crossfitter, lover of games.
I guess what I'm trying to write is a ode to identity, and how important it is to constantly be aware of, work on, and pivot your personal brand. I've had so many amazing experiences and opportunities in my life that have happened 100% because of my online personality, and the work I put in to developing it. You might think a personal brand is something reserved for celebrities, or people doing hugely glamorous things, but I truly believe it's something more than that, and something that you should be using as a tool in your life as much as you can! If you make people aware of your values and what you're interested in being part of, you will never cease being surprised by the awesome things that can come your way.
I really hope the facets of my life continue to overlap and crossover more than ever before in the coming months. My personal brand lives at the intersection of gaming, design and start-up life, and it's right where I want to be.