What happens when you spend nearly 40 hours talking to 17 subject matter experts about how they bring themselves into their work?

You learn a great deal about people. And, as I discovered, you start to see some interesting patterns in how they build their careers, communicate their value and find their place in the world.

Almost two years ago, I began a series of conversations with specialists from all sorts of fields. From executive search and defence software to wildlife art, a typhoon fighter pilot, a cultural intelligence coach and even an extreme expedition leader, I wanted to understand how these people navigate their work and express who they are.

In this episode, I share what I learnt from those conversations, along with a behind-the-scenes look at the time and thought that went into making the series.

I explore six themes that kept appearing: vulnerability, authenticity, unconscious value, jungle-gym careers, cultural intelligence and humanity in the age of artificial intelligence.

If you are a specialist who wants to communicate your value more clearly, feel more comfortable with your personal brand or make sense of the next stage of your career, come and listen.

Contact me on shelley@harbour32.co.uk if you’d like to talk about working on your personal brand strategy.

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𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a personal brand strategist working with proficient career-rich professionals who are experts in their fields. She supports and guides her clients to rediscover and validate their considerable strengths, unique personality and reputation, and translate these into ways that make them more visible, discoverable and credible in a highly digitally-driven professional marketplace.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ business brands, across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work.

She co-runs a strategic consultant-led agency, Harbour 32, with her talented friend Imogen Jones where they focus on personal brand strategy and podcast shows for subject matter experts.

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All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube. (Click here for the full audio transcribed version).

I introduce you to my client, Jane Whitfield, a specialist strategic private client solicitor. I worked with her on her personal brand strategy and on sharpening her profile as a thought leader in her field.

This is a behind the scenes look into what personal brand strategy work looks like in reality, when you work with me.

Jane came to the work slightly sceptical about the idea of “personal brand” - because she associated it with self-promotion. What changed her mind was listening to this show and my series with experts.

She realised that this work is not about constructing a persona. It is about working out who you already are, what you genuinely stand for, and becoming more intentional about how you communicate that.

It’s not an ‘arrogance’ exercise – nor is it about shining up your ‘ego’ for self-promotion. It’s deeper. More moving. And it will change the way YOU see yourself, and how you are experienced by others.

This is a conversation about how your back story feeds into your character traits and values you display today, and how your career to date has shaped your views. You will even find out why perhaps some things in your life journey so far – have frustrated the hell out of you.

I hope you enjoy listening! Jane is really generous with her sharing.

𝗚𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Jane Whitfield is a specialist strategic private client solicitor with 25+ years-experience in advising and guiding families, trusts and charities with complex issues and vulnerable beneficiaries.

She has carried out well over 4000 personalized consultancy sessions, and has trained and mentored close to 300 solicitors over the course of her career.

Outside of her professional article publications and professional associations, she also holds Charity Trusteeships for the Law Society Charity, Smile International and Odyssey Ensemble for Refugees.

𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a personal brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in helping her clients to uncover their genius gifts which the world needs and translate that into something that can be marketed and communicated in a way that’s comfortable for them, and powerful for others.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work.

She co-runs her strategic consultant-led agency Harbour 32, with her talented friend Imogen Jones, where they focus on personal brand strategy and podcast shows for subject matter experts.

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All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube. (Click here for the full audio transcribed version).

After more than 36 hours of one-to-one conversations with a wide variety of subject matter experts, I wanted to test something.

What actually makes someone a remarkable, go-to subject matter expert?

After having these intentional conversations, I pulled together eight non-negotiable principles that I believe the best go-to experts embody.

I believe that having information is one thing. However, having deep knowledge, knowing how to apply it, understanding context, continuing to learn and taking responsibility for the impact of your advice is something else entirely.

And in a world where we have access to more information than ever, and can create convincing content with AI in seconds - I think this distinction matters.

If you see yourself as a subject matter expert, I invite you to listen and see how many of these eight principles you recognise in yourself.

Contact me on shelley@harbour32.co.uk if you’d like to talk about working on your personal brand strategy.

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𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗥𝗢̈𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗜𝗢:

Shelley is a systems-led personal brand strategist working with knowledge experts…those who teach, educate, consult, advise or mentor others. Her specialism is in helping her clients to uncover their genius gifts which the world needs and translate that into something that can be marketed and communicated in a way that’s comfortable for them.

South African born and British-grown, Shelley has worked with 150+ brands across 30+ industries through her consultancy and agency work.

She co-runs a strategic consultant-led agency, Harbour 32, with her talented friend Imogen Jones where they focus on personal brand strategy and podcast shows for subject matter experts.

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All episodes are video recorded and can be watched in the website show notes at shelleyrostlund.com/podcast, or on YouTube. (Click here for the full audio transcribed version).