Serah D’Laine on Reinvention After Hollywood, Emotional Intelligence in Branding, and Why Fame Alone Isn’t Influence

…Fame doesn’t mean anything if you don’t have something to say that will inspire people. It’s not enough to just be seen. Especially in a world where everyone wants visibility, the real question is: do you have something meaningful to say? If you have the chance to inspire someone, what are you going to do with that opportunity?…

I had the pleasure of talking with Serah D’Laine. Serah, also known as Sarah Laine during her years in the entertainment industry, is a former actress who has transitioned into a career as a personal branding strategist, business coach, and founder of two companies focused on professional development and digital infrastructure. Her evolution from soap opera regular to entrepreneur underscores a broader narrative about reinvention, emotional intelligence, and the integration of storytelling into business strategy.

Born in Santa Barbara, California, D’Laine spent a portion of her childhood living across Europe due to her father’s career in automotive design. Countries including Germany, Sweden, and Portugal became temporary homes, and she was frequently required to adapt to new languages and cultures. That early exposure to cross-cultural communication later became central to her emphasis on non-verbal cues, presence, and emotional fluency — skills she now teaches as part of her coaching methodology.

D’Laine entered the entertainment industry at age 13, signing with an agent after early success in national television commercials. Within a year, she had joined the Screen Actors Guild and began appearing in film and television. Her most recognized role was as Dr. Sarah Webber on the daytime drama General Hospital, but her career also included film roles in Wild Things: Diamonds in the Rough, Mermaids, American Pie 2, among others. She also expanded into producing and investing in independent films. Her work spanned a decade and a half, with credits in both mainstream television (NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox), film, and production.

By 2010, facing a slowing entertainment industry marked by the 2008 writers’ strike and experiencing a period of personal upheaval that included a near-death experience, D’Laine decided to leave acting. This period of reflection prompted her to pursue personal development, leading her into coaching, brand consulting, and entrepreneurial ventures focused on identity and leadership. She later described this decision as a reclaiming of agency in a career that had often felt externally driven.

D’Laine is now the founder of STAGE•IIX Agency, a branding consultancy that merges Hollywood-standard aesthetics with strategic business development, and iSCALE CRM, a digital platform that provides A.I automation tools and lead management solutions for business owners and service-based professionals. Her clients range from small business owners and consultants to corporate executives and public figures.

Central to D’Laine’s work is her proprietary framework known as the “Profitable Personal Brand,” which she defines through three pillars: Persona, Presence, and Profit. The model is designed to help clients align their internal identity with their outward-facing brand while building business systems capable of sustaining growth. She also created the L.E.A.D. Method — an acronym for Learn, Evolve, Align, Deliver — which draws on parts-work psychology, NLP and emotional intelligence to help clients overcome internal resistance, including imposter syndrome.

Her work is informed by extensive certification and training across disciplines. D’Laine holds credentials in executive and life coaching, neuro-linguistic programming, hypnotherapy, and timeline therapy. She has also completed multiple programs with Landmark Worldwide and served as a leadership coach for various seminar series. These programs collectively contribute to her coaching philosophy, which blends practical business strategy with tools for internal self-mastery.

D’Laine’s approach to branding is deeply influenced by her entertainment background, particularly her understanding of storytelling, positioning, and public persona. She views personal branding as a form of narrative construction, where consistency, emotional resonance, and psychological clarity are as important as aesthetics or digital marketing techniques. Through her agency, she offers both front-end strategy (messaging, media presence, storytelling) and back-end infrastructure (funnels, customer relationship systems, workflow automation).

She is also developing a book focused on identity alignment and personal transformation, aimed primarily at women navigating leadership and entrepreneurship. While still in progress, the book builds on her central thesis that professional growth is often constrained by unresolved internal narratives, and that clarity around one’s “future self” is essential for building influence and driving impact.

Across public speaking, podcasting, and digital media, D’Laine maintains a consistent message: that personal branding is not merely an exercise in visibility, but in value clarification and emotional coherence. She draws a distinction between traditional notions of influence — which she sees as too often rooted in superficial metrics — and the type of influence that emerges from authenticity, alignment, and emotional transparency.

Though she maintains an active presence on platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, D’Laine is critical of the influencer economy when it emphasizes appearance over substance. She often positions herself as a counterpoint to this trend, advocating instead for intentional storytelling, long-term strategy, and purpose-driven branding.

D’Laine’s current work also reflects a commitment to rethinking gender roles within entrepreneurship. Rather than advocating for a binary understanding of “masculine” and “feminine” leadership traits, she encourages clients to develop emotional range and adaptability, regardless of gender identity. Her coaching emphasizes integration over conformity, urging individuals to draw on both structure and intuition in their work.

In all, Serah D’Laine’s career has followed a non-linear path from early fame to strategic mentorship. Her public identity now rests less on her past visibility and more on her current role as a guide for others seeking to define, refine, or reframe their own stories. As she continues to expand her ventures and media platforms, D’Laine represents a growing cohort of former entertainers leveraging their industry knowledge into the broader domain of personal and professional development.

Yitzi: Serah, it’s a delight and an honor to meet you. Before we dive in deep, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share with us a story of your childhood and how you grew up?

Serah: Oh, my childhood. We’re going way back — early days. Okay, so how we grew up. I was born in Santa Barbara. I love that city. Then we moved down to Orange County. My parents, we didn’t come from money or anything like that. Both of them were car designers. At the time, my dad was doing clay modeling in car design, and in the States, there just wasn’t much work. So, to provide for his family, he went wherever the jobs were, which led us to Europe on contract.

He went first, then sent for my mom, my sister, and me. That led to a good five, five and a half years in Europe — Germany, England, Sweden, France, Spain, Portugal. We lived mostly in Germany, Sweden, and Portugal. I had to learn new languages every two years, make new friends, adapt to different school systems that were nothing like those in the U.S. I had to learn how to communicate with people who came from different cultures and spoke different languages — sometimes without words, just using energy and non-verbal cues.

By the time we came back to the U.S., I was fluent in two languages and nearly fluent in a third. That was the early part of my childhood. Coming back to the U.S. was a complete culture shock. Every summer, my parents would send me to visit my grandmother in Orange County. We’d do fun things. She put me in modeling classes, kind of like etiquette classes. It wasn’t finishing school, but they taught you how to walk, how to carry yourself, how to set a table — those kinds of things.

There was always a modeling contest at the end. I ended up winning all of them through those classes. My first real job was a photo shoot at a department store — can’t remember the name — but that was my first step into modeling, acting, and the entertainment industry. My grandmother asked, “Does Sarah want to try this for real?” She suggested getting me an agent and a manager to see what would happen.

It all just progressed naturally. I was never the girl who said, “I want to be famous.” I think that’s kind of cheesy. It was just fun, and I was enjoying myself. We gave it a shot, and things kept working. That led me into the entertainment industry full-time. I got into SAG within the first six months, which is pretty unheard of — three national commercials right off the bat. I was working pretty consistently, and I’ve been able to find work every year since. That’s how my whole journey started — at around 13 years old, working full-time in entertainment.

Yitzi: So can you tell us a story of how you started as a personal brand professional?

Serah: Right. How did that shift happen? Well, I think most people used to think of personal branding as something only for celebrities. That conversation has really changed over the last few years, thankfully. I believe everyone has a personal brand. The question is, are they using it in a way that can help them make a greater impact in the world?

For me, I was working pretty consistently in Hollywood. Then two things happened at the same time. The first was the strike around 2008. That really shut everything down. It rocked the industry in a way nobody expected. Strikes are important — people are fighting for their rights — but it made it incredibly difficult to find work unless you were an A-list celebrity. Everything became “offer only” to specific talent, and for the rest of us, it was a closed door.

At the same time, I was also going through a personal shift. I started so young, and I found myself in a deep process of self-discovery and spiritual growth. At the time, I didn’t know what was going on — it felt chaotic, intense, and scary. Looking back, I see it as a spiritual awakening and a deeper connection with myself.

Because I had tested out of high school at 15 and never went to college, I didn’t have a traditional background. Everything I learned came from real-life experience in Hollywood. And that taught me so much — it was its own kind of university. I learned about people, psychology, emotional intelligence, branding, and personal branding.

But what I didn’t know was how to build something of my own — something no one could take away, fire me from, or make me wait for approval. I realized I didn’t feel like I had any power in my own career. Everything looked great from the outside, this glamorous lifestyle, but inside I felt powerless. That became a major reason why I’m so passionate now about helping other people build businesses they own — using the power of their personal brand.

I had to figure it out. I started selling products online. YouTube was just coming out, and Instagram followed. This whole wave of social media was happening, and at first, I didn’t want to be part of it. I thought it was cheesy. There was already so much out there about me online, and I wanted some privacy. But then I realized if you want real power over your career and your narrative, you have to claim that position. Otherwise, someone else will shape it for you.

That happened to me. I tried to put a few things together, and people stole parts of it and claimed it as their own. Because they had a bigger online presence, I couldn’t say anything. I learned some tough lessons about claiming your power in business. I got mentors, I went to seminars, and I invested heavily in my own education — how to build an online business, how to grow a brand, how to use social media. A lot of it we were all learning in real time.

As I built it, people started asking me how I did it. I’ve always followed what felt aligned. Just like how I got into Hollywood — it was working, so I followed that path of least resistance. Same here. People were asking me questions — not just about business, but also about themselves. So I got into coaching and consulting, helping people with their relationship to themselves, and how that affects their relationships with others.

That grew on social media and eventually transitioned into people asking how I turned that into a business. How was I making money full-time just from social media? It was a fascinating process — lots of ups and downs, lots of “figure it the F out” moments — but also a lot of wins. So yeah, it’s been a journey of both.

Yitzi: You probably have some amazing stories from your professional life, both in your career in Hollywood and in your career as a branding expert. Can you share with our readers one or two stories that most stand out in your mind?

Serah: A story from Hollywood… what’s a good one? Oh my gosh, there are so many. Hollywood will always hold a special place in my heart because I grew up there. It’s a place built on great storytelling, and that’s where I really learned the art and psychology of not just entertainment, but of understanding people — what we’re drawn to, what makes us human.

Let me think… do you want the drama stories? I mean, there are plenty, but I don’t want to dive into all that. The beautiful thing about Hollywood is that it humbles you. It teaches you about yourself.

Okay, I don’t know why this is the memory coming to me, but maybe it’s because we’re talking about personal branding and what it means to be seen. When people talk about influence, authority, and putting yourself out there, there’s always this underlying element of fame. The red carpets, the paparazzi — it all looks so glamorous. And sure, I enjoyed dressing up, wearing beautiful clothes and shoes, having fun. But I actually hated the red carpet. I really did.

I remember — and I’ll give you a little context — these days, when people talk about fame, it often sounds like it comes from this ego-driven place. But even when I first started, that was never my goal. I have a big introverted side. I love connecting with people, and then I want to go home and not talk to anyone. So that side of me really hated the whole fame part of it.

I remember being on a red carpet once, and this was a recurring thing. I think it might’ve been at the MTV Movie Awards, but I honestly can’t remember exactly. Reporters would always ask, “What does it feel like to be famous?” And I just remember laughing. I never saw myself that way. I never identified with that label. I wasn’t the “cool girl” growing up — I was a tomboy, always in jeans and a T-shirt. Now I enjoy expressing all the sides of who I am, but that question just struck me as so silly.

But in that moment, after laughing about it, I had this really deep feeling in my gut. It was like this internal voice spoke up and said, “Fame doesn’t mean anything if you don’t have something to say that will inspire people.” That moment hit me hard. I didn’t say it out loud to the interviewer, but I never forgot it.

It shifted something in me. I started thinking, “Okay, I have this platform. What am I going to do with it?” It’s not enough to just be seen. Especially in a world where everyone wants visibility, the real question is: do you have something meaningful to say? If you have the chance to inspire someone, what are you going to do with that opportunity?

That changed my entire perspective on influence. And now more than ever, I think we’re redefining what influence and authority actually mean. It’s no longer about just having a name or followers. The question is: can I relate to you? Have you lived something real that I can connect with?

True influence today is about authenticity and shared experience. If fame comes with that, then own it — but not for attention. Own it because you have something valuable to say and a desire to make a positive impact. Be someone who uplifts, not someone who tears others down. That, to me, is what real influence is about.

Regarding my branding career, I could give you all the funny, weird, goofy stuff that’s happened — happy mistakes and all that — but the moment that comes to mind isn’t necessarily about branding. It’s more about a life experience.

It was when I made the decision to give myself the chance to see what else was out there. In hindsight, it was that moment of leaping into something completely unknown. That feeling is embedded in the cells of my emotional memory. I remember calling my manager and my agent and telling them, “I need to go on this journey.”

I never really had that teenage rebellion phase where you go off before college to find yourself. I was already working. So I kind of did it backwards. I thought, if I don’t take this opportunity now — at a time when Hollywood was shifting and I was going through a spiritual awakening — am I ever going to? I never had the rebellious journey before heading off to the metaphorical college. I didn’t follow the traditional path.

So I made that decision. It was terrifying. I had this cute little Z3 Coupe, the little hardtop — my Mary Poppins car because you could fit so much in the trunk even though it was tiny. I loved that car. I packed up everything and called my manager and agent again. I told them, “I have to take this journey.”

I still get emotional thinking about it. I cried when I told my manager, and I don’t even know why I’m tearing up now. I just adored her. She was so good to me. But I had to do it.

At the time, everyone thought I was going crazy. My friends didn’t understand what I was doing. It probably seemed really irrational. But in my heart, I was being pulled in that direction, and I couldn’t say no anymore.

I packed up my little Z3 and hit the road, gripping the steering wheel, white-knuckled, totally freaked out. I’ve traveled all over the world, but this felt like leaving home for the first time — leaping into a void, not knowing if there would be any ground beneath me. Just complete uncertainty.

And now, in hindsight, I think you learn to love that uncertainty. As an entrepreneur, you kind of have to. You have to find some way to love the anxiety that comes with it.

I’ll always quote my mom on this. I called her when I was completely overwhelmed. I said, “Mom, what if I fail?” All those fears of the unknown came pouring out. “What am I doing? Am I crazy? What if I fail? What if I leap and there’s no ground?”

And she said, “Why are you worried about the ground underneath you when you were born with wings? You’re going to fly no matter what.”

In that moment, I completely lost it. It was exactly what I needed to hear. She reminded me that I’ve always figured it out, no matter the challenge. I didn’t fail in Hollywood. I made it work. And if I could do that, I could figure this out, too.

She reminded me that when you’re up against something tough, you do whatever it takes because you’re determined. That mindset — knowing you’ll keep going no matter what — that’s what gets you through.

I think that determination has been a constant for me in building my business and facing every challenge that’s come my way. I always come back to that. It might feel awful in the moment, but if you’re determined, there’s always a way forward.

That, to me, is the core of the entrepreneurial spirit. You don’t need all the answers. You just need the will to step out and stand on your own.

Yitzi: It’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake that you made when you were first starting acting and the lesson that you learned from it?

Serah: Oh man, a humorous mistake from when I first started acting… That might be a little harder because I was really young back then. You’re tapping into the deep memory banks here, Yitzi.

I don’t know if this one’s funny, but I think Hollywood teaches you a lot about learning who you are. You really have to know yourself. That whole “know thyself” Shakespeare thing — it’s not a joke. Growing up in it, it led me to what I do now in ‘parts work psychology’, where you get to develop all these different parts of your personality. But when I was young, I didn’t realize that’s what I was doing.

The art and psychology of acting really is about meeting all these different versions of yourself. Some are goofy, some are wild. I remember I never wanted to do improv. I don’t even know if this is relevant, but my introverted self hated improv. At home, I lived with a grandmother who was verbally abusive, and behind closed doors it was a very toxic environment. She had her own struggles, including alcoholism, and I had to constantly walk on eggshells.

So everything had to be perfect all the time. If I messed up, even a little, I risked an outburst. That made me terrified of doing anything imperfect, including improv. I was afraid to look silly, afraid to mess up, because perfection felt like the only safe option.

I don’t remember the exact day it shifted, but I remember feeling so tense in my body, like I wasn’t fully expressing myself. Part of me was hiding. And when I finally let that part out, when I started taking improv classes, it completely changed me. I gave myself permission to do the weirdest, goofiest things. I leaned into it. If there were exercises where the whole goal was to act like a total goofball, I was all in. I wanted the freedom to be completely idiotic, just for the sake of play.

I’d been putting this filter on myself for so long, trying to be perfect, and improv helped me find the part of me that didn’t give a damn about what anyone thought. That part didn’t care how people were going to perceive me. And that gave me access to my unfiltered voice. If you want to be heard in the world, you can’t be so filtered.

Now, sometimes I’ll drop an F-bomb on stage, and sure, some people might be intimidated or offended depending on their background or beliefs. But that part of me is like, “I’m not here to be filtered.” If it’s authentic in the moment, then it is what it is. If you can take life with a sense of play and lightness, that’s where the magic happens. And Hollywood is so often about intensity, perfectionism, and trying to fit in — especially as a woman, when society wants to shove you in a mold.

But if I hadn’t found the part of me that said, “Excuse me, we don’t fit in a box,” then I never would’ve known what it feels like to operate outside of one. I had to find her. So no, it’s not exactly a funny story, but the funny part really came through improv. I found my funny self. I found my goofball. And if you had a camera on those improv nights, that stuff would’ve been hilarious — just a bunch of weirdos acting like total goofballs.

Yitzi: We love hearing stories where somebody who’s a bit further ahead opens up a door or creates an opportunity and that changes somebody’s career trajectory. Do you have a story where someone did that to you or you did that for somebody else?

Serah: The fun thing about each project is it becomes very family-oriented, you know? I was always fascinated with the whole process, being in front of the camera, creating a character, playing it out, embodying it. There were a lot of moments where I wanted to try different things.

At one point, I wanted to move more behind the camera. I started getting into the producing side, and I was given the opportunity to work on an indie film with a great cast and a great story. That really opened up the full production side for me. It didn’t matter if you were working wardrobe or doing something else, everyone behind the scenes played a vital role in making the whole thing come together.

It’s kind of like building a business. On the outside, everything looks polished, but behind the scenes, it’s a whole operation. I loved that opportunity because I realized I love building. I love having things look a certain way, for sure. There’s definitely a Hollywood aesthetic that comes through, but the foundation has to be solid. You need good people, the right connections, and this sense of a family environment. It really is a team effort.

I was really grateful for someone saying, “Okay, try this.” That happens a lot. Actors turn into producers or directors, but not everyone is into the building process.

I think that moment, where I got to be behind the camera and help put the production together with a team, was huge for me. It’s fascinating to see how everything is created.

There were so many challenging experiences I’ve had in Hollywood. But at the same time, there are incredible adventures. Hollywood teaches you how to be a possibility thinker. It expands your creativity. It helps you build a community that’s committed to getting a project done.

Yitzi: Serah, you have so much impressive work. Can you share with our readers the exciting projects you’re working on now?

Serah: I’m leaning more into helping other people define their voice in the world and build projects that allow them to make their own impact — projects they can truly own and feel empowered by in their careers. That’s what I’m most excited about.

I started STAGE•IIX Agency to help people take their vision — whether it’s for a project or a business — and bring it to life. What I find most often is that people have the idea, the passion, and the purpose behind what they want to do, but they don’t always know how to take that vision and, first, make it aesthetically appealing at a high level. Second, they often don’t know how it needs to be positioned. And third, they struggle to figure out how they’re different from everyone else. Those are the three things I love helping people define and create.

How they put it out there — through social media, their website, all of it — matters. One of the most valuable tips I learned from Hollywood, the kind of tip I’d pay for, is that everything is about positioning. That includes aesthetics, but also the deeper foundation of the brand you’re building.

To me, it’s fascinating to help others figure that out because it’s really all storytelling. It’s about telling a story in a way that looks right, feels right, and creates emotion. They may already have the passion and purpose, but translating that into something that makes others feel something — that’s the essence of entertainment.

I bring everything I learned in Hollywood — from style to storytelling — to help people convey their message, no matter what their product or service is. And when they set those higher goals for themselves, the doubts come in: Am I doing the right thing? Is it good enough? Will this succeed? I had all those same doubts when I stepped into the unknown.

When those doubts show up, we support that deeper inner work too. We use psychology and science-backed, systematic tools to help them move through that internal dialogue so they can keep inspiring others with what they’re creating. That’s what I’m most excited about.

STAGE•IIX Agency does branding and marketing, with a strong focus on high-end and luxury branding. My personal brand also promotes, and I still coach and consult with entrepreneurs, coaches, and consultants. We run our own webinars and programs, which you can find on the website.

What I’ve really started to nerd out on lately is helping people build their foundation and systems. We developed iScale CRM because once you have the vision and we’ve helped you put it together, you still need the infrastructure — just like in film production. You need all the parts behind the scenes to make sure the project is successful. So, it’s about having the systems, the CRM, and everything else that supports the dream.

Yitzi: This is our signature question, the centerpiece of our interview. Serah, you’ve been blessed with a lot of success, and you must have learned a lot from your experiences. Can you share five things that you need to build a trusted and beloved brand?

Serah: Okay, I’ll start by saying — it’s not just about building a business. It’s about building community and becoming the face of that community. That’s why we’re so passionate about personal branding. Because inside of all that, you want to master yourself and have that authority or inspiring influence. After everything we’ve done, we ended up reverse-engineering it all into a framework we now use. So that’s why I’m saying it might not be a traditional “five things.” We’ve created what we call the Profitable Personal Brand framework, and it’s built on three pillars.

The first pillar is persona. And that’s deeper than just mindset. Persona is about using tools to understand who you authentically are. Inside of that, we use what we call the LEAD method — Learn, Evolve, Align, and Deliver. Because mindset alone isn’t enough. You have to step into the next version of yourself — your future self. We help people brand from the place of who they’re becoming. We all have a past, and your past is absolutely your expertise. But what we do a bit differently is help people identify with that future version of themselves. It’s almost like time traveling into the version of you that needs to exist in order to bring that big vision and goal to life. That’s where parts work psychology really comes in. Sure, you can have a business — but the real power is in becoming that next-level version of yourself who’s doing something truly impactful in the world. I think a lot of us are building these things under the surface because we’re on a spiritual journey. It’s really about discovering who you truly are and what you’re capable of — and then achieving that. I believe that’s a spiritual process. So at the core of everything we do, it’s about helping people reach those higher states of consciousness within themselves. That’s what persona is all about. It’s the last thing we focus on in the process, but it’s the most important. Because once you start setting new goals, your future self will challenge your current self.

That leads into pillar number two: presence. This is about building influence — mission-driven influence. And yes, some element of fame. You want authority. You need to be seen as the authority in your space. I tell everyone I work with: claim the authority in whatever space you want to own. No one’s going to give you permission. You don’t need permission. But if you’re not claiming your authority, that’s where the confidence tends to fall apart. So we help people understand how to position themselves as the go-to authority in their niche, even if they’re not “there” yet. Because honestly, I work with experts — people who care deeply and are amazing at what they do — and there are less qualified people out there getting the opportunities they want. And I hate that injustice. It’s not because those people are better. It’s just because they’ve built a presence. So I love helping people build theirs, especially because most people don’t understand how to do it from a Hollywood perspective.

And finally, the third pillar is profit. You have to turn your influence into income — unless you’re building a nonprofit, of course — but most people want to build something that generates revenue. If your brand isn’t making money, then what are we doing? It’s about how you’re positioning, how you’re showing up, and how you’re adding value. But ultimately, it has to lead somewhere. This is also where the tech and systems come in. It can be overwhelming and complicated, so we simplify it into our all-in-one CRM platform. We help people get clear on their signature offer, build it, and then put it into a system where they can actually deliver and sell it — whether it’s a product or service.

My goal is to help people build a business that’s designed to scale, and a personal brand that’s confident and powerful enough to sell it.

Yitzi: Do you think the term influencer will go out of style?

Serah: That’s a good point — if “influencer” is going to be disregarded. I don’t know if the term itself will be thrown out, but I do think we’re redefining it. And I believe personal branding is being redefined too. It used to just be for celebrities.

Here’s how I separate the two: I believe true influence comes from having a personal brand — one that exists for the purpose of inspiring others, making an impact, and sharing a meaningful message.

Being an influencer, on the other hand, has taken on a certain stereotype. It often just means promoting someone else’s product or service. That’s similar to what celebrities do — they get paid to promote things they may or may not actually use or believe in. They don’t always own what they’re promoting. And when we talk about true influence, what’s often missing is that sense of relatability and respect.

If you’re promoting a product or service, how does it relate to you? Do you have a personal experience that makes your promotion authentic? That’s what earns my respect and makes me believe you. That’s what allows me to relate to you — and that is what influences me to purchase something.

It all comes back to storytelling. What story are you telling that makes me care about the product or service you’re promoting?

That’s why I say personal branding is becoming the new definition of real influence. You have to share your experience. Your story is what leads to your expertise, and that’s where the influence comes from. I respect that, because now I understand why I should care.

We don’t care about logos anymore. Branding isn’t about colors, fonts, or fashion. Branding is about who you are, what your story is, what people can relate to, and what they can respect.

That’s what makes people want to be a part of your world. That’s how I separate “influencer” from “influence.”

Personal branding is setting a new standard. Celebrity isn’t as influential anymore. The people who have a story, a message, and an authentic brand — those are the ones truly influencing now.

Yitzi: Because of the platform that you’ve built and your great work, you’re a person of enormous influence. If you could put out an idea, spread an idea, or inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

Serah: I feel like women are really over being forced into these societal identity boxes, either too much or not enough. Too soft or too strong. Too emotional or too assertive. We’ve been conditioned to believe we need to be either the nice girl or the fierce leader. The sensual lover or the focused provider. The soft nurturer or the strong one who holds it all together. We’re constantly trying to balance between what’s “masculine” and what’s “feminine,” and then get judged based on that.

If I hear one more person say a woman who runs her business is being “too masculine” and must be unhappy, or that when she strives to achieve more, she’s accused of competing with “the boys”… like, no Chad, she’s not trying to be a guy (laughs).

What’s been missing isn’t more advice about how a woman should or shouldn’t be. It’s the understanding that we can stop trying to be one version of ourselves and instead embrace all of who we are. The truth is, we are all of it. And we’re exhausted from pretending we’re not.

Every time she dims herself, a piece of her soul dies. She feels it. She knows it. And she’s done.

I believe the most powerful shift a woman can make is to become the highest, fullest expression of herself, not just the polished, presentable version, but all aspects of her expression. When we stop fighting parts of ourselves, stop dimming them, stop over-identifying with one and neglecting the others, we return to wholeness. That’s when everything clicks.

It’s really about women reconnecting with the different aspects of their personal power: the Soft Nurturer, the Sensual Muse, the Wild Woman, the High Achiever, and the Wise Queen. These are traditional archetypes, but reimagined for the modern woman. They hold truths we need now, not just in leadership or business, but in how we live, love, and show up in the world.

It’s about reminding women they don’t have to choose between being feminine or powerful, nurturing or ambitious. Your power isn’t in perfecting one part of you, it’s in integrating all of you. And when a woman fully embodies that, that’s when she becomes radiant. That’s what creates magnetism. That’s what deepens self-trust. That’s what allows you to lead, love, and live without constantly questioning yourself.

That’s the message. Women who stop fragmenting themselves to fit into systems that were never built for us and instead lead from their highest HER. Because when a woman owns every part of who she is, she becomes unstoppable. Waiting for permission was so 2020.

I keep joking that my book will be called ‘Bitch, Sit Down’. It’s sort of a command to the outdated parts of us that hold us back, but I don’t think that’ll sell very well. It’s really about identifying all the parts of your personality, the outdated ones that get in your way or hold you back, and the ones that support you, and most importantly, aligning with your future self.

This is going to sound bold, but I believe people’s internal struggles, the confidence issues, the self-doubt, the self-sabotage, are all rooted in internal conflict. Men experience it too, just with different language, but everyone has limiting beliefs.

I truly believe the number one solution is parts work psychology. That’s the foundation of the LEAD Method.

That’s why I don’t believe imposter syndrome exists. I think it’s what I call a “parts-problem.” It’s a disconnect between the future version you want to become and your current self that’s holding onto limitations. You’re not an imposter, you’re just in conflict. You’re not burned out, you are evolving. Stop punishing yourself for outgrowing what no longer fits.

If we could resolve that, imposter syndrome wouldn’t exist. Self-sabotage wouldn’t exist if there wasn’t a part of you trying to hold you back. Self-doubt wouldn’t exist because only a part of you is doubting. There’s another part that knows you’re a badass. These aren’t permanent states. They’re momentary misalignments.

I believe the world doesn’t need more women who’ve learned how to play the game. She’s creating her own. She’s not competing with men. She’s not trying to act like one of the guys. She’s being HER, her fullest expression.

The world needs more women who’ve remembered how to be whole.

She doesn’t have to prove herself by being productive 24/7.
She doesn’t have to shrink herself to be taken seriously.
She doesn’t have to silence herself just to feel safe.
And she doesn’t have to mother everyone at the expense of her own desires.

When more women live from this embodied wholeness, not the fragmented hustle, not the spiritual bypassing, not the endless striving for external approval, but true inner alignment… that’s how we set a new standard of what it means to “Lead Like HER.”

That’s how we create businesses, art, and legacies that are soulful.
And it starts with remembering who you are, every beautiful, powerful, sacred part of your highest HER.

Yitzi: How can our readers continue to follow your work online? How could they get in touch with you to engage your services? How could they support you in any possible way?

Serah: Thank you! We have my personal brand site and my boutique agency site.Now, for readers who are founders, entrepreneurs or expert service providers who are passionate about making an impact as the face of their business and need their brand to stand out so they can reach the next level of success, those resources are available at www.serahdlaine.com.

There, we offer free trainings, and I’m really excited about our free newsletter. I wanted to create something people actually want to read, with brand tips, sales script ideas, and actionable how-tos you can use in your business and brand. We also share tools for overcoming self-sabotage that go beyond just mindset.

And for readers who are CEOs or run 6- to 7-figure companies looking for more “done-for-you” services, go to STAGE•IIX. We focus on personal branding, social media strategy and content, marketing consulting, and scaling through proper back-end systems. You can book a consultation to speak with us.

Yitzi: Serah, thank you so much for your time. Thank you for sharing these amazing stories. We wish you continued success, good health, and blessings — and hope we do this interview again next year.

Serah: Sounds good. Yitzi, you’re awesome.