Global Branding Specialist: the Help you Need to Stand Tall
Liezel van der Westhuizen is a Global Branding Specialist. She talked to Mooi about her journey towards empowering her clients and their brands, her support system, and her own entrepreneurial journey.
“Starting your own business is hard, and every day as an entrepreneur is a journey of growth. But I have an incredible group of women in my Mastermind group where we get together and assist and support each other” reflects Liezel when asked about her journey. “It’s about finding the right sisterhood to support you and help you. But it feels so good to be here as I am now!”
Liezel van der Westhuizen is a Global Branding Specialist, and Keynote Speaker, currently based in Cape Town.
“A Personal Brand Coach helps you attract the right clientele to your business, by being a Thought Leader and expert that you are in your field; and I help to showcase that, and define that” she explains.
When you define yourself as the go-to person for a certain interest, service, or industry, then you have a valuable asset to leverage with — that’s what she does. Liezel coaches clients on how to define themselves and what they do, and the value that their target market can get from engaging them and their services or offerings.
She also assists with Social Media, Marketing, Public Relations, Media Training, Speaking, Podcast Training… “Anything that requires you to be on and off-camera in real life, and virtually”.
Stand tall and strong
Liezel's nickname of “The Giraffe” stems from a journalist, in a well-renowned Sunday publication, talking about how Liezel looked like a giraffe.
Instead of taking this as an insult, she used it to start her Personal Branding business: The Giraffe Brand Academy, where she assists corporates, entrepreneurs, and executives, in building their personal brands to stand up taller and stronger, and attract the right kind of clientele to their business.
And that, right there, says so much about who Liezel truly is. The road to success was hard and bumpy, and yet here she is.
“I have achieved much. It took facing myself (my biggest and tallest opponent) and pushing past the challenges presented by thinking small, because I thought I was a “small fry”, to see the world of possibilities beyond. Now I tower in my industry, my reputation precedes me, and I am content in the skin I’m in” she reflects.
For her, Imposter Syndrome was, and is, real. “You sometimes wonder whether you are deserving of the opportunities and renown you have actually worked for. You worry about whether you are being perceived as a fraud, and with the market so saturated with amazing talent, you can also worry about the extent of your abilities. I have to battle that too sometimes”.
Overcoming her own insecurities to be the person she is today is in her mind her biggest accomplishment.
The value you are positioned to give the world
In everyday life, Liezel breaks her day down into specific segments, which are allocated for work, training and relaxation.
“I make sure that I get up and get dressed every morning, and start my day as I would any other, with: going through my goals, confirming my schedule, and driving towards completing that list every day. Having a sense of purpose is what will motivate you through this”.
Her favorite part is those two minutes after she wakes up. Everything is still quiet because it’s so early. “I can hear the ocean and quiet breathing in my bedroom; I’m cozy and content, and for those few minutes, everything is blissful!”.
But her favorite part of the JOB is what she calls the “aha! Moment”. When her clients begin to understand their personal brand, and what value they are positioned to give the world, and then they also begin to visualize its impact too. “It is so gratifying and empowering to witness”.
Empowering and educating across industries
In terms of work and clients, she has all kinds. She doesn’t stop at specific industries, she loves the challenges that niches and different backgrounds bring to the table.
Liezel has blue-chip clients from around the world, as well as small business entrepreneurs. She takes care of media personalities, and everyday people just wanting to work on their brand or their business.
“I think people come to me because my work speaks for itself, and my efforts are genuine and efficient. I am invested in each of my clients because, at the end of the day, they’re also my resume, right?!”.
As for the work she does with them, it all depends on the program they are on. The Giraffe Brand Academy offers a whole host of programs customized to individuals and groups.
Webinars come equipped with their own LIVE tasks that involve practical workbook tasks and skills-building assessments, and there are also programs that are ongoing and use a mixture of in-person and virtual sessions, homework, the rolling out of events, and online tasks, etc. It can be an extensive process lasting months or even a 90-minute session, but there will always be value-added regardless.
Clients are not always clear about what they want when they come to her, or sometimes they want something that doesn’t actually align with what Personal branding does.
“But I have to educate everyone regardless, of what Personal Branding has the potential to do IF they are willing to work at it, and work hard too!”.
Take up space
For Liezel, the future is full of new challenges, and amazing possibilities. She has a great Personal Branding program and Personal Branding webinar offering rolling out soon, designed around these “new normal” times.
“It will equip anybody — executive, entrepreneur, or otherwise — with the skills, tools and insights they need, to strategize and implement plans that will lead to their business and brand success. It’s a fantastic express overhaul for Personal Branding success.”
She’s also working on a Personal Brand course for fitness professionals, influencers, and professional sportsmen, in assisting to build their brands up to attract the right sponsors.
She has only one parting advice: “As our Miss Universe 2020 Zozibini Tunzi once said, “take up space”.
“Be the person whose presence and efforts are felt positively in spaces they enter, and even those they don’t. Whether you are striving, or have achieved your dreams already, also be a woman who uplifts other women -amplifying unheard or suppressed voices. Be an ally!”.
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