Chantelle Znideric is an award-winning personal stylist and personal brand expert. She is based in the U.K. and serves as a style consultant, for top-performing leaders, entrepreneurs, and CEOs globally with hugely demanding lives. She has worked with renowned fashion brands, corporate organisations, and high-profile individuals including royalty, politicians, film/music stars, and celebrities. Chantelle is passionate about empowering her clients to transform their style and channel their true authenticity for dynamic professional and personal growth. Working with Chantelle will provide you with valuable tools to enhance professionalism, excel in your career journey, and achieve guaranteed life-changing confidence.
Recall the last occasion you found yourself in a crowded setting or jam-packed gathering, where one individual effortlessly captivated everyone’s attention. Reflect for a moment on what made this person stand out. Chances are, it wasn’t just their appearance, but rather the aura of confidence they radiated, knowing they looked and felt their very best.
This is the epitome of a powerful personal brand, and a glimpse into what I’ve been helping ambitious, leaders and professionals achieve for almost 20 years.
In today’s diversely energetic business world, every interaction counts, and when you are performing at your peak, opportunities become plentiful.
In my experience, and having worked with hundreds of professionals, personal branding stands out as the ultimate catalyst for ambitious leaders eager to amplify their presence for dynamic professional growth.
An interesting thing happened after the pandemic, many of us headed back to work with a different and perhaps less formal dress code. With our virtual offices set up at home, the fact that most people couldn’t see you from the waist down meant many of us got lazy when it came to maintaining our personal brand, and understandably so.
What I am now starting to see, however, is those working in fast-growth businesses are a) appreciating the opportunity with personal branding, b) increasing their visibility, and c) discovering their own balance between in-person and online meetings. Both are important of course, however, the emphasis that leaders place on their personal branding for both formats has never been so high.
Interestingly, what’s changed is that rather than a focus on ‘high fashion’, we’re in the age of appreciating that less is more, with introducing quality over quantity, and embracing our own unique personal style. This is what it suggests, embracing your uniqueness to wear what you feel most comfortable in that reflects your personality, whether that be a three-piece suit, jumpsuit, or jeans and a tee, and no doubt you have seen people wearing all three at different meetings!
The fundamentals of a personal brand – The business capsule wardrobe
Having a cleverly curated business capsule wardrobe is not just about conserving energy and overwhelm, but ensuring you feel your best ALL the time. It’s also about having a go-to wardrobe, with every single item which showcases your true authenticity, which is the essence of developing your personal brand.
Working with my clients is a strategic and creative process, which has instantaneous, often transformative results. For me, it’s a privilege to be able to help ambitious leaders appreciate their qualities, get to know themselves better, and learn to love their uniqueness. We then celebrate these by curating a wardrobe that feels truly authentic and reflects who they really are.
There is something very powerful about being you, feeling comfortable in your skin, and celebrating that individuality, from the inside out.
When your personal brand displays professionalism, expertise, and authenticity, without even knowing it you ultimately become a magnet for career advancement, prestigious projects, and high-profile leadership roles.
In fact, I read in a recent article, Forbes states that 84% of consumers believe that a company’s reputation is influenced by the personal brand of its employees. Whilst, according to LinkedIn, 71% of professionals believe that a strong personal brand leads to increased career opportunities. Furthermore, a survey by PwC reports, 77% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a company if its founder has a robust social media presence.
So, at the heart of your personal branding should be a compelling story—a timeless tool that captivates your audience and peers. Your personal brand story isn’t just a narrative; it’s a scenic journey—a testament to your resilience, and passion for why you do what you do. Embracing this process, allows you to connect with your audience on an instinctive level.
So, where do you start with creating your own successful personal brand?
Step 1 – identify your values and individual style
Start by understanding your uniqueness. This plays a fundamental role in developing your personal brand, as they will ultimately form the foundation upon which your brand identity is built. Be true to yourself, and you will inspire genuine authenticity, which builds trust and credibility with your audience. Create an honest list of values and enlist the help of others if you find this challenging.
Embracing your style personality and understanding your individual preferences can be incredibly liberating. Look to your existing wardrobe for clues on colors that make you feel joyful, styles you enjoy wearing, and details that reflect your personality.
Step 2 – understand the culture you work within
What is it that makes your company different? Consider culture, values, ethos, expectations, and diverse settings.
An understanding and appreciation of these will help to determine the formality of your attire for different scenarios. It is always advisable to dress smarter than you think you need to be, as there’s nothing worse than looking underdressed and feeling anything less than a top-performing leader walking into that room.
It is also important to appreciate in today’s digital age, the possibilities for personal branding are virtually limitless. With the click of a button, you can amplify your voice, expand your reach, and leave a lasting impression on audiences around the globe with your online presence. Your social platforms such as LinkedIn, X (formerly known as Twitter), and Instagram aren’t just tools—they are gateways to a world of connections and opportunity, where your personal brand can showcase the real you more than ever before.
Step 3 – curating your capsule wardrobe for authentic leadership – let’s shop!
Your wardrobe should display versatility, higher quality luxury fabrics, and timeless and elegant pieces, with unique details which showcase elements of your personality. Introducing a seamless color palette will enhance your style, add radiance and portray confidence, whilst exuding that desired effortless look.
Finally, pay attention to the small details such as accessories, including glasses (frames can get overlooked), and introduce a failsafe grooming routine, as these can make a big difference when it comes to executing your desired exterior. Walking into any room, in person or virtually, with that superpower of inner confidence brimming inside, creates the best feeling in the world.
Step 4 – your personal brand toolbox
With the increase of virtual networking and meetings taking place online, revisiting your branding photography is well worth the investment to maintain trust, compatibility, and attractiveness to your audiences. There’s nothing worse than meeting a connection who doesn’t look anything like their profile or bio picture.
Call me old-fashioned but to me, it suggests a lack of care and attention, which may have a negative impact on how not to portray a personal brand.
So, to summarise the power of personal branding, maintain and keep your style innovative, fresh, and exciting. It is not just a concept—it’s a reality waiting to be discovered and then rediscovered at least twice yearly. For myself, I like to refresh aspects of my brand seasonally. Think of the most successful pop stars on the planet – apart from endless talent, they continue to reinvent themselves and move with the times conveying new styles, trends, and sounds. No doubt this has a positive impact on their performances and ability to maintain interest in them whilst attracting new audiences. This is why they continue to remain current and edgy, and it leaves us wanting more. Dare I say it, find your inner star in your own area of business and see instant results.