Personal Branding Episodes

Brand deals rarely come from playing it safe inside your niche. Kristi Kennebrew built Get Me Hired Kristi into a career brand with hundreds of thousands of followers, then landed sponsorships nobody expects from a recruiter turned creator: a World Cup activation, a mattress pitch, even a fly trap brand. She never quit her day job to do it. Host Rhona Pierce talks with Kennebrew about how she pitches lifestyle and mainstream brands by connecting everyday products to her audience's real lives, no...

Most people spend months preparing for a single DisruptHR presentation. Ashlynne Valdez delivered two different talks in 30 days, won Best Speaker at one event, and helps select speakers for DisruptHR Las Vegas. In this episode, we go behind the scenes of DisruptHR to explore what separates a good talk from a great one. Ashlynne shares how she develops topics, finds a disruptive angle, prepares for the fast-paced five-minute format, and what organizers are really looking for when reviewing sp...

Most LinkedIn advice teaches you how to fit in. Jillian Richardson believes the opposite. In this episode of Workfluencer, Rhona sits down with one of LinkedIn's most recognizable ghostwriters to discuss why being a little weird might be your biggest advantage online. Jillian shares the story behind her viral "Be Weird on LinkedIn" movement, what founders get wrong about personal branding, and why authenticity is becoming the best defense against AI-generated content. They also discuss emp...

Strong POV content feels risky for most creators, but Jillian O'Malior built her audience by removing the corporate pleasing filter completely. After being laid off in November 2024, she ran a 90-day experiment leaning into “strategically unhinged” content about layoffs, labor reform, and the dehumanization of workers — and the inbound work, brand deals, and podcast invites started rolling in. In this episode of Workfluencer, Rhona Pierce sits down with brand strategist and workplace advocate...

How do you actually turn content into clients—especially when you’re just starting out? In this episode, we unpack what it really looks like to build in public and use content as more than just a visibility play. Not polished. Not hindsight. Real-time. Preston recently left corporate and is building his business from the ground up, documenting the process as he goes. That means sharing what’s working, what’s not, and how his approach to content has shifted from “just posting” to something ...

Most people get laid off and go quiet. Vanita Capobianco did the opposite. She started creating content, launched a podcast, and began building a personal brand from scratch. No audience. No experience. No roadmap. In this episode, we break down what actually happens after a layoff—and how to turn that moment into momentum. Vanita shares how she built consistency, found her voice, and created opportunities by showing up online. We also get into the real side of content creation. Late ni...

If you’re constantly consuming content but still struggling to come up with ideas… this episode is your reset. Jeff Harry argues that the problem isn’t a lack of inspiration, it’s too much input. In this episode, we break down why overconsumption leads to overthinking, how that blocks creativity, and what actually helps you generate better content ideas (hint: it’s not more scrolling). You’ll learn how to: Stop relying on inspiration from other creators Break out of the doomscrollin...

At Transform 2026, I sat down with Rebecca Taylor to unpack what’s really holding HR and Talent leaders back from showing up online—and why that needs to change. We get into the real risks, the perceived risks, and the responsibility that comes with having a voice in HR. Because whether you’re posting or not, the narrative is being shaped—with or without you. Rebecca also shares a deeply personal career story that highlights how power, identity, and early decisions can shape everything tha...

Most advice about LinkedIn content says the same thing: follow trends, post consistently, and play the algorithm. But what if that’s exactly why your content isn’t standing out? In this episode, leadership strategist Julia Rock breaks down how to stand out on LinkedIn without copying trends, chasing viral formats, or sounding like everyone else. She shares what actually drives meaningful engagement, how to build authority through content, and why authenticity matters more than ever in a cr...

Personal branding for women over 40 who feel invisible is rarely about a lack of expertise. It's about two decades of keeping your head down, taking care of everyone else, and forgetting to tell the world what you know. In this episode, Monica Rivera breaks down what it actually takes to stop hiding and step into the visibility you've already earned. Together, Rhona Pierce and Monica unpack why experienced women, especially women over 40, feel invisible even after 20 years of building skil...

Content creation burnout is real, and most professionals don’t realize they’re heading toward it until it’s too late. In this episode, Rhona sits down with internal communications and employee experience consultant Jo Coxhill to talk about content creation burnout, chasing the LinkedIn algorithm, and what happens when that same pressure shows up inside employee advocacy programs. If you’re building a personal brand while running a business, or leading employee-generated content (EGC) strat...

Starting a podcast while working full-time requires a different strategy than the usual “quit and go all in” advice. In this episode, Lee Cage Jr. shares how he built and monetized a podcast while working full-time as a Director at BDO, serving in the National Guard, and speaking at conferences. Together, Rhona and Lee break down what it actually takes to start a podcast while employed — from choosing a short-form format to attracting sponsors without obsessing over download numbers. Th...

Keirsten Greggs shares what it takes to build a personal brand as a Black woman in corporate America without shrinking yourself.

In this episode, Rhona sits down with Madison Butler to unpack what it really means to build a creator career after corporate layoffs—especially when content becomes a financial necessity, not a passion project.

Becoming a TEDx speaker isn’t about a single moment on stage.It’s about the process that comes before it. In this episode, Bobby McNeil walks through what it actually takes to become a TEDx speaker while working full-time. From deciding to apply, to shaping the idea, to confronting the emotional and time demands most people underestimate. Bobby shares lessons from his first TEDx experience alongside the parallel journey of writing his first book, Cracking the Code. Not as a playbook. As li...

Is CEO content building trust, or just embarrassing the brand? CEOs are posting more than ever. But not all visibility builds trust. In this Workfluencer Trend Report, Rhona breaks down a recent CNBC article questioning whether CEOs trying to be influencers is smart leadership or pure cringe. Using real examples of executive backlash, this episode explores why some CEO content backfires, why others work, and how trust has become the most important currency in the AI era. This isn’t a...

Most people go quiet during a career transition. Laci McKinney did the opposite. In this episode of the Workfluencer Podcast, Laci breaks down how she used content to make her transferable skills visible, pivot into organizational development, and earn three promotions in three years. We talk about documenting your learning in public, building a dual personal + professional brand, navigating imposter syndrome, and why content isn’t self-promotion. It’s career leverage. If you’re conside...

Writing a book isn’t just a creative goal. It’s a credibility move. In this episode of Workfluencer, bestselling author and leadership coach Hady Méndez breaks down the real process of turning lived experience into a book that builds professional authority. We go behind the scenes of writing Calladita No More. What stories made it in. What she intentionally left out. And how the act of writing forced clarity around voice, boundaries, and visibility at work. This conversation is for prof...

In this episode of The Workfluencer Podcast, Rhona Pierce sits down with Sherehan Ross, VP of Marketing at Modus Planning, to talk about the human side of B2B marketing. From viral LinkedIn rants to the chaos of working moms and motherhood, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to grow a personal brand, lead with marketing authenticity, and avoid burnout while balancing work and family. Sherehan explains how “building in public” turned into her most powerful form of co...

Before “personal brand” became a buzzword, Hung Lee was already doing it—building Recruiting Brainfood into one of the most trusted communities in the industry. In this conversation, recorded at RecFest USA 2025, Hung and Rhona dig into what it really takes for recruiters to think like media brands: showing up every week, curating with integrity, and letting transparency replace polish. He shares how an accidental send from the beach in Lisbon made him realize just how much readers depende...

Everyone wants to get paid to speak — but few know what it really takes to build a lasting career doing it. In this episode, Torin Ellis joins Rhona Pierce to break down the business behind the mic — from commanding rooms and carving your niche to staying relevant in a space that changes overnight. You’ll learn: How to turn free speaking gigs into paid opportunities The mindset shift that keeps your message authentic (even when the world isn’t) When to raise your rates — and...

Most recruiters think they’re filling roles. Dave Vu thinks they should be building brands. In this episode, Rhona Pierce sits down with the co-founder of Ribbon.ai to explore why the future of recruiting belongs to teams who think like marketers. From his early days in talent acquisition to building one of the most talked-about AI interview platforms, Dave shares how empathy, storytelling, and transparency can transform candidate experience — and why bad recruiters should probably be worried...

Laurie Ruettimann has spent nearly two decades shaping how we talk about work—from CNN’s “Top Career Advisor” list to her globally recognized Punk Rock HR podcast. But behind the accolades lies a story of confidence, capitalism, and the unpaid labor of influence. In this episode, Laurie joins Rhona Pierce to pull back the curtain on what it really takes to turn credibility into a career—how she built her platform before influencer culture existed, why “being right” doesn’t always pay, and the...

What if someone stole your entire career — your résumé, portfolio, headshot, even your home address? In this Workfluencer Trend Report, Rhona explores the real case of freelance writer Jolissa Skow, who discovered an imposter had been living her professional life since 2023. The impersonator used Jolissa’s identity to land contract work, participate in Slack, attend camera-off meetings, and even get paid — all while colleagues believed they were working with her. Based on Jolissa’s public ...