They are at the peak of their careers and feel more than ever the need to know themselves, to align their personality and values with their professional practice. The pandemic and the upheavals we are going through exacerbate this feeling among many decision-makers who call on Personal Branding experts. Specialist Victoria Branson has seen her activity increase over the past two years. The entrepreneur takes us into the psychology of these successful business leaders whom she helps to find. Paris, Geneva, London, New York, Tel Aviv… Many of them call on his golden advice.
What motivates the decision-makers who come to you?
Victoria Branson : As Abraham Maslow expressed through his pyramid, when people begin their journey in business, it is important for them first to make money, then to gain stability, then to succeed and from receiving recognition from others until reaching a position in society.
But sooner or later, these external objectives fade to give way to a questioning of vocation and self-realization. “To what extent do what I do and how I manifest myself correspond to my vocation and my inner state? », a reflection, a quest for meaning which occurs at this stage of their career. The same goes for the people I support, their main goal is not to attract more clients because they are already successful. What matters to them is to express themselves authentically, to communicate their fundamental values, but also to work with people who share the same base of values. These decision-makers have arrived at a stage where they want, and can, afford the luxury of such alignment.
However, the process of self-realization requires a deep and objective understanding of oneself. This is where people come to me, because most of the time there is a big difference between what a person thinks of themselves and what they really are.
The Victoria Branson method is highly sought after. Your clients come from circles of power, prestigious institutions or multinationals. How do you get these leaders to remove their various obstacles to rethink their image? To accept criticism?
It is a mistake to think that if a person achieves something, then he considers himself the best and fails to be self-critical. In fact, she only achieved this because she was always dissatisfied with herself. It is dissatisfaction with oneself that is the main driver of all change and development, as well as the preeminent reason for success. A person who is content does not ultimately feel a desire for change. She is not at the head of a multinational, has not reached any peak of power because she remains in her comfort zone, everything is going well for her.
Ambitious, successful people are ready to listen to me and are very open to the process of change. Furthermore, my work does not consist of criticizing anyone, nor of projecting onto my interlocutors an imaginary vision, far removed from who they are. I help my clients become aware of their points of divergence, to see the gap between who they really are and what they broadcast to the world through their brand. I help people connect with the best version of themselves, with their deepest values.
Concretely, what are the different pillars of your method?
From the beginning, my goal was to create a high-level branding agency with a 360° vision where all needs around brand creation would be met. I have built a professional, solid and efficient team (copywriter, brand visual identity designer, website designer, photographer, stylist etc.), collaborators with whom, by essence, we share the same cardinal values . Passion and excellence characterize us. The starting point of each project is the analysis of personality (values, character traits, objectives, motivations, etc.). From this introspection, I create a symbolic reflection in the brand elevating it to a high degree of sophistication and luxury. This correspondence makes it possible to meet the highest standards of modern branding.
The most important condition for me to be able to carry out this precise work on others is to have myself completed this demanding process, both on myself and on my personal brand. It was only then that I was able to disseminate this model.
My main values are the ability to see the beauty of this world, development and self-realization, as well as success and results. I have come a long way before managing to develop my personal brand based on these values. This brand has brought me great joy, filled my life with deep meaning and, as a result, completed my professional success. This has allowed me to confidently pass on this model by helping my clients achieve these same ultimate goals.
Can coaching, without mastery of psychology (a degree you have), effectively achieve this Grail?
There is a huge difference between coaching and psychology. The coach, by asking various questions, helps a person find answers to certain questions themselves. A psychologist, on the other hand, has professional knowledge of the laws of the psyche, he leads people to understand what is happening in their unconscious, to confront what is hidden. For me, psychological education is very important since it activates deeper processes.
Branding is more than just an attractive logo or slogan. Incarnation and authenticity are the key to a lasting relationship with its stakeholders: how to “know yourself better to make yourself better known”?
There are two ways to approach brand creation: first, ask the question “How can I please people?” «. In this case, you need to study your audience very well, their expectations, methods to influence them and build a brand image from this. The second way is sincerity and authenticity. The approach is to know “How to manifest and realize yourself? », “How to embody your unique individuality in this world? «. Each person thinks something, feels something, says something, does something, if there is no cohesion between these four dimensions, then the interlocutor will sooner or later feel it, perceiving it as a lie or a handling. Only when we truly achieve ourselves do we gain public trust. A goal that cannot be achieved in any other way.
This is why the best-known brands are a continuation of the personality of the creator. Chanel does not exist without the personality of Coco Chanel; the same can be said of Elon Musk or Steve Jobs. When people trust a personality behind the brand, they identify with it. Only sincerity inspires confidence, and that is what all my work is based on.
The quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry perfectly illustrates my way of working: “The essential is invisible to the eyes, we only see clearly with the heart. »
And the charisma in all this? Like charm, it has a real impact, an attraction on us. Is it innate or can we all access it?
A charismatic person knows how to be authentic with themselves, in all situations, and remain true to their values. She knows how to play with life and enjoy it to the fullest. Please note, charisma is not a kind of model that a person must achieve, on the contrary, it is this human uniqueness that a person must realize in themselves, then have the courage to express it. Being authentic is not only very attractive to people, but it is a beautiful journey in self-discovery. When we learn about ourselves and dare to live through our values, we begin to enjoy life in a much more powerful way and, at the same time, we receive great feedback from the people around us.
We are in a context of multiple crises and you have never been in such demand! How do you explain it?
First, in today’s world, attention span has been reduced to three seconds. The contraction of this time is linked to the flow of information which has become extremely excessive. According to best-selling speaker and author Brendan Kane, more than 60 billion online messages are sent across digital platforms per day.
Brands are challenged to convey a convincing image in a time frame that is shorter than ever. Second, in an increasingly digital world, people are craving human connection and sincerity. This places very high demands on personal branding, which must be authentic on the one hand and visually impeccable on the other. This is why our team is in high demand.
Some examples of which you are most proud?
Each project is a work of art for us and we are proud of each one. But I can cite as an example the project of one of our loyal clients, Whitney A. White, an innovation leader and seasoned entrepreneur. It was her fourth attempt at website design when she contacted us. She says our agency was finally able to capture the true essence of her brand. She now feels much more confident sharing her brand and website because they are at the level of prestige and quality she wanted. After successfully deploying this new brand, she effectively doubled her prices, and began to be asked to give five-figure conferences. She describes the rebrand as a launching pad that helped catapult her business to new, even bigger and bolder horizons.
