How to Take the Cringe Out of Personal Branding

A lot of people avoid personal branding because they think it’s cringe. Too self-promotional. Too ‘look at me.’

But personal branding doesn’t have to feel like a full-body ick.

And if you’ve ever rolled your eyes at someone’s “just closed another six-figure deal, feeling grateful 🙏” post – trust us, we get it. We all have.

But personal branding isn’t the problem. The performance is.

When it feels cringe, it’s usually because it’s not you. It’s some watered-down, pumped-up version of what you think you should sound like. That’s when it starts to stink of try-hard energy.

The good news? It doesn’t have to be like that.
You can build a brand that feels natural, honest, and actually enjoyable to show up for.

Here’s where most people struggle with personal branding.

You Can Show Up Without Showing Off

We hear this all the time.

👉 “I’m just not that person.”
👉 “I don’t want to come across as fake.”
👉 “I’d rather let my work speak for itself.”

And that’s valid… until your work gets buried under someone else’s mediocre personal brand because they weren’t afraid to show up. The issue isn’t self-expression. The issue is what we think personal branding has to look like. The thing is you can be shy and still build a personal brand without faking confidence.

You don’t need to reinvent yourself as some thought leader with a perfectly curated grid and a post about “10 things my barista taught me about leadership.” You don’t need to become some hyped-up version of yourself who writes in motivational quotes and starts every post with “I wasn’t going to share this, but…”

You just need to be recognisably you – online and offline.

Stop Overthinking It

This is where people get stuck. They overthink it. They assume personal branding means performing a version of themselves that isn’t real. And that’s where the cringe starts creeping in. But trust us when we say: it’s not that deep.

You don’t have to “switch on” a different personality to show up online.
You don’t need to sound more clever, more professional, or more whatever-the-hell-you-think-is-required.

And if you’re worried you don’t know how to show up authentically, you’re not alone — research shows 95% of people think they’re self-aware, but only 10–15% actually are. Which means most people have a massive blind spot when it comes to how they’re perceived. No wonder it all feels a bit awkward.

If you look at our team, you’ll get the idea. Scroll through Jordan’s LinkedIn and you’ll see her swearing in almost every post, smiling with a Guinness in hand, and generally just being exactly the same human you’d meet down the pub.

There’s no “brand mode.” No corporate filter. No separating the personal from the professional. That is the brand.

And that’s the point: when you’re just being you, there’s nothing to cringe at.

What Personal Branding Actually Is

Personal branding isn’t about turning yourself into a micro-influencer. It’s not about pretending you’re some self-help guru who’s figured it all out.

At its core, personal branding is this:
What people think of you when your name comes up.

That’s it. Your reputation. Your vibe. The way you work. What you give a sh*t about.

It’s your reputation. Your point of view. The signals you give off (online and offline) about how you work, how you think, and what you’re known for.

And whether you like it or not – you already have one. The only question is whether it’s intentional, or just something that’s happened by default.

We build every personal brand we work on around five core elements. Get these right, and your brand will do the heavy lifting for you.

1. Personality: Do you sound like a human or a corporate robot? This is the bit that makes people connect with you. It’s not about being loud or overly polished, it’s about being recognisably you. Are you funny? Thoughtful? Dry? Direct? Straight-talking? Great. Let that come through. People don’t buy into brands, they buy into people. So if your posts sound like a stranger, don’t be surprised when no one bites.
   
   

2. Values: What do you actually give a f*ck about? And no, “integrity” doesn’t count unless you’ve got receipts. Your values shape how you show up, what you say yes to, and what you say a hard no to. They separate you from everyone else in your field who offers the same service but stands for nothing. We want to know what lights a fire under you and what you'd burn to the ground. That's where real brand loyalty comes from.
   
   

3. Tone of Voice: Is the way you speak online instantly recognisable? Could someone screenshot a line from your post and know it’s you without your name on it? That’s what we mean by tone. It’s the rhythm, language, and delivery that makes your words land like you. It should carry through all your personal branding efforts. If your tone flips every time you change platform, your brand starts to wobble.
   
   

4. Experience: What have you actually done? What do you know because you’ve lived it – not just because you listened to a podcast? This is your credibility. Not job titles. It’s the stories, lessons, and perspective you’ve earned by doing the fu*king work. People want proof, not performance. At co&co, we turn that experience into clear content pillars — not just based on your job, but your whole self. Work, values, opinions, personal sh*t — it all feeds into your brand. Because what makes you relatable is just as powerful as what makes you credible.
   
   

5. Visuals: Does your online presence actually look like you know what you’re doing? Visual branding isn’t just a logo and some colours. It’s the way your content shows up, the style of your headshots, the design of your slides, the consistency across your platforms. If your content sounds confident but looks chaotic, people won’t take you seriously. Visuals either strengthen your brand or undermine it – there’s no middle ground.

Get those lined up, and your brand becomes a magnet and no longer a performance. You attract people who get you. People who trust you. People who want to work with you. And you don’t even have to fake a single thing. If that’s not a clear sign you should hire a personal brand agency then we don’t know what is.

But What Will People Think?

Ah, the real fear. Not “how do I build a personal brand?”
But “what if people think I’m a d*ck for putting myself out there?”

Here’s the hard truth: they might.
But they’ll think that whether you post or not.

People judge. It’s what they do. And if someone decides you’re full of yourself for sharing your perspective, that’s on them – not you. They’re probably just too scared to do it themselves. It usually says more about their insecurity than your confidence.

Let’s also remember that the loudest critics are usually the most invisible online. They’re not showing up. They’re not building anything. But they’ve got plenty to say about the people who are. So … ignore them. Simple as that.

The goal here isn’t fame. It’s clarity. You’re not building a brand to stroke your ego. You’re building it so the right people know who the hell you are and what you bring to the table.

If putting yourself out there leads to better clients, bigger opportunities, and a brand that actually opens doors – then seriously, who’s gonna be laughing?

So ask yourself this:
Would you rather be judged for showing up or ignored because you didn’t?

We know what we’d choose.

How to Do It Without Getting the Ick

So how do you build a personal brand without hating yourself in the process?
Simple:

Start talking about what you care about.

👉 Talk about your work.
👉 Your process.
👉 Your lessons.
👉 Your perspective.
👉 The stuff you’re figuring out.
👉 The mistakes you’ve made.

Celebrate others in your industry. Share things you’ve found useful. Ask questions. Be curious. Be helpful. Be real.

None of that is cringey.

Final Word: If It Feels Fake, It Probably Is

Cringe only shows up when you’re forcing it.
When you’re performing a version of yourself you wouldn’t recognise in the mirror.

The real secret to taking the cringe out of personal branding?
Be the same person online as you are in real life. That’s it.

Whether you’re thoughtful, funny, introverted, opinionated, sweary, strategic, nerdy, blunt, soft, chaotic – own it.

You don’t need to switch on a personality.
You just need to show up.

Building a personal brand that feels like you doesn’t happen by accident. And guess what? You can’t build a strong personal brand on your own. It takes clarity, consistency, and a sh*thot strategy. We do all three.

Say the word and we’ll help you build a brand that feels right, sounds like you, and gets seen by the right people. Let’s work together.