Personal Branding Mistakes That Are Costing You Work (And How to Fix Them)

Jordan Stachini

11 minutes

Contents

You’re talented. You’ve got the skills. You’ve done the work. But still… no one’s biting. No leads, no one sliding into your inbox asking you to speak on their panel or collab on their next big thing.

The real issue is that your personal brand isn’t doing its job.

This isn't about bad luck or the algorithm being mean. It's about poor positioning, zero clarity, and DIY content that screams "please notice me" but says f*ck-all about who you really are.

You’re bleeding opportunity so let’s plug the hole. Because every single one of these problems can be fixed.

Here’s your usual co&co no-fluff breakdown of the biggest personal branding mistakes and exactly how to fix them (ideally with some help, because no, you shouldn’t be doing this solo).

Mistake #1: You’re trying to be everything to everyone

You’re not f*cking Amazon. So stop trying to sell to everyone on the internet. You’re so scared of alienating anyone that you end up attracting no one.

When your personal brand gives off “I just want to help people” energy, nobody knows what the hell you actually do or why they should give a sh*t about you.

Where people go wrong:
They write for themselves, not for their audience. They’re scared to commit. Scared that choosing a niche means shutting doors. Scared to have a real opinion in case someone disagrees. So they water it all down.

Here’s the thing:
Your personal brand is not for everyone. It shouldn't be. It should repel the wrong people as much as it attracts the right ones. That’s how you build trust, authority, and actual traction.

It’s not about getting a million people to think ‘You’re alright’, it’s about getting a narrow audience to think you’re f*cking class – you need the right people to know exactly who you are and why they should work with you.

Fix it with co&co:
We help you stop playing it safe. We cut through the fluff and get you laser-sharp on your positioning – what you do, who you do it for, and what you bring to the table that no one else does. We’ll define your brand values and content pillars so you can show up consistently, confidently, and in a way that sticks.

Mistake #2: You’re hiding behind your logo

We get it. Company branding feels safer. You put a nice logo out there to limit the possibility of being judged. But if you’re a founder, a freelancer, or a creative selling yourself then you are the f*cking brand.

Where people go wrong:
They think “being professional” means being faceless. They overinvest in business branding and ignore the fact that people connect with people, not logos. In fact, 92% of people trust recommendations from individuals (even if they don’t know them) more than they trust brands. So every time you hide behind your business name instead of showing your face, you’re actively losing trust, relatability, and reach.

Fix it with co&co:
We don’t just stick your headshot next to a post and call it a day. We build your whole personal identity – Social media profiles, personal site, tone of voice, photography – the full lot. And yeah, it can still connect with your business brand. But you lead. You become the trust signal, the expert, the face of what you’re selling. This way you’re naturally building awareness of your business – what it does, the services you offer – but in an authentic, relatable and personable way.

Hiding behind your business name is costing you trust, relatability, and real connection.

Mistake #3: You don’t know who you are (beyond your job title)

This one hits most people right between the eyes and is where most people struggle when it comes to personal branding.

When it’s time to build a personal brand, they freeze – and usually blame it on something that gets thrown around a lot: imposter syndrome.

We’ve got a whole piece on why we think imposter syndrome is complete bullsh*t, but here’s the short version: You’re not an imposter. You’re just not confident in what you’re doing.

Where people go wrong:
They default to safe territory: job titles, career milestones, industries, “years of experience”. They think that’s their story. It’s not. That’s not a personal brand. The least interesting thing about you is your job title and yet weirdly, it’s the first thing most people lead with.

Fix it with co&co:
We dig deeper. Way past the generic. We ask the hard questions. The uncomfortable ones. The ones that make people pause and go, “Sh*t, I’ve never actually thought about that.” And it’s wild what we uncover when we do.

We’ve had clients casually mention stuff in passing that turns out to be the most compelling, brand-defining thing about them. Why? Because when something’s part of your everyday life, you don’t see it as special. But it is. It’s your edge. And most people are so close to it, they miss it entirely.

We help pull that out – the beliefs that drive you, the values you stand behind (and the ones you won’t tolerate), your skillset, your morals and ethics, your tone of voice, your opinions, your story. And then we turn that into content that sounds like you.

We’re not here to brand your job.
We’re here to brand you.

The human behind the role. The personality behind the profession. The reason people remember your name when it comes up in the room.

So here’s your challenge:
List three things that make you interesting beyond your job title.
If you can’t, we should probably talk.

Mistake #4: You think personal branding = posting 24/7

Good news: you don’t need to dance on camera or overshare your trauma to build a personal brand – you can build one without faking confidence.

Once people get over the identity panic, they swing straight into content chaos. Suddenly they think building a personal brand means churning out posts every day, recording Reels, writing essays, and somehow going viral while juggling their actual job.

Every time someone tells us they “tried personal branding and it didn’t work,” we dig into what they actually did. And it’s usually something like this:

— Posted three times on LinkedIn in one week
— Shared a photo of their dog
— Tried to write a “thought leadership” post that ended up sounding nothing like them
— Gave up when it got 7 likes

You’ve got no strategy there - building a personal brand is marketing - it needs a strategy. Throwing sh*t at the wall and seeing what sticks won’t cut it.

Where people go wrong:
They try to do it all and end up doing nothing well. They copy what they see online (mostly from influencers and loudmouths), rather than building a presence that actually suits their strengths and goals — the whole reason we wrote the anti-Influencer guide.

Fix it with co&co:
We don’t turn you into a content machine. We build a presence that’s aligned, intentional, and sustainable. First, we define your message, your tone, your strategy. Then we match it visually – with custom photography and video shot in environments that reflect who you are, not just who you think you should look like.

And don’t worry – we’re not into producing cheesy content. Candid is always better. The best stuff comes when you’re relaxed, doing your thing, not pretending to be someone you’re not. It’ll feel natural. Because that’s what lands.

And if you don’t want to be the one posting all of this? You don’t have to. Our full management service handles it all: ghostwriting, scheduling, content creation, audience engagement, and performance tracking. You get to have it all, without the burnout.

Mistake #5: You’ve got no strategy (or a sh*t one)

If your personal brand strategy is just “post more,” … no wonder it’s not working. Most people are just winging it. No plan, no positioning, no objectives.

Where people go wrong:
They focus on tactics (What should I post?) instead of strategy (What’s my message? Who’s it for? What’s the point?). They don’t track results, so they can’t see what’s working. And they burn out when they don’t get instant gratification. At the end of the day - we are all washing powder, you have to work out the reason someone should buy you instead of the alternative. It’s not different to product marketing, but as soon as a human is at the centre of the offering, all that logic goes out the window.

Fix it with co&co:
We build your personal brand around your commercial objectives – whether that’s speaking gigs, high-ticket clients, new partnerships, or recruiting top talent. We map out exactly what needs to happen, on what platforms, with what metrics. And we measure everything. Because if you’re not measuring, you’re not marketing. You’re gambling.

Mistake #6: You’re copying the loudest people in the room

Oh look, another “influencer” telling us to wake up at 5am, take cold showers, and post motivational quotes about grit. That might work for some. But if it’s not you, it’s never going to stick.

Where people go wrong:
They confuse “visibility” with “volume.” They try to replicate the style of people who don’t even operate in their industry. They borrow voices, stories, and styles that don’t reflect their own strengths. And it shows. Badly.

Fix it with co&co:
We help you sound like you. Not some copy-and-paste thought leader. Our job isn’t to make you louder. It’s to make you clearer. To help you figure out what you actually think, how you want to say it, and how to show up online without feeling like you’re faking it.

Because the goal isn’t to copy what’s working for someone else. The goal is to build a brand that works because it’s built entirely around you.

Don’t get caught in someone else’s shadow. You’ll just end up sounding like an echo. We’ll help you build something original. Something honest. Something that fits like a f*cking glove – without chasing whatever personal branding trend is doing numbers this week.

Mistake #7: You’re trying to do it all solo

You’ve watched the webinars. You’ve downloaded the templates. You’ve reached out to people who are smashing it … And you’re still stuck. That’s because personal branding isn’t a one-person job.

Where people go wrong:
They try to juggle strategy, copywriting, design, photography, social, and measurement – all while doing their actual job. Spoiler: unless you’re secretly a full-service creative agency, that’s not sustainable. It’s not going to work. And you’re not going to get the results you want.

Doing it solo is most likely going to lead you to stop showing up, stop posting, and stop putting yourself out there altogether because it’s overwhelming, time-consuming, and creatively exhausting.

Fix it with co&co:
We take the weight off and give you the lot:

Brand assets: values, tone of voice, content strategy, content pillars
Visual content: photo and video, shot to match your actual vibe and industry
Channel support: personal website, social media profiles, the works
Full management: content creation, ghostwriting, engagement, analytics
Dedicated human: one of us, in your corner, keeping sh*t moving

And the end result? You get to be seen as a trusted expert in your industry. You raise the profile of your business, not just yourself. You build real rapport with people who want to work with you – and then they bloody do. That’s why you need to hire a personal branding agency. You get to stay focused on being mega at what you do. And we’ll make sure people know it.