Spotlight: Jennifer Dalton, CEO/Founder BrandMirror

Share with our community a bit about yourself, your current role as a brand strategist, and what made you focus on the branding business. 

I grew up in an entrepreneurial family, which made starting my own business seem like a real possibility. After 10 years doing marketing at the same company, I decided I wanted to pursue something else for the next 10 years. I went back and pursued an Executive MBA at Georgetown to help me pivot. During the program, I realized, as did my classmates, that developing a personal brand is critical (especially when transitioning into a new role or pivoting in your career). That sparked an idea – to take my love of words and storytelling and focus on creating branding and marketing strategies for people. I pursued certifications in personal branding with the Reach organization and the personal brand thought leader, William Arruda, and fell in love with the idea of helping people be themselves confidently and unabashedly.

Tell us about BrandMirror and what led to its creation as a leading organization guiding individuals and companies towards building ideal personal brands.

I believe that if every person knew their purpose and how to live their purpose, their unique promise of value, the world would be a much better place. Right now, there are so many people trying to be what others want and they do not feek empowered to be themselves. Personal branding is not personal bragging. When someone has a personal brand, it means they know who they are, what their values are, what they believe in and how to use their voice to influence and impact others. People can be more effective leaders, in any role, if they are clear on their personal brand.

What are some of the top tasks and tools individuals can use to start and build upon their existing personal brands.

I believe that people cannot be perfect at everything. If we focus our energy on our key strengths and areas of expertise, we can drive targeted and meaningful change. It is critical that people know their current brand and ask for feedback so they understand the gap between perception and reality. I use a six-step process to understand someone’s brand and then deliver that brand experience consistently in person and online. For a first step, write down a few words that you want to be known for and ask people you trust to describe you in a few words – see where there is a discrepancy, and go from there.

Your work with BrandMirror is admirable and on top of that you are engaged in a variety of other organizations such as the Women in Business Consortium and Homestretch, Inc. Please share with our community a bit more about these organizations and the importance of making time to engage or create groups that support causes you are passionate about.

I am a big believer in giving back and making a difference with our skills and strengths in the community. I have served on the Homestretch board for six years. Originally, I joined the board to give back and also to learn more about running an organization. The power of Homestretch is that it is an organization focused on getting homeless families off the street, educating them, teaching them life skills, while also having families pay for rent and other services. This matters because if people get handouts, it just does not carry the same dignity and meaning when people work to change their lives. I have never been so inspired by action and commitment than when I speak with our clients and see their lives change so much in just two years.

I work with a few organizations focused on developing women leaders and connecting women to drive even greater impact.I serve on the National Advisory Board for Women on Course, an organization focused on the leadership development of women from the boardroom to the golf course. In addition, I serve as a Senior Industry Advisor to the Georgetown University Women’s Leadership Institute, where we focus on developing research-based insights that empower and inspire gender parity. The Women in Business Consortium is an organization dedicated to helping women leaders across the community, starting with the student body at George Mason, gain access to fellow leaders and have ongoing professional development.

 Public speaking and writing are essential in today’s rapidly evolving business community and many struggle to improve on these core skills. As an author and international speaker please tell us more about your journey and the process you took to get where you are today.

I remember the first time I went to write something, and I just stared at the screen for hours. Before people think of writing or speaking, it is important to identify your areas of expertise and understand where your voice can start or influence conversations. One must have some credibility before jumping into a conversation. It is important to understand who else is writing or speaking about those topics and where does your voice fit. I recommend thinking about at least one point of view on a topic that you are passionate about and outlining 3-5 points related to your point of view. For example, you may want to share your experience or point of view on why we need more women on boards. Then outline your discussion points and ask people for feedback. It is important to think about your audience and how to deliver your content in a way that is authentic, relevant, and interesting. I recommend Toastmasters for practicing your speaking. You could even just invite some friends over for dinner and practice your talk and get feedback. The important thing is to simply start.

What does a typical day look like for you? Do you have a daily routine or ritual that helps you to manage the many different efforts and functions you are part of?

This is a great question. I do color-code and block my calendar so that I have dedicated time for clients, for new business, for volunteer time, and for family time. I re-evaluate my priorities on a regular basis so that I make sure I am focusing on the right work. If I do not have something on my calendar, it does not happen. I highly recommend putting time on your calendar for follow up and time to simply think and be strategic. One thing I have gotten better about is putting me-time on the calendar, it is important to re-energize too.

 Jen, any closing remarks or quotes that inspire you?

I firmly believe each person can and should take ownership of their career and life. “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” E.E. Cummings

Learn more here: http://www.brandmirror.com/