How I Turned my Brand into a Personal Brand and How I Found my Passion along the Way

For a long time, I felt stuck when it came to posting on Instagram. I loved creating, sharing my art, and connecting with others—but somehow, the pressure of running a “brand account” started to weigh me down. Every post had to be perfect. Every caption had to sound polished. And every image had to sell something.

It felt exhausting.

Why Posting for a Brand Can Be So Limiting

When you’re constantly posting for your brand, it can feel like you’re playing a role instead of being yourself. You second-guess everything:
Does this fit my aesthetic?
Will this get good engagement?
Is this “on brand” enough?

You become so focused on what your content “should” look like that you lose touch with why you started sharing in the first place. Creativity gets boxed in. The fun disappears. It becomes more about performance than passion.

The Game-Changer: Embracing a Personal Brand

Then one day, I made a quiet shift. I stopped thinking of my feed as a business card and started treating it like me. A real, personal feed. One where I could post my cat being cute, share a reminder I needed to hear that day, or even show my face without overthinking how it fit the “brand.”

And something beautiful happened:
I started enjoying Instagram again.

By turning my brand into a personal brand, I gave myself permission to be fully authentic. I no longer had to split myself between “Abby the person” and “Abby the business.” I could be both—messy, creative, thoughtful, quirky, and passionate—all in one space.

Why Personal Branding Works

A personal brand gives you the freedom to evolve. To share your story. To be relatable.
And people connect with people, not just products.

When your audience sees your heart behind the brand, they trust you more. They feel like they’re part of your journey—not just your sales funnel. And that trust? It’s way more powerful than any algorithm hack.

Tips for Building Your Own Personal Brand

If you’re ready to start showing up as you, here are some gentle tips to help:

1. Share your face and voice – Don’t be afraid to show who’s behind the brand. Even quick selfies, talking stories, or unfiltered moments can build connection.
2. Post what lights you up – If something excites or inspires you, it deserves a spot on your feed.
3. Mix personal with product – You can still share what you sell, but balance it with behind-the-scenes, passions, and lifestyle.
4. Let go of perfection – You don’t need polished graphics or curated grids to be impactful. Realness wins every time.
5. Create for your people, not the algorithm – Your community will grow when they feel like they truly know you.
6. Stay consistent, but flexible – Show up regularly, but give yourself grace to shift and try new things.
7. Use your story – Your personal journey, struggles, and triumphs are what set your brand apart.

Final Thought

You’re allowed to post for joy. You’re allowed to be the brand and the person behind it.
You don’t need a niche to make an impact—you need a voice, a story, and the courage to show up.

Turning my brand into a personal brand helped me flourish—not just online, but in how I see myself as a creator. And I hope it encourages you to do the same.

Because your story is your brand. And that’s what makes it beautiful.