I struggled most of my life with self-belief and worried what everyone would think of me, far too often.
So I played small.
Because of that I held myself back from pursuing my dreams earlier in life.
Instead for decades I worked for brands.
There was no doubt I was committed.
The day I won 3 awards from a Forbes Top 20 Performer, I looked down into my arms...
and felt so alone.
I was miles away from my family
so despite a celebratory phone call with them,
I ended up celebrating on my own.
By this point in my career I was burnt out.
My passion dried up.
There was a cost of pursuing my professional career.
The trade off was long hours away from family, increasing stress,
and capped incomes.
So I left at the peak of my career.
This was not how I envisioned life.
I found myself question...
"Is this it?"
I couldn't drown out the calling to pursue my own dreams.
I wanted my life to have more meaning.
And I wanted to live it on my own terms, not being controlled by the decisions of others.
I knew the hardship all too well growing up without money and without believing in myself.
When times were tough I recall going to school in the same outfits for two years.
I remember having to wear my sandals over grey socks in winter because we couldn't afford new shoes at the time.
At school no one talked to me.
I got used to that.
I became quiet.
It was not until I met my fifth grade teacher that my silence was broken.
It was this relationship that taught me the power of self-belief and being seen.
How it will transform a person.
And what happens when you pass it onto someone else.
I wasn't anyone special.
Yet I started to build special for others by building my self-belief and committing to greatness,
no matter how little I knew, I was all in to be better.
That was the turning point.
I discovered the magic to self-belief,
to relentlessness,
no matter what I would never give up.
I thought about my teacher and how she brought the best out of me.
I made it my mission to do it for others.
I knew I had to find a way to reach people so I launched my online business.
Yet I lacked credibility and trust online initially.
I was starting all over again.
I thought about how my parents were hardworking immigrants.
They were the first entrepreneur role models I had before online business was a thing.
It was tough for 12 years.
Pay-check to pay-check. Trying to make ends meet.
They spent many long days, nights and got the right business to work,
And in time they did.
I used to fall asleep under my father's desk the evenings he was selling to clients overseas.
At least until we left the office to go home.
Everything changed when my father got the framework right with the right niche.
That was due to how the business positioned itself.
I learned from this.
Later in my career I worked hard and smart to learn from the most incredible minds -
- General Managers, CEOS, Global Marketing and Branding, National Sales Experts.
- Guess Jeans, Sunglass Hut, Luxottica, Lorna Jane, multi-millionaire entrepreneurs -
I learned from them.
I started to see the power of branding and its connection to sales and impact.
I saw that good marketing tells the audience what it wants to hear.
Yet branding is what we all feel.
That feeling is what is authentic.
And people act on their thoughts when they are stirred by their feelings,
- when they are moved to.
I understood perception is power.
We don't control what people think of us,
yet we can influence it.
I spent my career discovering what worked and what didn't.
Then I saw how I could help people who were like myself - purpose-driven.
- Those who want to make a difference.
Entrepreneurs wanting to live life bigger and better than the grind of a career.
So they could win back time.
So they can have the joys of life and freedom without the stress of paying their lives away with rented time.
Today....
I work with purpose-driven entrepreneurs.
Those who want to build an authentic personal brand and story to make impact.
One that effortlessly unravels the barriers of disconnect we see each day online.
One that speaks beyond the screen and... is felt.
We help coaches, speakers, authors, visionaries, consultants,
build personal brands that are authentic, magnetic.... and yes attractive (because first impressions count)
to the right clients,
without taking years building an audience.
Storytelling is a powerful connector.
We know this.
We also show you how without being inauthentic.
We unlock powerful brand stories,
so you make positive impact to your life
and many others.
Whatever happens...
Always believe in yourself!
Meryem
