The Ledger hosts women’s luncheon

Local women in business learned about how to embrace their 'personal brand” during a luncheon Thursday hosted by The Fairfield Ledger and Cedar Rapids Gazette.

The event was part of the HER Magazine luncheon series for women in business, and held at the Fairfield Golf & Country Club. It included a keynote speaker, a panel of local women who are leaders in their field, and workshop. About 100 people attended.

Keynote speaker

Lynn Manternach is the president and 'brand arsonist” of the firm MindFire Communications. She works with companies of all sizes to develop their brand. At Thursday's luncheon, she told those in attendance to think of their reputation as a brand, just as if they were a company. She quoted Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who quipped, 'Your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room.”

Manternach said a strong brand is the difference between having to send out a resume blindly vs. a business reaching out to you. She talked about the importance of cultivating a good brand, particularly online.

'How many of you have Googled yourself lately?” she asked. Hands shot up around the room.

'Some of us are lucky that our more care-free days were not documented on social media,” she joked.

Manternach recommended deleting online content that does not reflect well on one's personality, such as a social media page full of rants and complaints.

'When I hire people to work at MindFire Communication, I take a look at their social media,” she said. 'It's another opportunity for me to understand their personal brand. Once I hire them, their personal brand becomes part of my company's brand, so I'm careful to learn as much as I can before they join my company.”

Manternach asked the women in attendance to write down three to five adjectives to describe themselves. She told them to ask those who know them best to also think of three to five adjectives to describe them. 'Would their answers align with how you describe yourself?” Manternach asked. 'If not, consider it an opportunity to refocus your personal brand.”

Advice for women

Personal branding is something everybody needs to pay attention to, male or female, Manternach said. However, she added that understanding one's assets is especially important for women because 'we're not as comfortable tooting our own horn.”

'These events [women's luncheons] remind us that we have skills and areas of expertise that we need to make sure the world can see,” Manternach said. 'I was delighted to see so many people in attendance, and to see so many local companies and organizations that sponsored a table. I hope people walk away with more knowledge and inspiration to build their personal brand in a more intentional way.”

Panel

A panel of local leaders answered questions about branding. It was moderated by Joy Hirshberg, chief financial officer of Green Building Supply. Panelists were:

' Connie D. Boyer, financial advisor at Edward Jones;

' Shawn Diddy, marketing director at Maharishi University of Management;

' Amy Jones, director of business development at Agri-Industrial Plastics;

' Marlene Sprouse, president at Indian Hills Community College; and

' Kara Waugh, owner of Adela's Fine Gifts and Home Accents

One of the questions posed to the panel was whether a brand needs to be tailored to you as an individual or to the business you work for. Waugh had insights into this because she purchased Adela's in 2018 from its original owner, Dorian Atwood (the store was named after Atwood's mother).

Waugh said she was very thankful for the brand that Atwood had built, but also knew that she had to give the store her own personal touch. There was no sense in trying to copy the personality and taste of someone else.

'I had to be me,” Waugh said.

Sprouse said a brand must reflect a person's true character.

'It takes too much energy to try to be something you are not,” she said.

Diddy said part of a person's brand are the people they choose to associate with. Diddy was asked about the consequences of having a strong brand vs. a weak brand. She said if you're weak, you'll project weakness, and not earn the respect of your peers.

'Can you take a weak brand and turn it into a strong brand? I'm living proof,” Diddy said, referring to how early in her career she hid her humble beginnings of growing up in a trailer.

Jones said that, in preparation for this panel, she asked her family and co-workers to give adjectives to describe her. She said it was a good exercise, because she often feels that she tries to come across one way, but is perceived another way.

Hirschberg asked the panel for advice they would give women trying to grow their brand. Boyer said she believes strongly in the notion 'dress for the position you want.” In practice, this has meant dressing up when others are content with casual wear. She told her staff that, though other companies practice casual Fridays, her office would not.

'We're women in a man's world. We have to show that we're business-minded all the time,” Boyer said.