Key takeaways
Personal branding tips from the BOMEX panel
- Think of yourself as a business. Natasha calls it Me Inc. If your profile does not show your background and credibility, people will question why they should work with you.
- Write your headline in keywords. Short keywords separated by vertical dividers help people find you the same way they search on Google.
- Fill your skills and collect recommendations. LinkedIn allows up to 100 skills, and recommendations from colleagues stay with your profile from job to job.
- Engage at least weekly. Reposting with your own comment counts, and adding a personal note to connection requests gets far better results than a blind connect.
- Be the same person everywhere. All three panelists stressed authenticity, and Steven added that face-to-face relationships can never be replaced online.
About the guest
PB
Natasha Sharma, Ainsley Oldershaw, and Steven Pacifico
Panel on personal branding, BOMEX 2024
Host Jared Sarbit moderated this panel for BOMA’s Emerging Leaders at BOMEX 2024 in Vancouver. The panelists were Natasha Sharma, a career coach and personal branding specialist; Ainsley Oldershaw, then associate property manager at Harvard Developments; and Steven Pacifico, executive director of the Zero Carbon Building Accelerator program at Toronto 2030 District.
Episode summary
In this episode
Recorded live at BOMEX 2024 in Vancouver, this panel for BOMA’s Emerging Leaders explores personal branding and why it matters for people in commercial real estate and property management.
Natasha Sharma walks through her own LinkedIn profile section by section, explaining banners, verification, keyword headlines, featured content, skills, and recommendations. Ainsley Oldershaw and Steven Pacifico share how they use social media, how often they post, and how a values-driven presence built their reputations.
The panel also covers how LinkedIn connections work, a live critique of a volunteer’s profile, how to learn from colleagues of every generation, and questions from the audience.
Chapters
- 0:00Highlights
- 1:22Why personal branding matters
- 2:46Meet the panel
- 3:22What personal branding is
- 4:57A LinkedIn profile walkthrough
- 14:51Choosing your platforms
- 17:30A values-driven brand
- 19:31How often to post
- 22:23How LinkedIn connections work
- 25:35Adding connections the right way
- 28:02Authenticity online and in person
- 34:46A live profile critique
- 40:27Advice for building your brand
- 41:07Learning across generations
- 47:33Final thoughts
- 50:24Audience questions
Jump to a chapter (16)
- 0:00Highlights
- 1:22Why personal branding matters
- 2:46Meet the panel
- 3:22What personal branding is
- 4:57A LinkedIn profile walkthrough
- 14:51Choosing your platforms
- 17:30A values-driven brand
- 19:31How often to post
- 22:23How LinkedIn connections work
- 25:35Adding connections the right way
- 28:02Authenticity online and in person
- 34:46A live profile critique
- 40:27Advice for building your brand
- 41:07Learning across generations
- 47:33Final thoughts
- 50:24Audience questions
From the conversation
Transcript excerpts
Another way that we can think about personal branding is thinking of yourself as a business. It’s me Inc.
Natasha SharmaPlay from 3:48
Stick with authenticity… and stay authentic to who you are and… what is important to you. If it’s going to be important to you, you will be able to make other people care about it.
Ainsley OldershawPlay from 0:42
When we think about employer branding or thinking about how people are going to find you, you have to really think about the same way you do a search on Google.
Natasha SharmaPlay from 7:10
Building your reputation one property at a time?
We’ll walk your building with you and send a written cleaning scope and price. Free, no obligation.
Read the conversation
Full episode transcript
Show transcript
Paste the edited transcript here.
FAQ
Questions about this episode
How often should property professionals be active on LinkedIn?
Natasha recommends doing something on LinkedIn at least once a week, whether that is updating your profile, posting, or engaging with others. Reposting with your own comment is an easy way to start.
What is the best way to send a LinkedIn connection request?
Add a note. Mention something you have in common, like a school or an employer, or compliment the person’s work. A blind request is like asking a stranger on the street for their number.
Do recruiters look at LinkedIn profiles?
Yes. Natasha says recruiters check your resume first and your LinkedIn profile right after, so both should be sharp and consistent.
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