How To Murder Your Personal Brand

I remember the first time I heard this expression. It was in New York, in the gritty but chic apartment—typical downtown loft, elevator opening into the living room, absolutely no light in the bedrooms whatsoever, tear jerking rent each month—I was sharing with an ex of mine who won’t be named*.

He was talking to me about my personal brand, and I was still so French (I’m not anymore. I am an odd blend of different cultures) that I was huffing and puffing and rolling my eyes all the way to our tin ceiling because this concept was way too pedestrian for the refined woman that I was.

The mysterious man** wasn’t the type to get discouraged, so he scrambled through his books, fetched a personal development hardcover called The Brand You 50, and handed it to me with a penetrating look in his eyes—which made me want to throw my Starbucks Venti Latte cup to the ground and file for divorce at once.

Lucky for him, we weren’t married.

Non, non, non. Personal Branding + Self Help (+Venti Latte)? That…