One adjustment doubled his engagement

I had a call with James, a designer who'd been trying to build his personal brand for three years.

He sounded worn down by it all.

Despite writing consistently, his content felt like it wasn't doing anything for him. Just a lot of spent effort.

People would occasionally like his posts, but no one was engaging deeply or reaching out for his services.

'I get that building a brand is important, but I just can't seem to create traction.'

I know this pain, and it stops most creators and writers these days.

James had been writing about general design trends and productivity hacks, topics that interested him but didn't spark anything in his audience or in himself.

During our session, I asked him about his background.

That's when the real story emerged.

James had been freelancing for 18 years.

The early years were brutal. He'd been undercharging for projects, chasing late payments, and having no idea how to manage cash flow between feast and famine periods.

There were months when he couldn't pay his rent because a client delayed payment. I had to smile when he said this, because my first few years as an illustrator, working on my own in London, were like this.

But through all the ups and downs, he'd learned a lot. He'd become an expert of sorts.

He'd developed systems for finding clients and pricing that reflected true value and figured out how to manage irregular income properly.

When I suggested he shift his content to focus on helping creative freelancers find work, price their work confidently and manage their finances, his eyes took on a shiny quality.

'That's exactly what I wish someone had taught me back then,' he said.

'I love the idea of helping talented creatives, who are often so burned out because they struggle with the business side of things. I can help with that.'

Within a few weeks, his engagement at least doubled, and he began to receive a steady stream of subscribers for his newsletter. He started receiving enquiries from freelancers who resonated with his story because they were living through the same struggles.

The content flowed more easily because he was writing from genuine experience and even heartache, rather than from what he thought he should write about.

And this is what I had learned building my brand too:

Your most powerful content comes from the intersection of your personal skills and your own transformation.

When you find this and how to connect it to your tribe, you have found your purpose. And that will drive you like nothing else.

The problems you've solved in your own life are exactly what you're best positioned to help others solve.

Find how you can uniquely contribute, and you'll have found the missing ingredient.

Tomorrow, I'm opening up my course: The Purpose Statement System for a limited four-day window. This course walks you through exactly how to identify your unique intersection of struggle, strength, and service, and then distil it into a single, powerful statement that drives everything you create.

I refer to my own statement each day to realign with what matters.

This is the missing ingredient for many creators who want to make an impact but lack the direction they need.

The course won't be available again until next year.

I'll send details tomorrow, so check your inbox.

The offer will close this Monday, September 29th, at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Talk soon!

Alex