How to Reinvent You
At some point in your career, or several, you’ll likely have to reinvent your professional personal brand. So, are you ready for when that moment comes?
I write this blog as one of the most significant player trades in the modern sports era has rocked the NBA community (and our household as Dallas Mavericks fans). Luka Dončić, was traded to the LA Lakers, by the club he called home since being a teenager. A club he had helped lead to the NBA finals just months earlier. Even more remarkable is that it wasn’t the LA Lakers who instigated the trade for another NBA star, and championship player, Anthony Davis. But rather, it was the Mavericks themselves, stunning the sports world, the NBA and Mavs fans.
While trades are a part of elite sport and often brutally on display in the NBA trading period, this news shocked most except the select few involved in discussions.
Dončić though plagued with injuries in the 2025 season was still regarded as one of the brightest stars in the NBA and is consistently viewed as an NBA MVP contender. On a personal note, if you follow this blog, you might already know I am a Denver Nuggets fan. However, when they were eliminated from the playoffs last year, I was eager to keep watching and moved to the Mavericks because of Dončić and Kyrie Irving. Together, they were a mesmerising duo and I fell head over heels for the Mavs franchise too, following them into the 2025 season.
What feels most potent about this trade for the everyday person is that even the most talented and seemingly untouchable professional can be treated as replaceable in their career. Dončić who expected to don the Mavs jersey for the rest of his NBA days will now have to adjust to life as a Laker. He’ll have to reinvent himself and his professional personal brand.
In her book, Reinventing You personal branding guru Dorie Clark shares the harsh reality that at some point in your career (or several), you’ll likely have to reinvent yourself and your professional personal brand.
Perhaps, you’ve seen your teammates or bosses be made redundant or be unexpectedly fired. Perhaps, you always thought it could never happen to you. Think again. In my own career, I’ve seen the most valuable leaders be made redundant. I’ve seen those who deserve their high salary be strategically let go in tough times. Being valuable can sadly sometimes make you vulnerable.
So, if you find yourself having to reinvent your professional personal brand, what can you do? Let’s discuss how to reinvent You:
1. Start before you’re ready
If you’re reading this as a proactive professional who wants to build a personal brand that’s always several steps ahead, then start planning for that defining future moment of your professional career now. Even while everything is going perfectly in your career, build a professional personal brand that acts as your insurance policy.
Create a portfolio of your work to benefit the future of your professional personal brand.
Build a personal brand website that’s always ready to roll when you are. Build a body of work on your website - host a blog, YouTube channel or Podcast. Create a community around your expertise. Using the same concept, publish on other platforms. LinkedIn, as the largest professional network, is the obvious choice for your career.
Studies show that 60% of recruiters review social media profiles during the hiring process. If you plan to work for yourself after an unexpected career change, remember savvy clients likely will too. Does your LinkedIn profile for your professional personal brand look like you care about your industry or field of expertise, or does it feel stale, neglected or outdated? Build a professional personal brand on LinkedIn that’s alive with your expertise and ongoing passion for your industry.
In Reinventing You, Clark says:
“Every art student has a portfolio ready to be shown at a moment’s notice. It’s no different in the business world; no one will believe you’re serious unless you begin to create content that demonstrates your expertise.”
Dončić’s downfall was perhaps that he was loyal to the fault with his current employers. However, his proof of work spoke for himself, so the Lakers were ready to sweep him up when Dallas knocked on their door.
2. Step back to step forward
Clark highlights that sometimes you have to take one step back to take three steps forward.
As I reflect on professional personal brand pivots, I like to encourage my personal brand coaching clients to take a career crossroads as the opportunity to reset, reimagine and recreate their professional personal brand. This is instead of diving straight back into doing what you’ve always been doing. While having high expectations for your next chapter is admirable, also be prepared to take a pay cut or a less senior title. You may be starting in a junior position on a newly defined, yet more fulfilling, career path. Let go of your title, salary and other attachments of your last role - that’s now in the past.
3. Remember your halo effect
Not everything is in the past.
As Clark highlights, “You can take it with you.”
No matter where your transition leads you, the reputation you have spent so much time building can follow you into your new endeavours. Stanford professor, Jeffery Pfeffer, calls this the psychological phenomenon known as the ‘halo effect’. Whereby if you’re talented in one domain, people will assume you have the ability to be good in another.
An unexpected career change can rock your confidence and outlook for your professional personal brand. The trick is staying calm and taking stock. What skills do you still have? They can’t be taken away from you. Your reputation, if well maintained throughout your career, will also follow you into your next chapter.
4. Connect the narrative
Clark also emphasises the importance of your past experience. Rather than discounting it, connect your narrative. Tell your story in a way that helps your audience make sense of your transition. Help give yourself the credibility you have earned for your professional personal brand.
When rewriting your resume, your LinkedIn profiles or your other online platforms, make what may be obvious to you obvious to others too. Connect the dots. Why is your next chapter not an unexpected turn but, rather something that feels like it makes perfect sense to your peers and industry? Highlight your skills and narrative in a way that most clearly connects the dots.
In my own experience as a personal brand coach, this can mean having to drop attachments to your complete collection of skills, responsibilities, experience and achievements. Instead, hone in on what most makes your desired future path pop on the page or screen. Putting those skills in the spotlight. As they say, the best design is not about what is added but what is taken away. Focus on the aspect of your professional personal brand story that makes the most sense for your future personal brand goals.
