The Savvy Boss is a new column in partnership with BossTalks where we sit down for a morning coffee chat with some of the savviest lady bosses from around the globe.
Jessica Zweig is the CEO of the SimplyBe. Agency, an internationally award winning personal branding firm with offices in Chicago and Nashville, serving clients across the globe. She is the author of #1 best selling book, “Be. – A No B.S. Guide to Increasing Your Self Worth and Net Worth by Simply Being Yourself,” published by Sounds True (Macmillan).
Jessica was named a Personal Branding Expert by Forbes, 2020’s Most Notable Entrepreneur by Crain’s, the 2018 and 2019 Stevie® Award winner for “Female Entrepreneur of the Year,” and a Top Digital Marketer to Watch by Inc.
We recently sat down with Jessica to discuss the importance of personal branding for your business.
What were the biggest challenges you had to overcome at the beginning of your career journey?
At the very beginning, I had fears around what a lot of entrepreneurs likely fear: I had no experience, I had no confidence, I had no money. But I had an idea. I had a drive. And I realized that no one was going to do the work for me.
No one else was going to pull the vision out of my head and heart and build it for me. And once I took that first step, my experience started to compound, my confidence grew, and the clients I began attracting filled my bank account.
What’s one thing you’ve done (good or bad) in your life where you look back and say, “I can’t believe I actually did that?
Pretty much my entire life is one big surreal awe moment—it’s cheesy but oh so true. I feel like I’m constantly beginning; every day there is a new challenge that I never thought I would or could face. Honestly, I look back at my entire career and think, “I can’t believe I actually did that!”
I currently have a team of 20 people at SimplyBe. Agency and if you had told me that I would 10, 5, or even a few years ago, I wouldn’t have believed you.
I’ve been named a “Personal Branding Expert” by FORBES, a “Top Digital Marketer to Watch” by INC., “Top 10 Entrepreneurs to Follow on Social Media” by Chicago Tribune, and one of 2020’s Most Notable Entrepreneurs by Crain’s Chicago Business.
A few years ago I got a 6-figure book deal for my first book Be. and it became a #1 best-seller on Amazon in its first week. On the first page of that book I have a mantra that has never proved me wrong:
“Do not be surprised how quickly the Universe will respond once you have decided.”
What’s incredible is how things align and how we can surprise ourselves when we make a decision, set an intention and go for it.
Did you have any mentors? Do you believe they are important when starting a business or in the business world?
I love this question. YES, I have mentors, and in fact, I have mentors everywhere, in all areas of my life. I consider a mentor to be anyone who has taken a path of what you yourself seek (whether you know them or not).
One of my dearest mentors is a former client, friend and advisor Tony Hunter, former CEO of Chicago Tribune. A prolific leader of people and a whip-smart business person. I have become a better decision-maker and a firm yet compassionate leader thanks to him.
Another mentor I have is Denise Senter. An incomparable marketer with a huge heart and passion for women in business. We’ve worked together, we’ve worked for each other, and we continuously learn from and root for each other.
These are just a few of my mentors that I look up to but there are plenty of others in my life who are on my level or even a few steps behind me in my career. It’s so important to diversify who you’re learning from—you never know what perspectives others may offer you.
Another way to think about mentors is in an aspirational sense. If there is an author or thought leader that you admire from a distance or through the internet, they can be considered a mentor too. This can be anyone whose work in the world you admire and aspire to emulate.
Let what they put out there mentor you. Some of these figures in my life have been Danielle LaPorte and Marianne Williamson (both of whom have recently become my friends and peers—once again, the Universe at work!). I learned so much from them by admiring them and reading their content from afar. I know have the pleasure of learning from them as peers and fellow female leaders.
What entrepreneurial hacks have you developed to stay focused and productive in your day-to-day?
Some of my “hacks” are truly basics and necessities. It comes down to good sleep, no alcohol, and unapologetic boundaries and self-care practices (and the daily snuggle with my dogs is truly medicine to my soul). Something that I’ve become intentional about in my career progression is getting clear on my inner circle. I have a great network and a lot of people in my life that I value, cherish and adore.
But my inner inner circle—my truest support system of ride-or-dies—is something that I have cultivated and simply cannot live without. It’s so important to have that tight community around you to remind you of your power and worth in those tough moments in which you have forgotten.
What are three tips you can give to someone who wants to have a personal brand?
1. Get clear on your brand messaging. The best way to build your brand message is to define the following: (1) who you are, (2) what you do, (3) how you do it, and (4) why it works. PRO TIP: Gather insight from others, too. Call up your closest confidants who know you intimately and ask them, “What is my value?” Take notes and see what common themes you find—these may just be the foundation of your brand message.
2. Get clear on where your brand stands. We call this brand positioning. Before you dive headfirst into the market, you have to get clear on your strategy. This means a thorough analysis of your target audience and your competition.
Organize your audience in three groups: your clients, your peers, and your community. Then, your competitive analysis can be fairly straightforward.
Use Google to scan your landscape and social channels to search hashtags related to your industry. In doing this, focus on how you can separate yourself, or in other words, capitalize on what your competition is not doing. Circle back to your message and ensure it stands out.
3. Begin creating a drumbeat of original content. You are who you say you are and what you do consistently—it’s that simple. Remember that thought leaders think—they create original content. Your message, ideas and value, therefore, should not live and die with your Instagram profile. It should come in more tangible forms of content, like a podcast, video series, or even live events.
For the full step-by-step SimplyBe. branding methodology, pick up a copy of my book Be.!
How do you define success?
My vision and definition of “success” have shifted for me over the years. Success for me now looks like me being in alignment with my purpose. It means not having to hustle or convince people to want to work with me—it’s others seeing the value in what I bring to the table and seeking me out to make their brand or business better.
Success is not about what you produce or what accolades you receive or the number of Instagram followers you have. I feel successful when I feel light, when I feel peaceful, and when I am in true flow. Success is when I feel like the highest version of myself.
What do you want to leave as a legacy?
My legacy actually has nothing to do with me, and everything with the people I serve. Every day, in and out of my agency, I strive to reflect back to others what is beautiful in and possible for them. I want to leave this all behind knowing that I was able to unlock light and divinity in others.
At the end of my career or even my life, I don’t want others to think, “Oh, I loved Jessica.” I want them to think “I loved Jessica because she unlocked something in ME and showed me my worth and my potential.” That is the legacy I want to leave behind.
What is your definition of a Savvy Boss?
A Savvy Boss is someone who possesses masculine and feminine values, the hard and the soft skills, the left and the right brain.
A Savvy Boss is confident in their decision-making, execution and problem-solving. They unapologetically make moves and make money—they know their worth and they go for it. They’re able to make hard business decisions.
But a Savvy Boss is also a master of the soft skills and of presence. They are open to new ideas and new opportunities and are here to receive them. They possess a grounded stillness and a calm within themselves in order to navigate whatever each day brings.
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