Reclaiming the African American Narrative with Faith McKinney
\u201cAs African Americans, we\u2019ve given up our narrative. It takes away our humanity. We have human stories just like everyone else\u2014it\u2019s just that our brand isn\u2019t being written by us.\u201d Faith McKinney is an author, media strategist, and longtime listener of the On Brand podcast. This week she joined me as a guest for a discussion on building your personal brand, taking control of the African American narrative, and the need for authenticity. Enjoy!\nAbout Faith McKinney\nFaith McKinney is the author of\xa0Schmingling-The Art of Being Well-Connected Through Blatant Self-Promotion. She has been mentioned in\xa0The Wall Street Journal,\xa0Ebony,\xa0The Washington Post, and many other publications. Please contact her at www.faithmckinney.com\xa0or\xa0faith@faithmckinney.com.\nEpisode Highlights\nSchmoozing + Mingling = Schmingling!\xa0I had to start my interview by asking Faith what her book\xa0Schmingling\xa0was all about. When she explained this mashup it makes a ton of sense. \u201cYou have to move out of your comfort zone\u201d if you want to be seen, as Faith says.\nThe African American narrative and brand.\xa0\u201cAs African Americans, we\u2019ve given up our narrative. When we don\u2019t have our own stories and our own narrative, it takes away our humanity. And we\u2019re all lumped together in media stories and we\u2019re only seeing negativity. We have human stories just like everyone else\u2014it\u2019s just that our brand isn\u2019t being written by us.\u201d\nTaking control of the brand narrative.\xa0\u201cHistorically, not being assertive with your brand, as far as African Americans go, I believe is a survival technique in itself.\u201d Faith talked about why people need to be as big and blatant as they can in building their personal brand.\nWhat should you do in the next five minutes?\xa0As Tom Peters says, excellence is the best short-term strategy. I asked Faith what you should do in the five minutes after this show: \u201cReflect on how you want to be treated and how you treat others.\u201d\nWhat brand has made Faith smile recently?\xa0\u201cWell, it just happened today,\u201d Faith laughed, noting, \u201cAunt Jemima and Uncle Ben were laid to rest!\u201d We discussed why this move was both huge and needed. \u201cWe\u2019ve been asking for that for years.\u201d\nTo learn more,\xa0go to her website,\xa0faithmckinney.com\xa0and check out her book\xa0Schmingling\xa0on Amazon.\nAs We Wrap \u2026\nDid you hear something you liked on this episode or another?\xa0Do you have a question you\u2019d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show.\nOn Brand is sponsored by my book\xa0Brand Now.\xa0Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world.\xa0Order now and get special digital extras.\xa0Learn more.\n\n\nSubscribe to the podcast\xa0\u2013 You can subscribe to the show via\xa0Apple Podcasts,\xa0Spotify,\xa0Google Play,\xa0Stitcher,\xa0TuneIn, and\xa0RSS.\n\n\nRate and review the show\xa0\u2013 If you like what you\u2019re hearing, head over to\xa0Apple Podcasts\xa0and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast.\n\n\nOK. How do you rate and review a podcast?\xa0Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes?\xa0Check this out.\n\nUntil next week, I\u2019ll see you on the Internet!\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices