I don’t do rivals, I do ripple effects: Collaboration over competition. Always.

Last week I met a local marketing strategist at a networking event, someone doing similar work, in the same space, in the same area. Not a competitor. A peer.

We grabbed a drink, shared stories, swapped thoughts on everything from brand positioning to pricing structures to how to juggle creativity and client work. It was honest, refreshing, and energising.

A few days later, I saw them post something on LinkedIn and a chunk of it echoed something I’d said in our chat. Almost word for word.

And you know what?

I didn’t feel ripped off. I felt chuffed.

 From content idea to ripple effect

Let’s be real: we’re all out here looking for content ideas. It’s part of the game. But what this moment reminded me is that sometimes we don’t just spark posts, we spark thought, consideration and action.

That’s what I try to do for my clients. They come to me for brand clarity, marketing strategy and momentum. And it’s expected, they’re paying for my brain, my experience, and my fresh perspective, after all.

But when a peer, someone who does what I do, is inspired by something I said?

That hit different.

When you realise you've become the influence

There are so many voices in the brand and marketing world I admire. People I learn from, quote, and quietly try to live up to.

So the idea that I might be that person for someone else?
Honestly, it felt like a milestone moment.

Not because I want credit.
But because it reminds me that doing this work with integrity, generosity, and clarity actually matters. It makes an impact. Even when you don’t realise it.

You don’t have to be the loudest to be a thought leader

Leadership doesn’t always look like shouting the loudest. Sometimes it looks like sharing ideas over a glass of wine. Sometimes it’s showing your working.
Sometimes it’s not getting territorial when someone borrows a thought,  but being proud that it resonated enough to be repeated. Why generosity beats gatekeeping.

Because that’s what building a personal brand is really about, showing up with honesty, sharing your thinking generously, and leaving a little spark behind for someone else to pick up. That’s the kind of impact I want to have. That’s the kind of brand I want to build.

What sort of brand are you building?