The personal brand is unique and unparalleled

Introduce yourself in a few words..

My name is Elizabet Marangozova, 30 years old, and I am an actress, singer, and acting teacher.

How would you define a personal brand and why is it so important today?

The personal brand is built on that secret ingredient, which is unique and unparalleled for each person. Everyone contributes something of their own, one of a kind to the world around them.

How did you start building your personal brand? What motivates you? 

I greatly value the moments when while working on what you love, you develop and gain invaluable knowledge that you naturally want to share with others. At least it was like that for me, and I really want to have the opportunity to help someone who needs it.

What are the most important elements of a successful personal brand? 

Honesty, openness, support and continuity. 

How do we find our niche and unique value?  

By continuously digging deep within ourselves, we actively build and uphold our personality.

Should the personal brand be built around personality or expertise?

Both in parallel and at the same time, of course.

What first steps would you recommend to someone who is just starting?  

To explore yourself in a multi-faceted way, not to stop trying different situations and scenarios in your life (within the useful) and not to be afraid to stand up for your views. Very often we choose to go in a direction that is not characteristic of us, just because someone has 'advised' us that way and we are afraid of rejection. This should be avoided. Quality opportunities in our lives will come when we clearly clarify who we are and when our intentions are good and pure.  

What platforms are most suitable for developing a personal brand today?

All well-known social networks and platforms are necessary and suitable, as well as your own personal (website, vlog, channel, Linktree, etc.)

What role does authenticity play in the personal brand and how do we maintain it?  

Authenticity plays a key role because it is not common. Nowadays, many people, especially in Bulgaria, rely on serving a certain image and expectations that are false and deliberate, while it seems to me that society is hungry for honest, decent, and remarkable people. People with true passion, history, and quality essence.  

How do we create content that engages and builds trust?

When we prioritize contributing something useful and positive to this world and helping people. Every fame, respect, and honor comes after that.  The other is meaningless selfishness. Every selfishly motivated person is unnecessary to society.

What are the most common mistakes people make when building a personal brand?  

Mistakes are necessary for our development, but perhaps the biggest hindrance is that when we make mistakes we get discouraged and sometimes give up on our goals, dreams, and projects. We must keep moving forward and accept obstacles as part of the journey. I need to remind myself of this more often.

How do we deal with negative comments and criticism?

Through filtering. Some comments should be taken as constructive criticism, others should not. Not every advice is good, and we should not accept comments from every person, so a large part should be rightly ignored. 

How do we avoid burnout, when we invest a lot of effort in our personal brand?

Through systematization of activities and breaks. Stop for a moment and then come back again. We should not overstrain ourselves and can often remind ourselves that the world will not end no matter what we do with our personal brand or project. This gives a dose of confidence and freedom to act more boldly.

How can a strong personal brand lead to more opportunities (jobs, partnerships, clients)?

Through the right approach, which is directly related to our personality. Find your way that works for you personally, by trying different approaches. Through the method of elimination, you will reach your correct answer.

What are the best ways to monetize a personal brand?

The first level is through social networks. After that are partnerships with larger brands and advertisers. 

When is the right time to start offering paid services or products?

It varies for everyone. It depends on whether the brand is commercially oriented or not. In any case, I believe that it should be approached very carefully and elegantly, because this is thin ice. For example, a personal brand that has gained an audience through authentic original content can easily crack if it starts selling products or offering paid services in the wrong model. It is good to conduct a deep marketing analysis beforehand. After all, a lot also depends on the brand.

How do we maintain sustainability and long-term growth of the personal brand?

Through constant development and striving for expansion. The brand needs to keep up with the times.

What habits and discipline are needed for building authority?

Basic rules for personal discipline, human upbringing, good manners, continuous improvement in every aspect of our life, and most importantly – striving for kindness of heart. From the physical and everyday to the emotional and spiritual. I will repeat again - to be kind-hearted people, because without that nothing else has any meaning.   

Which personalities with a successful personal brand inspire you and why?

There are many, mostly on TikTok – singers, actors who shoot entire series only with the help of themselves, a phone, and a wig, women who help other women with advice, priests who share content about the Christian faith, and others. What I like about them is that they aim to help and inspire people to take what they do best and share it with the world, because there is certainly someone who will appreciate it.

What three specific things can people do today to improve their personal brand?

To strive for what is described in the above and previous question.