Ask a SHE: How Media Helped Shape 6 Leaders' Personal Brands

Recently, in the first installment of Ask a SHE, a part of Red Roof’s SHE Leads Forum, female leaders inside and outside the hospitality industry were asked to share a piece of media that has influenced their personal branding. 

Featured in the article are AAHOA Executive Vice President, Communications, and Chief Strategy Officer Heather Carnes, as well as AAHOA Member and entrepreneur Nancy Patel. Nancy is also one of the founding members of AAHOA's original women’s program and is a staunch supporter of AAHOA's HerOwnership initiative. 

Check out their responses:

Nancy Patel

Q: What piece of media has shaped how you view your personal branding or how you view yourself?

A: "The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters" by Emily Esfahani Smith. This book encourages women to define their personal brand and purpose through a sense of meaning and contribution.

Q: How has this piece of media shaped how you view personal branding or how you view yourself?

A: "The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters" has revolutionized my perspective on personal branding. By exploring the four pillars of meaning—belonging, purpose, storytelling, and transcendence—this book reveals a path to personal branding that is authentic, meaningful, and impactful. Rather than focusing on superficial self-promotion, I've learned to cultivate a deep sense of purpose and values that drive my personal brand. Through this book, I've come to understand that personal branding is not just about projecting an image, but about uncovering and sharing my true identity. By applying the principles from this book, I aim to create a personal brand that inspires others and leaves a lasting impact.

Heather Carnes

Q: What piece of media has shaped how you view personal branding or how you view yourself?

A: Hands down, one of the most significant books I’ve read that has helped me in my personal branding journey is “Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead,” by Brené Brown.

Q: How has this piece of media shaped how you view personal branding or how you view yourself?

A: In my opinion, one of the things that holds us back the most is simply the courage to get started, and to put yourself out there without caring what others think about you. Brené is one of the leading researchers on courage and vulnerability, and the insights in “Daring Greatly”—among many other titles of hers— were life-changing for me. In fact, during AAHOA's 2023 HerOwnership Conference and Retreat, I conducted a masterclass where I recommended "Daring Greatly" as essential reading in the masterclass workbook. At the outset of the masterclass, we delved into topics such as self-awareness, authenticity and confronting fears, which are the foundation to a strong personal brand and taking the necessary steps to authentically be yourself. There is nobody better than Brené to teach these topics. Two of my favorite quotes from Brené are, "Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen,” and “When you shut down vulnerability, you shut down opportunity.”

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