"Brands are for products. People are defined by stories. And when they tell those stories in powerful ways, there is nothing more magnetic."

IN THIS EPISODE

If you have ever felt dirty trying to "build a personal brand" on LinkedIn, or cringed at the pressure of corporate self-promotion, this episode is your antidote.

Aparna is joined by Amanda Hirsch, former Editorial Director of PBS.org and CEO of Mighty Forces - a storytelling company designed explicitly for people who give a damn. Together, they tear down the sterile, hyper-optimized machine of "personal branding" to discuss why brands belong to products, while human beings belong to stories.

Changing this narrative requires immense courage. Too often, white-collar workers face deep-seated fear and severe corporate retaliation when they try to step away from compliance and speak out. The system is designed to keep us quiet and it is time we reclaim our voice. 

Aparna and Amanda break down why your authentic, intentional voice matters more than ever right now. Your true perspective is not a personal brand to be managed for algorithms – it is a non-negotiable tool for collective liberation and real structural change.

THE QUESTION WE'RE SITTING WITH

What’s possible when we share our stories - for ourselves and others? 

TAKE THIS WITH YOU

• Ditch the Corporate Brand Label: Humans are not products or companies. When we force ourselves into marketing caricatures, we strip away our nuance. 

• The Self-Promotion Gap: Women and marginalized professionals consistently struggle to advocate for their own brilliance online due to societal penalties—but rewriting your LinkedIn profile to reflect your true impact is a necessary, collective reclamation of space.

• From Striving to Collective Belonging: Storytelling shouldn't be a solo performance designed for individual gain. The deep medicine our world needs right now is showing up in the public square. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Learn more about Amanda’s work at mightyforces.co

• Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandahirsch/ 

• Improvising Adulthood: What I Wish Someone Had Told Me by Amanda Hirsch

Send us your stories, thoughts and connect with Aparna at pod@circleback.club; circleback.club or aparnarae.com