Being a living, breathing brand has never been more crucial for career success. Stylist meets four women who mean business on every level.

Words: Katie O’Malley, Photography: Mark Harrison

Hair and make up: Lou Box at S management using Kevyn Aucoin and Redken, Digital artwork: Rob Dewey @ Happy Finish / happyfinish.com

Take a minute to consider how you present yourself at work.

Does your executive suit confuse clients who thought they were meeting up with a creative designer? What about your updates on Instagram? Does your last post at 2am on Saturday night while locked out of your flat, complete with half-eaten kebab in hand, fit your reputation as a successful family lawyer?

As the ‘job for life’ fades into antiquity and more of us think about branching out on our own – be it via vlogging, launching an interior design business or working from home as a freelancer – the need to mould our own personal brand is becoming as vital as writing a good CV. We can no longer hide under the protection of a huge corporate company. ‘Branding’ – once a word only attributed to fashion ranges and hotel stationery – now applies very readily to people.

Even those climbing the career ladder within a structured company are using the technique to give them the edge in an increasingly competitive environment. Yes, it takes a steely focus and clear strategy, but experts agree that carefully curating what we say in public, how we look and where we’re seen, all contribute to how others view us and radically change the opportunities that come our way.

“Personal branding is not a new concept – people buy people, they always have,” explains Jennifer Holloway, author of Personal Branding For Brits. “But we’re now so much more conscious of it. A good way to start thinking about your brand is to ask yourself, ‘If you wanted people to know three things about you, what would they be?’ Then you have to work out how to communicate those messages.”

And that’s where so many of us fall down. “So many women think, ‘If I do a good job, I’ll get noticed’ but that’s rubbish,” continues Holloway. “Loads of people do a good job. You need to stand out. There may not be any direct correlation between higher wages and a strong personal brand but 80% of people find a job with someone they know. If you can communicate effectively who you are and stay on people’s radars, you’ll more readily come to mind when an opportunity pops up.”

So, how does creating and maintaining a brand identity work in real life? Stylist asks four women who have made it their business to truly live their brand for the rules they live by.

Meet the women who have made it their business to be living, breathing brands