In this powerful conversation, Mel Yu, international speaker, brand strategist, and mental health advocate, reveals the uncomfortable truths about building authentic personal brands in the AI era.
What makes Mel's approach revolutionary? While most people build personal brands to chase money and followers, Mel discovered that true personal branding is about "creating people of influence, not influencers"—and why authenticity always beats the algorithm. Her methodology centers on identity and reputation in the marketplace, the power of polarity in brand positioning, and why the most successful personal brands require you to risk being disliked.
Mel's transformation from trauma-focused content creator to luxury brand strategist isn't just inspiring—it's systematic. She reveals how losing her partner to suicide initially built her brand around mental health advocacy, but how staying there would have kept her trapped in the past. We explore her courageous decision to evolve her messaging despite fearing her community would "love her less," and why she now says "I remember where I've come from every day—that's why I can't stay there."
We dive deep into her philosophy that only 3% of your audience is ready to buy at any time, why personal brands are taking market share from traditional influencers, and how to position yourself as a thought leader rather than a trend-follower. Mel reveals why she rejected the pressure to stay in her trauma story, how to navigate brand evolution without losing your core audience, and why building a personal brand requires being comfortable with people not liking you.
01:12 - The difference between influencers and personal brands: "We're creating people of influence, not influencers"
03:02 - Simple definition of personal branding: "Your identity and reputation in the market"
05:25 - Why personal brands are winning: "People want substance, depth, and lived experience they can relate to"
09:26 - The authenticity vs algorithm balance: "Without authenticity, you're just a cookie cutter puppet"
16:07 - Why money shouldn't be the primary driver: "There are a million other ways to make money—you don't actually need a personal brand"
17:44 - The psychology behind personal branding: "Every human just wants to feel seen, heard and understood"
28:05 - The courageous brand evolution: "I was worried you guys would love me a little less"
29:43 - Breaking free from trauma positioning: "I remember where I've come from every day—that's why I can't stay there"
32:04 - The engagement trap of trauma content: "Misery loves company—sad content gets the highest engagement"
34:17 - Personal branding as service: "It's one of the most selfishly selfless things you can do"
36:07 - Psychology as foundation: "Once you understand the human mind, you have more compassion and empathy"
41:02 - Teaching resilience through failure: "What did you do to fail today? We need to normalize these lessons"
48:18 - The hero's journey principle: "No hero sets off on a linear journey—the valleys of despair create the best stories"
Follow Mel Yu:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mellieyu
Follow Mark Kentwell:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark_kentwell
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mark_kentwell
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markkentwell1
Mark's Businesses:
Presence Real Estate: https://presence.realestate/
Nexr: https://nexr.com.au/
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