The next few weeks I’ll be giving several sessions at amazing companies, all about Personal Branding. While preparing, I started writing down a few thoughts. Whether it’s good or not, I don’t know, but it’s what’s on my mind.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what leadership really means. Not the kind that fits neatly into a job title or LinkedIn headline, but the kind that quietly happens when you decide to step forward, even when you don’t feel ready.

A while ago I heard a quote that stayed with me: “There are two types of people. Those who use others to benefit themselves and those who use themselves to benefit others.” That line hit me deeply because every turning point in my life, from standing behind the camera as a photographer to standing on stages talking about AI, community and courage, started with that exact choice: to use myself to lift others.

When I worked as a photographer, I helped others shine. I didn’t realise that was already a form of leadership, seeing people, really seeing them. When I stopped photography to start my family and moved into tech, I thought I was starting over. Now I know I was reframing my story. That same creativity and curiosity are still with me, just expressed differently through communities, storytelling and helping others find their own voice in tech.

For a long time I thought visibility meant self-promotion. Now I know better. Visibility isn’t about being the loudest person in the room, it’s about being clear. People can’t sponsor what they can’t see. And visibility, when it’s done with authenticity, becomes a form of leadership. It builds trust, attracts allies and creates opportunities for others. That’s what I share in my sessions, that personal branding isn’t about ego, it’s about impact.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that mentors talk to you but sponsors talk about you. Every opportunity that truly changed my path, from Microsoft to global stages, started with someone who believed in me before I did. That’s sponsorship, and it’s powerful. So when I talk about leadership, I don’t just ask who you mentor, I ask who you sponsor. Because leadership isn’t about how many people follow you, it’s about how many people you help move forward.

When light passes through a prism, it doesn’t lose itself, it simply shows what was already there in colour. That’s how I see authentic leadership. We all have that same light inside, our values, our curiosity, our story, but when we dare to be visible it refracts, showing different colours and inspiring others to shine too. Leadership isn’t about adding more, it’s about letting your light be seen clearly, fully and unapologetically.

Every time I’ve said yes before I felt ready, shared an idea that scared me or stepped onto a stage wondering if I belonged there, that was a Watch Me moment. Leadership doesn’t begin with confidence, it begins with courage. Not with perfection, but with presence. And maybe that’s what I love most about what I do, helping others find their own Watch Me moment.

Because when you dare to show who you are, you don’t just grow — you lead more, you own more and you win more. You build deeper relationships that last, and you create a kind of leadership that people truly feel. That’s what authentic visibility delivers.

So here they are, my thoughts on leadership, visibility and daring to show up. Maybe they’ll inspire you to take your own step forward. Because it’s not about proving others wrong, it’s about proving your own potential right. 💜

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Who once sponsored you, and who will you sponsor next?