You Have a Brand

Our guest blog is brought to you by two outstanding educators and the co-authors the book, Ed Branding: How to Build Educational Leadership with Social Influence--Dr. Renae Bryant and Lynette White.

A Little More About Our Two Guest Hosts:

Dr. Renae Bryant serves as the Director of Plurilingual Services at Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD) in Anaheim, California where she works collaboratively with scholars, staff, families and community to co-create systems and processes to increase student access, opportunity, equity and success. In her free time, she is the founder and facilitator of the Leadership Book Chat and leads national book studies; as well as the co-host of the weekly The Ed Branding Podcast and is the author of The Ed Branding Book: How to Build Educational Leadership with Social Influence that was just released in April. With over twenty years in education, Renae has served as a district, site and teacher leader, administrator, coach, and started bilingual special education instructional assistant.

Lynette White’s career in education spans 14 years. She is currently the District & Community Relations Coordinator for Banning USD. Lynette is an Edu-Influencer who has presented nationwide on the importance of telling your story utilizing social media to brand yourself and your organization as well as the importance of developing a PLN. Lynette holds her BA in Communications from SNHU and is completing her MA in Communications with an emphasis on Education from GCU in 2024. She was recognized as a 2023 Rising Star for CALSPRA as well as being recognized with the 2023 MOSAIC Inclusivity Excellence Award. Lynette is also co-author of The Ed Branding Book: How to Build Educational Leadership with Social Influence. Additionally, Lynette is the co-host of the wildly successful Ed Branding Podcast available on any of your favorite podcast platforms.

Take it away, my friends!

Guest Blog

You have a brand. There. We said it. Let’s just get that out of the way. Your brand is how you define and live out your core values on a daily basis. Your brand is also your purpose and the significance you want to make.

When your colleagues see your name, what do they think of? Are they coming to their own conclusions? Or have you established who you are and what your values are? If so, you’ve already got a brand. You don’t have to explicitly spell out your brand in everything you do. But if you are intentional about how you put yourself out into the world consistently over time, it will be felt in all you do and say.

In our new book, Ed Branding, we discuss the importance of branding for educators and how it can positively impact their careers and reputations. By cultivating and growing your branding as an educator, you can convey your own unique identity and a clear message about your values. This identity can help differentiate you from other educators. By creating a distinctive brand that is true to yourself, you will become known for the expertise you bring to the table. This brand recognition can lead to more opportunities for speaking engagements, collaborations, and other professional opportunities.

Another benefit of branding for educators is that it can help develop a community of supporters and advocates. By building a strong brand, educators can create a network of colleagues and other professionals who believe in their message and are willing to promote their work. This network can help educators reach a wider audience and build a strong reputation within the industry.

The best part about building your own brand is that you own it. The branding or marketing you might create for a school site or district remains there long after you’ve left (hopefully); however, YOUR brand goes with you. It will always set you apart from others.

Want to learn more?

Check out Ed Branding: How to Build Educational Leadership with Social Influence.