For years, we’ve been told that success hinges on having the perfect elevator pitch. Thirty seconds. One opportunity to make an impression. The right combination of words that convinces someone to hire you or, at the very least, remember you. The problem is that in a post-COVID, social media-driven world, today’s careers rarely fit into a rehearsed 30-second speech.
I learned that lesson firsthand after leaving the company where I had worked for more than 20 years. During my time there, introducing myself was easy. My title did the heavy lifting. Once you say the words Global Managing Director, doors open easily. My title instantly communicated where I worked and what I was responsible for, and gave people a framework for understanding my career. Then I started my own company and started building an ecosystem around my skill of auctioneering. Suddenly, one simple question became surprisingly difficult to answer.
In New York City, where I have spent more than two decades, almost every conversation begins the same way, “So, what do you do?” That question isn’t considered intrusive in New York. It’s as common as asking someone’s name or recommending the newest restaurant everyone is talking about. Each time someone asked, I found myself hesitating. Which version of myself should I introduce? Charity auctioneer? CEO? Author? Keynote speaker? Podcast host? Mom of three? The more titles I accumulated, the harder it became to explain what I actually did.
That experience led me to rethink the traditional elevator pitch. The goal isn’t to squeeze every accomplishment into 30 seconds. It’s to create a clear storyline that helps people understand your value and remember it long after the conversation ends.
In my personal branding master class, I work with Fortune 500 executives, entrepreneurs, founders, and everything in between who face the exact same challenge. They have accomplished remarkable things, yet when someone asks what they do, they begin listing job titles, companies, side projects, and board positions. By the end of the conversation, they’ve shared plenty of information, but I often find that I’m wishing I never asked the question in the first place.
A great elevator pitch doesn’t explain everything; it creates a story that helps explain the concept of what you do rather than every single individual accomplishment. Here are three ways to build a personal brand that people will actually remember.
1. Lead with the problem you solve, not your job title
One of the biggest mistakes professionals make is introducing themselves by what they do instead of what they make possible. A title tells people where you work, but it rarely communicates why someone should care.
Rather than saying you’re a consultant, explain that you help companies revitalize stalled growth. Instead of introducing yourself as a financial advisor, describe how you help people make confident financial decisions. If you’re in marketing, don’t simply say you build campaigns, but explain that you help brands become impossible to ignore. This approach also gives your career room to evolve. Job titles and companies change. The value you consistently create becomes the foundation of your personal brand. When someone can immediately understand the impact you have, they are far more likely to remember you.
2. Find the thread that connects everything you do
Many professionals assume multiple roles make their careers harder to explain. I understand that instinct. Today I’m a charity auctioneer, founder and CEO of an agency, keynote speaker, author, and podcast host. If I introduce myself by listing each title, people spend more time trying to organize the information than understanding who I am. Instead, I focus on the idea that connects all of my work. I have spent more than two decades learning how to inspire people to take action. That single idea ties together every stage I stand on, every book I write, every podcast conversation I host, and every company I advise.
Ask yourself, what is the one idea that connects everything I do? Once you identify that answer, your introduction becomes far more compelling because every example reinforces the same message instead of competing for attention.
3. Give people something they can repeat
The best elevator pitches don’t end when the conversation is over. They continue when someone introduces you to your next opportunity. One question I ask participants in my master class is simple: If someone met you today, could they describe what makes you different when you aren’t around? Your personal brand isn’t defined by what you say about yourself. It’s defined by what other people say when you’re not around. That means your goal isn’t to share every accomplishment. It’s to leave someone with one clear idea they can easily pass along.
The professionals who create the most opportunities for themselves aren’t always the ones with the longest résumés. They’re the ones whose value proposition is so clear that other people naturally become advocates for their work. The real purpose of an elevator pitch is to establish credibility and make it easy for someone to remember you when the right opportunity appears. When your message is built around the outcomes you create, and anchored by a clear through line, your personal brand continues working long after the conversation ends.
So . . . what do you do?
