04/06/2026
Yesterday I did my first ever guest speaking event.
I was invited to speak at the for the WIBA x MCSA event on personal branding and LinkedIn.
I was a bit unsure what value I’d bring, but was excited by the opportunity.
I spoke alongside Ben from and Margalit (an ex lecturer) to a room of students ranging from first years through to masters students.
The topic was personal branding in 2026, and how to use LinkedIn to become known, trusted and remembered before the opportunity shows up.
But the biggest thing I took away had nothing to do with LinkedIn strategy.
It was this:
Everyone is scared of being seen.
No matter the age.
No matter the stage.
No matter how much experience someone has.
So many students felt like they had no value to add yet, that they were too young, too inexperienced, too unsure, too worried about what their friends, family or people from school might think.
And honestly, that fear never disappears, you just get comfortable with the uncomfortable.
People will always have opinions.
People might gossip.
People might judge.
People might misunderstand what you are trying to do.
But the beauty in that is you get to choose what you do with that.
You can use it as fuel for your success.
The questions at the end really stuck with me too. They asked about time management, confidence, what I have learned over the last five years, and how I keep backing myself through busy seasons.
And so much of it came back to the same thing:
- Being confident and comfortable in who you are.
- Knowing your values.
- Knowing your strengths.
- Knowing what you want to be known for.
- And choosing to show up anyway, even on the hard days.
Huge thank you to WIBA and MCSA for having me.
