Personal Branding Is Agency in Action

Lisa Maynard-Atem
Jun 21
4 min read

Why owning your narrative is the boldest move you can make!

There’s something I’ve felt for a long time but have only recently found the language to express: I move differently when it comes to agency. I’ve always known it. From the way I make decisions, to the way I approach change, to the way I refuse to stay in places that don’t serve my growth or align with my values. I don’t wait for permission. I act.

A young girl standing confidently in front of her classmates at a school in Africa, wearing a pink dress and white socks, surrounded by children seated at wooden desks outdoors with simple buildings and banana trees in the background. — Even as a child, I was very aware that I was very aware of my own agency.

And yet, it wasn’t until I came across a conversation on the Diary of a CEO podcast that I felt fully seen. Journalist and author Louise Perry was discussing agency - specifically the notion that although we all have the capacity for agency, most people don’t actually use it. In her words, agency might be better understood not as something binary, but as a personality trait. Something embodied more by some than others. That struck a chord.

Because when I look back at my own journey, whether it was walking away from a secure corporate role, reinventing my personal brand multiple times, or building a consultancy that helps others do the same, it was agency that made it all possible. And more importantly, it’s agency that’s made it meaningful.

Which brings me to this truth: Personal branding is agency in action.

Not the curated version. Not the copy-and-paste, trend-following, algorithm-chasing version. I’m talking about real personal branding, the kind rooted in self-awareness, shaped by purpose, and expressed with intention.

That kind of branding doesn’t start with a colour palette or a photoshoot. It starts with a decision:

“I will not let the world define me. I’ll define myself.”

Agency: The Foundation of Identity, Not Just Action

We often speak of agency in terms of behaviour - who acts, who hesitates, who leads. But beneath that is something far more fundamental: agency as authorship. It’s the power to choose what you stand for, what you prioritise, and how you show up, especially when the path ahead is uncertain.

In the world of personal branding, this is everything.

Without agency, branding becomes performance. It becomes mimicry, posturing, and detachment. We see this all the time on LinkedIn and Instagram. People adopting polished personas that don’t quite fit, chasing relevance rather than resonance.

But with agency? Your brand becomes an act of integrity. It reflects your values. It evolves with you. It communicates who you are before you’ve even said a word.

That’s powerful.

A Personal Example: Reclaiming My Narrative

I know this from experience. Years ago, I launched STYLISA as a fashion-focused platform, a space that reflected who I was at the time. And for a while, it worked. It felt aligned.

But as I grew, so did my sense of purpose. I no longer wanted to simply talk about clothes, I wanted to talk about values, identity, equity, and impact. I wanted to use my voice to elevate underrepresented founders, especially women navigating transition, reinvention, and change.

That meant making a shift. A real one. Not just a rebrand, but a redirection.

There was no blueprint. No one told me, “Now is the right time to evolve.” It wasn’t algorithm-friendly. But it was necessary. And it was only possible because I had the agency to decide:

I get to be more than one thing. I get to grow, and so does my brand.

That’s why I’m so passionate about helping others build personal brands rooted in authenticity, not aesthetics. Because when we act from agency, we build something no one else can replicate: a reputation grounded in truth.

The Illusion of Accessibility

We often say that anyone can build a personal brand, and in theory, that’s true. But in practice, it’s not that simple. Yes, the tools are accessible. But agency isn’t.

Too many people are waiting. Waiting for confidence. Waiting for clarity. Waiting for someone to give them a sign. They want to show up, but they feel like imposters. They want to speak, but they worry they’re not qualified. They want to build, but they fear being seen before they feel “ready.”

That’s not a lack of branding skill, it’s a lack of agency.

And I don’t say that with judgement. I say it with empathy. Because the world doesn’t exactly encourage self-authorship. It rewards compliance. It celebrates perfection. And it definitely doesn’t hand women, especially women of colour, the pen and say, “Here. Write your story.”

So we must claim it. Repeatedly. Fiercely. Even when our hands shake.

What Personal Branding Looks Like with Agency

When you activate your agency, your brand shifts from what you do to who you are becoming. Here’s what that looks like in real time:

You get clear on your values, and you let them lead
You stop chasing visibility, and start pursuing alignment
You speak up, even when your voice wavers
You evolve without apology, because growth is the whole point
You attract people, partners, and opportunities that feel right

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being real. And people connect with real.

From Agentic to Empowering

One of the things I’ve noticed about highly agentic people is this: we’re not content with just using our agency, we want to create environments where others can use theirs too.

That’s what personal branding can do at its best.

It’s not just a mirror, it’s a beacon. When people see you living your truth, they’re more likely to believe they can live theirs. When they see you evolving, they feel permission to evolve. When they see you step up, they consider stepping forward themselves.

Agency is contagious. So is authenticity.

A Call to Action: Own Your Narrative

If you take nothing else from this, take this:

Your personal brand isn’t about creating something new. It’s about claiming what’s already within you. You don’t need more credentials to be credible. You don’t need more polish to be powerful. You just need to decide that you’re worthy of being seen, and then start showing up from that place.