There was a time when branding advice felt like a Pinterest board come to life: be authentic, be confident, be transparent. Sprinkle in a bit of “boss babe” energy and voila—personal brand perfection.
But it’s 2025. And if your “values” stop at morning routines and Canva aesthetics, you’re not actually building a brand. You’re building a façade.
Here’s what I believe: In this world, where injustice screams from every screen, you can’t claim to be values-driven without standing up for actual people. Without choosing a side. Without saying the hard things out loud—even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it’s “off-brand.”
Because here’s the truth: I want to know if you stand with the occupied or the occupier. That’s what values mean now.
A few months ago, I left a design community. One of the coaches posted “I stand with Israel” right after October 7. That single sentence told me everything I needed to know—not just about her politics, but her priorities. I was out in seconds.
Then, a course I had been eyeing for months popped up again. I promised myself: I will not spend another cent unless I know where the brand stands. And when the creator began posting—clearly, loudly—against genocide, my decision became easy. I bought it. I joined. I felt safe there.
Why? Because the people inside that community shared my values. They were human first, entrepreneurs second.
We talk a lot about “ideal clients.” Well, my ideal people don’t stay silent in the face of violence. My ideal clients care about more than conversions. And I think that’s true for a growing number of us.
If you’re building a personal brand in 2025, neutrality isn’t a strategy—it’s a liability. Silence doesn’t make you look professional. It makes you look complicit.
Look at Huda Beauty. She could’ve stuck to lipsticks and glosses. But she didn’t. She spoke up for Palestine. She thought it would cost her business. Instead, people flooded Sephora for her products. I was one of them.
Why? Because if I’m going to spend money, I want to spend it on empathy. On alignment. On brands that make me feel like we’re fighting for the same future.
Ben & Jerry’s did it. Other brands are doing it. And if you’re a coach, a creator, a service provider—your silence is louder than you think.
So the next time someone tells you to “keep politics out of your business,” remember this:
Your values are your politics. And your politics are your brand.
Say something. Because people are listening.
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