SoFi Blog

There’s a reason that you consistently buy your coffee from the same place or insist on only using Apple products. Sure, part of it may be your great taste. But your favorite companies have also created successful and compelling corporate brands, which communicate exactly what they’re about and what you can expect.

Whether you’re embarking on (or knee-deep in) a job search, or you just want to be prepared for your next move, you likely know how to use LinkedIn, and how important it is to have a strong LinkedIn profile in order to achieve your career goals. But does your own profile actually reflect that?

Last month, we hosted a SoFi member event in Los Angeles with special guest Johanna Maska, who shared details of her impressive career, including serving as Director of Press Advance for the Obama administration and Vice President of Marketing for the Los Angeles Times.

As someone who knows more than just a few things about transitioning big, Ms. Maska was the perfect guest speaker for our members, whose career paths are anything but traditional. Familiar with good and bad twists and turns, and some really wild rides, our members were wholly tuned in as she told her stories.

Personal branding—the practice of educating key decision-makers about your unique value—is more important now than ever. Yet, getting a good grasp of the techniques used to build a personal brand can be tricky. How is a personal brand best created? How does one begin to understand its principles? And where should the line between branding and self-promotion be drawn? We’ve got answers.

Name: Nicole Gaines                                                                                                     

Locale: Nashville, TN                                                                                                    

Alma Maters: UC Chattanooga & Cumberland University                                                

By Day: Registered Nurse at Vanderbilt Medical Center                                                                                               

SoFi Member Since: 2015                                                                                             

Approximate SoFi Loan: $37,000                                                                                    

SoFi Savings: ~$500/month

Nicole Gaines is a single mother, full-time nurse, dedicated daughter, community volunteer, and bikini contest competitor. Needless to say, she is the definition of success. Nicole shares that her secret is in making it a priority to take care of herself in order to take care of others.