# @made.by.james on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DTdYUwOFAdV
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/71072770-madebyjames-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/e048f42aae.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-01-13T17:21:42.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** James Martin | Brand Designer (@made.by.james) — https://gondola.cc/made.by.james

## Caption

Personal Branding isn’t the fucking problem… It’s just being asked to do a job it was never designed for.

Opportunities for creative people in general still feel harder to secure than they should.

What makes this especially frustrating is that they’re doing exactly what they’ve been told should work. They’re showing up publicly, sharing their thinking, being generous with their knowledge, and leaning into personality and openness. 

✖️ The People engage.
✖️ The People respond.
✖️ The People say kind things.

But when it comes to being chosen, trusted, or invested in at a meaningful level, something still doesn’t quite click for them.

I don’t have all the answers, but I’ve been around this long enough to know that when a pattern keeps repeating, it deserves attention. 

The instinctive response is to assume the problem is effort.

If this isn’t working, then maybe I need to post more, share more, be more visible, or lean even harder into personal branding... and thats the drug a lot of the personal brand mentors advise.

But being relatable does not make you investible.

So here’s the question I’ve been turning over in the old noggin: Are creative people struggling because personal branding is being framed as a solution to a commercial trust problem?

If this question made your eyes widen and your ears prick up... Then head over to Substack to find out my conclusion… comment “Reputation” and I’ll send you the link. 

Have a great week mates.

James
- The Peoples Branding Mentor.
✖️ ⚡ ✖️
 
 
 
 

#creativebusiness #brandreputation #graphicdesigners #personalbranding #reputationbuilding

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 1,655
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- **Comments:** 149

## Tags

graphicdesigners, reputationbuilding, personalbranding, brandreputation, creativebusiness

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