The Power of Personal Branding: Author Luana Ribeira Of Dauntless PR On How Publicists Shape Influential Leaders
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Shine a spotlight on what sets you apart. What do you do differently to others in your niche? What opinions do you have that go against the grain, but that your ideal clients would back you on? What’s unique about you as a person? What do you believe that goes against what other experts in your industry are saying? The bolder you can be, the more you’ll command the attention of the people you want to attract (when it’s done in the right way).
In today’s digital-first world, personal branding has emerged as a cornerstone of professional success and influence. Behind many of the most recognized leaders and personalities stands a strategic partnership with skilled publicists who craft and convey their stories, values, and visions to the world. I had the pleasure of interviewing Luana Ribeira.
Bestselling author, speaker, actress, and the founder of Dauntless PR, Luana Ribeira gets personal brands booked for TV, radio, podcasts, magazines, and the news. This helps experts boost brand awareness, credibility, and become known as the leading voice on their topic. She has appeared on Forbes, OK Magazine, FOX TV, ITV, BBC, Channel 4, Teen Vogue, Insider, and many others.
You can find Luana at http://www.dauntlesspr.com/
Thank you for joining us. To start, could you share your “origin story” with our readers? How did you begin your journey, and what challenges did you face in the early days?
The first time I experienced PR, I was hooked! But it wasn’t in my life plan. Not because it wasn’t something I wanted to do, but because it just hadn’t occurred to me to try. Still, when I was presented with the opportunity of working for an agency in 2011, I recognized the opportunity for what it was and I grabbed it with both hands.
I didn’t go down the traditional route — in fact, when I started out, I had no PR qualifications whatsoever, and no idea about how things worked in the world of PR! Thankfully, the training was incredible and I found it so exciting. I had grown up feeling invisible and full of social anxiety, so it felt amazing to get people on platforms and help them get noticed.
I’m an actress too, and I was encouraged to get my own bookings. I booked loads of local stuff as a result, including my own miniseries on TV. It was terrifying and exciting all at once, as a lot of the best things tend to be! I was completely obsessed. Whether I was officially working or not, I was constantly building relationships and looking for opportunities for our agency members and myself, all while refining my media technique for interviews.
And it wasn’t just about the bookings. There was such a strong, supportive community of people who were judgment-free and fun! Everyone was encouraged to put themselves out there and be more of themselves. So it wasn’t just PR for me — it was a place where people finally felt like they fit it.
But, the more I learned, the more quickly things started to unravel. I remember a feeling of heaviness building in my stomach — unfortunately, it was becoming more and more obvious that some of what I was being taught was unethical and deceptive.
So, of course, I started to question things. When I did, I was met with accusations of trying to hold the members back, of not caring, not wanting them to feel good. I was confused! That wasn’t me at all.
At the time, I was told that ‘that’s just how it is in the PR industry’, and I believed it. But, as time went on, more and more of the agency’s practices seemed to become shrouded in smoke and mirrors, so I made the decision to leave. They shut down not long after.
I remember wishing that there was an agency with that same supportive vibe that I had fallen in love with, and everything that went along with it, but that was honest and transparent, too. So, instead of waiting around for someone else to do it, I created it myself!
Can you share a transformative moment or campaign in your career where you significantly altered the personal brand of a leader, and what was the impact of that change?
For sure! One that springs to mind is a therapist whose local business was thriving and full of one-to-one client success stories. But, her strongest passion was for helping people on a much bigger scale. She initially joined our Media Impact Accelerator program, which is our done-with-you PR service. This helped her build her profile to such an extent that she was now getting enquiries from all over the globe!
Then it made more sense for her to upgrade to our VIP service. We took the pitching off her hands, and this gave her the space to make the changes she needed to scale her business. It wasn’t long before she solidified herself as the expert called on to contribute to the likes of Vogue, Cosmopolitan, FOX TV, Yahoo, and many more. She actually reached an audience of over a billion people that year!
Her business and income grew. But, most importantly, she also evolved in the most incredible way as she became more able to show up fully as herself with such strength and badassery!
How do you navigate the balance between a leader’s authentic self and the public persona you craft for them in their branding strategy?
We have a big focus on authenticity, and so we would never shape a leader’s public persona in a way that deviates from their authentic selves. What we do is we shine a light on the aspects of their true selves (because we all have many layers!) that are more likely to resonate with and attract their ideal clients.
What are the most common misconceptions leaders have about personal branding, and how do you address these in your work?
Some people focus almost exclusively on the visual aspects of their personal branding, but completely neglect the rest. Branding (especially personal branding) isn’t about fancy logos or color palettes, but about how you make people feel — that’s what they’ll remember at the end of the day. A big part of our work is to remind clients of that and keep them focussed on the bigger picture.
It’s our job to support them as they show up authentically as themselves and share their message in the most impactful way possible, because that’s what will determine the reputation of their personal brand. That comes above all else. In decades to come, people probably won’t remember what your logo looked like, but they will remember the impact you had.
In a crisis situation, what steps do you take to protect or rehabilitate the personal brand of a leader?
Every situation is different and needs to be assessed individually. The first thing to ask is: ‘is their brand’s reputation really at stake?’ It’s really common for people who are heavily trolled for the first time to think that their reputation is ruined, but it’s usually not. It’s actually more likely a sign that you’re heading in the right direction, although it definitely doesn’t feel that way!
So, the day-to-day trolling is best ignored. Some people feel better removing all negative interactions from the platforms they’re in control of, and I 100% back that approach if it’s better for their mental health. However, I prefer to leave the trolls to it and just ignore them. That way, I can focus my energy on the people who are genuinely interested.
There are instances where more may need to be done though. These may include:
- Harmful accusations being made that go beyond the oh-so-imaginative scammer-type comments.
- Negative information (whether it’s true or not) being spread across news outlets, social media, and other influential platforms, particularly if it’s being shared by respected figures.
- If there are potential legal implications to the comments or accusations being shared.
- If it’s affecting the client’s business in a negative way. For example, if there’s a sudden drop in sales or churn rates spike.
In all of the above cases, you will need to take action. Usually, the best response is to acknowledge what’s happening, gather all the facts, and then to respond in an honest, clear way. No rushing to reply out of panic!
If anyone reading this finds themselves in a crisis situation, remember that every case is to be looked at individually and that the above is only general advice. I would strongly recommend that you engage a PR professional to help you navigate the situation.
Could you list and briefly explain “5 Things You Need to Know to Shape a Personal Brand” based on your experiences and insights? If you can, please share a story or example for each.
- Authenticity is key! I remember one client in particular who had, in the past, been encouraged to change aspects of her personality and appearance to make herself more ‘palatable’ to the general public. This was supposedly to make her more ‘appealing’ for a broader range of PR opportunities, but it was terrible advice. So, we encouraged her to embrace her authenticity instead and, as soon as she did, the effect on her business and personal life was transformative! As a direct result, she booked more PR opportunities than ever before.
- Staying consistent with our words, actions and how we show up is essential. Audiences can be confused and lose trust if there are inconsistencies. When I first started building my own personal brand, I was insecure. This led to me being inconsistent — I was constantly being swayed by other people’s opinions and unconsciously adapting to the tones of people I admired. It was when I worked on that and found the courage to stay true to myself that my business took a dramatic turn in the right direction!
- Shine a spotlight on what sets you apart. What do you do differently to others in your niche? What opinions do you have that go against the grain, but that your ideal clients would back you on? What’s unique about you as a person? What do you believe that goes against what other experts in your industry are saying? The bolder you can be, the more you’ll command the attention of the people you want to attract (when it’s done in the right way).
An example that springs to mind is one of our clients, Martin Sharp, who used to try and tone down his broad Yorkshire accent. He believed that it was holding him back in his career as a business and lifestyle consultant but, actually, the opposite was true! The times he’d tried to alter his way of speaking, he wasn’t able to build trust or rapport with people as quickly, because he sounded false.
4. Engage with your audience. I’ll never forget some truly horrible advice I was once given by somebody I admired. They told me to keep a distance between my audience and me. I was to hold them at arm’s length by never entering into conversation or being contactable in any way. The logic was that they would respect me more and view me as a person of authority. But it was such awful advice because it completely ignores the importance of building genuine relationships! It’s real connection that audiences want, not silly games. So, don’t take that advice — it’s a sure-fire way not to build trust with your audience.
5. Be open and transparent. I had a client who had some accusations made against her that were being spread around on socials like wildfire. The thing is, there was some truth in what they were saying. It wasn’t purposeful by any means, but she had made a mistake with an order in her retail business. I advised her to acknowledge what was happening, gather any facts and evidence that may be needed, contact the original poster to admit her mistake, and let him know how she intended to make amends. Within 10 minutes, all the posts were taken down, and the customer posted an update to let everybody know that he had been quick to make assumptions and, actually, it was a mistake she was taking responsibility for.
Now, imagine if she had just hidden away or tried to fob them off with excuses. They would have quickly picked up on that and doubled down on the accusations!
Looking forward, how do you see the role of technology and social media evolving in the way publicists shape and manage the personal brands of leaders?
With the rise of AI, there’s a growing need for real voices. Brands will rely more on influencers who are real and authentic, as opposed to those who try to portray themselves as Insta perfect.
How can our readers follow your work?
Visit my website on https://dauntlesspr.com/, and come and say hi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Luana.Ribeira8
Thank you for offering such valuable insights into the power of personal branding. We wish you continued success in all of your work.
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein, a seasoned entrepreneur with over two decades of experience as the Founder and CEO of multiple companies. He launched Choice Recovery, Inc., a healthcare collection agency, while going to The Ohio State University, His team earned national recognition, twice being ranked as the #1 business to work for in Central Ohio. In 2018, Chad launched [re]start, a career development platform connecting thousands of individuals in collections with meaningful employment opportunities, He sold Choice Recovery on his 25th anniversary and in 2023, sold the majority interest in [re]start so he can focus his transition to Built to Lead as an Executive Leadership Coach. Learn more at www.chadsilverstein.com
The Power of Personal Branding: Author Luana Ribeira Of Dauntless PR On How Publicists Shape… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.