Shivang Patel

‍Discovering Your Unique Brand: Insights from Diana Chen‍

January 27, 2024

In 2024 building your personal brand is no longer a choice, it's an essential step for every professional aiming to stand out, attract new opportunities, and gain recognition in their field. T​​he concept of personal branding extends beyond self-promotion; it's an essential strategy for career development and success.

As the world becomes increasingly digital and interconnected, your personal brand serves as your unique digital fingerprint. It's how you present yourself online and offline, and can significantly impact how you're perceived professionally. Your brand is a combination of your skills, experiences, and personality, and it tells your story in a way that can resonate with others.

Despite the growing conversation around personal branding, one crucial element often remains underexplored – finding and refining your niche. Identifying what makes you unique in a crowded marketplace that can set you apart. This article dives into the journey of Diana Chen, a renowned Product Coach. We'll explore how she discovered her own niche, and the specific strategies and steps she took to develop and hone her personal brand.

Through Diana's story, we aim to provide practical insights and actionable advice for professionals looking to carve out their own space in their industry. Whether you're just starting out or looking to redefine your existing brand, understanding the process of niche identification and brand development is key to making a lasting impact in your professional journey.

Career Journey & Background

Diana has had a very successful career in the tech industry after graduating from the University of California with a degree in computer science and engineering. From early on in her career she showed a passion for product focused roles, starting as ​​Management Consultant at Slalom and eventually becoming the Senior Director of Product Management at Shipt. Over the years she has also worked at Lyft as the Director of Product Management and at Amazon as the 

Head of Product for Amazon Music. 

Throughout her career she has demonstrated expertise in multiple areas such as areas finding growth strategies, team leadership, product and program management, e-commerce, and software development. She has a stellar track record of leading teams and initiatives to drive product strategy, user experience, and membership growth in various high-profile companies.

Finding Her Branding Niche

For Diana, finding her personal branding niche was quite a journey. She initially started out as a fairly shy tech consultant who had always felt that “As an introverted Asian woman, I was taught to remain humble and to suppress my opinions in respect to ranks/elderly”. It took Diana several years to deprogram herself out of this mindset in order to abandon her imposter syndrome, actively be able to self promote, and express her true self. For her this journey was not just about stepping outside of her comfort zone but about being able to meaningfully advance her career.  

Having gone through this experience Diana felt that there are others who may be facing similar challenges. She recognized that her experiences were not unique to her. This marked the starting point for Diana finding her personal brand’s niche. She learnt that her purpose was to help others learn from her mistakes and successes to grow into a better version of themselves.

Diana's brand niche thus became a fusion of her professional expertise and her personal journey. It was no longer just about product management or tech consulting; it was about mentorship, empowerment, and breaking barriers.

Now that we have explored Diana's discovery process, let's take a look at some of the ways in which she further crystallized her brand. 

Building A Personalized Website

As Diana embraced personal brand and solidified her niche, the next logical step was to create a website that encapsulated her identity, values, and expertise. By having a website she could have a single source for her personal and professional identity. To create her website she chose Criya where she could not only host her brand but also offer services. On her website Diana offers one on one coaching sessions and service packages. 

When it comes to one on one sessions Diana offers both complementary and paid options. The complimentary session is a great way for people who are new to her profile to get to know her better. This also has the added benefit of allowing Diana to upsell her paid coaching session and service package.

“I recognized how personally rewarding it has been to be part of Criya's Expert Circle led by Deboshree Dutta. Not only do I want to express gratitude towards the hundreds of individuals globally I’ve met this year that opened up to me and gave me a chance to coach”- Diana Chen

If you are looking to enhance your brand, Criya offers the perfect platform. Our extensive suite of features enables you to effortlessly create a website that embodies your brand identity. You can offer a range of products and services, highlight your achievements, utilize AI for content creation, and oversee all aspects of your personal brand.

Discover more about how Criya can assist you by visiting our website at Criya.co 

Giving Back To The Community 

A fundamental tenet of Diana’s brand is her desire to give back to the tech community, amplifying DEI efforts, and elevating marginal voices. Despite her often busy career Diana is an active mentor at First Round Fast Track where she advises new founders regarding product and program management. 

Additionally she also leads the Executive Women in Product community that has 1500 members across the globe. This community's mission is deeply aligned with Diana's personal values: it aims to equip more women and non-binary product leaders with the tools and support needed to ascend to and flourish in executive roles. Under her leadership, the community has become a powerful platform for sharing resources, fostering mentorship, and building networks.

By making herself available to the larger community, Diana not only reinforces her position as a leader in the tech industry but also as a compassionate and dedicated advocate for inclusion and diversity. 

Embracing a Personal Brand that Empowers and Inspires

To conclude Diana’s story illustrates the power of personal branding in the professional world. Her journey from a reserved tech consultant to an influential product coach and mentor is a great example of how embracing your unique identity and experiences can lead to substantial growth. By merging her professional expertise with her personal journey she was able to create a unique niche centered around mentorship, empowerment, and breaking barriers. 

As we reflect on Diana's journey, it becomes clear that personal branding is about much more than achieving professional visibility; it's about building a narrative that resonates with others and drives positive change. 

To Learn More About Criya Visit Our Site Here- Criya.co

Shivang Patel

Head of Memberships

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