You’re Not Being Overlooked... You’re Being Forgotten.

Dear Legend,

I was at a networking event last Thursday and someone asked me a question that got me thinking… “What is the hardest thing about what you’re doing?”

I could have given a surface level answer like “writing consistently” or “getting clients”, but after pausing for a moment, I said “It’s continuing to believe in yourself even when everything seems to be falling apart.” As soon as that came out of my mouth, I thought “wow, that’s a great reminder for myself!” The people around me nodded vigorously in agreement and it sparked an inspiring conversation.

Have you ever felt like that before? (I sure have) When everything seems to be going wrong?

Maybe you were passed up for promotion that you worked so hard for.

Maybe you didn’t get chosen to work in that exciting project.

Maybe you were ghosted after a job interview.

Painful.

That’s a special kind of ache reserved for those who know they’re capable of more, yet keep getting passed over.

And still you smile. You nod. You get back to work.
Because that’s what legends do.

But let’s speak the honest truth with each other: this kind of ache doesn’t go away on its own. And pretending it doesn’t bother you is the slowest way for it to disappear.

“Do not wait for someone else to come and speak for you. It’s you who can change the world.” - Malala Yousafzai

So let’s agree this is infuriating. Let’s shout it out as loud as you can “I can’t stand this!”

Then let’s agree we’ll do something about it. “I’m going to do something!”

This issue today isn’t just a letter, it’s a reckoning.
A gut-check. A chance to draw the line between who you’ve been… and who you’re about to become.

Ready? Let’s begin.

❤️ You’re not invisible because you’re unqualified. You’re invisible because you’re unbranded.

Look, I’m NOT trying to get you to post content, get on social, or do anything like that. YOU DON’T NEED TO, but whenever people hear brand they think it’s logo and packaging and dancing on TikTok.

But that’s not your fault.

No one teaches you this stuff. Not in business school. Not in your career coaching sessions. Not even in the leadership seminars with the free binders and the bad coffee (I call it brown water 🤢.)

They teach you to be excellent. To work hard. To let the results speak for themselves.

But here’s the truth they never say out loud: Results don’t speak. Reputations do.

And a reputation doesn’t build itself. You’ve been giving, delivering, sacrificing… and still, they forget your name. Not because you don’t deserve a seat at the table.

But because they don’t even remember you to send you an invite.

It’s time to stop waiting to be chosen. And start becoming unforgettable.

And it’s about time we talk about this as your professional brand, not your personal brand (I don’t want people to know about my personal life anyway!)

🧠 If you don't shape your story, someone else will (and they won’t get it right.)

I tell a story in my 10 min solo episode on the Legend Effect podcast (Apple, Spotify, Web), where I helped an ex-colleague ditch a “brand” that she didn’t deserve because brand is not what you say it is, it’s what other people say it is. And they will never get it right if you don’t intentionally tell it, show it again and again and again.

“If you don't give people a story to believe about you, they'll create one on their own and you may not like the plot.” - Brene Brown

Here’s the WTF truth: Your brand is already being built.

Right now. Every time someone mentions your name in a room you’re not in, the story spreads, accurately or not.

Your job is to take control.

Are you in?

Here are the 🧰 Three Moves to build a magnetic professional brand from wherever you are, starting today:

1. Own One Thing

“You don’t need to be good at everything. In fact, you shouldn’t be. You need a lane. You need a thing.”

What do you want to be known for? What is that one thing you want to be associated with whenever people hear your name?

Here are two ways to find your lane:

a) Ask: “What do people always come to me for?”

This is your unfair advantage. The pattern that already exists.
Are you the calm in chaos? The translator of complex ideas? The connector who makes magic in meetings?

b) Ask: “What’s the most valuable gift I love giving?”

Because passion amplifies clarity. When you love what you give and it's needed, you become unforgettable.

Pick your one thing. Define it in a sentence. Then live it.

2. Match What You Say With What You Deliver

“Do your values match your behavior? People trust brands that deliver every single time.”

You want to be known for clarity? Deliver clear communication. You want to be known for leadership? Show up even when it’s inconvenient. You want to be trusted? Start matching your words with your actions across the board.

Here’s how: run a Reputation Audit.

Ask yourself:

Where do I show up and what impression do I leave?

This includes:

• Zoom meetings

• Slack threads

• Quick huddles

• Emails

• LinkedIn comments

• Internal team chats

• In-office days

• Coffee walks

• Offsites. Dinners. Uber rides. After-hours drinks.

Yes, especially those last ones.

Because here’s what most people miss: your brand doesn’t pause when you’re out of the office. It’s being built everywhere you go. The casual moments are where the deepest impressions form.

Audit every touchpoint. Then align. Make sure who you say you are is who they experience you to be—no matter where, or when.

3. Design Micro-Experiences

“Every touchpoint is an opportunity: Zoom intros, Slack messages, meeting comments. These moments are your brand.”

Branding isn’t a tagline. It’s the impression and memory you leave behind, formed from every interaction.

Those moments you audited? Take a couple of them and create a consistent micro-experience .

• That Slack comment where you give recognition without fail.

• That intro where you always say, “I help teams simplify complexity,” instead of just listing your title.

• The way you ALWAYS leave the room with a key takeaway.

Understand that your brand is emotional. And every interaction is a vote for the kind of person they believe you are.

These moments don’t cost money. They cost intention.

Start designing them. Start delivering them.

Let your presence be felt, not just seen. And soon you’ll be visible, you’ll leave behind the story you want, and you’ll be invited to sit at the table, get that promotion you deserve.

Because you deserve the visibility, the reputation, and everything a strong brand has to offer!

This week, for our influence psychology lesson:

The Mere Exposure Effect

Want people to like you more? Show up more.

The Mere Exposure Effect is a simple but powerful psychological principle:

The more we see something, the more we like it.

Even if we didn’t love it the first time (this is such a simple concept isn’t it?)

This idea dates back to a 1968 study by social psychologist Robert Zajonc, who showed people random shapes, characters, and even faces multiple times.

👀 The result? The more often participants saw something, the more positively they rated it, even if they didn’t consciously remember seeing it before.

Familiarity breeds comfort.
And comfort breeds trust.

How can you apply the Mere Exposure Effect? Here are 5 ways:

1. Speak up regularly in meetings: Even short, thoughtful comments make you familiar and familiarity builds credibility. (People begin to associate your voice with reliability and confidence.)

2. Send consistent value-driven emails: Send consistent value-driven emails. (The more often they see your name in their inbox, the more trusted your brand becomes.)

3. Build presence on internal communication platforms: Share wins, offer resources, or highlight a teammate on Slack or Teams. (Internal visibility increases your chances of being seen as a leader even before you have the title. Just don’t over do it!)

4. Stay visible on social channels: Show up in-feed consistently, even with repurposed or simple posts. (Potential clients or collaborators may not engage but they will notice. Repeated exposure = top-of-mind when they’re ready.)

5. Schedule recurring touchpoints: Check in monthly with your mentor, client, or team lead—even if there’s no urgent need. (Regular interactions foster stronger relationships and prime people to view you positively over time.)

The bottom line is that you don’t have to say something new every time.
You just have to keep showing up.

Familiarity feels safe. Safe builds trust. Trust leads to yes.

I’m rooting for you to go build that professional brand!

Make your mark, live your legend 🤘🏽

I’ll see you next Sunday.

Howie Chan

Creator of Legend Letters

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P.S. If you or someone you know is a marketer or strategist working in the Medtech or Healthtech industry, check out Medtech Brand Academy!

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