On this week’s Dear Katie, I was asked an important question: “I’m not into sharing personal details online. Will that hurt my brand?”
Accountants, firm owners and even executives at tech companies always ask me this question. It’s one of the top questions that I receive.
And I get it.
You’re told to run a personality-led brand, but then you wonder if that means you need to:
Here’s the deal: Personal doesn’t equal private.
Sure, you can share photos of your kids or yourself going to a wedding, but it’s not necessary.
Hootsuite recommends financial professionals post quite a bit throughout the week, which varies depending on the platform.
For example, they recommend you post 5+ times on Instagram and 2.5 times on TikTok per week.
It can feel like a lot to post this often, but it’s much more manageable when you simply: show up as you.
When you share parts of your story, the ones you’re comfortable with, you stand out.
These can be:
And people want you to share all of these details with them. That’s real.
As accountants, we’re often almost conditioned to blend in, doing taxes behind the scenes, closing books and being “almost invisible.”
Get out of your comfort zone when growing your visibility, pipeline and influence.
Switch your mindset to being a human on social media, but share the stories you’re comfortable with and that help you stand out.
But share with the understanding that you never need to overshare or be vulnerable “just because.”
You can even share parts of your story to stand out, such as:
People want to see your unique point of view, so share it with them.
But how exactly can you go about doing this?
Here’s the framework I teach my clients to use:
When you follow this framework, you’re not just storytelling for the sake of storytelling.
You’re sharing insights that are relevant and position you as an industry leader.
Let me give you an example
1) Personal belief or story
I grew up watching my parents run a small business and sweat every payroll Friday. I know they were stressed day in and day out. I witnessed that growing up, and went to school to learn the finances around business. I didn’t want others to struggle like they did.
2) Tie to a client transformation, result, or lesson
A lot of our clients are in a similar position when they come to us. Last quarter a multi-location service company asked for help. We implemented our standard Cash Clarity workflow: a 13-week cash forecast, a weekly 20-minute cash huddle, an AR triage for invoices over 30 days, and an AP calendar with clear payment windows. In eight weeks, payroll was covered without last-minute transfers, DSO dropped from 56 to 34, and they built a 28-day cash buffer.
3) Connect to a problem your audience faces
Many owners have healthy revenue but unpredictable cash. The real issue is visibility and cadence. Without a forward view of the next 13 weeks, you get surprised by payroll, sales tax, and quarterly estimates. Teams react instead of plan.
4) Close with a call to action or takeaway
If cash feels stressful, book a Cash Clarity Call. In 30 minutes we map your next 13 weeks and send a one-page plan you can run with your team.
Schedule here: https://yourfirm.com/cash-clarity
Being authentic isn’t the same as being performative.
If your goal is to be a thought leader, the only thing that matters is why you’re posting.
Before you post something, ask yourself:
Your audience will feel the difference.
Because when you lead with clarity, empathy and authenticity, people will do more than just like your content.
They’ll trust you. They’ll refer you. They’ll hire you.
So, how do you get more personal with your content? Start with a single story or belief that matters to you. Then, tie that back to how you serve your clients. Meld the two together. That’s how you create personal content that converts.
And, that’s a wrap on this Dear Katie question.
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Now I want to hear from you. Do you have a question?
Until next time, cheers to your success!
Katie
No, you don’t need to share personal details. You can connect by sharing your beliefs, experiences, and insights that relate to your professional expertise.
Aim for consistency rather than frequency. Posting a few times a week is effective, focusing on quality content that reflects your unique perspective.
Share stories that resonate with your professional journey, such as why you started your firm or lessons learned from past experiences that can help your clients.
Use a framework: start with a personal belief, tie it to a client transformation, connect it to a common problem, and end with a call to action or takeaway.
You can still be personal without oversharing. Focus on insights and experiences that you feel comfortable discussing and that showcase your expertise.
Authenticity builds trust. When you share genuine insights, clients are more likely to connect with you, refer you, and choose your services.