One Skill to $1 Billion, J.K Rowling and Personal Branding

It’s Sunday, 28th January 2024, and in this week’s roundup, we are covering the career story of J.K Rowling and career advice centered around personal branding on LinkedIn.

In this week’s email, learn in 5 minutes or less:

• Career Story: How J.K Rowling went from a secretary to the richest author in the world with a $ 1 billion net worth.

• Personal Branding: Using LinkedIn as an attraction tool for professionals & clients.

• Productivity: What AI Tools you should be using for your job applications and interview preparation

• Weekly round-up: What else happened this week, from Tesla shares dropping by 12% to the premiere of the anticipated Bob Marley: One Love Movie.

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Need to Know

In 2023, we saw more laws come into force to promote pay transparency and penalise employers for not disclosing salaries at the point of recruitment, comply with employee requests for pay data, and gender pay gap statistics. There are hefty penalties now in place for breaching obligations set out by the EU Pay Transparency Directive, which came into force in June 2023.

The majority of UK Companies plan to increase pay transparency going into 2024, which will make life easier for job seekers and help when negotiating salaries for a fair offer in the recruitment process.

Career Story of the Week

JK Rowling

J.K. Rowling's journey began far from Hogwarts. After graduating from the University of Exeter, she worked as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International. Life wasn't easy, especially after her mother's passing and a difficult marriage. Rowling found solace in writing, carrying around the nascent world of Harry Potter in her briefcase

 The Spark of Magic:

Conception on a Train: In 1990, the idea for Harry Potter struck Rowling like a bolt of lightning on a delayed train. The image of a skinny boy with messy black hair and round glasses, yearning for a world beyond the ordinary, blossomed in her mind.

Scribbles and Rejections:

Pen to Paper: Over the next five years, Rowling poured her heart into writing the first Harry Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." She faced numerous rejections, but her determination never wavered. Living on welfare as a single mother of a young daughter, Rowling knew she had to keep believing in her magical world.

Breaking Through: Finally, in 1997, Bloomsbury, a small British publisher, took a chance on Rowling's manuscript. The book became an instant sensation, captivating readers of all ages with its quirky characters, enchanting plot, and timeless themes of love, friendship, and good versus evil. 

The Birth of an Empire:

 A Global Phenomenon: Six sequels followed, each one breaking records and solidifying the "Harry Potter" series as a cultural phenomenon. The books were translated into over 80 languages, inspiring movies, theme parks, and a passionate fandom that continues to grow even today.

From Single Mum to Literary Queen:

Beyond Wizardry: J.K. Rowling's success story isn't just about financial windfalls. She used her platform to champion social causes, advocate for children's rights, and establish her own charitable foundation. Rowling's journey is a testament to the power of imagination, perseverance, and the magic that lives within each of us.

So, the next time you pick up a Harry Potter book, remember the incredible journey of the woman who brought it to life. J.K. Rowling's story is a reminder that even the most ordinary beginnings can give rise to extraordinary magic.

Careers Advice Corner

This is from a post I wrote on my LinkedIn this week about rejection. I wrote this because rejection and how to handle rejection, mental wellbeing, and being able to process emotions is not spoken about enough…

“Rejection is horrible. But let’s face it... everyone has been rejected at least once in their lifetime. My heart goes out to anyone who has had a tough week and had to deal with rejection. Over the years, I have come to the realization that rejection is simply a re-direction.

The next time you apply for a job and get a response like this…“Unfortunately, we will not be moving forward with your application, but we appreciate your time and interest…”

Try to remember:

1.    Rejection does not define you

2.   You must always treat yourself with compassion

3.   It's ok to take time out to process your emotions

4.   To smile and trust that better will come

5.   Rejection is a part of life. You are not being singled out. It’s going to be ok.

Your re-direction to something better and right for you is coming. Chin up ❤️”

Productivity Corner

If you are trying to streamline tasks, enhance collaboration and improve overall efficiency, check out Trello.

A little bit about Trello…

• Description: Trello is a visual project management tool that uses boards, lists, and cards to help teams organize and prioritize their work. It provides a visual overview of tasks and their status, allowing team members to collaborate and track progress easily. Trello is suitable for managing projects, workflows, and tasks in a flexible and intuitive manner.

• Key Features:

  • Boards, lists, and cards for organization

  • Drag-and-drop task management

  • Collaboration features

  • Due dates and checklists

Check it out and let us know if you will be implementing Trello as part of your day job or side hustle project.

Personal Finance Corner

Got money saved but not sure what to do with it?

Well…If you want your money to work for you and you are ready to make money while you sleep, one of the simplest options is to invest in an index fund. Even Warren Buffet recommends it.

If you already are investing in an Index Fund and you have a Stocks and Shares ISA, remember you only have up to March 31st to invest up to £20,000 in the tax wrapper, where you pay no tax on capital gains or dividend payments.

For those who haven’t set up a Stocks & Shares ISA yet, get started with our investment broker of choice, Interactive Investor.

Bonus Tip: If you open an ISA or trading account, you can get £100-1,500 cashback up to 31st January as a new customer. So the time is now to get started with Interactive Investor.

Side Hustle Corner

Have you considered growing your personal brand on LinkedIn and monetising once your audience is built?

If you are thinking about it or questioning yourself. Check out the story of Justin Welsh.

Justin Welsh started posting on LinkedIn in 2018 and, within a short space of time, grew his following to hundreds of thousands of followers and a $7Million Dollar Business. He claims that LinkedIn is still the best place to build a brand that fuels a business.

In 2024, he has built an audience of 520,000 followers on LinkedIn, which has helped his business make $6.7M in income with zero advertisements. His running costs for his solo business is under $500 a month! I find this incredible, because what a great profit margin!

One key takeaway from Justin Welsh is that your corporate, personal brand should not be limited to the workplace and getting hired; it's about finding a niche, building your network, and sharing content about what you care about to attract the right audience.

If you own a business or you are thinking of setting up a side hustle to attract clients, personal branding in 2024 is fundamental for success. People buy people, and the time to start on LinkedIn was yesterday!

By showcasing your interests around a certain topic, you can connect with like-minded individuals and industry experts, paving the way for potential job opportunities, subscribers, collaborations, clients, and mentorship, depending on your objective.

The sky is truly the limit once you have grown your audience via your personal branding efforts. Maybe it is time to consider it… 😁 

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Weekly Round-Up

Celebrity News: Long-time Bob Marley fans Prince Harry and Megan attended the premier of the film Bob Marley: One Love in Jamaica and were photographed with the Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. Read more here about the film, which is due to be released in the UK next month and stars Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley and Lashanda Lynch as his wife, Rite.

Music: Grammy award-winning artist Ariana Grande Begins Teasing the trackless to her new album ‘Eternal Sunshine’ Tracklist. Will you be listening?

Sports: Legendary Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp announced earlier this week that he will step down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season, blames mental fatigue for his decision⚽️

Business: Shares in Tesla slumped by more than 12% on Thursday after it warned its sales growth would be weaker this year than in 2023.

Tech: US politicians have called for new laws to criminalize the creation of deepfake images after explicit faked photos of Taylor Swift were viewed millions of times online.

Travel: This year, ensure to enroll in expedited security programs such as TSA PreCheck or Global Entry to save time at security checkpoints and breeze through the airport.

Health Tip: Incorporate a variety of fruits and vegetables into your meals to ensure you get a wide range of nutrients. Aim for at least 5 servings a day to reap the health benefits you deserve.

How to Spend it:   The Brew Metric, as seen worn recently by Idris Elba, is a 1970s-inspired timepiece that combines battery operation with retro-style looks, joyful pops of color, and excellent proportions is an excellent affordable option to add to your watch collection.

Joke of the Week: What did one wall say to the other wall? "I'll meet you at the corner!"

Quote & Motivation

Why The Career Guard? The schooling system doesn’t adequately equip new adults for ‘adulting.’ With our weekly nuggets of information, we spread fundamental career knowledge for all Gen-z and Millennial professionals to spark creativity, help someone consider a new career opportunity, and improve their financial well-being with a little recap of the week.

Please send us your feedback and help us stay up to date with career trends and what may be bothering you in the cutthroat dynamic of the corporate world. We’re ready to listen.

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Thanks for reading,

Dominic

Created by the Founders of www.ambitiousinvestor.com & www.hustleyour9to5.com