Why transparency matters—building equity in your personal brand
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Why transparency matters What if you didn't know the real names of your doctor, lawyer or accountant? Most social media acquaintances aren't exactly on a parallel plane with professional or collegial relationships — but how about your friends? In 2008, when I began on Twitter, it wasn't unusual to see people using descriptive monikers instead of their real names. Only early adopters might remember @TrendTracker or @TrendyDC. Today we know them as @GlenGilmore and @AnnTran_ . They recognized their Twitter identities were going to be significant and went public at a point where their major growth was ahead of them. It enabled them to start positioning themselves as brands, and I believe they helped others feel comfortable about following suit. It's about trust I think most of us appreciate it when their connections on social media are transparent about who they are. If I'm being honest with someone, I hope they'll afford me the same courtesy.