Step 5: Sell Behind the Curtain

If you’re building a personal brand in your 40s or 50s, I need you to hear this: you’re not late you’re actually right on time. In 2018, I was 38 years old, deep in debt, and honestly… I felt like a failure. I didn’t have a big following, I didn’t have some perfect plan, and I wasn’t “ahead.” But over the next seven years, my life changed completely not because I got lucky, but because I committed to building a real personal brand. And now I want to show you the exact blueprint I used so you can stop feeling stuck and start turning your experience, your story, and your expertise into momentum.

In this episode I break down the five-step plan that helped me go from the middle muck to becoming the obvious choice in my market, and it’s a lot simpler than people make it. We’ll talk about how to position yourself, how to create content that actually builds authority, why picking one platform is everything, and how to build trust so people choose you when they’re ready — even if they’re not ready today. And yes, I’ll also show you how to sell behind the curtain (webinars, events, collaborations, email, DMs) without feeling salesy. Most importantly, I want you to remember this: money doesn’t care how old you are — and everything you’ve lived through has prepared you to win now.

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CHAPTERS:

00:00 — Why this video is for you (40s & 50s brand builders)

00:38 — My reality in 2018: 38 years old, debt, feeling like a failure

01:32 — The thing that changed everything: building a personal brand

02:18 — You’re not late — you’re exactly on time

03:05 — The 5-step personal brand plan (overview)

03:42 — Step 1: Define your position (what you want to be known for)

04:55 — Why “clarity” is the shortcut to growth

05:38 — Step 2: Content that builds authority (without sounding preachy)

06:55 — How to talk about what you know in a way people actually listen

07:52 — Step 3: Pick ONE platform and go deep

09:05 — Why spreading yourself across platforms slows everything down

10:12 — Step 4: Build a bridge, not a sales pitch

11:30 — The trust timeline: people follow before they buy

12:42 — How to stay top of mind for when they’re ready

13:40 — Step 5: Sell behind the curtain

14:55 — Examples: webinars, events, collaborations, email, DMs

16:05 — How your brand becomes your leverage

17:10 — The biggest mistake people in their 40s/50s make online

18:25 — “Money doesn’t care how old you are” (the mindset shift)

19:30 — What to do next: commit to the plan and start now