Many professionals write bios filled with industry credentials, job titles and well-worn phrases like results-driven, strategic thinker, proven leader and passionate professional. They may be accurate, but they don’t necessarily sound like you, and are frequently overused.
A stronger bio starts with a different question:
What are the words that naturally describe how I show up at my best? 🤔
Start with your natural strengths
When our founder, Laural recently upgraded her bio, she wanted it to reflect more than her experience. As someone who helps business owners and professionals define their messaging and differentiation, her bio captures her natural strengths and personal brand.
Here’s what she settled on:
“Innovative marketing strategist passionate about maximizing your instinctive strengths for powerful business results. Transform your growth challenges into clear, confident action.”
The words that carry the most meaning for her are:
Innovative. Strategic. Passionate. Maximize. Instinctive. Transform. Clarity. Confidence. Action.
These aren’t words randomly pulled from a thesaurus (although we do love a thesaurus). They come from investing in tools that uncover your natural strengths, values and ways of working.
5 Tips for Writing a More Authentic Bio
1. Look beyond your job title 💼
Your title tells people what you do. Your strengths can tell them how you do it.
Are you naturally curious? Analytical? Energizing? Strategic? Decisive? Creative? A connector? A challenger? A problem-solver? A simplifier?
Think about the qualities people consistently experience when they work with you.
2. Pay attention to the words that energize you ⚡️
Notice the words you naturally use when describing your work and the results you create.
Which words feel like they have some juice behind them?
Those may be your personal power words.
3. Ask other people 👥
Sometimes our strongest qualities are easier for others to see than they are for us.
Ask trusted colleagues, clients or friends:
“What three words would you use to describe how I work?”
Look for patterns in their answers. You may uncover strengths you’ve been taking for granted.
4. Connect your strengths to the value you create 💪
A bio shouldn’t become a list of personality traits.
The real magic happens when you connect your strengths to the difference they make for your clients, customers or organization.
For example:
Strategic thinking → clearer decisions
Creativity → fresh possibilities
Instinctive strengths → more authentic action
Clarity → greater confidence
Your strengths become much more compelling when people can see their impact.
5. Read your bio out loud 📢
This is the simplest test of all.
Does it sound like something you would actually say?
If the words feel impressive but unnatural, keep working on them.
Your bio doesn’t need to sound bigger than you are.
It needs to sound like you at your best.
Your bio is part of your personal brand
Your bio is more than a professional introduction. It’s an opportunity to reinforce the qualities you want people to remember about you.
So, before you update yours, take a moment to identify your personal power words.
What are the strengths you naturally bring to the table?
What do people consistently come to you for?
And what words capture the way you want to show up in your work?
Your most powerful bio may already be inside you. You just need to find the words that bring it to life.
If you need help, reach out for a complimentary chat.
