Appreciate the small wins

Why small steps lead to big results in branding and beyond

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It's been a rollercoaster

As many of you know I was in Vancouver for most of September. What many of you don't know is that prior to my departure my Dad was in the hospital. Very TLDR, he somehow contracted West Nile Virus and it was truly touch and go there for a moment. One minute I'm visiting him in the hospital and having a full normal conversation and the next he's in ICU unresponsive and hooked up to all sorts of machines. It was a true emotional rollercoaster.

I considered canceling my trip numerous times but in the end due to commitments to other people, decided to head out. The first week was rough. I was calling daily for updates and one day he was on the way to recovery and rehab and the next back to the hospital. But luckily he's been in a rehab facility for a couple of weeks now and hopefully out of the woods.

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One step forward, 10 steps back

Because he was laying in a hospital bed for weeks and because the virus ravaged his body, all of his strength is gone. All of it. When he first left ICU for the regular telemetry unit, he couldn't even hold the phone in his hand, that's how much he'd lost of his ability to do normal movements. Apparently for every day you're in a hospital bed it takes ONE WEEK to recover. So if he was in the bed for 21 days, that's almost 5 months to recover. And if you've ever met me, you can understand the level of patience my father has for anything. We knew it would be a very long haul for him and he'd have to put in the work, something he's not fond of doing. If there's a shortcut, my Dad will take it.

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The fast and the furious

Couple the desire to be better with an endless litany of frustration: frustration at the virus, the pace of a hospital, and the inability to make your body do what you want and it's easy to see why he's down on himself and his situation. I've been back to the gym for 2 days (after not working out for less than 2 weeks) and I'm already amazed how exhausting it feels and how weak I am. The soreness is real people. In other words, we're not patient people.

But, since I hadn't seen him for 3+ weeks, when I visited yesterday it was such a huge improvement. He can sit up, pull himself forward, hold things, etc. Yes, he still can't walk on his own or stand, but I know that will happen. He just needs to know that. He has to believe it. And because he's living it every day, he can't see how far he's come. Or if he can, he wants it faster. Yesterday. We all do.

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Instant results

One of the best parts of my job are the random emails from clients that show up either days, weeks or months later. The ones that say how "everyone" is commenting on their bio, especially their hobby. Or they're getting inbound requests from recruiters and hiring managers. Or someone they looked up to, finally noticed their profile and reached out. Of course I'd love to say I could wave a wand and deliver results instantly. And sometimes this does happen.

In fact just this week I received this message: "OMG I made the changes you suggested [to my LinkedIn], and out of nowhere I got an outreach by a recruiter at [COMPANY X]! I have never — not ONCE — been reached out to proactively until now...WOW!"

I also received two notes from clients who changed their LinkedIn very recently. One mentions doing Fright Fest movie nights with her family, and a prospect started the call with HER favorite horror film.

Another said she updated her LinkedIn and the next day a person she'd long admired wrote to her: "Why did it take me so long to read your story, your work and your vision? We definitely need to collaborate on publishing what it means to dive fully in quantitative data to tell the story they haven't been wanting to see!"

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All good things come to blah blah blah

I wish, I could deliver overnight results to all my clients, and my father. But for most of us, the small changes take time to add up and garner results. I spoke to a Women's Network of a real estate firm last week and the organizer sent me an email that "a lot of our members have been excited about updating their profiles! Nobody has been brave enough to share! But discussion has definitely happened amongst the group!"

In other words, not everyone moves quickly and not all change happens instantly. But even a renewed excitement around how you show up and tell your story can energize you to perform better, network or ask for that assignment or promotion you've wanted. It's the incremental steps that lead to big results.

I want nothing more than for my Dad to look back months from now and see how far he's come, to know he worked hard and it payed off and for this to be worth it. For him to see how those small wins led to the biggest win of all — getting his life back.

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Speaking of small wins

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1. Send me your LinkedIn URL

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• looking for your next opportunity

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And of course, if after the audit, you want some additional help, I got you!

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I want a small win

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If you enjoy my content, have attended a free workshop, or simply want to do something nice, I'd love for you to buy me a coffee (or glass of wine). This simple tool was built to allow readers or fans of creators to easily thank them for putting out content. So I'm giving it a whirl.

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Why is it important to appreciate small wins?

Because small wins build momentum and confidence over time. Danielle shares both personal and client experiences to show that incremental progress, while sometimes hard to notice, often leads to lasting transformation.

How does this blog connect personal struggles with professional branding?

Danielle parallels her father’s slow recovery with her clients’ branding journeys — highlighting that whether it’s health or LinkedIn updates, meaningful results come from patience, persistence, and valuing each step forward.

What’s the main takeaway for readers about personality branding?

That even tiny updates to how you present yourself — like sharing personal hobbies or refining your story — can create powerful ripple effects, leading to visibility, opportunities, and stronger professional relationships.