Dupé Burgess

← Back to all posts

It’s not who you know—it’s who knows you

by Dupe Burgess
Aug 17, 2025
Connect with Dupé

Why visibility opens more doors than networking ever will

Read time: 6 minutes

I used to believe hard work spoke for itself. Do great work, keep your head down, and the right people will notice, right?

Except… that’s not how it works anymore.

In today’s world, it’s not just what you know or who you know—it’s who knows you.

For me, the turning point came when I started sharing more publicly. I resisted it for a long time, but almost immediately I noticed the difference: more inbound messages, more invitations to speak, more conversations that led to partnerships, collaborations, and opportunities.

Like it or not, we live in the attention economy. Whether you’re an employee, entrepreneur, or freelancer, being known opens doors that skill alone can’t.

And the data backs it up: 77% of consumers are more likely to buy from a business when its founder is active on social media, and leads generated through personal branding convert at seven times the average rate.

Here are five reasons why, in my experience, investing in your personal brand is one of the smartest moves you can make, whatever your job title.

 

1. It snowballs

I’ve noticed that a personal brand is one of the few assets that grows more valuable the longer you invest in it. Every podcast interview, blog post, and social update adds another layer. Eventually, the momentum shifts and opportunities start finding you instead of you having to chase them.

Action: Choose one platform—LinkedIn, Instagram, X—and commit to showing up 2–3 times a week for 90 days. You’ll be amazed what happens if you stay consistent and build momentum.

 

2. It’s a career safety net

Economies change, companies fold, and job roles disappear. But I’ve noticed that a well-developed personal brand follows you from role to role, lessening the impact of change. When I left medicine, I had no audience and no professional footprint—making the transition much harder. If I pivoted again now, my network would come with me.

Action: Share your journey openly—both the wins and the challenges. People connect more with the human behind the title than with the title itself.

 
3. It boosts your reach

Even the most brilliant product, service, or idea won’t matter if no one knows it exists (a lesson I learned the hard way). My personal platform has become a high-impact marketing engine for my startup, Bloomful. When I announced a fundraise to my 70,000+ audience, investors came forward almost immediately.

Action: Talk about what you’re creating as you create it. Let people into the process; it builds interest long before the launch.

 
4. It builds credibility and trust quickly

Trust is one of the rarest currencies online. But I’ve noticed the more people see your face, hear your thinking, and understand your values, the more they feel like they know you, even if you’ve never met. I’ve had people say, “I feel like I already know you,” before our first conversation.

Action: Share your thoughts regularly, including your principles, your decision-making, and the lessons you’re learning along the way.

 
5. It creates unexpected opportunities

Some of the best moments in my career have happened because I showed up online. Earlier this year, I was invited to join a tech panel, and one of my fellow panellists is now a board member of my company. Visibility definitely widens your “luck surface area”.

Action: Create a central online home—e.g. a personal website or newsletter—so people can quickly understand who you are, what you do, and how to reach you.

 

Final thought

The professional game has changed: visibility is a form of leverage. I’ve experienced both extremes—changing careers with zero presence, and building a business with an audience. There’s no contest: the second way is much easier. Get started now—your future self will thank you.

And if you’re starting from zero, here’s how to begin and how to grow momentum on LinkedIn.

Hope that helps!

Speak soon,

Dupé

 

 


PS: Whenever you're ready, feel free to enquire about working together: Get guidance on how to be more visible and grow your brand. Whether you need 1:1 coaching or ready-to-post content, hit reply and let’s chat!

And if you' like to book me to speak make an enquiry here :)

 

The LinkedIn mistake most smart people make
How to stop performing and start building leverage Read time: 6 minutes A few weeks ago, someone said to me: “I want to post on LinkedIn… but I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard or add to the noise.” It’s something I hear all the time. Almost always from super smart, highly capable people, with a lot of knowledge and expertise to share. The mistake most smart people make on LinkedIn i...
The most memorable people do this differently
How to stand out naturally, without being performative Read time: 7 minutes A couple of months ago, I attended a leadership workshop. At the beginning we did the usual thing where you go around the room, and everyone introduced themselves. Name, title, company, quick summary of what they do. By the time we reached the halfway point, I realised that I could barely remember most of them. Not beca...
Personal brand is bigger than LinkedIn
How to create visibility and trust without posting on social media Read time: 5 minutes *]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1"> Recently, I’ve had a few messages from people saying something along the lines of: “I know I should build my personal brand… but I really don’t want to post on LinkedIn.” And honestly, I...

Growth Tactics

Join a growing community of 85,000+ receiving my practical tips and resources to help you level up your business, career and personal brand in 5 minutes or less.