A few people have made it clear that I’m really bad at introducing myself. Some of this feedback has been abrupt and disconcerting, such as people asking, “What is your site about?” or “Who is sanuk and when you find him–what next?” This was the world trying to tell me they have no idea who I am or what I’m doing. Other needy feedback has come as tips from star small business consultant Naomi Dunford (see IttyBiz and her free series of classes Marketing For Nice People) who reminds readers to come back to bonding with their customers. The point is unless you’re already retired and doing the things you want, you can’t afford to alienate people by not telling them about yourself.

So I wanted to take time out to introduce myself to readers and ask all of you to consider the way you unconsciously divide yourself trying to reach your goals. This is detrimental to your brand, especially if you’re trying to help people. In the next few posts, I plan to show you why and tell you how to avoid making the big mistakes I made.

FIRST let me introduce myself.

You may want to do this on your site too. We’re complex and it’s impossible to summarize someone (especially yourself) in a few sentences, but it’s crucial to select a few things everyone should know about you. Here’s the bare minimum of what you should know about me and this sanuk lifestyle I lead:

• My name is Dwight – I’m from Atlanta and I now live on the other side of the earth. I love living abroad and my eyes have been opened to how many people I can touch without having donations from corporate sponsors or Daddy Warbucks. (You have to stick around to hear how I went from teaching on the palace grounds to using social media to do philanthropy work.)
• I live my life in search of sanuk – Sanuk is not a person! I can feel your shock. Sanuk is a thai word that means fun. It means taking a lighthearted approach to what life throws at you and enjoying yourself. Sanuk for me is showing you how easy and enjoyable it is to help people.
• I’m building a community and you should join – My goal is to empower people to change their environments. This happens on and off the web —around the world and in Bangkok. I’m writing, connecting people to great causes, and learning from all of you. Let’s connect and collaborate to become the change we hope for.
  

I’m glad you’re here. Remember to ask yourself: Am I reflected in the brand I’m creating?