What does a birthday mean?

Andrew Ford, Social Star, e-ttraction birthday blog.png

Self-celebration is a strange concept, but here is why it's so important.

You have probably realised by now that I am a pretty outgoing guy. I don't mind a selfie or putting myself online from time to time. I'm a personal branding guy so kinda goes with the job!

The goal of my personal social channels of Instagram and Facebook is to keep in contact with my many varied friends across the world. I have been blessed to have met so many awesome people in my life and like to keep in touch with them, which is pretty much why these channels were first invented. If we haven't connected yet, come say hi!

My business social channel of LinkedIn is to benefit my connections with some sort of learning or idea and not just 'hey look at me' fluff, so I hope that comes across.

One thing you will notice on social media is that your birthday get's alerted to all your contacts. Some people love this feature and some don't. Interestingly, a few years ago as I got more birthday messages on LinkedIn than Facebook - that's when I knew it had tipped to a business social channel.

But back to the birthday story; once a year we all have this strange thing called a birthday. A change in number for our age and a lot of emotional baggage that goes along with that too. Some feel elated and celebrate with a party, others hide away and don't even want to acknowledge it. I had a close friend that told me recently that "it's just another day". How sad I thought. It's a special day so why pass it off like it doesn't matter?

I think the main reason so many want to avoid birthdays is the fact it makes you compare yourself to others and also the high expected goals you once set for yourself. It's hard to live up to societies expectations of what you 'should' have/done/earnt etc It's even harder to let go of some of the goals we wanted for ourselves, careers/houses/children/relationships...

My thinking around birthdays is it's a time to get honest and celebrate our real selves. We can always focus on what we don't have, but how about what we do have? Find your personal success and celebrate it in some way to show yourself that yes you are important and yes it is a special day. It's called self-love and it's not a dirty word.

This year, because of a particularly difficult 2019, I took myself to Japan with some great old mates to go skiing. A treat to myself. It's the one time of year I put myself first and to be honest, it's hard to do! Getting away was pretty tough with all my commitments, but if last year taught me anything, we could be gone tomorrow so might as well live for today.

So my advice to you is when it's next to your birthday, do something you really love. Think of all the ways you are awesome, write them down if you need some focus. Be a little selfish, and treat yourself like you are important. Because you are.

Andrew

Andrew Ford

Marketing expert Andrew Ford, the founder of Social Star, has discovered the secret of ‘Powerful Branding’. With a fire for unleashing people’s inner brand and developing business models to generate profit from an individual’s passions, Andrew leverages ground-breaking digital and social media marketing techniques to create digital strategies for clients to attract maximum opportunities. Having established a strong name for himself in the field, Andrew blends traditional business techniques with now-necessary tools for entrepreneurs to achieve scale, quality, and influence in their niche. Andrew’s comprehensive business background and qualifications consist of a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) (RMIT 2003), a Graduate Certificate in Management (MBA Executive Program, University of Sydney 2005), and a Masters of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Swinburne University 2011). Continually on the cutting edge of his own education, Andrew has tested his marketing theories in forums such as the BCG Business Strategy Competition, which he won in 2005 against all Victorian MBA schools, and the Venture Cup Business Plan Competition (Swinburne University 2003), which he won in the Masters category. With experience working at Hewlett-Packard, Sensis (Telstra) and IBM, Andrew also has mentored dozens of junior staffs to help them achieve their professional goals. Meeting and influencing high-profile public figures helped Andrew to realise just how many professionals require more understanding and control of their public brands or appearance, and need help with the skills to use the many amazing free tools at their disposal to generate success. At Social Star, Andrew consults with clients to uncover their personal brand – both where it is today and where it can be tomorrow – and refine and define how that should be displayed in social media in order to attract their perfect target audience. Andrew mentors his clients to rapidly grow their business’ audiences, resulting in larger potential client bases and higher revenue. Applying formulas that integrate over twenty years of Andrew’s business experience and fifteen years of formal business education, Social Star specialises in building clarity and velocity for clients’ brands using the ‘Understand, Build and Leverage’ methodology. ‘Having a Personal Business enables people to have an authentic, congruent connection with their valued clients and partners, using their brand as the bridge,’ says Andrew. ‘I’m highly driven to work with the new breed of entrepreneurs and small business owners – people who have a passion for making the world a better place. Traditional business models are stepping aside as people follow their innermost dreams and my role is to see them operate within their values while creating wealth. Some people think you have to sacrifice what you love to be successful in your business, yet it is actually the opposite. Follow your passion and success will come.’ Lecturing at Swinburne University from 2009 to 2011 on brand dynamics and digital marketing, presenting at numerous conferences, and consulting to hundreds of clients, Andrew has seen his philosophy work that if you follow your unique path, based on your skills, experience, values and goals, you will automatically attract the opportunities you desire and achieve the success you deserve. Living his mantra, Andrew has created a successful business and attracts high-profile clients including musicians, athletes, authors, models, entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners, helping them find their ‘why’ in their business and fulfilment in their lives. Business for Andrew is more than work, it’s personal. Running a personal business means that he is able to fulfil all of his values rather than separating his life from work. It supports his two boys while providing social opportunities, educational development, fitness opportunities, spiritual fulfilment and many valuable friendships. Social Star has now become the vehicle for Andrew to crystallise his mission in the world, to help people love what they do, supporting his ‘why’, that if more people loved what they did, the world would be a better place.

 
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