Rebuilding from Zero: How Loss Sparked a Brand Reinvention | #116: Alana Sparrow

Alana Sparrow is a brand strategist, visual storyteller, and co-founder of The Foundry. With 35 years in branding and 25 years as a business owner, she helps leaders craft personal brands that reflect who they are and what they stand for. From executive positioning to employer branding, her experience runs deep, and her creative approach stands out. In this episode, we dive into her journey of rebuilding after personal loss, growing from 800 to over 27,000 LinkedIn connections, and using personal branding to unlock real business growth. You’ll hear practical advice on how to show up online, build trust, and create a brand with lasting impact. It’s part story, part strategy, and part creative masterclass from someone who truly walks the talk. Connect with Alana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanasparrow/ https://www.instagram.com/alanasparrow https://www.thefoundrysite.com/_15/ https://alanasparrow.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 – Why personal brands can change the world 01:00 – Podcast intro and guest welcome 01:23 – Alana’s background: 35 years in branding 02:13 – How personal branding entered her business 03:28 – The pandemic’s impact on her agency 04:44 – Losing her mother and stepping back from work 05:53 – Rebuilding with LinkedIn after 800 connections 07:06 – How she tripled revenue in under a year 08:04 – How competitors reacted during COVID 09:25 – Why she doesn’t care about competition 10:24 – Realising LinkedIn’s full potential 11:48 – Growing 97k Instagram followers before LinkedIn 13:05 – Learning LinkedIn strategy from Laura Acosta 15:29 – Applying storytelling skills to the platform 17:12 – Handling criticism and passive-aggressive comments 18:53 – Why negative feedback is rare on LinkedIn 20:45 – Dealing with AI-generated comments 23:27 – Why going viral can hurt your brand 25:54 – The Instagram post that gained 17k followers (and backfired) 27:46 – Choosing universal topics that attract the right audience 28:18 – Why she keeps showing up on LinkedIn 30:12 – Long-term goals beyond social media posting 31:24 – Why she’ll never outsource her content creation 32:26 – Common personal branding mistakes on LinkedIn 34:36 – Why experimenting without strategy can backfire 36:47 – The importance of strong foundations and positioning 39:38 – Why audience size doesn’t equal a healthy business 40:55 – How engagement pods hurt the platform 43:46 – Why quality growth matters more than quantity 44:03 – Chasing sunshine and water in her free time 44:34 – Her dog Junie and personal life 45:30 – Why work and hobbies often blend together 45:57 – Where to find Alana online 46:33 – Final personal branding advice 48:00 – Podcast closing and thank you Connect with Tommen: X: https://x.com/TomasLoucky⁠⁠⁠ Stan: https://stan.store/Tommen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomasloucky/⁠⁠ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisistommen/⁠⁠ More: FenPost: https://fenpost.com/ Links: https://linktr.ee/produced_by⁠⁠⁠ Newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://producednewsletter.substack.com/⁠ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ProducedByPodcast⁠⁠⁠/ Podcasting tools I recommend: JamX: https://jamx.ai/podcasters-offer?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=e02d48af-ef66-4e76-b804-c2e8d282a8bf Riverside: ⁠https://riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_2&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=tomas-loucky Adobe Podcast: https://adobe.prf.hn/click/camref:1101l584tU/creativeref:1011l150787 FenPost: https://fenpost.com/?via=tomas Metricool: https://f.mtr.cool/HRJBZK Some links are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you find these tools helpful, using these links supports the show. Thank you!