BRANDSTALK #160
Beth Anne Campbell

PODCASTER | SPEAKER | AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR | CAREER COACH | MENTOR

 

Filtered Brands Are Dead: Why Fitting In Is Killing Your Impact

What if the very thing you were taught to do in your brand—blend in, polish up, stay “professional”—is exactly what’s making you invisible?

If you’re exhausted from curating a version of yourself that plays by the rules, this conversation will set you free.

Unfiltered Branding: What Happens When You Stop Playing Nice and Start Showing Up?

In one of the most raw, honest, and truth-telling episodes of BrandsTalk to date, I sat down with Beth Anne Campbell, a former corporate queen who swapped the boardroom for the bold mic of real talk. She didn’t just pivot careers. She rebuilt her identity, rewrote the rules, and redefined what it means to be a brand.

Beth Anne is not your average entrepreneur. She’s an award-winning author (Where the Hell is My Bacon?), a ghost-hunting storyteller, and the unapologetic host of The Thirsty Professional. But more than anything, she is the kind of voice our world needs right now: fierce, funny, and fearless.

This episode is a wake-up call for anyone who’s still performing behind the veil of “professionalism” and perfection. If you’re ready to stop fitting in and start standing out, read on.

Meet Beth Anne Campbell: From Corporate Royalty to Real-Life Badass

Beth was once a self-described corporate queen. She knew the lingo, the ladder, and the politics. But after two decades of trying to mold herself into the system, she realized something had to break. It did, and it was her.

So, she did what few dare to do. She walked away and built something real.

Truth Bomb: You can be successful in the traditional world and still feel invisible.

The Mindset Shift: Trading the Tiara for a Microphone

Mindset isn’t a motivational buzzword for Beth; it’s her foundation.

She realized the identity she wore in corporate wasn’t built on her values; it was built on expectations. The shift happened the moment she gave herself permission to stop performing.

“When you stop asking who you need to be, and start asking who you really are—that’s when your real brand is born.”

Key Takeaway: Your brand is a reflection of your internal dialogue, not your LinkedIn bio.

Embracing Authenticity and Honesty in Branding

“Authenticity isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s oxygen for your brand.”

Beth credits her rise in influence to one thing: getting radically honest. Whether it’s talking openly about burnout or cracking a joke that stings with truth, she doesn’t hide behind a filter.

Advice: The moment you stop curating and start communicating, people start connecting.

Reminder: Your quirks, flaws, and even your sarcasm are your brand assets.

What Corporate Life Taught Her (and Why She Let It Go)

Beth learned a lot from her 23 years in corporate: structure, discipline, strategy. But she also learned the subtle, slow erosion of authenticity.

Corporate trauma is real. And it’s often the silent root of your hesitation to speak out, get visible, or disrupt the narrative.

Bulletproof Insight: If you were conditioned to play small, question your instincts, or “not rock the boat – you’re probably still carrying those patterns in your personal brand.

Facts vs. Stories: A Mindset Tool Every Leader Should Use

This segment was pure gold. Beth breaks down her powerful mental reframe called: “Facts vs. Stories.”

When something goes wrong, we tend to create stories that spiral. The truth? Most of the time, we’re reacting to the meaning we’ve assigned, not the actual event.

Example: Someone cuts you off in traffic. The fact? They cut you off. The story? “He hates women.” “He’s a jerk.”

Apply this to branding?

  • A client says no: “I’m not good enough.”
  • A post flops: “My voice doesn’t matter.”

Hard Truth: You can’t build a strong brand on imagined rejections.

Building Human Brands with Empathy

Beth says the brands that resonate the most are the ones that hold space.

Not the ones that shout louder, or post more. The ones that listen, that reflect humanity, that let people feel seen.

“Empathy isn’t a soft skill. It’s a visibility strategy.”

Let this sink in: When you lead with empathy, you create resonance. When you pair it with honesty? You create movement.

Humor: The Brand Advantage No One Talks About

Beth’s take? Humor is the ultimate vulnerability flex.

We’re not talking about gimmicks or puns. We’re talking about the kind of humor that disarms, reveals truth, and brings people in.

“Branding isn’t just about credibility. It’s about relatability.”

And nothing makes your brand more human than being able to laugh at yourself.

Pro Tip: If you can be honest and hilarious? You’re unforgettable.

Mindset Resets for When You Want to Hide

Beth drops her personal strategies for realignment:

  • Gratitude: Acknowledge what is
  • Stop reacting, start responding: Buy time for truth to catch up to emotion.
  • Let go: Not everything deserves your energy.

Mantra: You can’t always change the situation. But you can always shift your perception.

Branding Lessons That Hit Hard (and Stay with You)

Beth wraps the episode with branding wisdom that cuts through the noise:

  • You don’t need to be liked by everyone. You need to be known for something.
  • Your brand isn’t what you post. It’s what people repeat when you’re not in the room.
  • Stop branding for approval. Start branding for impact.
  • The brands we remember are the ones that break the rules with integrity.

Bullet Points of Truth:

  • Filtered branding is inauthentic branding.
  • Your brand begins with your mindset.
  • Facts vs. stories: most of your anxiety is fiction.
  • Corporate trauma can follow you into your entrepreneurial brand.
  • Humor is a branding strategy, not just a personality trait.
  • Holding space = human connection = brand loyalty.
  • Stop editing yourself. Your truth is your superpower.
  • If your brand feels boring, it’s probably too polished.

Ready to Get Real?

This episode is your permission slip to ditch the performative branding and finally show up as the unfiltered, unforgettable YOU.

🔗 Tune into this episode on all major podcast platforms! Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, etc…

 

📹 Watch us Live

Get in touch with Beth Anne Campbell:

Time Markers:

00:37 Meet Beth Anne Campbell
01:59 Mindset Shift from Corporate to Creative
04:07 Embracing Authenticity and Honesty
07:14 Lessons from Corporate Life
10:31 Facts vs. Stories: A Leadership Tool
15:59 Building Human Brands with Empathy
20:26 The Role of Humor in Branding
23:57 Mindset Resets for Entrepreneurs
27:03 Key Branding Lessons and Takeaways

authenticity brand brand identity branding corporate dropout entrepreneur facts vs stories human brands humor mindset personal brand truth telling unfiltered branding