The concept of a personal brand isn’t new - but in 2025, the line between personal and professional brands feels more blurred than ever before.

As professionals, how do we make sure that our authenticity doesn’t impact our credibility - especially when it’s our stories, personalities, and values that set us apart?

We’ve brought together three women, each with very different experiences of merging the personal and professional, to share their insights on:

Sharing your story without oversharing
Protecting your privacy, boundaries, and mental health
Finding the confidence to create a personal brand that feels like you
Turning lived experience into professional credibility
Managing visibility as a woman, parent, or minority voice
Handling criticism, trolls, and unwanted attention
How personal brands help (and sometimes challenge) your organisation
What to post, what to keep private, and how to know the difference

Our speakers

Charlotte Cook – Host of Radio New Zealand’s Midday Report, award-winning journalist and creator of the podcast Hair and Loathing
Courtney Manu – Financial mentor, business owner, and social media influencer
Lizi Guest – Founder of one of New Zealand’s top PR agencies, speaker, and trainer.

About Charlotte
Charlotte knows what it means to bare it all; from speaking to an audience of hundreds of thousands on Midday Report, to creating an award-winning podcast inspired by her relationship with body hair. As a rising star in RNZ’s presenting lineup, she’ll share how she balances public success with personal visibility, and how she navigates the double-edged sword of being both authentic and professional in the media world.

About Courtney

Courtney has documented her financial journey online since 2019; sharing the personal budgeting tools and money lessons that she’s used on her journey to become debt-free, purchase a home and start a business. With an online community of over 17,000 people, Courtney appears to juggle it all, but behind the scenes, she’s navigating what it means to be a Pacific woman, a mother, and a leader with a public platform.

About Lizi

Lizi once tried to keep her life as a young, single mum on the benefit separate from her professional world. These days, she leads with that story and covers the highs and lows that followed. In just seven years, Lizi has built one of New Zealand’s most respected communications agencies on the back of her personal brand, turning vulnerability into strategy, and lived experience into influence.

About the workshop

This is one of a series of accessible professional development opportunities designed to support people working in the Manawatū/Whanganui region. While these events are tailored to those who are interested or working in marketing and communications, people from any background are welcome.

Spaces are limited, and previous workshops have sold out fast. Please register early to secure your spot and avoid disappointment.

All proceeds donated to charity
As a not-for-profit event, all proceeds will be donated to Wāhine Wanawana - Ara Ki Angitu. This charity was nominated by one of our speakers, Courtney Manu. As a not-for-profit movement by wāhine, for wāhine, to empower financial success and well-being in our communities - we are proud to support such a great initiative.

Why do you run these events?

Little & Loud. have been facilitating professional development and networking events in the region for many years. We believe that a rising tide lifts all boats, and that there aren’t enough opportunities for local communications and marketing people to connect and develop new skills outside of expensive formal training or on-the-job experience. We donate our time to organise and promote these not-for-profit events, and our speakers generously donate their time, experience and intellectual property to make these events possible.