How to Build a Personal Brand and Life-First Career with Sam Burmeister
Ep. 90 on the All Figured Out Podcast
How to Build a Personal Brand and Life-First Career with Sam Burmeister
What if you treated your career like your personal brand—whether or not you’re a business owner? What if flexible work wasn’t just for digital nomads in Bali, but for working parents in North Vancouver?
In this week’s episode of All Figured Out, I had an amazing conversation with Sam Burmeister, founder of Nomad Copy Agency and one of the clearest, kindest voices on what it really means to own your personal brand—whether you’re on a beach or in a boardroom.
Sam is a nomadic copywriter who writes conversion-driven sales copy for service providers, and she’s built a personal brand that reflects who she is—not just what she does. Even if you’re not in business for yourself, there’s a ton to learn from her about communicating with confidence, setting unapologetic boundaries, and rethinking how work and life can fit together.
What Is a Personal Brand (and Why Should You Care)?
According to Sam, your personal brand is essentially your vibe. It’s the energy you bring into a room, a meeting, or a post on LinkedIn. You don’t need to share every detail of your life online to be seen as “authentic”—you just need to be consistent in how you show up. And no, it doesn’t mean pretending to be someone you’re not or oversharing to seem relatable.
Here’s where it gets powerful: whether you’re on maternity leave, in a career pivot, or rising through the ranks in corporate, your personal brand is how people remember you, recommend you, and rally around you. Sam encourages all of us to step away from the mask we often wear at work—and bring more of our actual values into how we show up professionally.
How to Talk About Yourself Without Sounding Salesy
One of the biggest mindset shifts Sam offers is this: instead of trying to sell yourself, serve instead. Whether you’re in a job interview, networking, or writing your LinkedIn bio, focus on educating and connecting. Share what lights you up. Ask great questions. And when the moment comes to share what you do—own it with confidence and clarity.
This is especially useful for parents re-entering the workforce or pivoting careers. You don’t need to justify your choices. Your story is your strength.
Boundaries Are Not Optional
Sam had us all shouting “YES” when she said this: stop apologizing for having boundaries. Whether it’s childcare, school pickups, or simply needing focused time, you don’t need to over-explain or blame it on someone else (“sorry, my kid is sick…”). You can just say, “I don’t take meetings before 9am.” Period.
This isn’t just about flexibility—it’s about self-respect. And ironically, when you stop over-explaining, people respect your time even more.
Flexible Work, Even If You’re Not a Nomad
Sam might be known for running her business from airports and cafes around the world, but what she preaches applies just as much to people rooted in one place. Whether you’re working remotely in the suburbs or leading a team from a downtown office, the goal is the same: build your work around the life you want—not the other way around.
Want to protect your time for family, creativity, or deep work? You need structure. You need boundaries. And yes—you need a personal brand that reflects what matters to you.
Key Takeaways
You already have a personal brand—make sure it reflects you.
You can be authentic without oversharing.
Talking about yourself = serving, not selling.
Boundaries don’t need an apology.
You can work flexibly—even in corporate—if you advocate for it clearly.
Grab Sam’s free landing page GPT tool.
About Andrea Barr, host of All Figured Out
Andrea is a certified career and life coach for parents. Through her coaching, she supports parents in finding better work-life rhythms so they can continue to grow personally and professionally without sacrificing family time.
Connect with Andrea via Instagram here.
