Kindness, karma, and the ripple effects we forget to measure

Hey friends,

I want to tell you a bit more about a moment that’s been sitting with me.

If you’re on LinkedIn, you might have seen a post I shared recently about a stranger buying my husband and me a beer while we were on holidays in a small country town. No reason. No expectation. Just kindness.

I shared the story because it moved me.

What I didn’t expect was what happened next.

The post absolutely blew up. Messages, comments, DMs — people sharing their own stories of kindness, moments that caught them off guard, gestures that stayed with them long after they happened. I’ve also had a huge number of people reach out wanting to join my next Personal Brand Lab, which honestly has been incredibly exciting and humbling.

But what struck me most wasn’t the numbers or the traction.

It was the tone of the responses.

People weren’t talking about algorithms or strategy. They were talking about humanity.

One person shared that they were having a terrible day, sitting in a drive-through waiting for their coffee, when the car in front paid for their order. They said they cried. Something so small meant something huge.

Another shared a story about a gardener who finished a job at their house and left a single rose on the table. He explained that he regularly goes to Paddy’s Markets, buys single rose stems, and hands them out to strangers in the city. No strings attached. Just to make someone’s day a little brighter.

Comment after comment said things like:
“This is my favourite post I’ve read this year.”
“We should always lead with kindness.”
“The world needs more of this.”

Reading them slowed me down. In the best way.

Because it reminded me that kindness isn’t just personal. It’s professional too.

When I look back on my own career, some of my biggest opportunities didn’t come from pitching harder or being louder. They came from people being kind to me and often quietly, often behind the scenes.

Introductions made without obligation.
Time given generously.
Honest feedback shared because someone genuinely wanted me to succeed.

One of my biggest opportunities for 2026 came from someone who had followed my work on LinkedIn for years. We finally met for a coffee with no agenda. Just a good conversation. After that, she went on to introduce me to three people. One of those introductions has since become the single biggest opportunity on my horizon.

She also joined my testing group for Brandiie and went out of her way to give me thoughtful, constructive feedback. Not performative praise but real input that made the product better.

Over time, that relationship has grown into mutual respect.

And what did I do next?

I paid it forward.

Introductions made with nothing to gain.
Support offered simply because I could.
Kindness extended without keeping score.

This is what people don’t talk about enough.

Kindness compounds.

Not in a transactional way. In a human one.

This is also why that LinkedIn post mattered more than just being a “nice story.”

It’s a reminder of the real power of personal brand when it’s done properly.

Not as content for content’s sake.
Not as noise.
But as signal.

When you show up consistently, honestly, and human-first, people feel it. They trust you. They root for you. They want to help you win.

That’s what personal brand has unlocked for me and it’s exactly what I want to help others build.

As I look ahead to 2026, I have big goals. Really big ones.

I want to work with organisations that genuinely care about their people. Companies that want leaders and employees who know who they are, what they stand for, and how to tell their story with confidence. Because when people feel clear and supported, storytelling becomes natural — and cultures become stronger.

And here’s the part I don’t think we say often enough:

Building a personal brand rooted in clarity and kindness doesn’t just create visibility.
It creates opportunity — for you and for others.

That’s the ripple effect.

So if there’s one thing I’ll keep coming back to this year, it’s this:

Lead with kindness.
In life.
In work.
Online and offline.

Because kindness and karma are everything.