Explore Your Authentic Expression: Find Your Unique Brand Personality

Most people don’t struggle because they lack talent, ideas, or ambition. They struggle because they’re trying to express themselves in ways that don’t actually fit who they are.

We’re taught to look outward for how to show up, how to lead, how to communicate, how to build a brand. But the most compelling influence doesn’t come from imitation or performance. It comes from alignment.

Erika Brechtel’s Brand Personality Archetype Framework is designed to help you reconnect with how you naturally express, influence, and lead when you are most yourself. This is not about branding tactics or surface-level personality traits. It’s about recognizing the underlying energies that shape how you move through the world.

Before we name anything, we start with awareness.

An Influence Orientation Exercise

(Do this before reading ahead)

This exercise is designed to help you recognize how you naturally show up and influence others when you are most aligned. There are no right or wrong answers, and no single “type.” Most people resonate with three primary groups, which together shape how they communicate, lead, and express themselves.

How to do this:

Read through each group of words below. Circle or note the words that feel most true to you, especially in moments where you feel confident, energized, and fully yourself.When you’re finished, notice which three groups you resonated with most strongly. These reflect your primary influence energies.

Before you read on

If you found yourself drawn to three groups, that’s expected. Very few people operate from a single influence style. Your combination matters far more than any one group on its own.

Now, let’s name what you discovered.

Naming Your Influence Archetypes

Each group corresponds to a distinct archetype within Erika Brechtel’s Brand Personality Archetype Framework. These archetypes describe how you naturally influence, communicate, and lead when you are most aligned.

They are not roles to perform or boxes to stay inside. They are energies you already carry.

Most people are a blend of three archetypes. One often leads, one supports, and one stretches you into growth.

Group 1 → The Guide

The Guide influences through wisdom, perspective, and lived experience. This archetype is naturally trusted and often sought out for clarity and direction. When expressed well, the Guide helps others see possibilities they may not yet be able to articulate for themselves.

Group 2 → The Intellectual

The Intellectual influences through depth, logic, and discernment. This archetype brings steadiness and credibility by prioritizing facts, thoughtful analysis, and careful consideration. Others rely on the Intellectual to bring clarity where emotion or noise can cloud judgment.

Group 3 → The Original

The Original influences through creative expression and point of view. This archetype sees what others miss and brings individuality, beauty, and perspective into the world. Their influence comes from showing that there is more than one way to see, create, or live.

Group 4 → The Idealist

The Idealist influences through hope, encouragement, and belief in people. This archetype lifts others by reminding them of what is possible and worth striving for. Their presence often feels affirming, especially in moments of doubt or uncertainty.

Group 5 → The Innovator

The Innovator influences through vision and bold experimentation. This archetype challenges the status quo by imagining new ways forward and being willing to test them. Their energy sparks momentum and invites others to think beyond what already exists.

Group 6 → The Explorer

The Explorer influences through curiosity and openness. This archetype invites others into discovery, growth, and self-expansion. Their influence comes from asking meaningful questions and modeling the courage to step into the unknown.

Group 7 → The Powerhouse

The Powerhouse influences through confidence and decisive leadership. This archetype naturally inspires movement through clarity of vision and conviction. Others are motivated simply by how the Powerhouse shows up and takes action.

Group 8 → The Achiever

The Achiever influences through aspiration and example. This archetype sets high standards and demonstrates what is possible through discipline, refinement, and results. Others are inspired by what the Achiever embodies, not just what they say.

Group 9 → The Rebel

The Rebel influences through questioning norms and speaking truth. This archetype challenges assumptions and opens space for new perspectives by refusing to conform for approval. Their influence creates change by disrupting stagnation.

Group 10 → The Upholder

The Upholder influences through trust and reliability. This archetype builds credibility by being consistent, grounded, and principled. Others feel safe and supported in their presence, making the Upholder a stabilizing force.

Group 11 → The Nurturer

The Nurturer influences through care and connection. This archetype leads by creating belonging and emotional safety. Their influence deepens relationships and strengthens communities through empathy and attentiveness.

Group 12 → The Entertainer

The Entertainer influences through joy, energy, and relatability. This archetype connects people through humor, warmth, and lightness. Their presence invites engagement and makes ideas feel accessible and human.

Your Unique Formula

Your three primary archetypes form a unique formula. Together, they reflect how you are most naturally wired to influence, express, and lead.

Misalignment often arises not because something is missing, but because we feel pressure to be everything to everyone. We dilute our impact when we override our natural strengths, perform archetypes we admire, or suppress parts of ourselves that feel less acceptable or visible.

The real power comes from honoring your specific combination and allowing it to guide your choices. When you lean into who you authentically are, rather than who you think you should be, your voice becomes clearer, your influence more focused, and your impact more meaningful.

Coming Home to Your Authentic Expression

Your archetypes are not something to fix or perform. They are a reflection of who you already are when you are most aligned, confident, and at ease.

As you move through different seasons of life and leadership, your expression may evolve, but your core energies remain steady. When you stop trying to dilute yourself to be more palatable or expansive enough to reach everyone, you create space for clarity, resonance, and trust.

This work is an invitation to come home to your expression. To choose self-trust over self-editing. To let your unique combination guide how you communicate, lead, and contribute.

When you honor who you authentically are, your voice becomes clearer, your choices more intentional, and your impact more meaningful — not because you are doing more, but because you are finally aligned with what is already true.