Branding Myself in a Digital World

Eller Photoshoot for Marketing Efforts

In this blog I will give insight to how I market myself. For starters, I never considered the idea of marketing myself prior to what I’ve learned in undergrad (thank you Eller!). I think we all subconsciously market ourselves without even knowing it. 

I have had some pretty amazing opportunities that I was able to take advantage

of including speaking at the University of Arizona Main Commencement in Spring 2025, being featured in a student profile on Tucson’s local news station KOLD NEWS 13, hosting a podcast episode with Arizona Men’s Basketball Creative Director, being one of the faces for an Eller marketing campaign, representing my office at Arizona Athletic events, traveling to conferences, the list goes on. I hope by listing these experiences, I am able to show some credibility for the advice and insight I'm about to give. As a disclaimer, this advice and insight is something that has worked for me and can look totally different for everyone, so take it with a grain of salt!  

Professional Development

I cannot even begin to express how important professional development is. I give so much credit to the Eller College of Management for instilling that in me. Professional development isn’t just attending conferences and expanding your knowledge, at its core it is knowing how to network, wearing the appropriate attire, giving a good handshake, and realizing that you belong in whatever space you're in. 

Within courses in eller i’ve been able to gain skills such as public speaking through presentations, connecting and initiating informational interviews, building a strong resume, and one of my favorites… creating a professional portfolio via website. My personal website is a platform where I can spotlight my experiences and showcase myself. My website has been a great digital tool that i’ve used to market myself, it is one of the reasons I now have my marketing internship now. When interviewing for my internship with the Office of Native American Advancement and Tribal Engagement at the University of Arizona, I pulled up my website and scrolled through each page while talking about myself. I think this won my employers over and definitely set me apart. 

Taking Advantage of Opportunities 

Taking advantage of your opportunities may sound cliche but it is so true! When I got the opportunity to speak at my commencement ceremony my initial thought was no way, I can’t speak in front of thousands of people. The feelings of imposter syndrome and scaredness overwhelmed me, but this was such a great opportunity that I couldn’t say no. It was an opportunity to not only represent myself but my tribe, the Tohono O’odham Nation. What came out of that was the ability for over 40,000 people to not only hear my name but a bit of my heritage and what land means to me. Later my speech was displayed on the University of Arizona website and youtube channel. I was also able to amplify it on my social accounts, LinkedIn, and professional websites. Additionally, my speech caught attention by my tribal community members through other people sharing it on facebook and instagram, so much so that my tribal Chairman saw it and wanted to recognize me in our nation's newsletter. This is just one example, there are plenty more but I assume this shed insight to how important it is to take advantage of opportunities that come your way even if you’re scared and feel imposter syndrome like me, there are always people and resources willing to help you!

Be Curious 

I’m the type of person who wishes I can do everything in the whole world. I know that sounds way too optimistic but the reason I bring that up is because I think it shows my curiosity. While I think it is so important to learn about whichever industry and profession that piques your interest, I think it is equally important to learn about professions and industries outside of your own. Digital platforms such as tiktok and instagram serve as learning tools to learn about a vast variety of things. 

Networking!

Networking is one of my favorite things ever! Building a network opens the door to new opportunities and helps you build relationships. Shout out to Eller again for instilling the importance of networking. One of my favorite ways to digitally connect and market myself is through linkedIn, which serves as a hub for networking. Through the linkedIn platform, I have been able to connect with professionals in sports business, tribal nations, economic development, and more. I have also been able to schedule informational interviews with some pretty cool people. I am setting the foundation for meaningful relationships that hopefully will benefit not only myself but others in the best way possible. 

The list goes on and on for how I market myself. Maybe this topic should be a series. This content is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to marketing yourself.