The Bourdain Effect: Cultivating Authenticity in Life and Personal Branding

I’ve never been interested in doing what everyone else is doing. Once something becomes popular or trending, I avoid it. For me, it’s never been about fitting in. I’ve always wanted to find a unique way to express myself.  

Independent movies, documentaries, and people like Anthony Bourdain have always fueled my creativity and inspired me to express myself. 

During the holiday break, I watched Anthony Bourdain’s travel and cooking shows, and the one word that kept coming up for me was authenticity. We hear so much about being authentic, but what does that really mean? 

We often copy what others do or follow a formula, and while those things can be helpful, watching Anthony Bourdain taught me or reinforced in me that you have to be courageous to be authentic. You have to know the rules and then break them with your own voice and opinions and take a stand. It may not be popular, but it’s authentic and interesting.

Isn’t that why we all loved him? He was himself, which wasn’t always pretty, but that made him great - he was a modern-day pirate, sometimes drunk and hungover, but also caring, intellectual, and loved learning about the world. And that was his brand - he was always on brand - with his style of writing, thinking, and expressing himself. And that’s what made him stand out. 

He used travel and food as interpreters beyond culture and language. He reminded us that humans experience love and loss and have a deep desire to be seen and to understand the world around them.  

I’m not naive. I understand Anthony Bourdain had a professional persona. I also realize he was human and struggled with his demons. But like all of us, he was multidimensional and we were fortunate to experience this part of him. He was a breath of fresh air, and like most people, I miss him. 

His impact continues to feed my appetite to be brave and show more of my authentic self, especially in my personal brand. I bring this into my work as well with clients because the personal branding process is a journey of self-discovery.  

We must think deeply about our mission and purpose beyond making money. Who are we? What parts of ourselves are we trying to heal? What parts unknown (pun intended) are we trying to discover and how can we express this in our own way? This is authenticity. 

We are all trying to stand out in a sea of noise with multiple lanes of traffic speeding by at full throttle. It’s dizzying and deafening, often making it difficult to communicate. 

However, when I feel overwhelmed by this, I think of Anthony Bourdain. When we are authentic, we create an opportunity for connection, just like he did. 

So, I, too, strive to be a modern-day pirate (without the hangover), and I encourage you to be one as well, especially when it comes to your personal brand.