Two years ago, I had to apply for every opportunity. Now, opportunities come to me.

The difference: building a personal brand around my AI work.

I'm not talking about becoming an "influencer." I'm talking about being known for specific expertise by the people who hire for it.

What worked for me: consistent LinkedIn posts about real work (not motivational platitudes). Open source contributions that people can actually see and use. Published research that establishes credibility. Speaking at meetups (started small — 15 people in a room).

What didn't work: trying to be an expert on everything (dilutes your brand). Being overly promotional (people can smell it). Copying what other creators do (your voice needs to be yours).

The formula that works for technical personal brands: share real experiences, including failures. Teach what you know without gatekeeping. Have a specific area of focus. Be genuine — because pretending to be someone you're not on the internet never works long-term.

You don't need 50,000 followers. You need 500 of the right people — hiring managers, potential clients, collaborators — to know your name and associate it with quality work.

Start with one post per week about something you learned or built. See what happens in 6 months. I think you'll be surprised.