Two points to consider when it comes to showing up online.

People are more likely to trust “someone like themselves” than they are the CEO, a successful entrepreneur, employee,  journalist, NGO representative or government. (1)

Think about what this means for you, so often we look to institutions to help us with authority and validation. You already have that. Go make the change you want to see, the only permission you need is your own. Stop waiting for that job or promotion.

Did you know the Tweets of CEO’s are more likely to predict share price than company tweets? (2) There’s a reason why Elon Musk impacts Tesla’s stock price so significantly, it’s not just because he is the founder. It’s because he shows up online (for good, or bad). If you don’t want to show up out of humility or judgment, it’s worth reconsidering that now more than ever. We need more voices of minorities, those concerned with true representation. Don’t wait for media outlets, your voice matters and you have the power at home to be heard – your laptop.

Personally, for me I was frustrated with a lack of representation in Australia, so I decided to show up on Linkedin, fast forward I’ve had over 2 million views on my “content” – I didn’t even know it was content when I started sharing my thoughts, I just believed my voice mattered.

1) Edelman Trust Barometer
2) 2019 Study “The Information Content of CEOs’ Personal Social Media: Evidence from Stock Returns and Earnings Surprise.”