Dr. Natalia Wiechowski is the Founder and CEO of "Think Natalia", a global branding consultancy.
She is a revered Business leader, Entrepreneur, Keynote speaker and Branding Consultant, who speaks globally. She is originally from Hanover, Germany, and lives in Dubai.
She started as a Social Scientist, before getting her Dr. of Philosophy. She is a “LinkedIn Marketing Unicorn” (Inc. magazine), a Forbes Coaches Council Member, a LinkedIn Learning author and the Middle East’s leading Edutainer.
Hello Dr. Natalia and thank you for participating in this Q&A session. We would like to start by exploring your origin story. Please give us an overview of your background and career journey to date?
Dr. Natalia: I am originally from Germany, Hanover and live in the UAE, now Dubai, for 13 years. I’m a studied Social Scientist (Master of Arts) and Dr. of Philosophy who started her career in the educational sector. I moved into marketing at the age of 29, and just when I was at the top of my career, I quit my job. Before going on a self-imposed sabbatical to reinvent myself, and to unlearn everything I thought I knew.
Over the last 7 years, I’ve built an internationally successful 7-figure consulting and speaking business. I have my dream life(style), the freedom I always wanted, and a wonderful network of people I love and deeply care about.
What are the key challenges you have faced in your career and entrepreneurial journey? Additionally how have you navigated these?
Dr. Natalia: I needed to overcome a lot of limiting beliefs around what it means to be an entrepreneur, around money, investing, self-worth, success, career, leading a team and much more. I had to let go of thinking patterns, behavior and people who didn’t serve me anymore, which often was painful and tough. But as you can see, I have survived it. I’ve invested a high 5-figure amount into working with the best in their fields: Consultants, mentors, coaches, psychologist, guides, healers – even Buddhist monks and shamans. I believe in experimenting with different techniques and approaches. How do you truly know what works for you if you haven’t tried it?
Has your entrepreneurial journey been influenced by any current or past business leaders?
Dr. Natalia: My journey has been influenced by so many people, I’d need 7 pages to list them all😂. Some individuals who helped me a lot in the very beginning of my second life and career were: Tim Ferriss, Robin Sharma, Gary Vee, Marie Forleo, Lewis Howes and Tony Robbins – just to name a few. After that, leaders like Dr. Joe Dispenza, Russel Brunson, Mel Robbins, Grant Cardone, Tom Bilyeu and Dan Lok helped me level up. I’m 100% convinced that the teacher shows up when the student is ready – as the saying goes.
What’s the origin story behind your company “Think Natalia”?
Dr. Natalia: When I quit my safe job to go on a sabbatical for 9 months, I quickly realized that something in me screamed, begged to express itself. Parallel to what my PhD supervisor told me about “not” using humor, to “not” tell stories in my thesis.
My friends back then were tired of listening to my “always positive ideas”. So, after a few weeks, I learned about this thing called “blogging” and decided to become a blogger. To write down and share with others what I think, what moves me and what keeps me up at night. The blog needed traffic, readers, that’s why I started to post on Instagram, Facebook, then LinkedIn. With every piece of content, I felt as if I came one step closer to find, to design my unique voice. On top of that, I experimented with all the things I always wanted to do (writing, consulting, photography, social media, modelling, etc.). In the process I went viral twice on LinkedIn, learned how to speak on stages, how to run a business, how to build a support network, said yes to every growth opportunity, and through that “failed myself up” to the person I am today. So that’s how “Think Natalia” started.
How would you describe the value proposition of Think Natalia?
We help ambitious experts and companies get the visibility, leads and customers they need, want and deserve, by teaching them a unique, holistic, organic, proven and tested LinkedIn social selling and content marketing strategy. Not only that, we use edutainment, humor and personal anecdotes to make this more fun.
We’ve been through the challenges our clients face and know which mistakes can be avoided. We help them save time, money and energy and gladly introduce them to our massive network, to help them succeed. If you’re open to it, we’ll also connect you with brilliant minds from other industries who’ll guide you in transforming from the inside out. To do the inner work, which is required to become a charismatic, uplifting and always inspiring thought leader.
What originally attracted you to the Influencer Industry and why?
Dr. Natalia: I don’t perceive myself as an influencer. I see myself as a businesswoman, an entrepreneur who’s obsessed with helping brands with getting more visibility, leads and clients on LinkedIn, and living their best lives. In the past, seeing highly talented, passionate solopreneurs not being able to pay their bills, while – in comparison that “sleazy sales guys with mediocre products but great persuasion skills pulling a Scrooge McDuck”, got me angry. I decided to learn the art of personal branding and social selling to empower my creative friends. Furthermore, since I was a kid, I was always fascinated by North-American stories of “from rags to riches” and their mindset in general. I wanted to find out if I could think, act and live big, too…
How did you build a following of 107k on LinkedIn?
Dr. Natalia: Step by step. Day by day. Content piece by content piece. Through consistency, commitment, and perseverance. By continuously asking myself: What does our audience need? How can I help them? What can I do to make them look forward to our next post? How can I improve my copywriting and storytelling skills? Can I do better? Strategic collaborations with other brands, my team and the right mentors also played a huge role in getting there. Together, you can achieve so much more than on your own.
How would you describe the content you create on LinkedIn?
Dr. Natalia: Some people call it “edutaining content”. Edutainment is a mix of education and entertainment. My team and I give our best to teach our audience something new, while also making them laugh. Sometimes we use vivid stories to ensure that the material is more memorable. One incredible LinkedIn contact recently called it “marketing on the edge of art”. I love that!
Since then, I say that we create “artsy truth bomb content”, with the intention to shake people up. To get them out of their old thought patterns, out of their minds and into their hearts to question the status quo.
What process do you go through to ensure that the content you post is ethically considerate?
Dr. Natalia: To be brutally honest, I never consciously asked myself this question before. Here’s why: I give my very best to create content that adds value, inspires and empowers.
What I write about is often channelled from the deepest corner of my soul. When I do that, I tap into a “universal truth”, which goes beyond social constructs like nationality, race, gender, religion, etc.
I aim at communicating from human (conscious) being to human (conscious) being. Years of mindfulness work and meditation helped me getting there.
Before concluding this interview, what advice do you have for entrepreneurs and business leaders, on how to create engaging content on LinkedIn?
Dr. Natalia: Don’t create content that just resonates with the minds of people. Design content, which also speaks to their hearts. Have the courage to be authentic, transparent and to share your “*flawsome” journey of growth.
Start with documenting it. Write down content ideas whenever you have them, and then design a content creation process.
The world doesn’t need another boss, manager or talker. We need more leaders who truly live and lead by example. Who walk the talk and spread hope. Who remind us of what is possible and the madness we create in our lives.
*flawsome means: Full of flaws and nevertheless awesome.
Being aware that you are not perfect, because perfection is an illusion, an intangible goal, which cripples you.Nevertheless or maybe even because of that, accepting, loving and honoring yourself.
Thank you Dr. Natalia for participating in this Q&A session, and we wish you all the best.
Natalia: Thank you for allowing me to share my message with your community. I highly appreciate it 🙂.
