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Re-Building My Brand in 2026

February 2026 (544 Words, 4 Minutes)

project digital

Background

I never really had a place to show what I was working on. I disliked the usual social media platforms, and LinkedIn always felt foreign to me. It never felt natural to post there, and I didn’t want my online presence to turn into a stream of surface-level updates.

At the same time, I kept building things, software projects, home builds, random experiments, and there was no central place to organize or present them in a way that made sense. One day while reading Barking Up the Wrong Tree by Eric Barker, I was forced to confront something uncomfortable. I don’t network; like at all.

If I wanted opportunities, collaboration, or even meaningful connection around the things I build, I needed a public face on the internet, but not a “this is what I’m eating at 2am” feed. Something intentional.

That realization is what started this whole shift.

Proposed Idea

The goal was not to become an influencer or create some over-polished “coding bro” brand. I wanted to build a life brand that reflects both what I build and how I think.

To do that, I figured I needed a website that acts as the source of truth, social platforms that actually fit how I communicate, and a clear way to organize projects and thoughts so they do not feel scattered.

Everything had to feel meshed.

The Why

The tipping point came when I started researching how others in my field approached this. That is when I came across Mitchell Hashimoto. I appreciated how he blends personal and professional in a way that feels natural, not like two separate personas but parts of the same life.

It made me realize I did not need to choose between a professional brand and a personal blog. The overlap is the point. The brand should reflect the work and the person behind it.

First Steps

I started with the basics:

That led to simplifying categories into digital and physical projects, tightening navigation, and clarifying tone.

Clarity became the filter for every decision.

Personal vs Professional

I really wanted a space that I could feel good about recruiters or potential new aquaintences coming and reading. I wanted them to get to know who I was personally and professionally. Where they could find my passions and skills. I feel this is very important in a world where AI can simulate just about anyone.

The design I went with is personal first. Projects, notes, experiments, home builds. Professional credibility comes through consistency and depth rather than a résumé page.

LinkedIn stays more professional in tone, but focused on perspective and learning instead of announcements.

The goal is not separation. It is alignment.

The New Website

WIth the updated dicrection of my brand figured out, I moved onto the website build. I am using a basic Github page with theme design. Specifically Jekyll on Ruby. The layout is as follows:

This keeps me from having the resume only style website that makes me sound like another face in the crowd. It also helps me remember that the personal stuff I post should align with both avenues.

Socials Uplift

I hate social media platforms. I really do. I enjoy connecting with people on them, but I dislike that the connections are spurred back on an algorithm and not natural surfacing. So instead of forcing myself onto platforms that feel unnatural, I am focusing on fewer and calmer spaces.

I chose Bluesky for short updates and micro-thoughts because I really like their vision for a social media site. I also like the people that are flocking to it right now. It feels semi-bleeding edge, but still stable enough to be around for a while.

Social media should support the site. The site holds everything together.

What’s Next

This is the beginning of a more intentional public presence.

The structure is in place, but refinement will continue. Better writing, clearer design, stronger connections between projects.

The goal is not performance.

Theme  Moonwalk