Earlier this week I posted about a chapter I read in Your Music and People: Creative and Considerate Fame by Derek Sivers. Just a few chapters later, I was inspired again and wanted to share it with you.

Because I am guilty of trying to sound big. And I’d venture a guess that, if you’re a freelancer or have your own small side-hustle, you are too.

I’ve struggled with should I say “we” or “I”? Should I speak as myself, or as a brand? Should I make myself sound bigger? Does that make my business better?

Because honestly, I am an agency of one. I am the only one who works for Callahan Communication. And I’ve wondered if that makes me look less legitimate, less trustworthy, and/or less appealing to clients.

So sometimes, when I’m writing a social media post or article for my site, I make myself sound like a larger business. (Which yes, I realize is the opposite stance I take with my blog posts.) But as I read this chapter (pictured above), I realized that while some clients may be turned off by my business of one, it’s also a huge advantage I have over others.

I’m a real person, not a huge company or brand. I’m sincere and honest. You know what you are getting if you partner with me. You can feel confident that when we sign a contract, I won’t farm the work out to a high school or college student looking to make a couple extra bucks. You can see my personality, and know exactly what I’m bringing to the table in our partnership. You can base your decision to work together off of reality, not a show put on by a marketing or PR team.

When I think about it, it is in fact much cooler to be small and independent instead of big and corporate, and I am proud to be able to say “I” in my communications and content. I’ve built this business with a lot of time, sweat and tears, and I am proud of and confident in what I provide my clients. I can showcase my passion, talent, experience and personality, and that’s one of the things that makes me a great partner.

I’ve done enough research and reading about how important it is to humanize your brand in order to connect with your audience. Consumers want to feel special, and like they are speaking to and engaging with a person, not a big company. I write about this and share it with clients. But I’m guilty of doing the opposite because I’m afraid of being small.

When in reality, I am the only human behind my brand, and everything you read from my company was written by me, for you. I want to engage with you. Educate you. Work with you. One on one. I want to help your business, make your marketing strategy better, and increase your leads and sales. And I’m excited to be able to offer that.

Moral of the story: Don’t be afraid to be small. Show your personality. Use your voice. Be a person, not a big company, no matter how large or small your company actually is. Appreciate and use your competitive advantage.