On Cue with Kafui Dey: From LinkedIn to Lagos: Building a personal brand that travels across borders

You’ve polished your LinkedIn profile to perfection. Your headline shines brighter than a Lagos traffic light at midnight: “Strategic Leader | Growth Catalyst | Pan-African Visionary.” Your profile picture is carefully chosen—smiling, but not too much; confident, but not intimidating.

But here’s the question: does your personal brand carry the same weight outside LinkedIn? Does it work in Accra, Nairobi, Johannesburg, or even at that conference in Kigali where the Wi-Fi is stronger than the coffee?

Welcome to the art of building a personal brand that travels across borders—the professional passport no immigration officer can stamp.

Be Googleable, not just employable

Let’s be honest. Before people trust you, they Google you. If your name brings up nothing but wedding photos from 2009, you’ve got work to do. Being Googleable doesn’t mean you need to break the internet like Burna Boy—it means curating a digital footprint that reflects your skills and expertise.

Write an article. Speak on a panel. Share a smart post that makes people nod in agreement. When someone in Freetown hears your name, you want them to say, “Ah, I’ve seen this person’s work online,” not “Who be this?”

Speak the universal language (no, not English)

English, French, Portuguese—yes, they’re important. But the real universal language is value. Can you solve problems? Can you make people’s lives easier, businesses stronger, or communities better? That’s the language that travels across borders.

A Ghanaian engineer who simplifies solar technology for rural communities will impress in Dakar as much as in Accra. A Kenyan digital marketer who explains trends with humor will connect in Cape Town as easily as in Nairobi. Value is the true translator.

Tell stories, not just stats

Numbers are impressive—“We grew revenue by 60%!”—but stories are memorable. African audiences, whether in boardrooms or marketplaces, connect deeply with storytelling.

Think of the market queens in Kumasi or Balogun Market. They don’t just say, “Tomatoes are fresh.” They’ll tell you how the tomatoes were harvested at dawn, carried lovingly by a farmer’s wife, and kissed by the morning dew. You’ll buy three baskets before you realize you only needed one.

If you want your brand to travel, tell stories that humanize your expertise. Stories cross borders faster than statistics.

Mind your cultural currency

Here’s the truth: what impresses in Lagos might confuse in Lusaka. A PowerPoint filled with buzzwords might win you applause in Accra, but in Cape Town, people want straight talk. The trick is cultural adaptability.

Do your homework. Learn the etiquette, respect the context, and adjust your communication style. The brand that thrives globally is not the one that shouts the loudest, but the one that listens and adapts.

Consistency is your visa

The greatest brands are predictable in the best way. You know what to expect from them. In personal branding, this is called consistency.

If on LinkedIn you’re “Mr. Strategic Leader,” but in person you’re the guy fumbling through presentations with “Erm, you know,” people will doubt you faster than an okada rider beating a red light.

Consistency means showing up with the same energy, professionalism, and clarity—whether online, on stage, or in that impromptu chat at Kotoka Airport baggage claim.

Final word

From LinkedIn to Lagos, Nairobi to Nouakchott, the personal brand that travels is one built on value, stories, adaptability, and consistency. It’s not about pretending to be larger than life—it’s about being the same credible, reliable, and memorable professional wherever you go.

So polish that LinkedIn profile, yes. But remember: your brand is not just what’s online. It’s what people say about you in rooms you haven’t entered yet—whether that room is in Accra, Addis Ababa, or Abuja.

The question is: will your brand get invited across borders—or left behind at check-in?

>>> Kafui Dey helps business leaders to communicate better. For one-to-one coaching, call 233 240 299 122

The post On Cue with Kafui Dey: From LinkedIn to Lagos: Building a personal brand that travels across borders appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.

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