Enjoy this episode & transcript below where Kimberly Spencer, Master NLP Mindset & Communications Coach and CEO of Communication Queens, interviews branding badass, Rachel Lee.

Your brand looks good—but does it look like you? In this episode, Kimberly Spencer and branding expert Rachel Lee unpack how to close the gap between your real personality and your online presence. You’ll learn how to turn quirks, insecurities, and real-life stories into powerful brand assets that cut through the AI noise and build trust, loyalty, and visibility.

FYI Transcripts may contain a few typos. With many episodes lasting 30-minutes, it can be difficult to catch minor errors. Enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Castbox, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, Pandora, Youtube, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Authentic Branding in the Age of AI: A Conversation with Rachel Lee
Full Episode Transcript — Structured for SEO & Readability
Keyword Focus: authentic branding, personal branding

[00:00] Opening — The Rise of Authentic Branding & Human-First Personal Branding
Kimberly Spencer (host):
Hello and welcome back to the Communication Queen podcast. I'm your host, Kimberly Spencer, and I am so honored and excited to be here with the amazing, talented Rachel Lee, who is the branding badass. As you can tell by her visual backdrop, she knows what she's doing. And one of the things that Rachel and I initially bonded over were just random synchronicities of the fact that my husband is best known for his voicing Shinji in Neon Genesis the anime, and she is an anime fan, and her company is called Neon Genesis.
Rachel Lee (guest):
But it has nothing to do with Evangelion.

[00:31] H2 — Setting the Stage: Storytelling, Branding, and Authenticity
Kimberly Spencer (host):
Before we dive in, let me tell you about the book that started a podcasting revolution. Make Every Podcast Want You. It is not just a bestseller, it is a two-time gold medalist, baby. This book is your ultimate guide to landing dream podcast interviews, building authority authentically and making your voice the one they remember. If you've got a message and a mission, this is your mic drop moment. Grab your copy today in the link below and step into the spotlight that you were born for.
Welcome to the Communication Queens podcast for the visionary leaders, speakers, service providers, and podcasters who are looking to stand out sharing their story. I'm your host, Kimberly Spencer, former screenwriter turned master communications coach. On this podcast, I'll be coaching you on how to share your own transformation story so that you increase your visibility, influence, and income on podcast interviews. Let's get your voice heard.

[01:44] H2 — The Challenge: When Personal Branding Doesn’t Reflect the Real You
Kimberly Spencer (host):
Rachel, welcome to the Communication Queen podcast.
Rachel Lee (guest):
Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be diving in with you today.
Kimberly Spencer (host):
Brand visibility—and so many people want to have a cohesive-looking brand. And one of the things that people who have come to us have been concerned with—not everybody—but they're like, you're very “yes queen,” and bright and bold and in your face. And they're like, that's not my brand.
How do you navigate how to really fully express someone else's brand so that it's not you interpreting through your own language, but you are actually fluent in the visual elements of that other person's brand?

[02:23] H3 — Rachel’s Life-Long Fluency in Visual Language
Rachel Lee (guest):
That's a great question. I find that this is a skill that I'm going to have to say I spent my whole lifetime perfecting.
I know we usually use words to communicate—that's something that comes naturally to us. Thankfully, growing up, I was the art kid, and I could say I was born with a crayon in my hands, learning how to express and communicate using visuals in a very different way.
So I get to say I speak fluently in pixels, fonts, and colors.

[03:05] H3 — The Psychology Behind Personal Branding & Visual Communication
Rachel Lee (guest):
With my background where I studied communication design in school, and I'm well versed in the psychology behind how we communicate non-verbally.
When it comes to helping my clients capture and communicate their brand using visuals and a vibe that's completely unique to them, the trick is to get a very accurate snapshot of the thing that lives in their brain.
I often tell clients:
“I’m just acting as translator.”
And my ability to get an end result for you highly depends on the clarity you have inside your brain.

[03:40] H3 — Getting Inside the Client’s Mind for Authentic Branding
Rachel Lee (guest):
Most of the time I spend really getting into my client's head. Understanding:
What's this idea you want to put out into the world?

What do you really want to be saying?

What do you want to share that you're scared of?

What have you tried posting that backfired?

What embarrasses you but still matters?

We talk about all of those things.
I also get my clients to submit pictures, graphics, visuals—things they like. I leave no room for assumption.
Because if I say “fun,” and you say “fun,” we could picture two totally different things.
Words fail us sometimes. So I say:
“Show me the damn thing.”

[05:00] H3 — Translating Identity Into Colors, Fonts, and Visual Language
Rachel Lee (guest):
It's a combination of all of those things, but a lot of it goes down to really, really understanding what my client's trying to communicate, and then using my technical expertise in visually communicating that to say:
“Based on what you're trying to put out, these colors would be the best fit to communicate this side of your brand… Here are the fonts that best capture your personality…”
Because of whatever shape or curve of the letters, etc., etc. I won't get too technical. But it's a combination of all of those things.

[05:50] H2 — How People Misinterpret “Fun”: Representational Systems & Branding Psychology
Kimberly Spencer (host):
I love that you highlighted how people misinterpret words, and how one person's fun has a completely different picture. In NLP we learn early on that people have different representational systems—auditory, visual, kinesthetic, auditory digital.
A lot of my clients are highly auditory or kinesthetic. They feel a brand, but they don’t know how to translate it visually without a picture.
So I love that you say:
“Show me the specificity.”
And then you translate that into pixels, fonts, colors.
When you see a brand that’s 90% someone’s identity, what do you notice they need to shift to get it to 100%—fully authentic branding, stripped of what I call “plagiarized programming” of how you should do your business?

[07:09] H3 — The 25–50% Authenticity Gap: Where Personal Branding Falls Short
Rachel Lee (guest):
What's cool is we all do a lot of networking online, so it's very easy to notice that disconnect.
I naturally like to stalk people online. I snoop their posts. I check out their website. Nothing is safe from me. I'm curious. I want to get to know you before I talk to you. Kind of like how you should do before dating someone.
I stitch together a picture of what someone is like based on what I see online. Then when I hop on Zoom for the first time, I compare the two.
Most people capture about 50–75% of who they are.
The missing 25–50%?
That’s the interesting part—the part they mute, hide, or don’t think is “professional.”

[08:00] H3 — The “Professional Mask” vs. The Real You
Rachel Lee (guest):
Typically the online presence is the shiny, polished professional face:
Business Rachel

Business Kim

And it’s not that they don’t show personality—but it’s muted.
Then I meet them on Zoom and I’m like:
“Oh my gosh, you have this wicked sense of humor,”
or
“Your energy is off the charts!”
And I realize that part is missing from their brand.
That’s the gold.
People want to know your quirks, your weird bits, those micro-points of connection.
But people hold back because they’re scared it’ll look “unprofessional.”

[09:10] H2 — Making the Unique Visible: Infusing Real Personality Into Branding
Kimberly Spencer (host):
What are some examples of things you found that were really interesting about someone—and you had to translate that into their visual identity?

[09:34] H3 — Case Study: Turning a Solo Female Motorcycle Rider Into a Vibrant Brand
Rachel Lee (guest):
One of my clients is starting a consulting business. She worked in culture for big tech—Slack, Airbnb—helping teams operate as real teams.
On paper, she's interesting. But what she didn’t communicate?
She’s a solo long-distance motorcycle rider.
Female.
Traveling the world
AND building a co-working space in Mexico.
I'm like:
Who is this badass lady?!
And none of that was online. Zero.
She only communicated: “I work with big tech companies.”
NO.
There is SO much gold missing.

[10:40] H3 — Translating Life Into Design: Color, Shape, Identity
Rachel Lee (guest):
We used:
Color to communicate her vibrancy

Shapes + opacity overlaps to symbolize teamwork

Hints of Mexico

A nod to Slack’s original brand palette

It was all intentional. Authentic branding grounded in who she really is, not who she thinks she should be.

[11:14] H2 — Why Weird Story Nuggets Make You Magnetic (Podcast Pitching Example)
Kimberly Spencer (host):
Rachel, one of the questions I ask every client is:
“What is something unique, weird, different that only your best friends know about you?”
Those go straight into bios and podcast pitches.
Podcasters always say:
“That was one of the best pitches I’ve ever read.”
Why?
Because it has JUICE. Personality.
Like my glitter-water story: from age 5, on the streets selling bags of glitter water. People see it. It's a visual identity. It’s personal branding through storytelling.
And one client said:
“I would risk life and limb to pet a cute dog.”
That line goes in every bio now.
Those details make you interesting and relatable.

[11:56] H3 — The Best Branding Assets Are Often the Things You’re Insecure About
Rachel Lee (guest):
Exactly. I dig for those things.
Often, the thing you're insecure about?
That’s your best marketing asset.
We’re all our own first client.
The struggles we overcame become the thing our clients trust us for.
People want to work with someone who’s been through what they’re going through—not someone quoting a textbook.
When people see realness, they trust you faster.

[12:48] H2 — The Fear of Looking “Too Young” in Business — And Turning It Into Power
Kimberly Spencer (host):
What insecurity did YOU have to overcome in creating your own business and brand?

[13:00] H3 — Rachel’s Story: Looking Too Young to Be Taken Seriously
Rachel Lee (guest):
I look like I belong in high school. I'm 31 this year, but with the Asian genes, people still ask me what school I go to.
When I first started my business at 24—extra baby-faced with zero business experience—I felt I had to present myself as someone else to be taken seriously.
I dressed up.
Put on heavy makeup.
Toned down my enthusiasm.
Spoke super formally.
Reduced my joy.
Because I thought “grown-ups” were serious.
But over time I realized:
My youthful energy is actually my greatest asset.
People want that unhinged playful version.
And many clients hire me specifically to help them infuse that playfulness into their brands.

[14:07] H2 — The Pressure to Look Like Someone Else in Business
Kimberly Spencer (host):
I love that you bring that to light because I had the same problem. At 24, I became the president of an e-commerce company and was surrounded by older men constantly.
My business partner was 40 years older. Our manufacturing partners—older.
By the time I sold my shares and started Crown Yourself, I was looking at my wardrobe thinking:
“Who have I become?”
My whole closet looked like “professional Kimberly,”
not actual Kimberly.
I wanted my brand to be feminine, sparkling, queenly.
I didn’t own anything that matched that energy.
So I had to hire a stylist because nothing in my closet reflected the real me.
These compromises we make to fit in rather than belong?
They strip us from authentic branding.
When there's real self-acceptance—
THIS is who I am—
your real personal brand emerges.
When I became a mother, I stopped caring what anyone thought.

[15:53] H3 — Your Realness Is What People Want (Not the Perfect Mask)
Rachel Lee (guest):
That’s quite common. And in a weird way, it’s actually the best thing—because that’s when you are your most comfortable self.
People want REAL.
Not perfect. Not filtered. Not airbrushed.
They want to see you on your hot mess days doing your best.
You’re tired.
Maybe you’re sick.
Maybe your kids are sick.
But you’re still showing up.
That’s what people connect with.

[16:56] H2 — Personal Branding in the Age of AI: Why Human Beats Polished Every Time
Kimberly Spencer (host):
Now that we're entering the age of AI, I see AI-generated posts, AI-enhanced photos. At first it’s cute. Then it’s:
“That’s still not me.”
And what YOU do becomes even more valuable. Personal branding is about making sure people KNOW there’s a human behind the brand.

[17:21] H3 — Rachel’s Philosophy on Authentic Personal Branding
Rachel Lee (guest):
Personal branding gets thrown around as a buzzword. People think it means getting rich and famous, or “looking good online.”
But the deeper conversation is this:
Everyone is online whether they like it or not.
People are searching you.
Your brand IS being formed—with or without your input.
So you might as well be intentional.
It’s about packaging and communicating who you are—
honestly, sustainably, intentionally.
Trying to maintain a fake persona is exhausting.
Mask on, mask off—it never works long-term.

[18:20] H3 — What People Actually Follow: Humans, Not Robots
Rachel Lee (guest):
We follow people who:
are dealing with their stuff

show up despite the chaos

shine even when unsure

are honest

are HUMAN

Nobody connects with someone perfect.
We connect with the imperfect person doing their best.
If your online presence is intentional, it doesn’t need to be messy—
but it needs to be REAL.

[19:15] H2 — The Perfection Paradigm: Why Perfect Branding Repels Audiences
Kimberly Spencer (host):
I call this the Perfection Paradigm.
I wrote about it in my book.
I watched it happen in real time in 2013 during Oscar season—Jennifer Lawrence vs. Anne Hathaway.
Both incredible actresses.
But the press adored Jennifer Lawrence—she flipped off cameras, ate burgers, was human.
Anne Hathaway?
Perfect. Polished. Always on script.
People rejected her authenticity because she never cracked.
When we see perfection, subconsciously we think:
“Something’s off.”
We feel the mask even if we can’t name it.
People trust relatable humans.
Not perfect personas.
And that's what I love about your work—you translate the human into the brand.

[20:26] H3 — Branding as Deep Translation (Not Decoration)
Rachel Lee (guest):
Thank you. When someone says “I want to work on my branding,” I understand the weight of that.
This isn’t a pixie-dust facelift.
This is:
who you want to be

how you want to be seen

your livelihood

your reputation

your courage

your story

Someone might be 50 years old ready to show their face online for the first time.
That’s huge.
I treat this with respect.

[21:30] H3 — Co-Creation: Why the Best Brands Are Made WITH Clients, Not FOR Them
Rachel Lee (guest):
I co-create brands.
I’m a translator.
If you bring me something shallow or vanilla, the brand will look shallow or vanilla.
I translate what you give me.
If you give me nuance, depth, story, and truth—
your brand becomes powerful.
Authentic branding requires honesty.
Your honesty fuels the design.

[22:18] H2 — Truth-Telling in Business: Why Clients Need Your Humanity
Kimberly Spencer (host):
Exactly. Honesty is everything.
You can’t lead from a place that isn’t truth-telling.
People feel it visually.
They feel it physically.
They hear it in your voice.
They sense it subconsciously.
And trust is the currency of branding.

[22:45] H3 — The Real-Time Brand: Why Rachel Shares As She Goes
Rachel Lee (guest):
I tested this idea of sharing what I'm excited about as I'm building it.
People respond incredibly well because:
They feel part of your evolution

They feel invested

They follow the story arc

It’s like watching a show with cliffhangers.
“Here’s the idea.”
“Here’s the next step.”
“Oh, something went wrong.”
“Here’s how I’m fixing it.”
People LOVE being involved in your becoming.

[23:40] H2 — Building Audience Loyalty Through Shared Becoming
Rachel Lee (guest):
People tune in because they’re part of the story. When I share an idea, people respond with their own suggestions or excitement. Then when I post the next update, everyone taps through immediately because they want to know:
“Did she do the thing?”
And as you share, of course, things go wrong.
Nothing ever goes perfectly to plan.
You share the wins, the setbacks, the pivots.
People LOVE that. It creates a natural rhythm:
You put out → they pour in
You put out → they pour in
It becomes a genuine relationship.

[24:30] H3 — The Importance of Boundaries While Being Genuine
Rachel Lee (guest):
Of course, have clear boundaries about what you do and don’t want to share. But once you’re comfortable:
You involve your audience

You update them in real time

You create resonance

You build shared meaning

That’s real personal branding—not strategy for strategy’s sake, but relational impact.

[25:00] H2 — Why Authenticity Still Matters in the AI Era (Maybe More Than Ever)
Kimberly Spencer (host):
Mic drop, Rachel. Actively engaging in your becoming.
I love that.
And especially with AI—where so much content feels templated or mass-produced—the real power moves toward:
depth

relationship

intentionality

humanity

Surface-level speed is great, but depth is a superpower.
You thrive in building high-quality, high-caliber relationships.

[25:35] H3 — Navigating Social Media in a Heart-Led Way
Rachel Lee (guest):
Exactly. The hardest part about social media is that sharing from your heart takes time.
For me? I do the controversial thing:
I only post what I’m genuinely excited about in the moment.
No content calendar.
No rigid structure.
I’m living life in real time.
I want to capture that.
When something cool happens in the business, of course I share it. But social media, for me, is about genuine connection.
Honestly? AI doesn’t change that—it reinforces it.

[26:20] H2 — Networking Without Being “Salesy”: Human First, Business Second
Kimberly Spencer (host):
Relationships matter. That's where the gold is, especially in networking.
When you’re starting something new—a new business, a new personal brand—there’s fear. There’s that “newness of being seen.”
How do you navigate the awkwardness of networking without slipping into that salesy energy?

[26:42] H3 — Rachel’s Networking Reframe: “I Want to Like You”
Rachel Lee (guest):
I meet a lot of new people every single day. If you asked me who I talked to 30 minutes ago, I might not remember their name.
So here's the reframe that helps me maintain my humanity:
“I’m here to make new friends.”
I tell myself:
Tell me about you.

Tell me the weird stories.

What are you creating?

How can I support you?

I literally go in thinking:
“I want to like you.”
If the other person comes in with prospecting energy—
“Are you a lead? If not, get out”—
of course I won’t like them.
But when both people show up human-first?
Magic happens.

[27:45] H3 — Why Friendship-First Networking Converts Better
Rachel Lee (guest):
Most business opportunities I get come from conversations where:
We laugh

We vibe

We talk about life

We barely mention business

Then months later, they message me:
“Hey Rachel, my client needs branding. I’m sending them your way.”
That’s how my business has grown.
We want to work with people we trust.
Human first.
Business second.

[28:27] H2 — Balancing Hunger for Clients With Integrity in Conversation
Kimberly Spencer (host):
So true. And when money is tight, when you’re new, when you’re rebranding—it's HARD not to show up thinking:
“This conversation might be the deal breaker.”
I’ve been there. I’ve done the forced prospecting. And it feels gross—like a one-night stand in business form.

[28:50] H3 — Rachel’s Story: Running a Business in Debt & Choosing Transparency
Rachel Lee (guest):
Exactly. And I get it. I ran my business in debt for five years.
I ended up declaring bankruptcy.
The scariest post I’ve ever made was telling my audience:
“I just shed $130,000 worth of debt and I'm still running my business.”
My parents saw it. My whole network saw it.
But I’m glad I did it—
only positive things came out of it.
People responded with compassion, not judgment.
That transparency builds trust.

[29:40] H2 — The Heart of It All: Why People Matter More Than Branding
Kimberly Spencer (host):
As we wrap this up—what did you love about this conversation?

[29:52] H3 — Rachel on What Truly Matters in Branding: People, Humanity, Honesty
Rachel Lee (guest):
The fact we got to nerd out about the human side of branding.
Most podcasts want:
“How do we revamp branding to get more clients?”
But branding is about PEOPLE.
Supporting people.
Connecting with people.
Becoming better humans.
Being honest in real time.
People want to see YOU.
Even in your hot mess.
This conversation gave space for that truth.

[31:00] H2 — Where to Find Rachel Lee
Kimberly Spencer (host):
Rachel, this conversation has been incredible. I’d love for our audience to follow you and engage with you.
Rachel Lee (guest):
If you want to find me, I mostly hang out on Instagram. My handle is the same everywhere: @racheltylity.
I’m also on LinkedIn. And yes—I check my email daily if anyone needs to reach me fast.

[31:40] H2 — Closing: Your Story Is a Life-Saver
Kimberly Spencer (host):
As always, my fellow communication queens—stand out and let your voice be heard.
If what you heard stirred something in you, if you're imagining how your voice and your story could be positioned with the same clarity and magnetism—it's time.
Book your visibility consultation with me today.
Your story has the power to save a life.
Let your voice be heard.