Building a Personal Brand in a Buttoned-Up Industry (Without Losing Credibility)

If you’ve ever felt like your industry is “too serious,” “too boring,” or “too traditional” for you to show up as yourself online, this episode is for you.

On the podcast this week, I sat down with Taylor Tieman, founder of Legalmiga, a modern, approachable law firm serving business owners. Taylor and I originally connected on Threads (which feels very on-brand for this conversation), and I immediately knew I wanted her on the show. She’s built a strong personal brand in an industry that doesn’t exactly encourage personality, visibility, or playfulness—and she’s done it without sacrificing trust or credibility.

This conversation wasn’t just about law. It was about identity, boundaries, motherhood, and what it actually takes to build a business that supports your life.

Here are the biggest lessons I took away from our conversation.

 

One of the things Taylor shared was that people often tell her, “You don’t act like a typical lawyer.” Early on, that felt confusing—where exactly is a lawyer supposed to “fit” if they don’t match the stereotype?

But over time, she realized that this was actually her edge.

Being approachable didn’t make her less credible. It made clients feel safer. It made legal conversations less intimidating. And it allowed her to build trust faster—because people felt like they were talking to a real human, not a caricature of a profession.

If you’re in an industry that feels stiff, traditional, or slow to evolve, this matters. You don’t need to contort yourself to fit an outdated image. You can create your own lane—and often, that’s exactly what your clients are looking for.

 

This is something I see a lot, especially with service providers.

There’s a fear that if you’re too human, too direct, or too casual online, people won’t trust you with serious work. But Taylor talked about how credibility comes from consistency, systems, and expertise—not from being bland.

She started out extremely serious online and slowly let more of her personality show as she became more comfortable. Over time, that balance became clear: professionalism doesn’t mean hiding who you are.

You can be trustworthy and warm. You can be sharp and approachable. You can be funny and deeply competent at the same time.

 

One of the most practical parts of this conversation was around boundaries.

Taylor shared that even before becoming a mom, she had clear systems in place around communication, turnaround times, and expectations with clients. That groundwork mattered—because when she had a baby, those boundaries didn’t need to be renegotiated in a moment of exhaustion or guilt.

This is such an important reminder: boundaries aren’t something you add once you’re overwhelmed. They’re something you build early, so your business can support you through different seasons of life.

And yes—this is “training” your clients. In the best possible way.

 

After becoming a mom, Taylor’s relationship with time shifted completely. Work no longer happened in long, open stretches—it happened in focused pockets. That required more intention, better systems, and a willingness to let go of perfection.

We also talked about the guilt that comes with working while parenting—and the reality that no matter what you do, guilt tends to show up anyway. The work isn’t eliminating it. It’s learning how to relate to it differently.

One thing I loved about Taylor’s perspective is this: she built her business so she could be with her child, not so she could disappear from her life. Being on a computer for 20 minutes at home is very different from being gone all day—and our kids don’t always see that nuance.

 

A theme that kept coming up in this conversation was identity.

Taylor shared that if she had known earlier what entrepreneurship could look like—especially as a future mom—she would have started much sooner. Like many of us, she didn’t grow up seeing business ownership as a realistic option. It wasn’t modelled. It wasn’t encouraged. And it certainly wasn’t positioned as flexible or life-giving.

And yet, here she is—running a law firm, building digital products, setting boundaries, raising a child, and showing up online as herself.

That’s not about reinvention. That’s about permission.

 

This episode is a powerful reminder that you don’t need to fit a mould to succeed. You don’t need to dilute your personality to be professional. And you don’t need to choose between ambition and motherhood.

You’re allowed to build something that works for you.

If you’re navigating visibility, boundaries, or identity in your business—especially in an industry that hasn’t made much room for women or mothers—I think this conversation will land deeply.