Sadly, most platforms celebrate (and push) clarity over complexity, specialization over versatility. For those of us with multifaceted skills, diverse passions, and layered identities, this can feel like a frustrating game we were never meant to play. How do you explain your brilliance—the full, rich tapestry of your talents—without overwhelming, confusing, or losing your audience?
Too often, I see talented individuals hiding their multidimensional selves, reducing their resumes to fit tidy boxes or downplaying skills that don’t “fit the role.” But what if your greatest strength isn’t being one thing, but rather being many? What if you’re not too much, you’re just misunderstood?
You’re not too much – you’re misunderstood
This is what I told Tanya, a creative strategist-slash-researcher-slash-coach who came to me feeling invisible. “No one gets what I do,” she said. “I’ve tried to niche down, to simplify, but I end up sounding like everyone else. And that’s not me.”
Tanya had built a career that didn’t follow a straight line. She had experience in design thinking, neuroscience, storytelling, leadership coaching, and even improv comedy. But trying to present herself in a single sentence felt like chopping off parts of herself just to fit in. What she didn’t realize was that her complexity was her brand.
When we started working together, I helped her stop seeing her story as a problem—and start seeing it as an asset. Together, we reframed her narrative. Instead of saying, “I’ve done a lot of different things,” we said, “I help organizations make complex ideas simple and human-centered—drawing on a background in neuroscience, storytelling, and coaching.” It was the same Tanya—but now, the dots were connected.
This is what I told Tanya, and everything shifted
I asked her: “What if you didn’t need to choose one version of yourself? What if you could bring it all—and lead with clarity instead of apology?”
We broke her story into three parts:
- Core throughline – what’s the consistent theme underneath everything you’ve done?
- Unique combination – what do you bring that others don’t because of your diverse background?
- Clear value – how does your multifaceted genius translate into results for others?
Suddenly, Tanya’s pitch transformed. She didn’t have to pick one lane. She just had to illuminate the intersection.
Structure doesn’t kill creativity. It sets it free.
If you’re worried that building a narrative around your skills will limit your expression, I get it. But don’t worry, structure doesn’t kill creativity. It sets it free. When you build a clear framework for your story, people understand you faster. They see your value faster. And you stop hiding behind endless explanations or overstuffed resumes.
Think of it like jazz: structure gives you the baseline so you can improvise freely. Your story deserves that same foundation.
My 5-session coaching method that brings clarity to complexity
Over the years, I’ve developed a 5-session coaching framework specifically for multi-hyphenate professionals who struggle to explain what they do. Here’s how it works:
Session 1: The Genius Audit
We dig into everything—your background, your skills, your curiosities, your wins, and even what you’ve hidden or downplayed. We start mapping your full genius.
Session 2: The Thread Finder
Here, we identify the core themes that run through your experiences. What do they all have in common? What values, problems, or outcomes do you keep coming back to?
Session 3: The Narrative Rebuild
We start crafting a story that honors your complexity but communicates it with clarity. This includes developing your new bio, elevator pitch, and personal brand language.
Session 4: The Clarity Test
We test your new messaging with real people—potential clients, hiring managers, or collaborators—and refine based on feedback.
Session 5: The Visibility Blueprint
We build a strategy for how to show up: online, in interviews, on LinkedIn, or even in the next conversation with someone who asks, “So, what do you do?”This method doesn’t force you to shrink. It gives you the language and confidence to show up as your whole self—and be hired for it.
