Why you don't want to be Brené Brown

At our copywriting agency, clients used to tell us they wanted to be Apple. Now that I’ve shifted into more speechwriting, it’s: “I want to be Brené Brown.”

I get it. Who doesn’t admire her? She’s wise, warm, wildly popular—and she makes it all look effortless. But I always say the same thing in response:

“Brené Brown is already taken. You’re not.”

And that’s actually the good news.

Your power as a speaker doesn’t come from emulating someone else. It comes from uncovering the talk only you can give—the one shaped by your unique experiences, your lens on the world, your challenges, triumphs, education, heartbreaks, quirks, and questions.

When people say they want to be like Brené Brown, what they’re often responding to isn’t just her content. It’s her style:

• Her ability to speak conversationally, like she’s sitting across from you at the kitchen table.

• Her self-deprecating humor, lovingly aimed at herself.

• Her vulnerability, which makes people lean in and say, “Me too.”

But here’s the thing: you don’t need her stories, her voice, or her life to connect with an audience. You just need to figure out what story only you can tell—and then learn to tell it in a way that’s undeniably you.

That’s where the magic is. Not in mimicking. In owning your voice.

So the next time you think, “I want to be like Brené Brown,” try this instead: “What would it sound like if I were fully myself on stage?” That’s the beginning of a truly great talk.