The Creation of Runa Magnus



3E Story Blogathon Post #14 by Runa Magnusdottir

For Day 14 of the 3E Story Blogathon, Runa Magnusdottir, shares her story of how she created the Runa Magnus brand, the international leadership and personal branding lecture and seminar leader.



The Creation of Runa Magnus – the international leadership & personal branding lecture & seminar leader.
I was only 7 years old, when I first left home.   Frankly I don’t remember what happened that day, but I do recall becoming very upset with my mum.  Yes, I just had enough, and decided I could not live with this family anymore.  Carefully I collected some food to take with me, actually wrapped it in a cloth and put it on a little stick (as I had seen they always did in the cartoons) and out of the door I left.  This was it… I was going to go into the big world.    Later, as I sat down with my lunch-bag something terrible daunted on me… I realized I was unable to live in this world without the support of my loving parents, I had no roof over my head, I had no money, I had no support.  As I realized this cold fact, and walked back home to my loving parents, I made myself a promise; I promised myself that I would do everything I possibly could to be an independent woman.

Much later in life, after running my own businesses, gotten married, had two children, and even later as an independent mum (yes, I could never call myself a single mum!)  I realized that the decision I made at the age of 7 was one of my core personal strengths.  As with all strengths, they have both positive as well as negative elements.  I chose to look at it as a positive strength and have used this natural ability of mine not only to be the leader of my own life, but also to support others to lead their own. 

What are you going to do when you grow up, Runa?
In 2006 I sold my last business, I stood in front of the question, “Runa, what are you going to do when you grow up?”  The coaching industry caught my attention and as I was training myself to become a certified executive coach, I did receive number of coaching sessions myself.  It was in these coaching sessions where my deep passion to support women became clear to me.  In my business life, traveling worldwide, I've often noticed how common it was to see women entrepreneurs running their business from passion but they felt uncomfortable to promote their products or services.  And many of them were simply like I had been for years, extremely busy juggling everything at the same time.


The idea for Connected-Women.com was planted; I wanted to create an online global community where women worldwide could promote their products and services.   The site was launched in 2007, and quickly grew. I was thrilled to see women entrepreneurs from 75 countries signed up on the site.  However, I also notice a little disturbing fact.  About 80% of the women didn't use the platform to promote their brands, as I had envisioned.  It was clear to me something was not right.When I researched for the reason why, I got the reply: “I’m not sure how to promote my brand” or “I feel uncomfortable promoting myself” or “I don’t have any good photo of me” or “My Company is so small”

From Connected-Women to BRANDit & Personal Branding Lecturing & Consulting
I quickly understood a need to support these fabulous women to find their unique spot in the market place, support them to build and communicate with confidence their brand inside- out. In a partnership with one of the leading art-director & designer, Bjarney Ludviksdottir, we founded the personal branding program, BRANDit.  Our motto is to give our clients the outstanding results, refine the story behind their brand, tools to promote it with confidence and clarity, both on-and off-line, in our special BRANDit online magazine. An outcome that later gave us an EU WIIN Award. 


My own personal journey to discover my own personal brand, has evolved into transforming other entrepreneurs internationally.  Today with my training, coaching, consulting, giving keynotes, seminars and train-the-trainer leadership & personal branding programs, I consider myself having the best job in the world unleashing the entrepreneurs' true potential and discover their unique value in the business world.  And of course, moving their brand from an ordinary business to an outstanding brand.
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RUNA MAGNUSDOTTIR is an international leadership & personal branding lecturer & seminar leader from Iceland.
As an international transformational speaker, Runa uses her life time experience as an entrepreneur, her “shaken but not stirred” sense of humor with a good dash of passion, to speak, inspire and coach women who want more confidence & happiness in their lives and men who seek to unleash their leadership skills from the inside-out.
Runa is the co-founder of BRANDit the EU Awarded Personal Branding program and founding & Steering Committee member of ATL EUROPE, The Association of Transformational Leaders in Europe.
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