“Ryan and Leonard practice what they preach in their ground breaking work, Ditch the Act. They demonstrate the power of vulnerability as they reveal their own personal foibles and challenges. The reader can’t help but be attracted to their candor and authenticity. They then share a process which helps us all take off our masks and be the real people our customers want to trust, befriend and do business with.“
Ditch the Act isn’t about creating a personal brand; it’s a step-by-step guide to articulating your story, identifying the wisdom in your wounds and sharing them both with the world. Ryan and Leonard demonstrate that in a world of carefully-curated online identities designed to impress, the true key to connection isn’t making people say, ‘oh wow! That’s amazing’; it’s giving people the opportunity to say, ‘oh my God, I thought I was the only one afraid, hurt, and hiding.’”
“Whether you’re building a new business, reinventing yourself, or trying to stand out at work, one way you can build camaraderie quickly and achieve real success is through ditching the act. When you tap into the power of your authentic self, you become unstoppable at achieving your life’s true potential.”
“Ditch the Act actually does what many books try to do so ineffectively: address the value of authenticity. Reading this brought up my own feelings around the power of vulnerability in sharing not just more, but the full story with my audience. As much as we want to put on a brave and glorious image, not providing hardship makes us serve fewer people. Ditch the Act is one of the few books that makes me become a better leader, business owner and person by knowing my true journey is the one that must be told. This is a must-read book for anyone that wants to connect more with their customers, loved ones and themselves.”
We think people only want to hear about our successes. We think that’s where our credibility will come from. And in that false assumption, we leave one of our greatest powers untapped. Ryan Foland and Leonard Kim have it just right in this book. You’ll never think of your attempts to influence the same way again.
“I’m that person who scours social media for success patterns that might increase the visibility of my work. Ditch the Act is the clear and compelling playbook I didn’t know I needed — an easy read that models vulnerability at its finest, while offering practical guidance for how to accelerate personal brand-building.”
“If you’re struggling to believe in how authenticity and vulnerability can supercharge your personal brand, Leonard and Ryan’s book will remove all your doubts and worries. Ditch the Act has the ability to reframe your mind in a sense that it will change the way you market and run your business. It’s the kind of book that makes you feel like you don’t have to be anyone else but yourself to build an empire which in turn makes it easier for you to achieve the freedom to live life on your own terms. In a world where people try so hard to learn all the advanced strategies that will help them accomplish their goals, Ditch the Act will silence all the white noise and serve you with the best and most powerful strategy there is to succeed not just in business but in all areas of your life. Everyone needs this. Thank you, Leonard and Ryan! You did an excellent job bringing this book to life.”
“The key to building a good brand is to be raw and authentic with your audience. Leonard and Ryan jump right into showing you who they are with candid examples and backstory to develop exactly how they have been able to achieve success with their brands. Ditch the Act helps to strip down your barriers through engaging stories, data and homework to truly find who you are and how you can achieve more from yourself. It may be the cheapest therapist you ever engage with.”
“As a venture capitalist who helps female entrepreneurs raise capital for their businesses, one of the most important things I tell entrepreneurs is that they need to be real, because investors are investing into you. Ditch the Act reveals the process you need to get massive buy-in from others for anything that you do by teaching you how to get your pitch down and expose your whole self in a way that causes massive attraction.”
“Leonard and Ryan take you on an amusing and empowering journey of authenticity, transparency and self-confidence… flaws and all. Personally, I welcome an era of business where we can all drop the facade, build genuine relationships, do our best work and spend less time shaping inauthentic personas.”
