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Hey y’all, welcome back to Branding Room Only, the podcast where we talk about leadership, personal branding, and all the layers of what it means to show up fully in the world, at work, at home, and everywhere in between.
I’m Paula Edgar, and today’s episode, y’all, is personal. It is deeply personal because it’s about my son. I recently shared a Mother’s Day reflection about what I’ve learned from my mother and what I hope to pass on to my daughter. But today, in honor of my son’s 13th birthday, I want to reflect on what I’ve learned from him.
Because being a mother isn’t just something I do, it’s one of the most foundational parts of who I am. For me, it’s not just a role, it’s a relationship. And a brand-defining relationship. Let me tell you this, my child has taught me more about life, leadership, love, and legacy than just about anybody else.
For those of you who are parents, aunts, uncles, plate cousins, etc., you know that when a child turns 13, it’s not just a milestone for them, it’s a milestone for you too. So today I want to share seven of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned from being his mom, lessons that have shaped how I live, how I lead, and how I show up.
First is the power of resilience. Some of you may know that when my son Austin was just a year old, he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, which is a rare and often deadly pediatric cancer. That diagnosis changed everything for our family. We entered survival mode. We were praying, hoping, and holding our breath, trying to navigate parenting one child while also parenting the other who was gravely ill.
But I remember the day after he had to have surgery to remove two tumors from his little body, less than 24 hours later, he was standing up in his crib, smiling and bouncing and thriving in a way that none of us expected. I remember my husband and I were shocked, and the nurses looked at us like, “Uh, are you going to do something?” And we were like, “We don’t know what to do. This is just who he is.”
So when I think about that moment, it reminds me of the fact that I literally saw him and thought, “This is what resilience looks like.” This is what resilience means to me now. It’s not just recovering, it’s recovering with radiance. It’s joy in the face of trauma. It’s standing, smiling, moving forward even after the unimaginable.
That’s really the kind of brand that I want to carry into this world. One that says, “I’ve been through it, and I’m still here. I’m still joyful. I’m still whole.” While I’ve had that lesson before, I think really seeing my kid, my tiny kid, exhibit that resilience helped me to learn the lesson a little bit deeper.
The second thing that I’ve learned from him is the audacity to ask. If you’ve ever met him, you know that he is going to ask for what he wants, always. Even when he’s been told no before. Even when the timing is off. Even when the answer is probably still no.
As his mother, whew, it is a test of my patience. But when I reflect on this as a woman and as a professional, truthfully, I admire it and I want to emulate it. Because so many of us, especially those of us socialized to be accommodating, we were taught not to ask. We were taught to play small, to wait.
But closed mouths don’t get fed, like the hip hop lyric goes. And closed mouths don’t build legacy. So, my son reminds me every day that asking isn’t arrogance. It’s clarity. It’s standing in what you need, what you deserve, and saying it out loud. That’s also personal branding. That’s leadership. And that is courage.
The next thing that he’s taught me is the gift of joy. I smile when I say this because he has a dry, sneaky sense of humor that takes me out every time. I’m often busy and stressed, maybe distracted, annoyed, but out of nowhere, he’ll come and say something that has me laughing out loud. I appreciate it so much.
What I realized from him is that joy isn’t just something that happens. It’s something that he brings. He chooses it, he shares it, and he recognizes that it’s a gift, but it’s also a strategy. Because joy shifts energy. Joy opens doors. And joy creates connection.
As someone who teaches branding, I know that people remember what you say, but they feel who you are. And if who you are radiates warmth, levity, and moments of lightness in the middle of the grind that we are all in, in this world that we live in, that is an unforgettable trait. So he reminds me to lead with joy and to do it on purpose, and to laugh.
Fourth, he reminds me about the importance of standards. Now, you would think I already know this, and it’s true because I feel like he’s gotten a lot of this from me. But let me tell you something, my son has taste. And not just regular taste, discerning taste.
He likes good food, quality experiences, and he is not here for anything subpar. He has opinions on hotel ratings, food presentations, service vibes, you name it. Some might call it bougie, but I call it clarity.
What I’ve learned from him is a reminder that knowing what you like, what you want, and what you won’t accept isn’t about being difficult, it’s about having boundaries, having standards, and having self-respect. Think about this as adults, especially in professional spaces, we’re often encouraged to, again, sometimes stay silent or be flexible to a fault, to tolerate, to settle.
But this young man reminds me that standards protect your energy, and they clarify your value. Your brand isn’t just about what you say yes to, it’s also about what you say no to without flinching. “What is unacceptable?”
Now, let’s talk about another lesson that he has reminded me of. I won’t say he taught me, but he reminds me of, and that is authenticity. He does not pretend. He does not perform. He tells you what he thinks. He shows up how he is.
Again, while that can be a challenge often for me as his mother, it’s also one of the most beautiful things about him. Because authenticity is not always easy, and it definitely is not always convenient. But it is essential.
So many of us have learned to soften or shrink or silence ourselves just to survive in systems that weren’t built with us in mind. But watching him be so unapologetically himself has pushed me to be more unapologetically me. That’s what branding is. It’s not the mask, it’s the mirror.
The sixth thing that my son has taught me, or reminded me of, is the difference between confidence and courage. Like any kid, we often push him to do things that he hasn’t done before. And yes, he gets nervous. Whether that means he’s doing debate, an improv class, trying a new sport, or speaking in front of a crowd, he gets nervous.
But what I love about him is that he does it anyway. He doesn’t wait to feel ready. He moves through the fear and he shows up anyway. Again, might take a little prodding, but he always flourishes afterward.
I love that distinction that it reminds me of, it’s between confidence and courage, because it’s critical. Confidence says, “I’ve done this before,” but courage says, “I haven’t done it, but I’m still going to try.” That’s not just a parenting lesson. It’s a leadership lesson. It’s a branding lesson. And yes, it’s a life lesson.
Then finally, I think the most transformative lesson of all that I learned from him is that growth happens in relationship. And I continue to learn it from him every single day.
Motherhood is not just about what I pour into him. It’s about what he pours into me. It’s about who I’ve become because of our relationship. I went into motherhood thinking I had the wisdom, the structure, the strategy, especially because he was my second child.
Sure, I had those things. But what I didn’t expect was how much I would learn. Because for those of you who have seen or experienced second kids, they are not like the first ones.
I have learned deeply from him about patience, about presence, about the grace of letting someone see all of your flaws and still believe in your magic. And he makes me better.
He slows me down. He often calls me in. He holds up a mirror to my growth edges and challenges me to keep evolving. And that, to me, is the most beautiful part of personal branding, when it reflects who we’re becoming through the relationships that shape us.
So I want to say happy birthday to my son. You are joy. You are brilliance. You are strength. You are heart. And I am endlessly proud to be your mother.
To all of you listening, your brand is not just about your resume or your strategy. It’s also about your relationships, your growth, your willingness to reflect and to evolve.
And I hope this episode gave you something to reflect on, whether you’re a parent, a mentor, or someone just navigating what it means to grow in real time. Because while you may not have this experience, or even want to be a parent, listening to how people develop their layers and develop their nuances is an important part of branding too.
We don’t believe, remember, we don’t believe in comparison. We believe in inspiration. And I hope that this inspired you.
So if this resonated, please share it with someone you love. And if you haven’t already, subscribe, leave a review, and let me know what lessons you are learning from the people closest to you.
Until next time, keep showing up fully, on purpose, and with heart. Remember, stand by your brand, and I’ll see you next time in the Branding Room. Bye everyone.
