I have a bone to pick, and I (unsurprisingly) blame the patriarchy. What the fuck does professional mean and why on earth have we allowed it to nerf our personalities and passion?

Hi, I’m Ariel, and I’m a social media coach for female founders who want to feel confident in their online presence and attract their dream clients. I’m also a spicy Latina who was raised by a single mother and has a lot of loud opinions about what’s going on in the world.

Why do I tell you this?

Because despite being a business owner, I am also a person. And as a person, I have a lot to say. And I’m here to convince you that you are not only allowed, but absolutely should be posting personal content on your Instagram business account.

LET’S 👏FUCKING👏 GO.

Why You Should Share Personal Content—Yes, on Your Instagram Business Account

A lot of founders think that their business self and personal self need to stay separate. But if that’s you, I’ve got some bad news. If you’re a solopreneur or small business owner, chances are good that you are the brand.

I’m not talking about putting your whole sense of identity in your business or dissolving all your boundaries. But it’s important to remember that you are a human first, and a business owner second.

Now, back to that bit about “being the brand.”

When someone is choosing a service provider, they are comparing you to dozens of other people with similar offers and similar pricing. So why should they choose you?

They choose you because they like you.

But if you never share personal content, they won’t know you enough to like you. Personal content lets people see who you are, and more often than not, that is the deciding factor. And I’m not saying you need to share every detail of your life. I’m a social media coach and strategist and I very much do not share everything with my audience.

But sharing simple elements of your “behind-the-scenes” life, like hobbies, concerts, favorite foods, even your morning coffee, can help people get to know you better, relate to you, and ultimately want to work with you.

Sharing personal content also builds trust, which is wildly important—especially right now. Social media is inundated with AI content. People don’t know what they can trust. By sharing these simple parts of your life, you’re showing future clients that there’s a real person behind the account.

How (& What) to Share

What to Share

There are no hard and fast rules here. Share what you want to share. If that means sharing your hobbies and your favorite breakfast, but not posting photos of your kids, that’s 100% okay. You get to decide what to give people access to.

If you’re just starting to share personal content on your Instagram Business account, here are some easy, low-lift things you can talk about!

Books you’re reading
Current hobbies
A weekend recap
Your pets
Favorite restaurants
Music you’re listening to

These are simple things that humanize you! And I can speak from experience that this type of content opens doors to low-pressure conversations that can even end up turning a passive observer into a lead. Don’t underestimate the value of connection.

If you survived past the intro of this blog, you won’t be surprised by what I’m about to say next.

I believe that now, more than ever, it is incredibly important to share where you stand on current events and human rights issues. You don’t have to become a political activist. But sharing these often divisive things can help you attract aligned clients and repel clients you probably wouldn’t want to work with anyway.

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A post shared by Ariel De La Mora | Social Media Strategist + Content Coach (@theconfidentcollab)

How to Share

Again, there is no correct way to share personal content. I think it’s easiest to share on your stories, where you can just take a quick photo of your coffee, your midday walk, or your lunch, and get it online in a matter of seconds. But if you want to be more intentional about sharing personal stuff, posts and reels are great, too!

But personal content doesn’t have to exist in isolation. More often than not, the best posts are the ones that combine something personal with something educational. Topics like, “Things I’m still learning about owning a business as a 25-year-old with ADHD” are a perfect example.

These types of posts nurture your audience, which is an important part of a growth → nurture → convert strategy! Growth content helps you gain new followers. Nurture content helps you connect to your ideal clients and turn them into warm leads. And conversion content helps you turn those leads into clients. (Want to learn more about this? Read this blog!)

I recommend posting three times a week, and hitting all three buckets (growth, nurture, or conversion) each week. By weaving personal content into your posts, you’re ensuring there’s a human element in every interaction. And that is what creates connection, builds trust, and attracts aligned clients.

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A post shared by Ariel De La Mora | Social Media Strategist + Content Coach (@theconfidentcollab)

Social Media Coaching for Women Who Want an Aligned Business

I return to my earlier question. What the fuck does “professional” mean?

Real professionalism is delivering great work, being kind, and holding up your end of the deal. That's it.

The version of professionalism that has been pushed on us is made up. It doesn’t matter. What matters is building a business you feel comfortable in and excited about. It’s about showing up as your full self and working with people who love that version of you.

If this is something you want (and have probably wanted for a long time) but you can’t seem to crack out of your “professional” shell…I get it. It’s hard to shake off something you’ve believed for so long.

That’s why I started offering one-on-one coaching for female founders. Because the hardest part of showing up personally online is a mindset shift. In coaching, we work through those mindsets together, combining them with strategic plans that help you show up authentically, connect with your ideal clients, and actually enjoy social media again.

Sound interesting? I’d love to tell you more! Learn more about social media coaching here, and inquire to see if this is the best path for you. I’m so excited to get to know you!