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She dominates the social pages and has wrung all she could out of fame. Now Jennifer Su has written a book about how you, too, can get to the top of the entertainment ladder.
“A lot of publishers approached me before, and I felt very self-conscious writing about my life and my career. I started five years ago, put it down, picked it up again and I know I wanted to make it good,” she said.
Su, who has been a singer, actress, socialite, and TV and radio personality, says she’s often asked for advice on what she did and what the secret is, if there is one, for making it in a fickle entertainment world.
“Every day I get asked questions about how I do it. People ask: ‘Can I be your PA?’ People look for advice ... So when I finally decided earlier this year to write and publish the book, I wanted something that would actually help people. I didn’t want to do just an autobiography.”
Su is publishing the book in a year she is living between South Africa and China.
“My children go to school in Shanghai, China. I spend 90% of the time in South Africa and 10% of the time with them in China,” she says.
China is the sixth country she’s lived and carved a career in for herself. She has also lived in the US, Taiwan, Thailand and Hong Kong.
“So, the Z to A-Lister is sharing how I built a strong personal brand in six or seven countries.”
Su is emphatic that it is essential to see oneself as a brand.
“You are your own brand and you must be in control of it,” she says.
“This includes how your personal brand looks and lives on social media, how you dress, and your interactions with people. You are a brand now more than ever and you need to decide what you want it to be.”
Start, she says, by deciding on your best asset.
“What sets you apart? What is it that will, or does, make people want to see you or engage
with you? You must also ensure that you love what you are doing, and that you are not just doing it for the money.”
Su says networking is also vital for building “Brand Me” and it is “an opportunity for securing sponsorships, building valuable partnerships, and aiding charities. But you must also be very selective about where you want to network and with whom.
“My own networking and personal brand has really created great work opportunities. I was recently on iSibaya. People often make fun of me and say I would attend the opening of an envelope,” she laughs. “But I am actually quite deliberate about where I am seen and for what reason.”
So “use technology smartly” and don’t forget the “old-school etiquette and old-school charm”.
“Always RSVP and, if you have said you will attend, be on time. Gifting is also so important. As an Asian, gifting is a very big thing for me, and it’s all about spontaneous, meaningful gifting. So it doesn’t need to be big or flashy, but it must be thoughtful,” she says.
“A handwritten note, a trinket from a recent trip or a charm are good spontaneous gifts.
“Also, prepare well. When I go to any event, I have facts in my head about the host, the business and/or what the event is about. I’m very meticulous, even down to my clothing.”
Su’s From Z to A-Lister: Building Your Personal Brand is due out this month.
