Bio

# Bio

## The Paragraph That Precedes You

Your bio arrives before you do. It is read by the conference organizer deciding whether to invite you, the journalist deciding whether to call you, the potential client deciding whether to schedule a meeting, the hiring manager deciding whether to take your application seriously. It is the first impression you make in every context where you are not physically present to make it yourself.

Most people have a bio they wrote once, years ago, that no longer reflects who they are or what they do. Or a bio written by someone else that sounds nothing like them. Or no bio at all, which means someone else will write one for them from whatever they can find, which is worse than any of the alternatives.

A bio is not a resume summary. It is not a list of credentials. It is a story — compressed, purposeful, and calibrated to the specific context where it will be read — that answers the question every reader is actually asking: why should I pay attention to this person?

This skill answers that question well, in your voice, for every context where it needs to be answered.

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## The Same Person, Many Contexts

The bio that works for a LinkedIn profile is not the bio that works for a conference speaker introduction. The bio that works for a website about page is not the bio that works for a podcast guest appearance. The bio that works for a professional directory is not the bio that works for a grant application.

Each context has a different reader with a different purpose and a different amount of time. LinkedIn readers are scanning for professional relevance. Conference attendees want to know why this speaker's session is worth attending over the three others scheduled at the same time. Website visitors want to know if you are the right person to help with their specific problem. Podcast listeners want to know why your perspective on this topic is worth an hour of their commute.

The skill writes the version of your bio that fits e...