The clock is ticking. You have 30 seconds before someone decides you're not worth their time but there are people you can't stop paying attention to. Every time they post, you read it. When they speak, you listen. When they reach out, you reply. You don't know exactly when it happened, but somewhere along the way, they became impossible to ignore.
They didn't get there by shouting louder or posting more. They got there by being unmistakably themselves.
Alexis Rivera Scott is one of those people.
She's the head of Scott Consulting, founder of The Fairy Job Mom, and a creator who has built a career on showing up authentically. She's helped hundreds of people navigate their careers and build personal brands that actually work. And she's ranked the #1 Latina creator on Favicon.
In this episode of Sell by Being Human, host Alex Smith sits down with Alexis to unpack how she did it. She reveals why she doesn't do traditional outbound outreach, how a simple, human question can open doors, and why "the secret to selling is actually not selling."
Alexis also breaks down the difference between influencers and creators, why ghostwriting isn't about using AI, and why the magic happens in the DMs, not just in posts. She shares how consistency on LinkedIn led to a role that was created just for her, and how a friendship formed through online connection turned into a seat at the TIME100 Influencers Dinner.
She ends with a challenge: commit to 30 days of showing up. Even if it's tiny, something will happen.
This is a conversation about how authenticity and human connection can turn a digital presence into a career-defining asset.
Key Takeaways
- Selling by being human means understanding your buyer and making them feel seen, heard, and understood
- Trust is the secret sauce; nobody buys from someone they don't trust
- The secret to selling is actually not selling; focus on connecting first
- Authenticity means talking to people like you would a friend; the more professional you sound, the more walls go up
- Personal brand is a long-term play; it's a marathon, not a sprint
- The magic of LinkedIn happens in the DMs, not just in posts
- Consistency builds trust and creates a flywheel of inbound opportunities
- A resume should highlight impact, not just duties; ask "why should anyone care?"
- If you can Google it, it's not a LinkedIn post; add your own perspective
- Every creator is not an influencer, but every influencer is a creator
- When all your opportunities come inbound, you've built real influence
- Committing to 30 days of consistent content creation will generate results, even if small
In This Episode:
- [00:00] Intro
- [01:23] Meet Alexis Rivera Scott
- [02:41] What "sell by being human" means to Alexis
- [03:13] Making people feel seen, heard, and understood
- [04:12] Why Alexis doesn't do traditional outbound outreach
- [05:33] The secret to selling is actually not selling
- [06:48] Social selling as a long-term relationship play
- [07:30] Why being too professional makes people's walls go up
- [08:51] A real example of a bad sales email and why it fails
- [10:22] A great outbound email that actually got a meeting
- [12:49] How personal brand on LinkedIn changed Alexis's career trajectory
- [13:37] The story of getting laid off, joining Thursday Night Sales, and building a role from scratch
- [16:43] How content creation created an inbound flywheel
- [17:46] Advising job seekers on visibility and impact
- [19:10] Why stating facts isn't bragging
- [20:49] Ghostwriting for executives: capturing voice vs. using AI
- [23:46] Why "you are your brand" even as an employee
- [25:22] The different lanes: influencer, thought leader, subject matter expert, educator
- [26:40] Why personal brand is a long-term commitment
- [29:16] The unexpected benefit: getting invited to the TIME100 Influencers Dinner
- [33:51] Influencer vs. creator: what's the difference?
- [35:56] The moment Alexis realized she was an influencer
- [37:34] "Only Alexis" moment: Inside Edition and Newsweek features
- [38:50] The 30-day content challenge
- [39:22] Closing remarks
Notable Quotes
- [02:43] "Sell by being human is more to do with really understanding your buyer and understanding how you can help them and being able to communicate that in a way that helps them feel seen, heard, understood." — Alexis Rivera Scott
- [03:03] "No one's going to buy from you if they don't trust you." — Alexis Rivera Scott
- [05:32] "The secret to selling is actually not selling." — Alexis Rivera Scott
- [07:19] "I always tell people, particularly on LinkedIn, speak or type like you are talking to a friend. The more professional you sound, the more people's walls go up." — Alexis Rivera Scott
- [12:01] "Who do I want to work with? I want to work with someone I like. Someone who's comfortable to me. Someone who I can be myself around." — Alexis Rivera Scott
- [19:23] "If you feel uncomfortable, all I want you to ask yourself is: is this true? If the answer is yes, you are simply stating a fact. You're not bragging. You are stating a fact." — Alexis Rivera Scott
- [24:08] "You are your brand. Even as an employee, you are your brand." — Alexis Rivera Scott
- [25:20] "If I can Google it, that's not a LinkedIn post." — Alexis Rivera Scott
- [28:37] "Once you start to see the fruits of your labor, the consistency becomes easier. The time that you dedicate becomes more valuable to you because you're seeing the ROI, but you have to commit." — Alexis Rivera Scott
- [36:15] "When you don't have to go outbound and everything comes inbound, you're an influencer." — Alexis Rivera Scott
- [38:50] "30 days, commit and watch what happens. Even if it's tiny, it will happen. It's impossible not to." — Alexis Rivera Scott
Our Guest
Alexis Rivera Scott is the founder of Scott Consulting, a consultancy that helps individuals and companies think differently about how they show up professionally and personally, both on LinkedIn and beyond. Also known as the Fairy Job Mom, she has helped hundreds of people navigate their careers and next opportunities, and works with executives on ghostwriting and personal branding. She was ranked the number one Latina creator by Favikon and has built a following across LinkedIn and TikTok rooted in authenticity, storytelling, and long-term relationship building.
Resources and Links
Sell by Being Human
Alexis Rivera Scott
Alex Smith
