Women In The Penthouse

Episode 9: Stop Hiding, Start Shining — The Power of Owning Your Personal Brand | Petra Gatto

Serena Wang

In this powerful episode of Women in the Penthouse, I sit down with Petra Gatto — a personal brand strategist, founder, and breast cancer survivor — whose story of courage and reinvention reminds us that being visible isn’t about performance. It’s about presence. 

With over 25 years of experience in marketing and branding, Petra has helped hundreds of women stand out with authenticity, clarity, and confidence. But behind her professional success is a deeply personal journey — one that taught her that true visibility begins from within.

After overcoming breast cancer, she turned her experience into purpose — empowering women to build brands that reflect who they truly are, not just what they do. 

🔥 In this episode, we dive into: 
→ Petra’s courageous journey through breast cancer and how it reshaped her definition of purpose. 
→ What personal branding really means — and why it’s not just for influencers. 
→ Why so many women feel unsafe or hesitant to be fully seen. 
→ How to build a fearless personal brand rooted in authenticity. 
→ The mindset blocks that keep female founders and professionals playing small — and how to overcome them. 
→ Why it’s never too late to reinvent your story and step into your influence. 
→ Practical steps to start showing up with confidence, clarity, and impact. 

00:00 Intro 
04:02 Petra’s Journey: Fearless Moves Across Continents 
09:50 Freedom Founding a Successful Agency Around 
13:10 Redefining Fearless: Not Overcome, But Accept 
15:12 Facing the Fear of Visibility: Me & Fear Together on Stage 
17:53 Name All the Fears and Trace Its Roots 
20:25 When Life Stops You: The Breast Cancer Diagnosis 
24:44 Identity, Healing & The Silver Lining 
26:47 Learning to Live Differently 
28:40 Biggest Learning from Cancer Battling 
30:20 Finding the ‘Why’: Helping Women Be Seen 
33:20 What Personal Branding Really Means 
35:40 Authentic vs. Performative Personal Brand 
38:40 Why Women Fear Visibility 
41:50 Beautiful Case: Finding Your Voice at the Table 
44:45 Benefit of Having Good Personal Branding in Corporate 
46:50 Visibility vs. Vanity: It’s Not About “Me” 
49:50 Doing the Inner Work Before You’re Seen
51:54 Three Steps to Be Seen Authentically 
53:16 Limitless: Breaking the Ceiling You Created 
56:34 The Art of Unlearning Limited Beliefs 
59:30 Follow Inspired Actions to Be Limitless 
01:01:08 Progress Over Perfection 
01:02:58 The Beauty of Agelessness 
01:07:24 It’s Never Too Late to Reinvent 
01:09:02 Breaking the Age Box 
01:11:35 Three Advice to 20-Year-Old Self 
01:16:40 The Penthouse Rule 

Connect with Petra 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/petra_gatto/ 
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/petra-gatto 
Website: https://petragatto.com/ 

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