---
name: professional-bio
description: "Writes professional bios in multiple lengths for different platforms and contexts with consistent personal branding."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# Professional Bio

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Write professional bios in multiple lengths for different platforms
- Create consistent bios for websites, social media, speaking events, and publications
- Craft a bio that balances credibility with personality
- Update an outdated bio to reflect current positioning and achievements

**DO NOT** use this skill for resumes, cover letters, or LinkedIn profile optimization (use linkedin-profile-optimizer for that). This is for narrative professional bios used in third-person or first-person contexts.

---

## Core Principle

A PROFESSIONAL BIO IS NOT A RESUME IN PARAGRAPH FORM — IT IS A STORY THAT ANSWERS "WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT THIS PERSON?" IN THE FIRST SENTENCE AND "WHY SHOULD I TRUST THEM?" BY THE LAST.

---

## Phase 1: Brief

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Name and title** | "What is your name and professional title?" | No default — must be provided |
| **What you do** | "What do you do and who do you serve?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Key achievement** | "What is your most impressive or relevant professional achievement?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Credentials** | "What qualifications, experience, or credentials should be mentioned?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Personality detail** | "What is one personal or humanizing detail you want included?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Contexts needed** | "Where will this bio be used? (website, speaking events, social media, publications)" | Website + social media |

**GATE: Confirm the brief before writing.**

---

## Phase 2: Structure

### Bio Lengths to Create

```
## Deliverables

1. **One-liner (15-20 words):** For social media bios, email signatures, and quick intros
2. **Short bio (50-75 words):** For conference programs, guest post bylines, and podcast intros
3. **Medium bio (100-150 words):** For website about pages, speaker introductions, and media kits
4. **Full bio (250-350 words):** For detailed about pages, book jackets, and keynote introductions
```

### Bio Architecture

Every bio, regardless of length, follows this priority:

```
1. HOOK — What you do + who you help (always first)
2. PROOF — Your most impressive credential or result
3. CONTEXT — Background that explains why you are credible
4. PERSONALITY — One human detail that makes you memorable
5. CTA — Where to find you or what to do next (for longer bios)
```

**GATE: Confirm which lengths are needed and the voice (first-person or third-person).**

---

## Phase 3: Write

### One-Liner Formula

```
[Name] helps [audience] [achieve outcome] through [method].

Example: "Sarah Chen helps solopreneurs build $10K businesses using AI-powered systems."
```

### Short Bio Template (50-75 words)

```
[Name] is a [title] who helps [audience] [achieve outcome]. [Key achievement or credential in one sentence.] [One sentence of relevant background.] [Personal detail.]

Example:
"Sarah Chen is a business systems strategist who helps solopreneurs build profitable businesses with AI tools. She has helped over 200 entrepreneurs automate their operations and grow revenue by an average of 40%. A former software engineer turned entrepreneur, Sarah runs her business from Bali with her two rescue dogs."
```

### Medium Bio Template (100-150 words)

```
[Hook: What you do + who you serve. 1-2 sentences.]

[Proof: Key achievement with specific numbers. 1-2 sentences.]

[Context: Professional background that builds credibility. 2-3 sentences.]

[Recognition: Awards, media mentions, or notable clients. 1 sentence.]

[Personality: Human detail that makes you relatable. 1 sentence.]

[CTA: Where to connect. 1 sentence.]
```

### Full Bio Template (250-350 words)

```
[Paragraph 1 — The Hook]
[What you do, who you serve, and why it matters. 3-4 sentences that immediately establish your value.]

[Paragraph 2 — The Proof]
[Your biggest achievements with specific numbers, notable clients or projects, and the impact of your work. 4-5 sentences.]

[Paragraph 3 — The Journey]
[How you got here — relevant career history, pivots, or origin story. 3-4 sentences. Only include what explains your current expertise.]

[Paragraph 4 — The Human]
[Personal details, interests, values, and where you are based. 2-3 sentences that make you memorable and relatable.]

[Optional closing line: Where to find you or what to do next.]
```

### Writing Rules

- Lead with what you do NOW, not your history
- Use specific numbers ("200+ clients" not "many clients")
- Write in the requested voice (first or third person) consistently
- One credential is more memorable than five — pick the strongest
- The personality detail should surprise or delight ("runs her business from a converted school bus")
- Remove anything that does not serve the reader's question: "Why should I care?"

---

## Phase 4: Polish

### 1. Bio Quality Checklist

```
- [ ] First sentence answers "what does this person do?"
- [ ] At least one specific number or result is included
- [ ] Bio is written in the correct voice (first or third person)
- [ ] Personality detail is included and memorable
- [ ] No buzzwords or jargon ("thought leader," "passionate," "synergy")
- [ ] Each length version can stand alone
- [ ] All facts are current and accurate
```

### 2. Platform Adaptation Guide

```
| Platform | Length | Voice | Special Notes |
|----------|--------|-------|--------------|
| Twitter/X | One-liner | First | Include emoji sparingly, add CTA link |
| LinkedIn | Medium | First or third | Can be longer, include keywords |
| Website About | Full | First or third | Include headshot, make scannable |
| Conference program | Short | Third | Focus on credentials relevant to the talk |
| Podcast intro | Short | Third | Written to be read aloud naturally |
| Guest post byline | One-liner or short | Third | Match the publication's style |
```

### 3. Annual Update Triggers

Update your bio when:
- You achieve a significant new result
- Your title or business changes
- You reach a milestone (clients served, revenue, years in business)
- You publish a book or launch a major project
- Your positioning or target audience shifts

---

## Example 1: Marketing Consultant Bios

```
One-liner: "Jordan Lee helps SaaS startups double their pipeline through content-led growth."

Short: "Jordan Lee is a content strategist for SaaS startups. Over the past 5 years, she has helped 40+ B2B companies generate $12M in combined pipeline through organic content. Previously head of content at two YC startups, Jordan now runs her consultancy from Portland, Oregon, fueled by an unreasonable amount of oat milk lattes."
```

## Example 2: Business Coach Bios

```
One-liner: "Marcus helps overwhelmed solopreneurs replace chaos with systems."

Short: "Marcus Rivera is a business operations coach for solopreneurs earning $5K-$20K per month. His 'Systems First' framework has helped 150+ business owners cut their working hours by 30% while increasing revenue. A former operations director at a Fortune 500, Marcus now practices what he preaches from his home office in Austin."
```

---

## Anti-Patterns

- **Starting with your history** — "After graduating from X University in 2010..." No one cares about your history until they know why you matter now.
- **Buzzword stuffing** — "passionate thought leader and visionary innovator" is meaningless. Be specific.
- **Listing every credential** — more is not better. One powerful credential beats five mediocre ones.
- **No personality** — a bio without a human detail reads like a LinkedIn bot wrote it.
- **Different stories on different platforms** — your bio should tell the same story at different lengths, not different stories.
- **Using "passionate"** — this word appears in 90% of bios and means nothing. Show passion through achievements, not adjectives.

---

## Recovery

- **User has no impressive credentials:** Focus on the transformation they deliver. "Helped 30 clients launch their first product" is a credential.
- **User cannot pick one personality detail:** Ask "What would your friends say is the most interesting thing about you?" Use that.
- **User's bio is for a field they are new to:** Lead with transferable results. "Applies 10 years of project management experience to help solopreneurs build systems" bridges old and new.
- **User wants to sound impressive but has a small business:** Small and focused IS impressive. "Works exclusively with early-stage solopreneurs" positions intentional focus, not smallness.
