06/16/2026
"𝑊𝑒 𝐷𝑂 𝑗𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑎 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑏𝑦 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤. 𝐼𝑓 𝑤𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑛'𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑗𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑎 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑏𝑦 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟, 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑛'𝑡 𝑤𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟."
I always enjoy learning from Vanessa Van Edwards, bestselling author and founder of Science of People. She studies the science behind first impressions, communication, and human behavior.
What she says here is something most of us already know intuitively: people form impressions before we've said a single word.
Whether it's LinkedIn, a company website, a speaking engagement, or a networking event, your photo is often part of that first impression. That's one of the reasons I love what I do. A strong headshot isn't about looking perfect—it's about looking like the best, most authentic version of yourself.
