Authentic
Authenticity is being who you say you are.
Pro
Professionals go to work and do their job. Even if they don't feel like it, or no one is looking. You may be full of self doubt, or feel bored. Pros will still show up and do the work. Doing the work and being consistent is authentic.
Being authentic does not mean doing whatever you want. Or saying out loud what comes into your mind. You don't even need to worry if this is 100% you. You can act like it. Keeping your word is authentic.
Product
For most of us, we care about the effect of a product, and not so much who made it and why. This hat keeps me warm and looks nice. We don't care who made it and what's their story. Product is authentic when it does what it says it does.
If you say you care about safety of your product, you must do so. What you say must be actually true. You are consistent and do it year after year. Fake brands succeed only in safety tests, not in real life.
Trust
To have a business, you need trust. If a customer feels you are phony, it's hard for them to buy from you. You say you respect privacy, and cookie banner shows up on your website. Don't make promises you can't keep. Customers get confused and lose trust in you. You are authentic when your actions match your words.
Mistakes
Do the best work you can. But when you mess up, be humble and admit it. This makes you a human. You can take the blame even if it was not your fault. Mistakes are great chances to earn respect. A transparent business with flaws is better than a perfect.
Character
We are drawn to people who feel real. You can play a character, pretend to be something else. But people smell fake easily. It’s much easier to be yourself than to play a character. You don’t have to worry about getting caught in a lie.
Being authentic is a good business strategy. It costs nothing to be more authentic. Do the work, keep your word, don’t lie, and be honest.