Why Invest In Personal Branding?

08-08-2024 • 44 mins

Mark introduces the topic and explains that he and Jim will be guided in this episode by an article Jim read in Fast Company. Here’s a link to the article

Mark suggests personal branding begins with self reflection

Jim enters with reference to the self and self promotion in specific. He shares his opinion about self promotion and how society feels very different about personal branding. Then he takes us around the flywheel and the 5 areas of life

Then Jim focuses in on worldview and asks whether one’s worldview should be part of a personal brand

Mark shares his views about being entrepreneurs and personal brands. He says he’s always branded himself and presented to the world his personal strengths. He tells a story about his last employer who purchased his company told him not to sell himself, but to sell her brand. He expands on his view of this

Jim starts to share the main points of the article which are common myths about personal branding

#1 is that it’s selfish

Both guys share that they were raised not to brag and self promote

If we don’t brand ourselves then we get branded by others.

Mark tells his story about breaking out from imposter syndrome and his journey into branding himself

#2 It’s loud and obnoxious. Mark talks about his sales journey and helping people sell themselves

Jim cites the choices of being an influencer or a thought leader. Mark has chosen thought leader and shares his position on selling

Jim says he’s recently committed to his own personal brand

#3 It’s fake and disingenuous. Mark talks about how he was raised to be polite and respectful and being authentic

#4 It’s only for senior leaders and C suite executives. Both guys agree that this is no longer the case. Mark talks about a current client and the team he is working with

Jim reads a bit from the article

Mark goes back to worldview and shares his opinion on sharing his politics online as part of his brand

Jim shares his view of bringing politics into any conversation with someone outside his circle of friends…particularly here in Northern California

Mark goes into his politics and says either way is ok if you’re prepared for the consequences. He’s decided to go all in and be transparent about his views and how he responds with what he thinks is practical

The guys disagree on this issue

Jim thinks it’s not worth discussing politics with those on the fringe, right or left

Mark takes a different stance

Mark wishes everyone, including Trump would stop calling people names..it’s childish

Jim agrees and says it was funny and now it’s sad

Mark doesn’t care about the person, but only what they stand for

Mark talks about the power of questions and his experience speaking civily with people who are opposed to his views

Mark runs around the wheel again in the context of how he begins client sessions with deep personal questions

Jim identifies that Mark spent his entire career helping people grow their personal brand

Jim is curious about Mark’s experience with this

Mark frames it in the context of aligning the candidates worldview and the company culture

Mark share his story about the prospect with the BLM LinkedIn profile banner