In August 1997, Tom Peters (a.k.a. The Gandalf of Business), wrote an article entitled “The Brand Called You – You Can’t Move Up If You Don’t Stand Out.” The basic premise was that in order to maximize the opportunities you have in business, you need to think of yourself as a brand.
“We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You,” he wrote.. “I know this may sound like selfishness. But being CEO of Me Inc. requires you to act selfishly — to grow yourself, to promote yourself, to get the market to reward yourself.”
Back then, the internet was still in its infancy and social networks like MySpace and Facebook wouldn’t be created for another 6-7 years. The Brand Called You was about influencing perceptions within your workplace.
The world is a very different place today.
In 2023, an estimated 4.9 billion people use social media, with the average user spreading their digital footprint across 6-7 different platforms monthly. Early adopters like 25-year-old Jimmy Donaldson (a.k.a. Mr. Beast) have built billion dollar personal brands that have amassed upwards of 200 million followers, 31 billion video views, and estimated annual revenue in the tens of millions from YouTube alone.
While Tom Peters is only present on Twitter and LinkedIn™, where he has 177,000 and 7,000 followers, respectively, we cannot let his lack of social media presence dilute the value of his message, nor detract from the fact that it was way ahead of its time. And while “The Brand Called You” concept is very much alive and well, many are still slow to adopt it.
Why?
Critics of personal branding label it as inauthentically contrived and calculating. “Screw personal branding – I’m a person, not a product,” some say. Others criticize those who “self-promote” on social media as charlatans with ulterior motives. “Personal brands are oxymoronic, you can’t be a brand and live your life as a person because the two have different goals,” argues educator and brand designer Debbie Millman.
I think people spend too much time debating what to “call it” and not enough time thinking about the opportunity that whatever “it” is affords the average person.
In 1997, individual opportunity was limited and presented itself within a much smaller sphere – our existing employer, our existing network, our existing geographic location. Only corporate brands could afford broad exposure through expensive advertising campaigns back then.
In the digital age, individual opportunity is limitless and truly global. Anyone can reap significant rewards for no cost beyond time and effort, so long as you’re willing to open up and share your thoughts and personality with the world. “Regular people” can become household names now. Mr. Beast is a “regular guy” who just started creating content on YouTube for fun. Gary Vaynerchuk started recording videos of himself sampling wines in his dad’s liquor store on YouTube in 2008 and has since built massive companies.
Now, not everyone can be Mr. Beast or GaryVee, and most people would shy away from that level of notoriety, but there’s plenty of middle ground between those who invest no time in crafting a personal brand, and the aforementioned titans. That middle ground is where the rest of us can live and play.
Everyone has a unique personality, story to tell, and knowledge to share. Your lived experience is yours and yours alone, and you never know who might find it interesting. Sharing those things on your social media channel of choice consistently can result in some pretty incredible opportunities.
Especially on LinkedIn™, which I say is not a social media platform, rather, a serendipity manifestation platform (cheesy, I know, but true!)
Lea Turner is a single mom in the UK who used to own a transcription business that barely paid her bills. She realized that a significant portion of her business came from LinkedIn™, so she started creating content there and eventually pivoted to become a LinkedIn™ trainer with a following of ~160,000 earning high six figures in just a few years.
Well-known B2B brand marketer Dave Gerhardt abandoned the corporate world to create the Exit Five community, which currently boasts more than 3,000 members who pay $20/month just to participate. Do the math…
Four years ago Justin Welsh decided he was done with the rat race of corporate sales and went all in on teaching people how to grow and monetize LinkedIn™. His popular course, the Operating System for LinkedIn™ Creators has been taken 14,000 times and he’s making millions of dollars as a lifestyle business.
My own personal brand adventure started in 2020 when I took to LinkedIn™ to replace networking events and converse with other adults while on lockdown with an infant and toddler during the pandemic. Fast forward four years and this average suburban dad has 35,000 followers, content that has been viewed 23 million times, and just launched his own LinkedIn™ strategy firm to help professionals build magnetic personal brands that attract clients, talent, and opportunity.
All of this is to say that the world has changed a lot since Tom Peters penned that article in 1997. Individual opportunity is no longer reserved for your existing employer or network.The world is a big place and investing in our personal brand on social platforms like LinkedIn™ can open doors to opportunities you’d never know existed had you not decided to do so.
Call it what you will, but building the personal brand called you is well worth your time and energy.
Because you’re so much more than the bullets on your resume, and the world deserves to see the who behind what you do.
So go forth and manifest serendipity. Share your personality and passion to generate opportunity. You owe it to yourself to take advantage of this moment in time. Carpe diem, baby!
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