Fred Wilson, A Branding Savant

Over Thanksgiving dinner, my niece Emily and I decided her father (my brother-in-law), Fred Wilson, is a true branding savant. Not an idiot savant, as that’s not an adjective one would use to describe Fred. But if you know him, certainly a surprising one.

Fred started writing his blog, AVC, over 10 years ago. It took him awhile to find his voice, but when he did, the intentional focus of his writing combined with his enormous success in investing, created a perfect brand storm. He was just a VC with an opinion. But his opinion mattered to hundreds of thousands. Purposeful or not, Fred had captured the attention of the exact audience that wanted what he was giving. The holy grail of business and branding.

Companies spend months and many thousands of dollars to nail down their brand. Analyzing and then solidifying their value, their audience, their voice. Fred didn’t do any of that. But it worked perfectly. Why? Because Fred as a person, as an investor, and his online persona are in complete harmony. He is 100% authentic. He is who he is.

Fred didn’t set out to “be a brand.” It’s not his nature nor inclination. (If it was, his potential for greater reach and exposure is vast. ) But he IS a brand in spite of himself, because his persona is so strong and clear.

We can all take a lesson from this. Let your personality shine through, so what you’re offering is unmistakable. What is natural for Fred, is a skill that all companies should take note of, and adopt.