The Return on Personal Branding
Two stories of how personal branding can change your life
What is the return on personal branding? Let me share with you two examples of how a successful personal brand can benefit you.
Several years ago, I met a brilliant woman who was a top litigator at a prestigious law firm. She had experienced two health crises in as many years and we were introduced by a mutual friend who knew about my exit from my corporate career. He thought I could offer her support and advice.
When I learned about her journey, my first question was, “Why in the world would you go back to lawyering?” She responded that she’s really good at it and I said, “I feel like you have a higher purpose. I told her if ever there was a time to realize and figure that out it’s now.
Sure, she was really good at her career, but I believe we all have a calling on our lives. Hers was quite apparent to me.
We talked and cried and hugged over the next few hours and I told her she must share her story, which, while at times difficult and heartbreaking, is a story of triumph and overcoming unimaginable obstacles. I viewed her experience as a tremendous opportunity to help other people.
I often tell people if you don’t want honesty, don’t cultivate a relationship with me. I believe my superpower is seeing things in people that they don’t see in themselves.
She didn’t have to listen to a word I said, but she did. And, as it turns out, not only is she a prolific and talented writer, her book hits the shelves in March 2019!
The woman, who is now one of my dearest friends in the world, is fully living a very different life and truth. I will never take credit for her accomplishing a fete as magnificent as writing a book and telling her story, but I’d like to believe our hours long first interaction pushed her in that direction.
I can’t wait for the world to read her book.
Another example of helping someone define their personal brand happened while traveling the Baltic.
I met a young chef who was not long out of culinary school and we ventured to some outdoor markets. The joy he showed just looking at the produce was palpable.
He could identify a fruit or vegetable — many foreign to those of us in the US — without pause. We also spent time at restaurants in the region and he would make love (figuratively, not literally) to each plate of food placed in front of him before ever taking a bite.
His love of food meant he experienced it with all of his senses.
The young man was working as a sous chef and after a couple of days of hanging out, I said, “Why are you frying chicken for a living? You’re a talented chef and I believe I know what you should be doing with your career.”
I told him that he needed to make his own way. I told him to audition for a cooking show to highlight his talents and be seen by people who could help his career. I added the disclaimer that I was just being honest and told him to take or leave my advice.
Several months after the trip, I received a cryptic text message from the young chef. He said, “I can’t tell you anything. But I want you to know, I listened to you.”
There was radio silence from him, then, one night while watching a cooking show, I saw him!
He was a contestant and was doing quite well. After he returned from the show, he began working with a celebrity chef, then another and ultimately went on to own his own restaurant.
It’s amazing to see what this young talented chef has accomplished.
These are tangible benefits of knowing my own personal brand. People trust me at my word, and understand that my intention for them is rooted in good.
The aforementioned people were going to be successful with or without me, I know that. But I’m certain I pushed them in the right direction and quite possibly accelerated the inevitable.
I pushed them to take control of their brands.
It comes down to choosing to live your life. The benefit of having a personal brand is really wrapped up in what you want your life to say about you.
I started architecting my personal brand before I left the corporate sector. In part, because I’ve always known there is a call on my life.
Creating a personal brand isn’t about leaving everything behind. It’s about aggregating your experiences, skills and values to underline how you want to be known.
And, for people who have even an inkling that they want to do something different, you can start today, wherever you are.
If you know the world is missing something that you have, if you know what you want to be known for, start working on your personal brand today.
