Latest news with #personalbranding
Entrepreneur
18 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
You're a Walking Ad. Do You Know What You're Promoting?
You're already marketing yourself. Whether it's intentional or not, you're telling the world who you are. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Let me drop a little truth bomb: Your personal brand matters. Before you speak. Before you shake a hand. Before you even sit down. People are deciding what you represent. Wondering if you're worth remembering. Some say never judge a book by its cover. True, but your cover should still reflect the story inside. That's personal branding. If you're not being intentional, you're being forgettable. Related: Creating a Brand: How To Build a Brand From Scratch What branding really means Early in my career, I thought branding meant logos and clever slogans. I was wrong. Branding is the story you're telling when you walk into a room. It's the energy you carry. The way you treat people. It's your follow-through. It's how you show up when nobody's watching. Your brand is not your resume. It's your reputation. It's your rhythm. It's your realness. What are you really saying? Every time you show up, you're broadcasting a message. How do you dress? How do you talk? How do you listen? How do you treat people when you have nothing to gain? That message lands before your words do. You can't fake presence. You either have it or you build it. Related: The One Acronym You Need to Find Your Inner Voice The cringe factor I've had my face on a few billboards in my real estate days. Did it feel ridiculous at times? Absolutely. Did it work? Definitely. People saw it. They remembered the guy from the giant blue billboard. It started conversations and resulted in quite a few phone calls. That's the power of visibility. It breaks the ice before you walk in. It gets people talking. You don't need a billboard. You just need the guts to be seen. Most times, a little creativity goes a long way. Wear it like you mean it I've invested in hundreds of companies—snacks, apparel, pets, skincare, you name it. If I'm in, I'm all in. Hats? I wear one daily. Shirts? Always repping. Beverages? I drink what I believe in. Not to be trendy. Not to sell. I believe in what I represent. If I back something, I live it. I wear it. I talk about it with pride. You don't need a logo on your forehead. Find what feels like you and own it. A signature color. A phrase. A look. Something that sticks. Something that feels true. A brand shouldn't feel forced. It should feel like home. Passion is the pitch People don't remember your features or your pricing sheet. They remember your fire. They remember how you made them feel when you talked about what you love. That's where connection happens. Talk about your business. Your team. Your product. Your story. Show your belief. That's what moves people. Conviction wins over a perfect pitch every time. Actions over adjectives Don't say you're driven. Show it. Show up early. Stay late. Ask questions. Solve problems. Follow up when everyone else moves on. Want to be known as a leader? Serve. Want to be seen as creative? Speak up with solutions. Telling people what you are is easy. Showing them? That's where the magic is. Be the same everywhere Your LinkedIn should feel like your meeting room. Your email should sound like you (might be controversial in a world of cold and robotic lingo). Your Instagram should reflect your values. In my experience, people don't connect with polish. They connect with consistency. If you're high-energy, stay that way. If you're calm and thoughtful, great. Own it. Don't shift your tone to fit in. Stand firm in who you are. Authenticity builds trust. Consistency earns it. Spark curiosity Sometimes it's the smallest thing that starts the biggest conversations. Maybe it's a giant painting of Elton John (shoutout Ra Kadazi) in the background of your Zoom call. Maybe it's a phrase you always say. Maybe it's a logo that makes people ask questions. Lean into those things. Let people wonder. Let them ask. Let them lean in. That opens the door to a deeper connection. Tell the story If you're doing great work, don't sit on it. Share it. Tell the story behind the success. Brag on your team. Talk about the messy middle that got you there. That's not ego. That's clarity. People can't cheer you on if they don't know what you're building. Show them. Bring them along. Invite them into the story you're living every day. Why this matters I studied advertising and psychology at Southern Methodist University. One of my professors dropped a line that stuck with me forever: "If you're not on their mind, you're already forgotten." That one sentence changed everything for me. You don't have to be everywhere. You just have to be remembered in the right places. With the right message. At the right moment. That's branding. That's impact. Every post. Every room. Every conversation. You're sending a message — whether you mean to or not. Ask yourself: Is it clear? Is it real? Is it worth remembering? You're not just a walking billboard. You're a brand. Own it.
Forbes
25-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
7 Ways To Use AI To Amplify Your Influence And Fast-Track Your Career
Photo credit When many people think about building their brand, they think about the exciting stuff—building thought leadership, publishing content, or delivering presentations at professional conferences. But before you go big, you have got to go deep. That means you need to spend time clarifying your values, your point of view, and the problem only you can solve. Once you have brand clarity, it's time to grow your brand so you can increase your success and achieve your career goals. The GROW phase of the personal branding process is where your personal brand shifts into action mode. It's where you build connections and momentum so you can show up regularly, deliver value to your network, and become known for your unique ideas. The great news is that AI makes growing your visibility faster and easier, without losing your authentic voice. If you're not actively growing your visibility and credibility, you diminish your career growth potential. Remember, growth doesn't mean going viral. It means becoming known in your niche, earning trust, and unlocking new opportunities. You want your name to come up in rooms you're not even in yet. That starts with intentional visibility. Of course, before you start interacting with AI on your thought leadership plan, you need to apply AI best practices to help your preferred platform know who you are, what's important to you, and what helps you stand out from others who do what you do. Then, AI will produce on-brand content that sounds like you and supports your mission. Here are seven ways AI can be your biggest asset in the GROW phase of personal branding: Use AI to brainstorm topics for articles or videos that your audience wants, and ask AI to come up with article titles or video scripts to help get you started. Feed it some of your best work and ask for content that's aligned with your message. You can even ask it to adapt your ideas for different audiences, platforms, or tones. Consider prompts like this: 'I am writing an article about the five trends tech executives need to focus on when it comes to cybersecurity. Here's the outline I created [paste]. Please provide approximately two paragraphs for each of the five trends.' AI lets you make the most of the work you have already done. When you feed it previously created content and ask it to update it, AI lets you maximize your previous work. Just feed it your content and ask it to update it with current examples, new data, or a fresh tone. Remember to ask it to cite all sources of data and to provide links so you can verify its accuracy. In addition to updating content, you can ask AI to turn one piece of content into many, reducing the time it takes to develop new material. For example, you could take an article that you published and ask AI to create several smaller articles, a script for a 2-minute video, an infographic, and a series of tweets. Here's a prompt to try: 'Please take this blog post and turn it into a LinkedIn carousel script with slide titles and one-line captions. Then, create a 30-minute presentation from the carousel.' AI can help you plan and schedule your content calendar, making it easier to have a consistent presence. You can ask it to suggest content themes for each week/month, create copy for recurring newsletter sections, and recommend the best times to post based on your content and audience type. For example: 'Please build a 3-month content calendar on hybrid learning strategies for CLOs and other learning professionals. Include weekly themes, trending topics, and content ideas tailored to different generational learning styles." Whether you're commenting on others' posts, responding to messages, or following up after an event, AI can help. It lets you draft thoughtful comments that reflect your expertise, craft customized thank-you notes and LinkedIn connection requests, and summarize key takeaways from events and webinars. Try this: 'Craft a personalized comment on this post about remote leadership that aligns with my brand as an executive coach focused on hybrid workplace culture." Whether you're pitching yourself for new business, applying for a job, or explaining why you're the best partner for a project, AI can help you make your case. When you get your preferred AI tool up-to-speed on who you are and what's important to you, you can make a compelling case. Consider this prompt: 'Please write a warm, concise outreach email to a podcast host who focuses on new managers, introducing me as a guest stress management expert for emerging leaders." AI tools can also be used to review the performance of your posts, engagement trends, and recurring themes. You can ask it to analyze your last 10 LinkedIn posts for tone, engagement, and clarity, or identify the most resonant messages you have written and published. A prompt to try: 'Analyze these 10 LinkedIn posts for engagement and tone. Suggest what worked best, what to tweak, and how to better reflect my brand voice going forward. Thanks." Your personal brand is not a one-and-done project. It's alive, evolving, and strengthened by every interaction you have with others and the content you share. With AI, you don't have to pick between consistency and creativity. You get both. Use it strategically in the GROW phase and you'll enhance your visibility, increase your influence and open doors to new opportunities. That will help you build a personal brand that delivers on the three Cs of branding: Clarity, Consistency, and Constancy. William Arruda is a keynote speaker, author, and personal branding pioneer. Join him as he discusses clever strategies for using AI to express and expand your brand in Maven's free Lightning Lesson. If you can't attend live, register to receive the replay.
Entrepreneur
23-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How Podcasting Became My Most Powerful Branding Tool (And How to Start Yours)
Podcasting offers a deeper, more personal way to engage audiences while also helping thought leaders grow their influence and network through meaningful guest conversations. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. When I launched my podcast last fall, I saw it as more than just another platform. It was a necessary piece of a larger puzzle — filling a critical gap in how I communicate my message around personal branding and authority-building with CEOs, entrepreneurs, authors and professionals. Let's face it: business leaders are busy. While they may enjoy reading books, articles and blogs to stay informed and inspired, carving out time to sit down and read can be difficult. But listening? That's another story. Whether traveling between meetings, commuting or simply taking a break from the screen, audio (and increasingly, video) content fits seamlessly into the rhythms of a busy life. That's one reason podcasts have become such a valuable vehicle for thought leaders who want to meet their audience where they are — and make receiving their message as convenient as possible. Related: Why Every Entrepreneur Should Consider Starting a Podcast Why podcasts matter now more than ever In today's noisy content landscape, podcasts offer something rare: an intimate, distraction-free space to connect. They allow you to speak directly into someone's ears — literally. That level of proximity and attention is hard to replicate elsewhere. But the power of podcasts isn't just about ease of access. It's about depth. Podcasts allow you to tell stories, explore ideas and share insights in a format that feels personal, unscripted and real. You're not just delivering information — you're building a relationship. That's especially important for entrepreneurs, authors and executives who want to cultivate authority. Your audience is not just looking for credentials — they're looking for a voice they can trust. Podcasts let your voice, your tone and your personality shine through in a way that text alone can't. Authenticity is your advantage The unscripted nature of a podcast helps build a stronger connection between host and listener. Over time, your audience gets to know your cadence, your humor, your quirks — and that breeds familiarity, comfort and trust. Think about some of history's great communicators. People felt deeply connected to President Franklin D. Roosevelt during his fireside chats — not because they met him in person, but because they heard him speak directly to them in a calm, intimate setting. Similarly, Ronald Reagan's charisma was amplified through his voice and storytelling. Podcasting can have the same effect. It allows people to feel like they know you — even if they've never met you. Guests expand your reach — and your credibility Although solo episodes can be powerful, one of the best ways to boost the value of your podcast is by including guests. When you bring on other experts, you're not only making the conversation more dynamic — you're also expanding your network and credibility. Your guest's expertise adds weight to your show. And when they share the episode with their own audience, you get exposed to new listeners who may have never discovered you otherwise. In this way, podcasting becomes a two-way street — each person helps elevate the other. The added bonus? A guest can help carry the conversation, making the episode more engaging and relieving some of the pressure of having to talk solo for an extended period. Make it a conversation, not an interview While we often use the word "interview," the goal should be a conversation. You want the dialogue to flow naturally — not feel like a scripted Q&A. Yes, you should prepare. Yes, you should know where you want the discussion to go. But leave room for curiosity, spontaneity and surprise. This is where the magic happens — where real insights and unexpected moments emerge. And if that means someone stumbles over their words or goes slightly off track? That's okay. It's real. And real is what builds connection. An easy launch for a big impact One of the reasons I often recommend podcasting to clients and colleagues is because it's relatively simple to start. You don't need a massive studio or a huge budget. In fact, many people already have the basic tools: a laptop, internet connection, a decent microphone and a quiet, well-lit space. Video podcasts are growing in popularity, too — and if you're already on Zoom or Teams regularly, you likely have most of the setup required. The bar to entry is low. The opportunity for growth is high. Related: The Basics of Podcasting and How It Can Grow Your Business Amplify your thought leadership For authors in particular, podcasts are a perfect companion to a book. Your podcast allows you to explore topics from the book in greater detail, engage with new perspectives and keep the momentum going long after publication. More broadly, your podcast can serve as a hub for your intellectual property — a space where you test ideas, refine your message and engage directly with your audience. A few key questions to guide your show As you shape your podcast, ask yourself: Is this insightful and fun? Does it reflect my personality and values? Will it move my audience to take meaningful action? Am I consistently providing unique value? If you can answer "yes," you're on the right path. You're not just creating content — you're creating connection. You're building a platform that supports your authority and invites others into your world. In a world where attention is scarce, podcasts offer something different: time, trust and depth. Use it wisely — and your message will go farther than you think.
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Dear Graduates: Visibility Will Set You Apart
As graduation caps fly and inboxes start to fill with new job alerts, thousands of new professionals are stepping into one of the most competitive job markets in recent memory. Degrees are nice and internships are important, but long are the days when companies are hiring solely based on those accolades. The game has changed. In 2025, what truly separates standout candidates isn't just what they've studied, it's how they show up. Here's what today's hiring managers are really looking for: The Job Market Has Changed. Have You? 80% of recruiters consider personal branding important when evaluating job candidates. Yet so many graduates are invisible online. No portfolio, no posts, no story. It's not about becoming a content creator, it's about showing the world what you bring to the table. Your personal brand doesn't start after you get your first job, it starts before you are even applying. When you're still in school or doing internships, the experiences you're gaining are shaping your story. From case studies and projects you've worked on, everything you're learning is worth sharing. Building your digital footprint before entering the workforce matters shows initiative and helps you stand out in a competitive market. Instead of asking 'Who will hire me?' start asking 'What problems can I solve?' That mindset shift is powerful and it makes you magnetic to the right opportunities. What You Can Do Today: The Real Graduation Gift? Ownership. You don't need a corner office to start acting like a leader. The earlier you start investing in your personal brand, your network, and your communication skills, the faster you'll grow. Remember: people hire people, not resumes.
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Five Branding Lessons From Japanese Wedding Giant Four Sis & Co.
PARIS, FRANCE - MARCH 06: Models walk the runway during the Ameris Womenswear Fall/Winter 2025-2026 ... More show as part of Global Fashion Collective (GFC) during Paris Fashion Week at Maison des Metallos on March 06, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by) It was during a Paris fashion week bridal runway show for Japanese wedding dress mega brand, Four Sis & Co that it struck me. Wedding attire—one of the most emotionally charged pieces of fashion—has become a battleground for identity, aspiration, and personal branding. And the changing choices people are making in those dresses give us an insight into how leaders must also shift to make better decisions. Three collections were presented all targeting distinct audiences. The original Foursis Bride was for the more traditional amongst us. Then there was Ameris, a gender-less, body type-less, and age-less collection. And last but not least their haute couture collection, Ashupine, by designer Ashupine. So what can the C-suite take away from the wedding industry—where emotion is emotion is the ultimate strategy and every seam tells a story? Here are your five branding lessons. PARIS, FRANCE - MARCH 06: A model walks the runway during the AshuPine Womenswear Fall/Winter ... More 2025-2026 show as part of Global Fashion Collective (GFC) during Paris Fashion Week at Maison des Metallos on March 06, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by) Wedding dresses have long followed conservative conventions—namely covering the legs and chest—but the Ashupine collection from Foursis & Co—created by international painter, designer and artists Ashupine—flipped that script—creating bold, tech-driven wedding dresses that break tradition and offer a visually striking 360-degree experience. Why? Because not only has the wedding landscape drastically changed but audiences want to make a statement of personal style and storytelling. They no longer want to fit into a generic mold but bust out of that. In fact, I'd say, the biggest shift in current wedding trends isn't a cut or color—it's an attitude of rebellion. Look at bridal parties opting for statement pieces over matching gowns. Wedding vendors are offering immersive experiences, from virtual wedding planning assistants to personalized design concepts that transform reception tables into editorial moments. Even wedding content creators are documenting these fashion-forward decisions in real time on every social media platform. Lesson: Challenge the norms of your industry before someone else does it better. According to a McKinsey report, audiences are increasingly drawn to brands that challenge conventions and lean into innovation. For those of you who have read The Kim Kardashian Principle, you know I believe this to be true, brands that dare to redefine are the ones claiming center stage. When a spouse to be chooses their outfit, they are above all choosing feeling. It's one of the most special moments in the process—the feeling in the fitting room, the emotional state cutting the cake, etc. That moment transcends how the outfit looks and goes onto become the powerful memory that is captured by wedding photographers and in-turn shared instantly—given the emotional momentum behind it. It's a crucial lesson for all leaders. What's your audience's emotional journey? What are their emotional states of mind throughout the process? At which stages does your brand come into play? I believe brands throughout categories would benefit from operating with that same emotional precision. Take, for example, brands like Skims—they don't just sell lingerie; they craft emotionally charged experiences through inclusive casting, bold storytelling, and campaigns that speak directly to their audience's identity and values. That's why their launches feel more like wedding season than most other brands: full of anticipation, full of emotion, full of meaning. Lesson: Don't sell a product. Sell the emotion behind it. A study by Deloitte shows that emotionally connected customers have 2x the lifetime value of satisfied ones. Are we surprised? We shouldn't be given I've spoken at length about the power of emotional storytelling—like that found in a documentary-style photography spread—builds loyalty and drives word-of-mouth in the same way wedding guests rave about a dream wedding. A Skims promotion for its swimwear collection with a 60-foot balloon of co-founder Kim Kardashian is ... More on display in Times Square March 5, 2025, in New York City. The installation spotlights the latest swim drop from the shapewear and apparel brand. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) More than ever before, today's wedding journey is more modern narrative than a checklist of things to do. Ameris is a wedding brand launched in collaboration with Japanese actor, GENKING that allows everyone to freely choose a plan regardless of gender, nationality, body type, or age. From the missing floral arrangements to the emphasis on signature cocktails, every detail is an opportunity to tell a story—one that reflects their personal style, shared values, and the authentic moments that brought them to this day. Think of a story that a destination wedding tells versus an intimate wedding in a backyard. The point is, they're both telling powerful stories. Think about the rise of branded weddings—every detail tailored to the couple's values, aesthetic, and vibe. And that's exactly what today's audience wants from a brand— They want mythology and above all they want meaning. How do successful weddings do it best? They provide a guest experience that feels personal, not performative. Lesson: Make your story legendary, not literal. Accenture's study confirms that 72% of audiences expect brands to understand them deeply and reflect their identity. And that would be the exact reason couples are ditching generic wedding registry lists in favor of customized digital experiences—think cash funds for experiences, donations to causes they care about and custom curated wish lists from multiple stores. PARIS, FRANCE - MARCH 06: A model walks the runway during the Ameris Fall/Winter 2025-2026 show as ... More part of Global Fashion Collective (GFC) during Paris Fashion Week at Maison des Metallos on March 06, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Arun Nevader) Wedding events unfold over multiple days—rehearsal dinners, welcome parties, ceremonies, and after-parties. The best wedding planners orchestrate them like DJs, knowing when to slow down and when to turn up. Successful brand leaders must do the same with their communications. That's why wedding trends now favor surprise elements like mid-reception outfit changes or dessert tables revealed at golden hour. Whether you're launching a new product or curating the wedding wardrobe for a summer wedding, understanding tempo—not just timing—is everything. Lesson: Build anticipation. Know when to drop your next move. PwC found that consumers are increasingly attuned to cultural rhythm. Brands that stay in sync with major trends—like Nicole Amarise's repositioning of wedding parties as narrative tools—build deeper trust and impact. TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 16: Genking (L) and guest attend the Anne Sofie Madsen show as a part of ... More Mercedes Benz Fashion Week TOKYO A/W 2016/2017 at Shibuya Hikarie on March 16, 2016 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo byfor IMG) Many of you who've read The Kim Kardashian Principle know I believe in the power of vulnerability, flaws, and, most importantly, authenticity. In today's culture, the illusion of perfection is losing its appeal—and the wedding world mirrors this shift. We're seeing it in undone hairstyles, asymmetrical cake designs, and subtle, raw details that reject overproduction. The Foursis bride collection embraces this ethos through delicate cuts that highlight individuality and reflect the diverse identities of modern brides. These designs don't chase flawlessness—they honor the beauty found in realness, reminding us that imperfection isn't a compromise; it's a statement. In leadership, too, imperfection can be magnetic. Sharing the behind-the-scenes, posting the candid content—let your audience see you beyond the press release and allow they to connect with you on a deeper level. Lesson: Perfect brands are forgettable. Human ones are unforgettable. And it's no surprise… EY reveals that audiences prefer brands that embrace transparency, even if it includes mistakes. In a world obsessed with filters, the unfiltered moment—like your wedding photographer catching you checking out the bridesmaid—is what truly resonates—and often goes viral. PARIS, FRANCE - MARCH 06: Models walk the runway during the Four Sis Fall/Winter 2025-2026 show as ... More part of Global Fashion Collective (GFC) during Paris Fashion Week at Maison des Metallos on March 06, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Arun Nevader) From the rise of the wedding content creator to the digitalization of the wedding planning process, today's wedding industry has become a mirror of modern culture and your audiences desires for how they want to engage. Pioneering wedding collections reveal how multifaceted even the most traditional of worlds have moved with the time and embraced diverse conversations. This is where real leadership takes the stage. So whether you're designing your next campaign or planning your own dream wedding, remember this: the modern aisle isn't just for traditionalists—it's also for visionaries. The best leaders don't wait for the spotlight—they step onto the runway, the altar, the platform—and own it. Because power isn't just worn. It's chosen. And for those not walking down the aisle? I'd say you're already walking your own—and that's the only one that matters. Don't you think? Named Esquire's Influencer of the Year, Jeetendr Sehdev is a media personality and leading voice in fashion, entertainment, and influence, and author of the New York Times bestselling phenomenon The Kim Kardashian Principle: Why Shameless Sells (and How to Do It Right).
