'Personal brand' is an overused, increasingly meaningless term. What it should stand for is clarity in who you are, and what you stand for. But it has been co-opted by the get-rich-quick-self-help crowd, and devolved into little more than superficialities - what you wear and who you hang out with.
So it was with a cynical eye that I opened an email from my friend Mark Busse, asking me to take a look at his personal brand document.
The document floored me. It was an intensely personal exploration into every facet of Mark's personality, both intimate and bold.
I jumped on the phone immediately with Mark, who revealed it was an exercise he had conducted with a personal coach. Not only had it helped him gain clarity into what really mattered to him, but it provided a compass for decisions - both personal and professional - he might make in the future.
In fact, Mark recounted that he had shown the document to a prospective employer. The employer was floored, and offered Busse a job on the spot. Tellingly, Busse refused the post, insisting the employer meet Busse's wife and, together, they should dig deeper into personal fit before proceeding.
That's when I knew I had to share Mark's story. Over the course of two recordings, Mark and I explored his journey with the personal brand exercise.
The first recording was done before Busse and his wife had met the prospective employer. The second, after. I'm not going to spoil the podcast by telling the outcome. Enjoy!
22 Jul 2020
Getting your brand story right... finally!
Brand storytelling is both powerful and perplexing. We all acknowledge that a good story 'sticks' better than any list of brand features or benefits... but we also know that crafting a memorable story is damn hard. What's worse, there are no easy step-by-step processes or manuals that enable you to generate a decent brand story.
Well, actually, I found one.
Park Howell is a brand strategist who specializes in dissecting, analyzing, and generating great brand stories. His podcast, The Business of Story, is one of the top business podcasts in North America. And he's just written a killer book called Brand Bewitchery, which tweaks the classic Hero's Journey to fit the business paradigm. It works!
In this podcast, Park and I dig into Brand Bewitchery, and why it works for business. We also cover a wide swath of topics - hey, we've known each other for years, and this was a wonderful time to catch up on tall tales and adventures.
Liked this podcast? Here are a few more you'll enjoy
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Building your own brand? Start with my book BrandDIY, and my BrandDIY facebook group.
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And please, if you enjoyed this show, share it on social media and review it on Apple Podcasts.
16 Jun 2020
How to build a values based brand that lets you sleep at night
I've known Len Laycock for years. His stunning home furnishings design / retail brand Upholstery Arts was a beacon on the Vancouver scene - not least of which for its impeccable sustainability cred.
Fast forward a few years, and Len is launching another green brand. Horizontal.eco is a stunning bed that features innovation, striking design, and sustainability built in.
What's the secret to launching a values-based brand? That's what we talked about on the show, dipping into anecdotes from Len's career as Director of Marketing at IKEA, his 17-year experience building Upholstery Arts, and his new venture Horizontal.
Liked this podcast? Here are a few more you'll enjoy
The innovation story every frustrated entrepreneur needs to hear
Test or trust? The idea validation debate rages on
Building your own brand? Start with my book BrandDIY, and my BrandDIY facebook group.
Want my insights straight to your inbox? Sign up for my newsletter.
And please, if you enjoyed this show, share it on social media and review it on Apple Podcasts.
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