You Are Your Own Brand

You Are Your Own Brand

Rayson Choo 31/08/2022
You Are Your Own Brand

As famously said by Gary Vaynerchuck: "It's important to build a personal brand because it's the only thing you're going to have.

Your reputation online, and in the new business world is pretty much the game, so you've got to be a good person. You can't hide anything, and more importantly, you've got to be out there at some level."

Your brand is clearly one of the most valuable aspects of your business. A strong personal brand establishes credibility, consistency, and a strong market position. But how do we go about building a brand? And, more significantly, how can we make one that not only honestly represents ourselves but also attracts an audience?

Today, we are going to go back to the 2nd episode of The Raygacy Show. We went up close and personal with Eugene Seah, a Personal Branding Coach, in this episode. According to Eugene, these are the 3 key ingredients of a Super Brand:

1) Substance

He believes that this is something that we need to find within ourselves. He mentioned that we need to know what our unique strengths are, what value we can bring to the world, and what contribution we can bring to everyone every day. He reiterated that Personal Branding is not about how you dress. It is about your substance and you got to hone your skills so that you can become one of the best in your niche.

2) Style

He stated that Style is essentially what impression you give to people. It's not so much about your hairstyle or fashion sense but what you want to be known for to other people and how you carry yourself. It's related to your personality but not confined to it.

An example that he gave was that he proclaimed to be an extrovert on steroids. He loves to network and make new friends every day. On the other hand, introverts would withdraw from the throng and feel most at ease around individuals they know and trust. 

3) Story

As mentioned by Eugene, this is the weakest for Asians. For instance, if you visit an Asian SME owner's website, you'll discover that the "About Us" section typically includes information about the company's mission, vision, founding principles, and certifications. Rarely would you find them writing about their inspiration for starting the business and even their struggles.

He continued, "You'll become a commodity when you start to separate your personal life, personal struggle, and personal story from your business." People will start to discuss with you based on price because anyone else who can do what you do will easily "eat your lunch".

However, instead of giving a business perspective like how Jack Ma founded Alibaba and his cash flow, he chose to share his personal struggles with the audience. He described how he looked for a job at KFC. 22 of the 23 candidates who were interviewed were chosen, but he wasn't. Although it has nothing to do with Alibaba, he made it meaningful. He wants to demonstrate to the public that if he can bounce back and make Alibaba great, anyone else can. That's his story.

Apart from the 3S, Eugene went on to discuss the misconceptions that many people have about Personal Branding. He shared that many people thought that only celebrities and entrepreneurs need Personal Branding. In fact, employees also need that too. That was what he realized after his retrenchment almost a decade ago. He then shared with me how professionals and entrepreneurs can develop their personal branding in order to gain more opportunities.

Here are three tips that Eugene shared that I believe can help you cultivate your own personal brand.

Ask yourself "Where Do You Want To Go?"

Write your own aspirational Wikipedia entry. Take a piece of paper and write it down. He explained that if you don't know where you're going, how will you go from where you are to where you want to be. He added that we should start with our vision rather than changing ourselves.

Change Your Communication Habit

You cannot say "I want to be inspirational" or "I want to be an entrepreneur" but you keep doing the same thing. Nothing will change if what you do is the same. Eugene reiterated that you need to change what you do. For example, if you want to be inspirational but you keep using your social media by posting food or pet pictures, then it doesn't fulfill the purpose that you've set for yourself in Wikipedia. Instead, start sharing motivational quotes or even personal stories of your trials, tribulations, and triumphs on social media. Get ready to be surprised by their responses to your posts!

Think Wider

You can't think that you're solely in this firm and department, he said. He went on to say that we work in a global industry. As a result, you need to think about where you are in this ecosystem and how you are contributing to it. When you have achieved that, Eugene shared that you'd have led a meaningful life and left a legacy, contributed to the bottom and top-line role of your company, and your reputation will precede you. People will then start to see you differently and you'll be recognized as a changemaker in that particular industry you belong to.

Therefore, I implore you to start right now. Regardless of whether you are in your 20s or 30s or even 40s, don't give yourself the excuse that you need to take 20 years to build your brand. You don't need that long. All you need is to have faith, mentors, patience, and consistency in what you do. No one is stopping you except you.

For those of you who have missed it, you can listen to the full episode here:

If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews! Thank you!

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Rayson Choo

Transformation Catalyst Expert

I am a Transformation Catalyst. What I do is I pick the brains of the best entrepreneurs you have in this world such as Gary Vee, Grant Cardone and etc to find out from them what are some of the simple and effective steps that millennials like myself can take to experience success in the swiftest and most effective way possible.I do that through podcasting. The millennials who have listened to the podcast have experienced personal transformation because they have gotten the tips they need to move forward. 

   
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