Personal Brand

Ignorance is bliss. 

I'd heard the term "Personal Branding" a million times.

A "look at me" buzzword that influencers threw around to sell whatever garbage they were pushing.

I was half right.

Truth is, "Personal Branding" has always existed. The ancient ones called it "reputation".

Keep in mind, I grew up at the tail end of an era where staying at one company your entire career was seen as a badge of honour.

The difference between reputation and personal brand? Marketing.

Gone are the days of just relying on those that know you.

The old way of doing it went something like this:

-Spend years doing one thing and getting good at it. 

-Build ties and rapport with a limited network.

-If it worked out, you'd have a reputation that would grant you access to job prospects and open doors to working for industry leaders. 

Problem:

-Even if you were great, outside of your circle, there was no way to check your credibility. 

-This could take years.

The internet changed all that. Personal branding is on steroids.

With AI and social media, everyone now has access to tools that were once reserved for corporations with high end budgets.

-Drop and drag websites that require no coding.

-High end video production with smart phones.

-Digital advertising on Tik Tok, Instagram etc

The price entry point is whether or not you're willing to invest the time to learn new skills and digest free information.

Social media's not just doom scrolling anymore. It's a global bulletin board. The worlds biggest networking hub with job seekers, recruiters and entrepreneurs all in one space.

The numbers are growing and membership is free. 

If you want to compete in this attention economy, you've got to step outside the comfort zone and market yourself as a brand. 

For many of us, that's a strange concept. Me? A brand?

Yes. You're a brand. What kind is up to you. 

While I'm still learning how to build mine, there's an indisputable truth:

The old way has a ceiling. And while we're entitled to nothing but the chance to compete, this new way levels out the field a bit.

In this new world, personal branding is arguably one of the most powerful tools we can have in our kit. 

I often say I'm late to the party, but here's the thing:

When a bear attacks a camp, you don't have to be faster than the bear.

You just have to be faster than the slowest camper. 

The bears here.

Don't be the slowest camper.