3 Personal Branding Lessons from Second-Act Founders |
3 Personal Branding Lessons from Second-Act Founders
Leaving corporate with years of credibility behind you is an advantage, if you know how to use it.
BY JENNIFER KNOWLES, FREELANCE WRITER
Illustration: Getty Images
For most of my career, I was told not to build a personal brand. A few months before I quit my job, a senior leader told me that he did not think I was fully committed to my role because he saw my online presence outside the organization. Building visibility beyond the company, I was cautioned, could make me look less serious. So, I didn’t. When I finally left to become a second-act founder, I had no idea where to begin.
What I didn’t realize then, and do now, is that I had spent years building something far more valuable than a job title — credibility, relationships, and a point of view. I was no longer representing an organization. I was representing myself.
As a founder, trust matters. Research from the Brand Buildings Group shows that people are 74% more likely to trust someone with an established personal brand. Luckily, I have personal brand experts in my network. Here are the three lessons that changed how I show up and that can help you too.
1. Start with strategy, not a photoshoot.
Before the headshots and color palettes, get clear on the role you’re projecting and who you’re projecting it to. I made the mistake of picking my brand colors and getting my new photos taken before I knew whom I wanted to reach. Strategy is the foundation on which everything else sits.
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Startup president James Gibbons emphasizes that strong personal brands start with intention.
“The most important element of a personal brand, as with all branding, is strategy,” he said, “Before you get into things like headshots, typefaces, or colors, consider the role you’re projecting and who you’re projecting it to.”
To build your strategy, define your brand role first. Outline your target audience and the problem you solve. Then use this to guide content decisions before investing in visuals.