Build An Irresistible Personal Brand That Is Authentic & Vulnerable

Summary

The speaker discusses the concept of personal branding, emphasizing its importance as a means of self-discovery and authenticity rather than a tool for selling products. They argue that true personal branding involves healing and showing up as one's true self, which naturally attracts people. The speaker also delves into the history of branding, from its origins in the Industrial Revolution to modern branding strategies, highlighting the shift from survival to seeking meaning and connection. They advocate for an authentic personal brand that stands out by being genuine and different, rather than a manufactured persona.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker emphasizes that personal branding is about self-discovery and authenticity, not selling products.
• 🌟 Personal branding is about showing up as your true self and attracting people who resonate with your authentic presence.
• 🏢 The speaker differentiates between personal and business branding, suggesting that business branding is a collective effort by a team.
• 🤔 There is a questioning of the concept of a 'business brand' as it's often misunderstood and misused in the context of personal branding.
• 📚 Marty Neumeier's 'Brand Flip' is referenced, highlighting the shift from selling to joining tribes for connection and meaning.
• 🕰 A historical perspective on branding is provided, explaining how it evolved from a need for differentiation to a modern concept driven by preference and emotional connection.
• 🛍️ The speaker discusses the modern consumer's wealth of choices and how branding helps create preference for products over commodities.
• 💬 The importance of storytelling in branding is highlighted, with examples of how different water brands craft their stories to appeal to consumers.
• 💡 The idea that every product has a story, and the integrity and authenticity of one's personal story in branding is crucial.
• 🧩 The concept of 'Persona' and 'Shadow Self' from Carl Young is introduced to discuss how people often hide their true selves behind a facade.
• 🔍 The speaker encourages reflection on one's personal brand, suggesting that it's about remembering and embracing one's true identity rather than inventing a new one.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of personal branding according to the speaker?

The speaker suggests that the primary goal of personal branding is not to sell anything, but to understand one's true identity, heal, and show up authentically, which in turn attracts more people.

What is the speaker's current situation regarding their studio?

The speaker currently has a 'studio of one' and has a vision for it to grow, but is unsure whether to focus on building their personal brand or the studio brand.

What does the speaker believe about the concept of a 'business brand'?

The speaker believes that a 'business brand' is a collective effort involving marketers, writers, and designers creating an experience, and it's different from personal branding.

How does the speaker feel about the language used in personal branding?

The speaker is critical of the language used in personal branding, as it often mirrors corporate branding terminology, which they find distasteful due to its sales-oriented nature.

What does the speaker suggest people are looking for instead of being sold to?

The speaker suggests that people are not looking to be sold to, but rather they want to join tribes and find connection and meaning in their lives.

What is the speaker's perspective on the history of branding?

The speaker believes that understanding the history of branding can help change the dialogue around it and that personal branding should offer a competitive advantage when done correctly.

What is the speaker's view on the evolution of identity and marketing?

The speaker explains that as society evolved from small towns to larger communities, the need for identity and marketing arose to differentiate businesses and establish a connection with customers.

What does the speaker define as 'branding'?

The speaker defines branding as creating an irrational emotional connection to a product or service, which differentiates it from commodities.

How does the speaker relate personal branding to the concept of 'persona' and 'shadow self'?

The speaker relates personal branding to the concept of 'persona' as the face we show to society and 'shadow self' as the hidden, less desirable aspects of ourselves that can affect our authenticity.

What does the speaker suggest is the key to having a successful personal brand?

The speaker suggests that the key to a successful personal brand is authenticity and integrity, remembering one's true self rather than inventing a persona.

What is the speaker's stance on the current state of branding and consumer choices?

The speaker believes that with the abundance of choices and resources, consumers are looking for meaning and making purchases that align with their values, which is a shift from mere survival to seeking connection.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 Personal Branding vs. Business Branding

The speaker discusses the concept of personal branding, emphasizing that it's not about selling but about self-discovery and authenticity. They question whether to focus on personal or studio branding, highlighting the difference between personal and business branding. The speaker clarifies that business branding is a collective effort involving marketing and design to create an experience, whereas personal branding is about being genuine and attracting people through authenticity. They also touch on the evolution of branding from a corporate perspective to an individual one, and the speaker's aversion to the selling tactics often associated with personal branding.

05:01

🛍️ The History and Impact of Branding

This paragraph delves into the history of branding, explaining how it evolved from the need for differentiation in the Industrial Age to the modern concept of branding influenced by the internet and social media. The speaker discusses how branding is about creating a preference and an emotional connection with consumers, which is a relatively new concept. They argue that branding is about more than just selling; it's about joining tribes and finding meaning. The speaker also explores the idea that every product has a story and the importance of authenticity in personal branding. They use the example of different water brands to illustrate how stories and emotional connections can affect consumer choices and brand perception.

Keywords

💡Personal Branding

Personal branding refers to the process of creating and managing the public image and perception of an individual. In the context of the video, it is about understanding one's identity and values, and expressing them authentically to attract like-minded people. The speaker emphasizes that personal branding is not about selling something but about being genuine and true to oneself, which naturally draws others to you.

💡Authenticity

Authenticity is the quality of being genuine and original, not copied or imitated. The video discusses authenticity in relation to personal branding, suggesting that being true to oneself is more important than trying to fit into a mold or sell a product. The speaker argues that authenticity attracts people and creates a personal brand that is unique and compelling.

💡Healing

Healing, in this context, is about self-discovery and personal growth. The speaker mentions healing as part of the personal branding process, indicating that understanding and embracing one's true self can be a transformative and healing experience. It's about overcoming the persona that has been imposed by society and embracing one's shadow self, which includes the parts of oneself that are often hidden or suppressed.

💡Shadow Self

The shadow self is a concept from Carl Jung's psychology, referring to the darker, repressed aspects of the personality that the conscious ego does not identify with. In the video, the speaker uses the term to describe the parts of oneself that are often hidden due to societal expectations or fear of judgment. Embracing the shadow self is part of the personal branding journey, as it contributes to a more authentic and complete self-image.

💡Differentiation

Differentiation, in the context of branding, is about standing out from the competition by offering something unique. The video explains that as society has evolved, so has the need for individuals and companies to differentiate themselves. In personal branding, differentiation is about identifying and expressing what makes an individual unique, rather than conforming to generic expectations.

💡Preference

Preference in branding is the emotional connection or loyalty that consumers have towards a particular brand. The video suggests that in the modern world of abundant choices, people prefer to connect with brands that resonate with them on an emotional level. For personal branding, creating a preference means building relationships based on authenticity and shared values.

💡Corporate Branding

Corporate branding is the process of creating a unique identity for a company that differentiates it from competitors and creates a preference for its products or services. The video contrasts corporate branding with personal branding, highlighting that while corporate branding is a collective effort involving marketing and design, personal branding is about individual authenticity and self-expression.

💡Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution refers to a period of rapid industrialization that began in the late 18th century and led to significant changes in society, including the development of specialized skills and manufacturing. The video uses the Industrial Revolution as a historical context to explain the evolution of branding, from a need for differentiation in a world of increasing competition and specialization.

💡Identity Design

Identity design is the process of creating a visual identity for a brand, which includes elements like logos, colors, and typography. In the video, identity design is discussed as part of the evolution of branding, where companies began to use design to differentiate themselves and create a unique identity in the minds of consumers.

💡Tribes

In the context of the video, tribes refer to groups of people who share common values, interests, or goals. The speaker mentions that people are no longer just looking to buy products, but rather they seek to join tribes or communities that resonate with their personal beliefs and desires. This concept is related to personal branding in that it emphasizes the importance of connecting with others based on shared values.

💡Storytelling

Storytelling is the art of telling stories to engage an audience and convey a message. In branding, storytelling is used to create a narrative around a product or brand that resonates with consumers. The video discusses the importance of storytelling in branding, using examples like Fiji water, which tells a story of exotic, untouched purity to create a preference for its product.

Highlights

The speaker emphasizes the importance of personal branding as a means of self-discovery and authenticity rather than a sales tactic.

The speaker shares their vision for their studio, indicating a desire for growth but also a focus on personal authenticity.

A distinction is made between personal and business branding, with the latter being a collective effort of a team.

The speaker critiques the use of corporate branding language in personal branding, suggesting it's often misused to push sales.

The desire to avoid the constant selling and focus on genuine connection and meaning is highlighted.

The speaker references Marty Neumeier's work, emphasizing the shift from selling to joining tribes for connection.

A historical overview of branding is provided, explaining the evolution from personal relationships to corporate identity.

The concept of branding as a means of differentiation and preference is discussed in the context of consumer choice.

The speaker argues that personal branding should be about authenticity and not about selling more products.

The idea that branding is about creating an emotional connection with consumers is explored.

The speaker challenges the audience to consider the authenticity and integrity of their personal brand story.

A discussion on the importance of storytelling in branding, with examples of water brands like Fiji and Arrowhead.

The speaker connects personal branding to the concept of the 'Persona' and 'Shadow Self' from Carl Jung's psychology.

The idea that personal branding is about remembering and embracing one's authentic self rather than invention is presented.

The speaker reflects on the impact of societal and parental influences on the development of one's persona.

The importance of not pretending to be someone you're not for the sake of societal acceptance is emphasized.

The speaker concludes with the message that personal branding should be about rediscovering and expressing one's true self.

Transcripts

when I try to teach people about

personal branding it's not so much I'm

trying to sell you anything it's mostly

I want to know who the hell I'm supposed

to be in this life and I want to heal

and to show up 100% as I am and when I

can do that oddly enough I seem to

attract more people to

me I have a studio of one right now

right the vision is for it to be more

but I'm curious if I should be building

my personal brand or the studio brand I

I'm just like where should I be focusing

to try to get some traction I'm still

not sure if I fully am committed to this

what I'm about to say but I'm not sure

there's such a thing is a business brand

there's things that people refer to as a

brand as a business but what they're

referring to is the efforts of a

collective team of marketers writers

designers creating an experience it's a

collective thing you know what I mean

it's kind of these things and I think a

lot of us understand what brands do on a

corporate level which is to Market to us

their whole goal was to get us to do

something what I'm trying to do and when

people speak about personal branding

they use the same literal language from

corporate branding and they bring it

over to personal branding they're

designing whatever it is they're

teaching you to go and help you sell

more things I don't know about you but

I'm just tired of people trying to sell

me something I'm just kind of like

allergic to it now and so when I try to

teach people about personal branding

it's not so much I'm trying to sell you

anything it's mostly I want to know who

the hell I'm supposed to be in this life

and I want to heal and to show up 100%

as I am and when I can do that oddly

enough I seem to attract more people to

me if you've read Marty numerous

writings especially in brand flip he

goes we don't want to be sold things but

we love to buy and as it evolves he says

we don't want to buy We join tribes

because we're looking for connection and

meaning in our lives I'd just like to go

into the history of branding a little

bit and you'll start to understand like

why we are where we are and how we may

want to have a different dialogue about

it and and I'm telling you right now for

every single person who's here who wants

to develop their personal brand and if

you do it the way I hope you'll do it

you'll have a competitive advantage over

everybody else who's doing it the wrong

way and I'll just be as polarizing as

like there's a right way and there's a

wrong way okay just to make the argument

for most of our civilization whether you

believe in creation or Evolution we've

been around for a long time we've had to

procure our own food source and make our

own supplies and it's only in the last

let's say 100 years that we''re going

through this Industrial Revolution the

Industrial Age where specialization

starts to happen so we're no longer

growing our own food so what happens is

as we get into specialized skills and

Industrial manufacturing things like

that there's a disproportionate amount

of options that are happening now we're

living in small towns there's a local

grocer there's one a general goods store

and there's only one kind of flower and

as more people specialize competition

happens now they have to distinguish

themselves from each each other and they

create identity and it's just a

distinguish so a point of

differentiation right it makes sense and

as the small town grows into really big

town the grosser no longer knows you on

a personal level can't make

recommendations anymore and so now that

job is now put on the companies so the

company is now standing there with their

packaging with their design the

materials and the colors and the

messaging and so now we have all these

options and one company is trying to

prevent the other company from being a

counterfeit version therefore damaging

their relationship with their customers

cuz they'll get upset and it's like we

didn't sell you that this is the

evolution of Identity Design marketing

and then especially now in the 21st

century we don't have just one kind of

flow or one kind of toothpaste we have

too many kinds of flour and toothpaste

and so the modern concept of branding I

think is only like 30 years old or so

and it's been heightened by internet and

social media cuz now instead of going

somewhere and having limited choice we

have even unlimited choice in so let's

try to understand this then branding is

preference branding is when I have an

irrational emotional connection to a

thing that I shouldn't have but I do cuz

we're irrational emotional people we're

creatures designed to really respond

emotionally so we kind of understand

that right so everything that you need

to understand about braining I think I

just told you in the story format

differentiation and preference and the

way that I choose because we are now

wealthier than we've ever been

individually there's less disease we're

longer lived we're healthier

theoretically so now we have more

resources we have more choice and so

instead of survival we're looking for

meaning there's a quote from an laap and

she said that every dollar you spend is

a vote for the kind of world you want to

live in when I buy Arrowhead versus Voss

versus Fuji I say I would like for those

companies to thrive I joke with my my

kids because my wife and I we like this

little Korean teriyaki chicken place

called Terry and Yaki they hate it my

wife and I we love it it's tasty it's

it's fresh it's it's clean eating and my

older son's like

Dad no it's like only you want to eat

there they're going to go out of

business like boy they've been around in

business longer you've been alive and I

say if they're going to go out of

business I'm going to go over there and

buy 1,000

chickens and now he's like Dad why would

you do that cuz I want to support them

why do I care about them I don't know I

can't even tell you why I mean maybe

because when I was a art center student

or working around here was an affordable

meal and I have some weird connection

ction to that every time I take a bite

maybe it transports me back 30 years I'm

reminded of like my starving self I'm

like this is good still good today so we

have an emotional irrational connection

do you want people to have a preference

for what you do probably then you have a

brand if not you're a commodity now

here's what we know too every product

has a story some stories are good some

stories are not worth mentioning what's

the story of Arrowhead everybody I'm

staring at this bottom I'm almost

certain Arrowhead it's just filtered

water what's the story of Fiji does

anybody know the story of Fiji it feels

exotic who said that exotic yeah it

feels exotic cuz like I'm on vacation

and then they introduced this language

what did they say dgo Aral it's

artisanal water wow Untouched by humans

filtered through Lava Rock of the Vian

islands and then you know what they do

if you look at the bottle first of all

the bottle's different most bottles look

like this their bottle is kind of square

and on the back of the bottle as you're

looking through the water you see a

little bit of Fiji you see what they're

doing to you as far as I know this came

from Colorado and came out a

tap but it's a good story I don't know

what this bottle of Arrowhead costs I'm

assuming not much that's why we have it

it's like 35 cents bottle Fiji is like

three bucks a bottle of boss is like

five bucks cuz it has a different story

why am I talking about all this stuff

what's your story how manufactured is

your story what is the integrity and the

authenticity of your voice is it there I

tell people I say dangerous things

because I pretend like I know what I'm

talking about but as I look into this

idea there's Carl Young and he talks

about this that there are two eles and

it's regulated by our ego our ego

manages who we're going to be in the

world there's the Persona which you're

all very familiar with it's who you

pretend to be to be accepted in society

and all of us are in our Persona we are

it's it's undeniable and then there's

this other side we're like What are we

managing then on the other side of the

Persona is your Shadow Self it's the

ugly stuff it's stuff that no one wants

to talk about it's the stuff that brings

you shame and you feel like if you were

to expose that you'll be ostracized and

there's a good chance you might be from

childhood maybe we're like s or 9 years

old you've gotten the Persona put on you

by your parents most likely you know as

a kid you've said it yourself if you

have children and it's definitely been

said to you don't stare at that person

it's not nice that's just you being you

or I want to eat that or I want to go

there and I think that person's funny or

I think they're cool you just say

whatever it is you want to say because

the ego hasn't been taught how to

regulate how you show up in public right

and like if you eat your boogers when

you're 3 years old people are like don't

do that people get freaked out I'm like

but it's tasty it's salty right it's a

good snack it's all natural it's non GMO

right and you're like you can't do that

so we all stopped eating our boogers so

what happens is when you show up and

pretend to be somebody that you're not

for long enough you forget who the hell

you are and when we get into the

personal branding stuff all I'm trying

to do is get people to remember that's

it it's not invention it's memory

[Music]