A Framework for Your Personal Brand

Over the last ten years, the concept of a personal brand has become a part of career management vocabulary.

This trend has coincided with the rise of social and web media – blogs, YouTube, Instagram, and the like.

Prior to this, one only had a career reputation generally limited to within one’s company or a narrow slice of one’s industry (typically regionally). 

Here’s a simple framework for thinking about developing your personal brand.

Personal Brand = Reputation x Amplification via Media

Today, I’d argue that I have a personal brand through my work at CaseInterview.com.

I’ve been asked repeatedly how I developed a personal brand reaching close to a million people a year in 100 countries around the world. Readers have asked with the intention of replicating the process in their own industries.

The secret is actually somewhat counter-intuitive.

Personal brands always, always start with your reputation.

Your reputation is always built ONE PERSON at a time.

I’ve only had a personal brand in the consulting field for the last five years or so.

BUT, I’ve had a good career reputation starting from about a year after graduating from Stanford.

I’ve never had the intention of developing a personal brand.

However, I have always been conscious of doing good work consistently and being mindful of my reputation.

That said, I have been deliberate in using the web and social media to reach and serve larger audiences. The byproduct has been the amplification of my reputation through these efforts culminating in a personal brand.

This may seem like semantics, but the very subtle distinction is important to grasp.

I never set out to be well known.

I did set out to do good work, and to do it for as many people as possible.

In subsequent articles, I’ll discuss how to manage your personal reputation and to amplify that reputation through media. If you are interested in receiving these articles, just complete the form below.