DISQUS

Eric Brown · 8 months ago

Hi John
Great Post for the Small Business owner. I agree with you and have no issue with personal branding, but building a small business, and an associated brand for that business is very, very different than obtaining a bunch of followers on twitter.

Love your work!

Joseph T. Dager · 8 months ago

I have to agree with you John. Especially when looking at professional services who build a business around their name. I think at some point in time many wish they had not. I have seen muli-multi million companies with cutomers still saying that they bought this from "Don" instead of the company. Though it made the sale, did it really serve in growing the company.

I actually think a company is worth more with a company name(brand) over a professional name when it comes to selling it.
But how do you know, what was your aha moment when you switched and what drove you to do it?

P.S. I think you get paid quicker with an individual name over a company name. :)

Rob Frankel · 8 months ago

Yep. For more, you may want to visit http://robfrankel.blogspot.com/search?q=persona...
This has begun to pull the wool AWAY from many victim's eyes.

Ike Pigott · 8 months ago

Empty branding is worse than hot air, it's cold helium.

(At least with hot air, you can do something useful like pop popcorn.)

Lindy Asimus · 8 months ago

It is a subtle distinction that some seem to find difficult to grasp - that between 'building a job' and having a business. Not even that one may be more virtuous than the other... but knowing which it is that one wants, means that the appropriate strategy can be put into place to achieve that outcome.

They are two quite different strategies needed in order to do so.

Peter Renton · 8 months ago

Great post John. I think you hit the nail on the head by focusing on the intention of the business owner. Selling a business that is really a personal brand is a problem. When I went to sell my first business several years ago the business broker I hired was concerned about how much of "me" was in the company. I always thought that was one my company's greatest assets, but it became a liability in selling the business. I ended up changing some things to make the business less personal and more of a business brand.

The best idea for anyone starting a business is to think of the exit strategy before you start. This way you can decide how you will position yourself inside your company, and as you say it all begins with a name.

EH · 8 months ago

Very true. I have seen several businesses that collapsed at the change of ownership because the business was actually built around the person and not the business itself. If someone builds the business around themselves (intentionally or not) it ends up running their life instead of them running their business. This usually burns out the owner and is a common cause as to why people sell their small businesses. Unfortunately for the new owner, this change is what tends to bring about the demise of their new purchase.

Joshua-Michéle Ross · 8 months ago

John,
Through your lens - "business is not personal" and I agree - A healthy business and brand is usually about more than one person. But business is absolutely becoming more personal. Our touchpoints with constituents (customers, employees etc.) have increased dramatically, businesses no longer have the upper hand in controlling the flow of communications and consumer internet social tools like Facebook, Twitter, Blogs etc. have given customers an expectation to interact with the companies they do business with.

Eric Holmlund · 8 months ago

Great article! One point of balance I would add...

While a personally branded business may be more difficult to sell, it's not impossible. Nor are personal branding and true business building mutually exclusive.

I recently saw an interview on TV with Kathy Ireland. Her brand has released over 15,000 products and does billions of dollars of sales. Her brand has equity and it will continue beyond her.

Look at Charles Schwab, Edward Jones, or any of countless personal brands that have grown beyond the founder, and are no longer dependent on their namesake's existence.

I agree with everything you said though...

"It’s really not a right way or wrong way, it’s a strategic choice, but know the consequences of the choice."

Exactly. New business startups need to start with the end in mind. If their primary goal is to sell out, a personal brand is probably not the way to go.

"Funny thing is it’s actually easier to build a personal brand online than it is to build a business brand"

Agreed. And because of that, I think it's better for many aspiring entrepreneurs to go the personal branding route. The fact is, most new businesses fail. So if personal branding is going to give them a better chance of breaking into their market and being successful, that objective might outweigh the possibility of selling the business for top dollar someday.

Brandon R Allen · 8 months ago

All good points. I think that personal branding can be used as a tool to position your self in a space but by itself is a poor lone business strategy for long term growth. In business, it's a fine line. While you don't want the business to be all about you. You want people to know the people behind the business and get a feel for who they are. Great post.

Elisa · 8 months ago

Valuable perspective. The personal branding concept is beat to death, but this is the first time I've thought of it in this sense. I referenced your blog in comments on http://printceo.com/2009/04/social-media-is-for... because it is so helpful.

Keep up the good work!

Elisa
Cedar Graphics
www.cedargraphicsinc.com

CollegiateLiving · 8 months ago

great post...although I struggle with taking my own business to the next level...any and all info you have relating to pure e-business, and taking that to the next level would be wonderful...how to go from 40 orders a month to 400?

Blog marketing, SEO, social networking, backlinks...i've heard it all...tell me something that I have not heard just yet...

Business Brokers Perth · 8 months ago

I completely agree, we're business brokers in Perth Western Australia. I see a great many business's which we have to value and package for sale. This process is in many cases difficult, especially if the business owner is very close to the operations side of the business, or worst his reputation is so synthesised with the brand that to remove him will greatly reduce the value of the business because he is the brand. Business owners need to be very careful and focus on marketing the brand and the organisation rather than themselves. This is especially hard when it comes to personal services business’s. Good work on your article.

GMO Business Brokers
www.buyabusiness.com.au

tbrunelle · 8 months ago

John,

I mentioned on Twitter that, "I love and reject that quote from @ducttape, 'Don’t confuse personal branding with building a business.'" The "more on this" you requested is aptly dissected by both Peter Renton and Eric Holmlund below. I struggle to add more to their wisdom.

We started Hello Viking as Hello Viking because we just weren't attracted to the idea of an ad agency with our names on the door. But in the marketing industry, Who You Are is quite often strongly associated with Where You Work. So I do very much equate my personal brand with my business brand. I think I absolutely have to.

At least, for now. Much of what you discuss here has to do with time, doesn't it? Until the point comes where others see value in your business, and want to acquire it, who cares how much or how little the business and personal brands are intertwined? The point is to get to that point, by whatever means, right? If the personal brand gets you to the sale, then that's great.

So I love the idea you've put forth—after a fashion. But at the outset, I think any effort is good effort (personal or business), provided it grows the business.

Thanks for getting my brain going.

Tim

Nicole · 8 months ago

This is a great article. Very insightful. Personal branding may take your business from nothing to a small endeavor but its rather unlikely that you'll ever get to Tony Robbins status. Why not aim to be the kids on the block that build something so successful that others are willing to pay big bucks to buy it (think YouTube).

Of course some businesses are the person and not all the stuff that goes with it such as speakers.

There are also those personal brands that can still be sold. As Eric pointed out some big names, we know it isn't those names running those businesses anymore. However, it started with the name or the name supported the success.

getbizsanity · 8 months ago

I agree wholeheartedly with your point John, but want to add one thing - as the principal of a company, you need to focus on building the company brand, but to support that brand, you must make sure that your own actions and behaviors are in alignment with it.

Drew Schiller · 8 months ago

I couldn't agree more that business owners need to consider how their personal actions reflect on their brand. I know a restaurant owner who used to annoy customers by talking their ear off when they were dining. Even though he doesn't do this anymore, I still hear people complain about how they don't visit his restaurant as often because they are afraid of him spoiling their conversation.

surveillance camera systems · 8 months ago

Nice post! Branding is all about what others think, whether the brand is you or your client, your strongest asset is you—the person driving the business. If a business stand out because of his name, it is not a business for everyone, it will not provide a good service for each employee and for the clients. But if you marked a name for the business because of good things done, it is a remarkable way for the business to turn on its way to success.

Nancy Rothrock · 8 months ago

Going to be up late doing some research on my new DiabetesDailyDiary...Duct Tape Marketing rocks!

David Sandusky · 8 months ago

I generally agree with your post and am concerned about the online personal and business brand"ing" experts although many provide helpful content; what ever you call it.

When I started Your Brand, LLC (5th yr) out of a successful retained recruiting career, I did it because of the obvious experience/feeling we have with the person who can 'do it even better next time'. That feeling or brand can be taught in a strategy.

Not just the must-have executive I convinced to make a move-that is easy on brand subjects. It was the entrepreneur who built a successful brand and our ability to raise money around the personal brand who we trust to do it again. The unnamed unmistakable personal brand that we know. They are rare as is any great brand.

Michelle · 5 months ago

I like the title. May be you are right. Start up businesses should take advantage of free marketing to get exposed, there are some interesting companies like http://www.adwido.com came with such opportunity.