I was speaking to a client last week - a world-class athlete and they said something that stuck with me:
“I didn’t really value that side of it before. But working with you has completely flipped that. I now see how much a personal brand can impact your career, your transition, even your next business.”
That line captured something I see every week:
Most people don’t ignore personal branding because they’re lazy.
They ignore it because they don’t see what it really is.
Not a logo. Not a highlight reel.
But a tool that opens doors you didn’t even know were shut.
Still, most treat it like a nice to have.
“I’ll get to it once things calm down.”
“I’m not ready yet.”
“I’ll focus on it after this launch… this season… this project…”
And I get it. When you're busy building, delivering, or competing, brand feels like decoration not the main event.
But here's the uncomfortable truth:
If you’re not building your brand with intent, you’re making growth harder than it needs to be.
Because everything you want - more inbound leads, more trust, more opportunity - gets easier when the right people know who you are and what you stand for.
Not later.
Not someday.
Now.
Visibility isn’t vanity. It’s leverage.
Most of the founders, athletes, or practitioners I work with come in thinking visibility is about ego or exposure.
It’s not.
It’s about building demand you don’t have to chase.
The right positioning and presence can open doors that hard work alone won’t.
It gets your message seen by the people who need it.
It builds pre-trust before the call, pitch, or DM.
It creates compound visibility, so your name keeps working even when you’re not.
And here’s the kicker:
It’s one of the only engines you don’t have to pay to switch on.
You’ve already got the expertise.
You’ve already got a perspective.
You’ve already got the platforms.
You just haven’t fully turned the key.
Your brand is already saying something. The question is what.
If you’ve been putting brand off because you’re not sure how to do it “properly,” that’s okay.
But know this:
Not showing up clearly is still sending a message.
No content?
No positioning?
That’s not neutrality, that’s confusion.
And confused audiences don’t buy, refer or remember.
So the move isn’t to wait until it’s perfect.
It’s to start showing up intentionally, so you’re known for the right things, by the right people, at the right time.
Want to get started? Do this first.
Pick one platform you already use - LinkedIn, Instagram, email, whatever.
Then answer this question in one post, story, or email:
What’s the one thing I believe about (insert your field) that others don’t?
That’s the beginning of your positioning.
It’s not about going viral.
It’s about showing people who you are and how you think.
One belief. One post. One step forward.
Final Thought
You don’t have to build a brand like a full-time creator.
You don’t have to post every day or chase thousands of followers.
But if you want to build trust at scale and stop relying purely on effort, referrals or luck - you do need to start now.
Because your brand isn’t a bonus. It’s the engine.
That’s it for this week.
Keep building.
Alex