Why personal branding is critical for CEOs and founders in the digital age

Authored by Subhashis K Chakraborty, Founder & Managing Director, Value4Brand

What’s common between Ashneer Grover, Ankur Warikoo, GaryVee and Elon Musk, besides the obvious, i.e. all of them being iconic entrepreneurs? Don’t scratch your heads too much; here’s the answer – all of them have established exemplary personal brands that have, time and again, overshadowed the brand value of the companies they own(ed)!

Gone are the days when CEOs could afford to hide behind the proverbial curtains of remaining “busy in the business” rather than being the ‘face of the company’. In today’s hyper-connected digital era where information access has been democratized and the Internet has turned us all into global citizens, it has become imperative for present-day CEOs and Founders to lead as well as communicate from the front, and express their unique perspectives, opinions, journeys and stories predominantly using online mediums.  

Enter personal branding – the most potent asset and biggest game-changer for CEOs/Founders in the contemporary digital age.

Why Personal Branding Matters for Today’s Entrepreneurs

History has proven that the public perception of a company’s Founder/Owner/CEO often determines its reputation and success prospects. So, why not strategically invest in shaping a desirable, positive image for yourself as a business leader to amplify opportunities for personal expression, professional networking, and value-creation? Well, that’s what personal branding is all about.

Let’s look at the following research-backed, startling statistics:

• 82% potential consumers are more likely to trust a company, while 77% of them are likely to buy from a company whose top execs are active on social media
• Over 50% millennials expect CEOs to speak out on societal issues

If you’re still not convinced on why personal branding is essential for you as a Founder and/or CEO, here are a few more compelling arguments:

• As businesses constantly strive to capture our attention online, consumers are often bombarded or flooded with content and digital information on the Internet. Amid this information overload and increasing competition, establishing your personal brand can make yourself and your brand stand out while creating and managing a self-driven narrative.
• No matter how much we automate our business operations, people (humans) will always tend to do business with people. Personal branding can play a pivotal role in ‘humanizing’ your brand story – which is becoming more important than ever with the surging influence of AI.
• Fostering trust has emerged as the cornerstone of business growth and success in the digital age. To that end, your personal brand enables enhancing its trust-quotient and credibility by demonstrating your transparency, accountability and knowledge online.
• A strategic personal brand emphasizing around showcasing thought-leadership increases your authority as a business leader in the industry, which in turn can eventually enhance your market share and help gain distinct competitive advantage.

Furthermore, from helping in acquisition of top talent to gaining investors’ attention, nurturing a community of loyal customers-turned-fans and much more – the list of how your personal brand can supercharge your entrepreneurial aspirations is practically endless. When done right, in the long run, an impactful personal brand serves as a magnet for attracting numerous unforeseen, unexpected opportunities, thereby increasing your ‘luck surface area’ (scope to get lucky) as an entrepreneur, and providing unimaginable returns/benefits beyond the traditional metrics-driven realms.

The Next Steps & the Way Forward

Now, if you’re aiming to build your personal brand as an entrepreneur, you might be wondering where to begin from. Today, with the digital revolution empowering and providing a level-playing field to all startups/businesses worldwide, there are numerous digital platforms – including your website, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube and more – where one can build their personal brand. Of course, based on their USP and target audience, one needs to carefully analyze and choose which platform(s) to proceed with.

However, even after one has figured out the most appropriate digital platform(s) for personal branding, there are many more nuanced, strategic aspects that remains to be taken care of – from devising content strategies to ensuring the content echoes your startup’s tune, focusing on visual branding to navigating the ever-evolving dynamics of digital algorithms, maintaining an active social media presence and so on. Implementing all of this can seem daunting for an entrepreneur who is just getting started with his/her personal branding endeavors; and this is exactly where personal branding service providers come in. By collaborating with a personal branding expert and staying true to the non-negotiable pillars of authenticity and consistency, building a memorable, engaging and lasting personal brand can become a cakewalk for entrepreneurs. 

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and Adgully.com does not necessarily subscribe to it.

Also Read: Why personal branding is important?