My past-time sometimes leads to me immersing myself in business-related education. Podcasts are an avenue I seem to connect with, and I learn something new each episode. There are a few podcasts that I have found that are a cut above the rest. I really enjoy the podcast Entrepreneur on Fire (https://www.eofire.com/podcast/). John Lee Dumas is the narrator and a prolific podcaster that engages with a fantastic group of entrepreneurs who share wisdom. Recently, I was enthralled by the “Brand is Gravity” episode with Paul Daly.
In this episode, Paul shares 5 elements for building a brand.
- Honesty – understand who you are, what you bring to the market, and what your unique selling points are.
- Empathy – strive to understand before being understood.
- Attention – do something to get your buyer’s attention.
- Connection – the brand can build relationships, customer loyalty, a tribe.
- Care – it is an ongoing relationship with someone. No one is genuinely loyal who does not care about your brand.
As an entrepreneur myself, I pondered the difference between personality, character, and brand. Since I am my business, they have to be the same, right? Not really. In looking to define each, here’s where I landed:
Personality: a particular way of thinking, feeling, and behaving. (britannica.com)
My personality is the different aspects of my individuality. My essence, traits, mannerisms, and nature. I may embrace bits and pieces of me while I work that I may not want to show to all of my clients. For example, I wear my emotions on my sleeve and I am sometimes hesitant to welcome change. Appreciating others and serving my clients with my expertise and empathy is important to me, which is also part of my personality.
Character: the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing. (dictionary.com)
My character is a combination of traits where I put place value. Integrity, honesty, loyalty, affection, and accountability are all parts of my character that I strive to demonstrate. If you are looking for an interesting assignment, do this Values and Needs exercise.
Brand: A brand is a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers. (Wikipedia)
Then there is my brand. In my business, my brand is me and the product I deliver.
David Ogilvy defined a brand as “the intangible sum of a product’s attributes.” It is about who I am in the minds of my client audience. My vision statement sums up the core of my brand:
“To be a reliable and trusted resource for individuals with ADHD. To create a safe, judgment-free environment where individuals can learn about themselves, learn from others, and create the life they want to live.”
The statement also alludes to bits of my character: integrity, honesty, reliability, and loyalty. This is my brand. When you think of your business, or yourself, what do you want your brand to say about you?
Cindy Jobs
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