When you’ve invested time and money on a great product you needn’t spend months formulating a catchy brand name— our taste buds still tingle for the sweets once branded Unclaimed Babies.
Building a personal brand means providing so much value in your niche that people and even your audience begin to associate your name with the idea of what it means to be successful in that industry.
Many notable entrepreneurs have marketed products with their own monikers and successfully blended personality and innovation to build trust. So here’s how five famous entrepreneurs became the brand.
1. Boxing clever
George Foreman is a shoo-in for most heavyweight top 10 lists. But winning the Olympics and world title didn’t save him from bankruptcy when his career first hit the canvas in the late 1980s.
Not satisfied with regaining the world title at the age of 45, he reinvented himself as the face of the world’s most famous grilling machine. That journey took him from the verge of homelessness to an estimated $300 million fortune.
2. Groomed for the top
Mark Hill has come a long way from Saturday boy in his local salon to international entrepreneur.
Whether you want a curling wand set in Wandsworth or some hairspray in Singapore, his products are ubiquitous. His gradual climb to the top of the hairdressing world means he’s built a loyal customer base always eager to snap up his latest products.
3. Oliver’s army
Jamie Oliver’s career has transformed him from self-proclaimed school failure to millionaire business mogul.
But it’s not just about the money for Jamie – his socially-conscious projects now transcend cookery and provide second chances for disadvantaged youngsters across the UK.
His political lobbying has also led to healthy school meals and a tax on sugary drinks. Not bad for a former Essex sous chef.
4. Sensational Suggs
Zoe Suggs (better known as Zoella) became an internet sensation in the space of a short few years. Her YouTube vlog has 11 million viewers and she’s used her own experience of coping with the pressures of fame to help young fans coping with stress and anxiety.
And a busy schedule means she needs to make sacrifices – she was recently too busy to accept an invitation from Prince Harry for afternoon tea.
4. Instagram idol
Health and fitness guru Kayla Itsines has harnessed the power of six million Instagram followers to build an entrepreneurial empire.
In 2008 the awesome Antipodean was frustrated that the fitness classes at her gym didn’t garner good results. She decided she could do better and now her Bikini Body Guide and Sweat with Kayla App have made her a global icon.
Now known as the Instagram Fitness Queen, she’s come a long way from anonymity in an Adelaide gym.
This diverse group of gurus have become their brands in unique ways but every one of them spells success. Building a personal brand takes time and effort, but it’s worth it. The need for a personal brand will continue to rise. It’s the one thing that no one can take away from you and it can follow you throughout your career.