506 - Excitement, Cupcakes, and Business: The Key to Personal Branding
This episode explores how CEOs can build a magnetic personal brand by combining their business pillars with personal passion points. Discover how authenticity and energy drive real influence and connection.
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Excitement, Cupcakes, and Business: The Key to Personal Branding
Effective personal branding is not about perfection; it’s about energy.
In this episode, we explore why the most successful CEO brands are rooted in authenticity, fueled by passion, and aligned with what truly excites you.
1. Excitement Signals Authenticity.
People follow energy. If you’re genuinely excited about something, whether it’s leadership, strategy, or cupcakes, that excitement is contagious. When your audience senses that you care deeply, they lean in and trust you more. Energy builds connection, and connection builds brand.
2. Blend Business With Personal Pillars.
A powerful personal brand balances authority and relatability. The strategic approach? Share 3 business-related content pillars and 2 personal ones. This mix builds credibility while humanizing your brand. Whether it’s cycling, baking, or parenting, your personal side is not a distraction; it’s a differentiator.
3. You’re Already an Expert . Use That.
Everyone is a “nerd” about something. Maybe it’s operational excellence, product innovation, or long-distance running. These are your advantage points, the areas where you know more, care more, and naturally teach more than anyone else in your space. Sharing from this space of depth builds trust and influence.
4. Your Brand Is Already Inside You.
You don’t need to invent a personal brand; you need to reveal it. What do you talk about when you’re not performing? What do your team or friends always ask for your advice on? What gets you into a flow state? The answers to those questions are your brand DNA.
Final Thought:
A personal brand that works isn’t a curated performance; it’s a strategic alignment of who you are, what you love, and how you lead.
If you want to lead with influence and leave a legacy, start with what excites you. This episode shows you how.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction: What Are You Excited About?
00:09 Personal Excitements and Passions
00:29 Using Excitement for Business
00:42 Balancing Business and Personal Topics
00:49 Deep Knowledge and Expertise
Links:
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Transcript:
What are you excited about? Because we are not going into huge branding exercise now that will take too long, but what are the things you're excited about that's important for you? Like, I'm excited about humans, I'm excited about leadership. I'm excited about long distance events running and cycling and so on.
I'm excited about whatever you are, cupcakes, because you can talk about these things. And I, of course use that for my business. What I have for my view, if you follow me on social media, I'm sorry, but you are going to see this all the time. From now on, I will talk 80% about my business topics. So I have three pillars that are business and two pillars that are personal and it always works.
So what are you knowledgeable about? What are the things you deeply care and you know. And know more than anyone else in your ecosystem. There are always things where you are the nerd in this topic. You might not share that openly, but there are things you really know and know more about than anyone else.
