Nitin Gupta, founder of QRCodeChimp. He’s a technology leader with over two decades of technology development and management experience.
I met a young Punjabi entrepreneur at a networking event in San Francisco a few years ago. Let’s say his name was Manjit. As startup founders, we bonded quickly.
Manjit was looking for investments for his tech firm. He met every angel investor possible to hand over his visiting cards and deliver a well-rehearsed elevator pitch about his product. He was confident that his energetic pitch would land him the opportunity he sought.
He ended the event with high hopes.
The following year, I met Manjit again at the same event. He revealed that he was still looking for an investor. But this year, he approached them with a different plan.
Instead of a pitch, Manjit had a story to tell—the problem he identified as an expat living in a foreign land, how his product would address it and how millions of expats would benefit from it, promising great ROI.
Manjit’s story worked—he secured seed funding, and I learned a valuable lesson: Personal branding is no longer optional; it has become the foundation of business branding.
The Shift From Business To Personal
The modern customer craves authenticity. Many people want to know the stories and faces behind a company. According to Edelman’s 2023 Trust Barometer, 63% of people trust their neighbors, while 48% trust CEOs. Often customers want to know what an individual says about a brand more than what the brand says about itself. Some entrepreneurs have even become household names because of their voice and presence, making them more relatable to the common person than their companies.
Traditional branding, such as logos, colors and taglines, still matters. However, I’ve noticed that what attracts customers and builds trust with them is the human behind the brand.
Why Personal Branding Works
The short answer is: Emotion wins over noise. Most people don’t want to hear sales pitches. However, people are constantly bombarded by social media ads, marketing emails and website pop-ups, almost exasperating them. Here, personal branding works like a fresh breath of air.
When someone speaks, shares a personal anecdote, tells a story or admits to a mistake, people listen, relate and often connect emotionally. Personal branding allows people to see the human behind the brand.
Why Personal Branding Is Overtaking Traditional Branding:
• The power of word-of-mouth marketing: Back in 2012, a Nielsen study found that 92% of consumers trusted earned media, including individual recommendations, over brand messaging. Fast-forward to today, and much of that trust has shifted to social media influencers and vocal business leaders who shape opinions and drive purchasing decisions.
• Relatability: The efficacy of a human connection is undeniable. When someone hears an entrepreneur talk about dreams, aspirations or failures, they can often instantly relate to the situations—a feat an inanimate object like a corporate brand can’t achieve easily.
• Engagement: Personal stories on LinkedIn and other social media platforms often see higher engagement than brand posts. Why? They feel real and build trust, encouraging people to buy from you, recommend you and invest in you.
• Relevance: Personal branding keeps you visible. When you consistently express your opinion on various trending topics in addition to your business, you stay relevant (so does your brand).
• Legacy: Your personal brand stays with you. Unlike businesses, which can grow, evolve or fail, your words, reputation and presence remain.
The Rise Of Founder-Driven Brands
I think Elon Musk is a good example of personal branding. Many people associate his personality, unfiltered views and futuristic vision directly with his companies like Tesla and SpaceX. Meanwhile Richard Branson’s adventurous, bold personality makes Virgin come across as approachable and daring to many people.
In India, I think Anand Mahindra’s personal brand as someone who’s thoughtful, witty and socially conscious has enhanced Mahindra Group’s global corporate image. And Ankur Warikoo built a massive audience by sharing personal stories, career lessons and failures.
How To Build Your Personal Brand (Without Sounding Fake)
First things first, you don’t need an avant-garde media team or to spend tons of money to build your personal brand. Here’s how to do it instead:
• Pick a platform: Identify your customer demographics and where they spend most of their time. It could be LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter/X or YouTube—or all of these. Start with one platform, be consistent, and scale as your audience grows.
• Share your story: Talk about your journey—why did you start your business, and how are you addressing an issue? Talk about the challenges and the solutions. Trust me, people are more interested in listening to a story than reading product features.
• Offer value: Teach and inspire people. Share lessons, mistakes, wins and insights.
• Be real: Dare to be imperfect. Don’t overthink. People typically connect more to real human personas rather than the sanitized versions.
• Engage: Build a community. Start conversations and respond often. Reply to comments, and show support to people and causes.
The ROI Of Personal Branding
You might be wondering: “Is all this effort worth it?”
Absolutely.
It can shorten sales cycles because people already trust you. It can attract talent because people want to work “with” you, not just your company. It can open doors to speaking gigs, media coverage and partnerships. And it can make your business more resilient because your presence keeps your brand alive.
Final Thoughts
Personal branding is not about ego. It’s about connection. People want to know who you are, not just what you sell. As an entrepreneur, showing up as yourself can be your biggest differentiator. The world doesn’t just need more products—it needs more people who are real, relatable and driven by purpose.
So the next time you think of investing in your business brand, ask yourself—what am I doing to build my brand?
Your face, your voice, your story—it’s the brand people trust.
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