5 painless ways to build your personal brand

As an executive coach, I work with founders every day to help them lead their teams, implement the right tools and processes, and grow personally. Entrepreneurs have a lot of motivation, both to improve themselves and, of course, to ensure the success of their business, so they are more often than not incredibly open to my coaching.

But there is one area that many founders shy away from. When I start talking with them about building a personal brand, they often become defensive and stubbornly resistant.

I can understand that. A founder wants to spend time building the product, talking to customers, and running the business. Building their brands often seems superficial and a waste of valuable time.

But it's a mistake to ignore your personal brand. As a founder, the atmosphere around you can open doors. When you raise your profile, you become a thought leader and that expertise benefits your business. And of course, the better known you are, the better known your company is.

So here are 5 ways to (painlessly) build your brand.

Remember your goal

If building your brand is all about you, it's no wonder you feel a bit gross when you think about it. But building your brand is not about you at all. It's about what you stand for and why you built your business. It's telling the world how great your product, service, and business is. It's bragging about your world-class team and their phenomenal talent for creating, leveraging and attracting customers.

As a founder, you have a unique platform to raise awareness so people can get to know you better, get interested in your business, and ultimately help your business grow into a huge success. And also, to let the world know about your life-changing products. Wouldn't he be stingy to keep the secret?

Build your network

And speaking of other people, one way to build your brand is to let others do it for you. People meet you, they learn about what you do, and they become part of the tribe around you who can recommend you, vouch for you, and help spread the word about you and your business.

This is one of the many reasons why it's important to organize and nurture your network. There are thousands of books and articles to help you do this, but the most important tool is taking the time to meet new people. Find ways to make sure you meet a diverse group of people and remember to stay in touch.

express yourself

Many people are nervous about speaking in public, so if this is your case, know that you are not alone. But since you're the founder, people want to hear from you. There's a lot more to public speaking than standing around Tony Robbins style in an auditorium. You can chat by the fire, participate in a panel, do an informal technical discussion or even lead a workshop. Start in ways that only make you a little nervous and build your comfort zone from there.

Say yes to the press

This one is sort of obvious...