Jeff Gundersen

When it comes to Managing Your Personal Brand, as your coach, it is my job to remind you how important it is for you to be On Brand In ALL You DO!

This topic is so incredibly relevant that I really want to keep driving home this message called Personal Brand.

It is easy to forget now where you were when the economic tsunami hit because things are on the move again. I know where I was: taking inventory of my own personal brand and those of my clients and taking us all to the next level – a time well spent.

I believe we all need to remember what occurred so we can now be over-prepared and build reserves for the next big challenge. For some of you, what occurred recently was outright painful, fearful and sometimes downright pathetic because you did not have the structure in place to maintain a sense of calm through the storm.

[Read more…] about Personal Brand IQ

As we crawl through this gradual economic recovery, we cannot emphasize enough the importance of personal brand repositioning and reinvention. They are now critical tools in the executive career management toolbox and will continue to be important personal strategic best practices for the future.

If we look at repositioned corporate brands such as GM and Chrysler, they have emerged from bankruptcy as smaller, restructured businesses and returned to profitability, hiring employees once again. Together with Ford (restructured outside of bankruptcy), they are leading a recovery in the important automotive sector.

EXECUTIVES, are you taking the cue?

[Read more…] about Reinvent, Recreate & Reposition

Apple, Godiva and Google are just a few brands that I easily identify with. Why? Because when I think of them I know what the brands stand for – dependability, quality and consistency. I always know what I am going to get with those companies; there is no mystery. Even if other companies are more price-competitive, I stay loyal to these brands because I know they don’t waste my time.

Same thing applies to our own personal brands. If you have a strong personal brand presence, people will feel the same about you! And when they do, you won’t have to chase opportunities, they will naturally come to you. People will refer you easily because they trust you, because there is no mystery.

So my question to you is: are you chasing opportunities and customers or is your personal brand a magnet for great things? When it is, you’ll be able to focus more on delivery and maybe even a little more fun!

[Read more…] about A Brand Called You!

By William Arruda

It’s so easy to get your name out these days. But to what end? Just like all corporate-branding plans, your personal-branding activities need to be a part of a well-conceived strategy — one that will help you achieve your goals and increase your professional fulfillment.

As I watch people build their personal brands on the Web, I see a lot of personal-branding disasters — efforts that detract from brand value rather than increase it. Here are the personal-branding mistakes I see repeated over and over. Avoid them to build a powerful and compelling presence that increases your brand equity.

[Read more…] about 10 Ways to Wreck Your Personal Brand

Since change is the only constant these days, your career management strategy needs to be an ongoing activity, and personal branding is one vehicle to drive your success for the future.

To paraphrase Warren Buffet, “When the tide goes out, you don’t want to be left standing there without your bathing suit.” Such a visual — is it not? Do you remember what you would have done differently to be better prepared to ride the last recession wave?

This week, a high-level executive and past client approached us to request another six-month coaching relationship. When we asked about her current challenges, she responded, “I really do not have any. I just wanted to be over-prepared and start evaluating my next move.” I have great respect for her. She didn’t wait until there was a personal brand “emergency” before she hired us!

[Read more…] about Personal Brand Sustainability