Personal Brand or Company Brand?

The Growth Insight 🌱

Personal Brand or Company Brand? The Million-Dollar Question

Ever notice how everyone's screaming at you to build your personal brand? "Be like Elon! Be like Gary Vee!" they say. Create content, go viral, or risk becoming irrelevant in the AI age.

But here's the uncomfortable truth they're not telling you: building a personal brand might be the biggest business mistake you'll ever make.

I know, controversial. But after helping over 1,000 entrepreneurs build their brands and growing both personal (75k+ LinkedIn followers) and company brands, I've seen the dark side of personal branding that most "experts" conveniently ignore.

Let's cut through the noise and get real about this.

The Personal Brand Promise vs Reality

When it works, it's magical:

• Your DMs flood with opportunities

• Speaking gigs land in your lap

• Investors actually respond to your emails

• Your network expands exponentially

• Money-making opportunities multiply

But here's the brutal catch: Your business becomes unsellable.

Think about it. If all your leads come through your personal LinkedIn, if every customer knows you as "the face," how do you ever step away? It's like building a prison with really nice walls.

The Company Brand Alternative

Building a company brand isn't as sexy. It won't get you invited to podcasts or make you a LinkedIn influencer. But it might just save your business:

• Your marketing can be outsourced

• Your company has actual value without you

• You can sell when you want to

• Hate comments don't keep you up at night

• Your team can contribute to growth

The Smart Way Forward

Here's my controversial take: Start with the company brand first. Build systems, create scalable content, establish your business as its own entity. Then, if you want the personal brand benefits, layer that on top.

Why? Because:

1. It's easier to build a personal brand off company success

2. You maintain optionality for selling

3. You can test what works without personal reputation risk

4. Your business value isn't tied to your social media presence

The Decision Framework

Ask yourself:

• Do you want to sell in the next 5 years?

• Can you handle public criticism?

• Do you have time to create content personally?

• Is your ego ready for public scrutiny?

Your answers should guide your strategy.

Remember: You can always add a personal brand later, but it's nearly impossible to separate yourself from a business that's built entirely around you.

The bottom line? Don't let the personal branding hype train derail your business goals. Build what serves your long-term vision, not what looks good on social media.

And if someone tells you that you "must" build a personal brand? Show them the exit. The only thing you "must" do is build a sustainable business that works for you, not the other way around.

Credit: Adapted from insights by Neal O'Grady at Demand Curve

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