How 4 Influencers Built Their Personal Brands From Scratch

How 4 Influencers Built Their Personal Brands From Scratch

He has amassed millions of social media followers and appears in every major business publication you can think of -- all without starting a major company on his own or writing a business book you can name off the top of your head. Kawasaki was one of the first real social media influencers, and he used Twitter to elevate his brand and attract followers who cared about what he was saying. In Kawasaki's own words, “A large social media presence is important because it’s one of the last ways to conduct cost-effective marketing. Today, his blog of the same name has more than 23 million readers. Some would chalk it up to the instant fame he got from writing his book, but that wouldn’t be fair. What separates Patel from his competition and helps him build a hugely influential personal brand? Patel is also willing to spend money on quality content for his readers. That’s why everyone should start branding themselves in college. Your personal brand will most likely outlast everything else you do. So here’s the million-dollar question: What will your personal brand be about?

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How 4 Influencers Built Their Personal Brands From Scratch

When it comes to branding, there are two kinds of business owners: those who prefer to stay behind the scenes and let their companies do the talking, and those that outshine even the million-dollar companies they leave behind.

As a marketer, I’ve always wondered why some entrepreneurs are able to take their personal brands to the next level and became household names while others try their hardest to get noticed but never seem to get a lucky break.

Let’s take a look at four famous influencers who rode their 15 minutes of fame into the sunset, and see if we can figure out what sets them apart.

1. Guy Kawasaki

Guy Kawasaki has an estimated net worth of $30 million. Yet many people have never heard of him. In fact, one of the top Quora pages about him is titled “What is Guy Kawasaki famous for?

Kawasaki started out as one of Apple’s early employees. Today, he is the chief evangelist at Canva and helps get tech startups off the ground. He has amassed millions of social media followers and appears in every major business publication you can think of — all without starting a major company on his own or writing a business book you can name off the top of your head.

How did he do it? By effectively using social media. Kawasaki was one of the first real social media influencers, and he used Twitter to elevate his brand and attract followers who cared about what he was saying. He didn’t need a business or even a best-selling book because he didn’t wait for his audience to find him — he just started shouting from the hilltops.

In Kawasaki’s own words, “A large social media presence is important because it’s one of the last ways to conduct cost-effective marketing. Everything else involves buying eyeballs and ears. Social media enables a small business to earn eyeballs and ears.”

2. Ramit Sethi

Ramit Sethi has been called “Generation Y’s favorite personal finance advisor.” It all started when Sethi wrote a best-selling book on personal finance called I Will Teach You To Be Rich. Today, his blog of the same name has more than 23 million readers. His fans are so loyal that they host meetups around the world to discuss his teachings. You can’t make this stuff up.

What’s the secret to Sethi’s success? Some would chalk it up to the instant fame he got from writing his book, but that wouldn’t be fair. Plenty of people have written best-selling books but couldn’t leverage their newfound fame. Sethi separated himself from the pack by continuing to give his readers fantastic, actionable advice on a regular basis.

He relentlessly tests and launches new businesses,…

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