Personal brand, or ego? « THE DREAM IN ACTION

August 9, 2010
Posted by Ryan Graves

Personal brand, or ego?

The importance of being represented well online is as high today as it has ever been. With the potential of being hired (or not) riding on a Google search, or a look through your Twitter feed, the name you make (or break) for yourself on the internet is critical. With social media going from nerd to main stream the projection of your reputation from the real world to the web has happened quickly and people have made their careers riding that momentum.

Whether you’re Gary Vaynerchuk turning a daily internet wine show into a career building and advising web businesses, writing about using a personal brand to build a business, and eventually owning the Jets ;) …

If you’re Tila Tequila strutting your way from MySpace to MTV and beyond…

The web acts as a megaphone for a persons reputation. An individuals reach and impact is expanded at zero cost, and because of it, everybody should embrace their reputation or if I have to say it, personal brand on the web.

But, the idea of a “personal brand” has been taken too far. Personal brand is just a trendy way to say, my ego! Get over it. Over the past few weeks I’ve had one too many experiences where an individual loved talking about the way that sharing certain content or associating with certain people (on twitter) or venues (on foursquare) might affect their brand. Stop talking about your brand and start living it. If you’re trying to project something different onto your online personal brand than you project into your offline real life, then your online reputation is first, flawed and will not be sustainable. Second, you’re a fraud and your ‘personal brand’ is just a fasle projection of your ego. So give it up.

The great personal brands out their are the one’s that are 100% consistent with their offline counterparts. That is all.

0 Comments

Posted Under People & Leadership

JonHearty 133 pts

The hardest part about personal branding, in my experience, is being yourself. The time between thinking about something and making it public online has created a state of hesitation and self-consciousness that dilutes a person's true voice. I was always told to think about something before I said it, but when it comes to blogging and other online interaction, maybe there is a better rule to follow.

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dannydev 19 pts

I agree that essentially the terms personal brand and one's ego are interchangable but I don't necessarily think so long as you represent yourself accurately it's a bad thing. Like Gary Vaynerchuck, I find that being outspoken and opinionated about topics i'm passionate about help drive home more abstract or controversial points and make yourself (as a personal brand or your ego) more memorable.

I saw garyvee speak at FOWA Miami this past spring and I personally still think it was one of the most entertaining and inspiring talk of the conference.

taylorgraves 10 pts

Also I can't stand Tila Tequila, ha.

I know someone who just got fired on the first day at a job for having to loud of a "personal brand". The company frowned on the way he interacted with others... the way he had presented himself online didn't quite add up with who he was in person I guess.

I try never to post or tweet anything I wouldn't talk about or stick to in "real life".

Great post.

jkretch 300 pts

There are a few phrases that make me cringe every time I hear them, "Personal brand" is one of them. I think you're right that ego is the big driver for people to feel they need to "tend" to their digital personas, that and a false sense of importance. Who are you hanging out with anyway who actually says crap like that? Ick.

Now, time to go fake check in at at least 3 different bars and a museum before I head hom for the day.