Rebrand Yourself

Did you know that YOU are a BRAND? Yes, you are a brand. Your ideas, your beliefs, your morals, your behaviors, and even your appearance make up your own "Personal Brand". Given that, what type of brand would you consider yourself? Would you be considered Old Spice, or some expensive sounding Eau de Toilette? Would you measure up to be a Five-Star or a Less-Than-a-Star brand?

With the start of a New Year only days behind us, reflect on Your "Personal Brand" and determine if it is in need of retooling. Corporations do it all the time. KFC….err…Kentucky Grilled Chicken, recently decided to redesign its logo and healthier food items to reach out to more health conscious consumers. Some companies evolve by modifying their name or completely changing it. Some seek change by embracing new lifestyles that widen their consumer reach. And then there are some that stay the same forever.

Perhaps you don't need to change at all. However, I suspect that many of us might have one or two things that we want or need to tweak. So how do you resuscitate your Personal Brand? Well that is something that you have to figure out on your own.

But maybe these questions can steer you in the direction of renewal:

• What does my Personal Brand reflect, and am I happy with that? If I am not happy with what my Personal Brand reflects, what would I like to see changed?
• Does my Personal Brand have a positive or negative impact on my life? How about other people?
• Does my Personal Brand align with my core values (In other words, are you who you say you are and or what you believe)?
• Do you value your Personal Brand?
•  Do you have stock in your Personal Brand? (Do you invest in things that allow you to enhance your physical, psychological, or spiritual well-being)?

After answering these questions (and maybe some of your own) consider necessary improvements for your Personal Brand. Remember that change does not happen overnight, but instead in a series of small manageable steps. Even the caterpillar must crawl before soaring as a butterfly.  I look forward to seeing your brand shine in the new decade!

Brandon Gillespie, Contributing Writer