What do you think?
Rate this book
The Brand You 50 (Reinventing Work): Fifty Ways to Transform Yourself from an "Employee" into a Brand That Shouts Distinction, Commitment, and Passion!
Michael Goldhaber, writing in Wired, said, "If there is nothing very special about your work, no matter how hard you apply yourself you won't get noticed and that increasingly means you won't get paid much either. In times past you could be obscure yet secure -- now that's much harder."
the white collar job as now configured is doomed. Soon. ("Downsizing" in the nineties will look like small change.) So what's the trick? There's only distinction. Or as we call it, turning yourself into a brand . . . Brand You.
A brand is nothing more than a sign of distinction. Right? Nike. Starbucks. Martha Stewart. The point (again): that's not the way we've thought about white collar workers--ourselves--over the past century. The "bureaucrat" on the finance staff is de facto faceless, plugging away, passing papers.
But now, in our view, she is born again, transformed from bureaucrat to the new star. She works in a professional service firm and works on projects that she'll be able to brag about years from now.
I call her/him the New American Professional, CEO of Me Inc. (even if Me Inc. is currently on someone's payroll) and, of course, of Brand You.
Step #1 in the model was the organization . . .a department turned into PSF 1.0. Step #2 is the individual . . .reborn as Brand You.
In 50 essential points, Tom Peters shows how to be committed to your craft, choose the right projects, how to improve networking, why you need to think fun is cool, and why it's important to piss some people off. He will enable you to turn yourself into an important and distinctive commodity. In short, he will show you how to turn yourself into . . . Brand You.
See also the other 50List titles in the Reinventing Work series by Tom Peters -- The Project50 and The Professional Service Firm50 -- for additional information on how to make an impact in the professional world.
the white collar job as now configured is doomed. Soon. ("Downsizing" in the nineties will look like small change.) So what's the trick? There's only distinction. Or as we call it, turning yourself into a brand . . . Brand You.
A brand is nothing more than a sign of distinction. Right? Nike. Starbucks. Martha Stewart. The point (again): that's not the way we've thought about white collar workers--ourselves--over the past century. The "bureaucrat" on the finance staff is de facto faceless, plugging away, passing papers.
But now, in our view, she is born again, transformed from bureaucrat to the new star. She works in a professional service firm and works on projects that she'll be able to brag about years from now.
I call her/him the New American Professional, CEO of Me Inc. (even if Me Inc. is currently on someone's payroll) and, of course, of Brand You.
Step #1 in the model was the organization . . .a department turned into PSF 1.0. Step #2 is the individual . . .reborn as Brand You.
In 50 essential points, Tom Peters shows how to be committed to your craft, choose the right projects, how to improve networking, why you need to think fun is cool, and why it's important to piss some people off. He will enable you to turn yourself into an important and distinctive commodity. In short, he will show you how to turn yourself into . . . Brand You.
See also the other 50List titles in the Reinventing Work series by Tom Peters -- The Project50 and The Professional Service Firm50 -- for additional information on how to make an impact in the professional world.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
82 people are currently reading
1149 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
February 5, 2013
this style of writing is, I imagine, what it is like to have a 4 hour conversation with someone who is on crack for the entire 4 hours we're conversating
that being said there's a lot of good stuff and calls to action and small things to make a big impact, it was enjoyable in content, even if the layout was vertigo inducing
that being said there's a lot of good stuff and calls to action and small things to make a big impact, it was enjoyable in content, even if the layout was vertigo inducing
Read
July 29, 2023the gals in the office have decided to dnf. this was decided during our weekly meeting after doing “joy, giving, and kudos.” i stand with them and their decision.
April 17, 2021
Kitabın orijinal dilde olanını, yani İngilizce’sini okumanızı tavsiye ederim. Elimde Türkçe çevirisi olduğu için ben onu okudum. Çeviri anlaşılmasını gerçekten çok zorlaştırıyor. Kaldı ki orijinal dilinde okusanız dahi yazım tarzı farklı olduğu için anlaşılması zor olabilir. Yazar meydan okuyan bir tarzda, konuşur gibi yazmış.
Kitabın içindeki fikirler faydalı. Eğer pazarlama ve iş terimlerine hakimseniz çeviri hatalarına fazla takılmadan hızlıca okuyarak ilerleyebilirsiniz. Kişisel marka oluşturma yolunda bir yapılacaklar listesi öneriyor. Kitabın önerdiği fikirleri ve çizdiği çerçeveyi başarılı buldum.
Kitabın içindeki fikirler faydalı. Eğer pazarlama ve iş terimlerine hakimseniz çeviri hatalarına fazla takılmadan hızlıca okuyarak ilerleyebilirsiniz. Kişisel marka oluşturma yolunda bir yapılacaklar listesi öneriyor. Kitabın önerdiği fikirleri ve çizdiği çerçeveyi başarılı buldum.
June 14, 2010
The "The Brand You 50" by Tom Peters was a quick read, but the overuse of exclamations!!!!!!, bold type, ALL CAPS, font changes, and h-y-p-h-e-n-s was tedious and kind of juvenile.
Once I got past that, it was a solid read that gave me a few new ideas. I recommend this book for the person that is just realizing that it is not just what you know, but WHO you know and WHAT they know about you. I picked out the most relevant pieces by identifying what I wanted to remember (which I added to my learning journal), and what actions I wanted to take. Both are outlined below.
Why I selected this book:
For the life of me, I cannot figure out where I got the input to read this book, I think I read somewhere that this was a personal branding classic. I do remember I bought it used for.99 cents on Amazon.
Was the "The Brand You 50" helpful?
Yes. It helped me to think about what was most important in the work and I do and try to cut out the non essential items. It also helped me to think about "who I am" and "what I want to be known for." As this requires quite a bit of introspection, I do not have the results yet, but the mind is working that direction.
What will do as a result of reading "The Brand You 50"
Do a Personal brand equity evaluation:
Define: What 2 to 4 things am I known for?
Define: Next year, I will be known for these 2 to 4 additional things
Start building a personal brand equity statement (brand priorities)
* Start with skills, attitude, and character
* Develop a quarter page advertisement
* Synthesize down to an eight-word positioning statement
* Ensure the calendar reflects 1, 2, or 3 of these priorities each day
* Do an after-action-review (AAR) each night, was the day focused on one of the three brand priorities?
Look at the "to do" list, does it have a off brand topics on it? Can you 1. Kill it, 2. "Wow" it 3, postpone it Ask, is not on-brand, stop it! Focus on 100% on the on-brand work
Develop a contact list and manage the heck out of it! Last contact, next contact, score each contact (in touch, neglect, etc)
Invite the project killer to lunch Develop a visibility plan
Construct a formal word of mouth marketing campaign (see Read: Regis McKenna's "Relationship Marketing")
What did I add to my learning journal after reading "The Brand You 50"
Re read Dale Carnegie's "How to win friends and influence people"
Read: Brad Blanton's "Radical Honesty"
Read: Regis McKenna's "Relationship Marketing"
Try 1 thing really different each month
Go to the bookstore and skim through 20 magazines you typically do not read.
Read more at rel=nofollow [http://bloomport.com/]http://bloompor....
By Shawn Grubb
Shawn Grubb (PMP) is the North America Portfolio Planning Manager for Procter & Gamble GBS. With over 10 years of SAP project implementation experience, Shawn spent six years in Europe working SAP supply chain implementation projects in Germany, France, Spain, the UK, Italy, and North Africa, before returning back to the US to work North America supply chain projects. Shawn has held the Program Chair position for the Americas SAP User Group (ASUG) for the Pharmaceutical Special Interest Group (SIG) and made presentations as SAP SAPPHIRE conference (managing virtual teams) the California State Board of Pharmacy (e-pedigree, will Pharma be ready?). Shawn teaches "Successful Project Management" and the "Corporate Athlete" curriculum for P&G and is a regular speaker on Project Management topics and working in global teams.
Review by Shawn Grubb
Article Source: "The Brand You 50" by Tom Peters
Once I got past that, it was a solid read that gave me a few new ideas. I recommend this book for the person that is just realizing that it is not just what you know, but WHO you know and WHAT they know about you. I picked out the most relevant pieces by identifying what I wanted to remember (which I added to my learning journal), and what actions I wanted to take. Both are outlined below.
Why I selected this book:
For the life of me, I cannot figure out where I got the input to read this book, I think I read somewhere that this was a personal branding classic. I do remember I bought it used for.99 cents on Amazon.
Was the "The Brand You 50" helpful?
Yes. It helped me to think about what was most important in the work and I do and try to cut out the non essential items. It also helped me to think about "who I am" and "what I want to be known for." As this requires quite a bit of introspection, I do not have the results yet, but the mind is working that direction.
What will do as a result of reading "The Brand You 50"
Do a Personal brand equity evaluation:
Define: What 2 to 4 things am I known for?
Define: Next year, I will be known for these 2 to 4 additional things
Start building a personal brand equity statement (brand priorities)
* Start with skills, attitude, and character
* Develop a quarter page advertisement
* Synthesize down to an eight-word positioning statement
* Ensure the calendar reflects 1, 2, or 3 of these priorities each day
* Do an after-action-review (AAR) each night, was the day focused on one of the three brand priorities?
Look at the "to do" list, does it have a off brand topics on it? Can you 1. Kill it, 2. "Wow" it 3, postpone it Ask, is not on-brand, stop it! Focus on 100% on the on-brand work
Develop a contact list and manage the heck out of it! Last contact, next contact, score each contact (in touch, neglect, etc)
Invite the project killer to lunch Develop a visibility plan
Construct a formal word of mouth marketing campaign (see Read: Regis McKenna's "Relationship Marketing")
What did I add to my learning journal after reading "The Brand You 50"
Re read Dale Carnegie's "How to win friends and influence people"
Read: Brad Blanton's "Radical Honesty"
Read: Regis McKenna's "Relationship Marketing"
Try 1 thing really different each month
Go to the bookstore and skim through 20 magazines you typically do not read.
Read more at rel=nofollow [http://bloomport.com/]http://bloompor....
By Shawn Grubb
Shawn Grubb (PMP) is the North America Portfolio Planning Manager for Procter & Gamble GBS. With over 10 years of SAP project implementation experience, Shawn spent six years in Europe working SAP supply chain implementation projects in Germany, France, Spain, the UK, Italy, and North Africa, before returning back to the US to work North America supply chain projects. Shawn has held the Program Chair position for the Americas SAP User Group (ASUG) for the Pharmaceutical Special Interest Group (SIG) and made presentations as SAP SAPPHIRE conference (managing virtual teams) the California State Board of Pharmacy (e-pedigree, will Pharma be ready?). Shawn teaches "Successful Project Management" and the "Corporate Athlete" curriculum for P&G and is a regular speaker on Project Management topics and working in global teams.
Review by Shawn Grubb
Article Source: "The Brand You 50" by Tom Peters
February 2, 2017
Книга - сборник банальностей. Совершенно не понравилась. Композиция в виде списка не способствует восприятию. Под конец уже не читала, а пролистывала.
Смысл книги - вы должны быть мастером своего дела (кто бы спорил?), ваше дело - отражение ваших ценностей. Если то, что вы делаете, не соответствует вашим ценностям - вы не сможете превратить себя в бренд.
Смысл книги - вы должны быть мастером своего дела (кто бы спорил?), ваше дело - отражение ваших ценностей. Если то, что вы делаете, не соответствует вашим ценностям - вы не сможете превратить себя в бренд.
September 7, 2007
This book is a survival guide for today's workplace. Baby Boomers who grew up with jobs-for-life and don't understand the modern workplace, read this book. Generation X and Yers changing or starting a career, read this book.
No one will sell you better than you. Treat yourself as a brand.
No one will sell you better than you. Treat yourself as a brand.
September 24, 2024
Tom Peters' book “Turn Yourself into a Brand” is a powerful guide for those who want to stand out in a professional environment and build their personal brand. The author, who is one of the leading experts in the field of management, invites the reader to rethink their career and become a “product” that can be promoted and developed.
Peters convinces that in today's world, where competition is only growing, it is important to demonstrate your uniqueness and value rather than just doing your job. He shows how to build a personal reputation, build a network of contacts, and utilize your strengths to achieve success. The book offers many practical tips and examples to help readers understand how they can turn themselves into a brand .
One of the main strengths of the book is its accessibility and simplicity of presentation. Peters speaks in a language understandable to anyone, regardless of their level of professional experience. The book will be useful for both beginners and those who have already reached certain heights, but aspire to new heights.
In general, “Turn Yourself into a Brand” is an excellent guide for everyone who wants not only to be successful in their career, but also to make their name known and significant.
Peters convinces that in today's world, where competition is only growing, it is important to demonstrate your uniqueness and value rather than just doing your job. He shows how to build a personal reputation, build a network of contacts, and utilize your strengths to achieve success. The book offers many practical tips and examples to help readers understand how they can turn themselves into a brand .
One of the main strengths of the book is its accessibility and simplicity of presentation. Peters speaks in a language understandable to anyone, regardless of their level of professional experience. The book will be useful for both beginners and those who have already reached certain heights, but aspire to new heights.
In general, “Turn Yourself into a Brand” is an excellent guide for everyone who wants not only to be successful in their career, but also to make their name known and significant.
March 31, 2024
Me gustó más de lo que imaginaba, y si bien lo leí 24 años luego de su lanzamiento, se nota lo avanzadísimo que estaba para su época!!!
Motiva, inspira y por sobre todas las cosas, llama a la acción. Empuja a hacer, a creer, a hacer una y otra vez, más y más. Es tan teórico como práctico, y brinda una enorme cantidad de ejercicios para ELEGIR cuáles hacer. O al menos, con cuales comenzar.
Su lectura es muy fácil y fluida, el diseño del libro es muy bueno, el tono de la narrativa es por demás amigable, y como si todo el conocimiento compartido fuera poco (es un montón!), sobre el final del libro recomienda otras lecturas para seguir profundizando en las temáticas tratadas.
Me encantó, lo recomiendo y me generó ganas de leer los otros libros de la serie, aunque sean más orientados a gerenciamiento que a a branding. Fue mi primera lectura de Tom Peters y ya estoy buscando la próxima. Buena lectura para todos!
Motiva, inspira y por sobre todas las cosas, llama a la acción. Empuja a hacer, a creer, a hacer una y otra vez, más y más. Es tan teórico como práctico, y brinda una enorme cantidad de ejercicios para ELEGIR cuáles hacer. O al menos, con cuales comenzar.
Su lectura es muy fácil y fluida, el diseño del libro es muy bueno, el tono de la narrativa es por demás amigable, y como si todo el conocimiento compartido fuera poco (es un montón!), sobre el final del libro recomienda otras lecturas para seguir profundizando en las temáticas tratadas.
Me encantó, lo recomiendo y me generó ganas de leer los otros libros de la serie, aunque sean más orientados a gerenciamiento que a a branding. Fue mi primera lectura de Tom Peters y ya estoy buscando la próxima. Buena lectura para todos!
July 24, 2017
If your name isn't on the door of your business, you would do well to follow Tom's advice and continuously work to build "Brand You."
Tom Peters' work in The Brand You 50 is still relevant 18 years after publishing. I had so many bookmarks of relevant TTD's (Things To Do, in Tom-speak) in the first few chapters, I had to give up and resolve myself to following his early suggestion: read, underline, then go back after you finish and pick out your action items.
Even if you are not completely on board with his dim view of company loyalty (and his love of text formatting), I still recommend it as a worthwhile read. If you follow even a small share of his advice, it will help you better understand your own value and the value of tracking your portfolio of work.
Tom Peters' work in The Brand You 50 is still relevant 18 years after publishing. I had so many bookmarks of relevant TTD's (Things To Do, in Tom-speak) in the first few chapters, I had to give up and resolve myself to following his early suggestion: read, underline, then go back after you finish and pick out your action items.
Even if you are not completely on board with his dim view of company loyalty (and his love of text formatting), I still recommend it as a worthwhile read. If you follow even a small share of his advice, it will help you better understand your own value and the value of tracking your portfolio of work.
December 13, 2018
Really, the one star I didn't give this book was because of the structure of the writing, which, to be fair, could have lost some of the effect in that I was reading the Kindle edition on my iPad.
The ideas were awesome, and I love that so many affirmed practices that I have put in place already. Not to mention that I loved how the book was pretty dated, but the correlations and connections we easy to see.
The ideas were awesome, and I love that so many affirmed practices that I have put in place already. Not to mention that I loved how the book was pretty dated, but the correlations and connections we easy to see.
February 22, 2019
The formatting is a bit distracting. Also, it definitely needs an update because a lot of the references are outdated.
That being said, there’s some really interesting suggestions and insightful ways to reframe the work one days.
I’d suggest this to anyone looking to move up in their industry or even just looking for something to inspire them to see the work they do as meaningful.
That being said, there’s some really interesting suggestions and insightful ways to reframe the work one days.
I’d suggest this to anyone looking to move up in their industry or even just looking for something to inspire them to see the work they do as meaningful.
August 2, 2020
За список из 50 дел в задаче "постоянное обновление себя" Питерсу отдельное спасибо. Но лично для меня оно же и стало самым ярким моментом книги. Конспект остального уместился на 2,5 листах бумаги плотно исписанной не самым мелким подчерком.
Итого: для погружения в тему неплохо, но не глубоко и недалеко от берега.
Итого: для погружения в тему неплохо, но не глубоко и недалеко от берега.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2022
ستقرأ في الكتاب 50 طريقة لتصنع البراند الخاص بك، ولكن اسمح لي أن أحدثك عن بعض النقاط كما يلي
1-أحصل لنفسك على مسمى وظيفي مميز وفريد من نوعه
2- كوّن شبكة علاقات ضخمة، علاقاتك = ماركتك
3-طوّر نفسك باستمرار
4-أصنع لنفسك موقع إلكتروني مميز يليق باسمك
5- أفعل كل يوم شيء يساعد على زيادة جودة ماركتك (اسمك)
6-استعن بخبرات الآخرين، وانظر لنفسك من زوايا عيون الآخرين
1-أحصل لنفسك على مسمى وظيفي مميز وفريد من نوعه
2- كوّن شبكة علاقات ضخمة، علاقاتك = ماركتك
3-طوّر نفسك باستمرار
4-أصنع لنفسك موقع إلكتروني مميز يليق باسمك
5- أفعل كل يوم شيء يساعد على زيادة جودة ماركتك (اسمك)
6-استعن بخبرات الآخرين، وانظر لنفسك من زوايا عيون الآخرين
September 7, 2020
This book contains some interesting ideas but it also self-repetitive and really hard to read. It is literally a "self-selling business training" so if you're allergic to this kind of thing - it will be hard to read it. The most important ideas of this book can be written on one sheet of paper.
April 14, 2024
More of Tom's quick, emphatic style. Since I read my first Peters' book in high school, I've always found at least 20 actionable/profitable "yeah-let's-try-its" in every one of his offerings. This is no exception.
December 7, 2017
Useful stuff yet frivolous manner to convey that. Be ready not to read but to chat.
May 2, 2018
Now I know. No excuses!!!!
August 14, 2018
Must read if you are thinking of self branding
June 23, 2021
Великолепная, мотивирующая книга!!! Жаль, что идеи, которые представил Питерс, на сегодняшний день немного устарели... Стиль автора потрясающий!!!
July 8, 2021
I enjoy all of Tom Peters books. This one however is my favourite. Based on my age, my work and the current economic climate. Branding you is important . Great read and re re read.
Read
December 8, 2024Truly a product of its time
Want to read
June 2, 2025As heard on Manager Tools (MT-2006-03-20 - Handling Headhunters)
Imported 6/2/25, 4:52 PM
https://downcast.fm
Imported 6/2/25, 4:52 PM
https://downcast.fm
February 22, 2026
Me lo recomendaron en clase 🥸
August 23, 2019
Well. It's... underwhelming.
Substance wise, this book is packed with decent advice that will resonate with anyone stuck in a disassociated, capitalistic cycle. It is not natural for man to dedicate his life to a vision that isn't his own, to perform busy work and unskilled labor without a clear motivation. Without an emotional connection to the company they work for, it is common that hourly workers feel no obligation to care about their employer's success or failure. Why would they?
Instead of waiting patiently for economic reform which promises humane, sustainable wages for all workers, why not embrace the marketable power you're already capable of? You are a brand. You are a company. You have all the tools you need to start a business that's focused on the things you value most and provides marketable services based on your talents and passions.
No more supervisor hierarchy analyzing your performance and punctuality. No more pretending to respect management without question or condition. No more incredulous disappointment with the stagnant minimum wage.
The concept behind this book, independence and stability, makes it worth the read. The dislocated, sometimes aggressively vague style and organization of the text makes it difficult to translate into useful notes.
Substance wise, this book is packed with decent advice that will resonate with anyone stuck in a disassociated, capitalistic cycle. It is not natural for man to dedicate his life to a vision that isn't his own, to perform busy work and unskilled labor without a clear motivation. Without an emotional connection to the company they work for, it is common that hourly workers feel no obligation to care about their employer's success or failure. Why would they?
Instead of waiting patiently for economic reform which promises humane, sustainable wages for all workers, why not embrace the marketable power you're already capable of? You are a brand. You are a company. You have all the tools you need to start a business that's focused on the things you value most and provides marketable services based on your talents and passions.
No more supervisor hierarchy analyzing your performance and punctuality. No more pretending to respect management without question or condition. No more incredulous disappointment with the stagnant minimum wage.
The concept behind this book, independence and stability, makes it worth the read. The dislocated, sometimes aggressively vague style and organization of the text makes it difficult to translate into useful notes.
April 17, 2014
I almost stopped reading this book after the first few (of fifty) chapters because it was so over the top and kept talking at me like I was in the HR or IS dept (nothing against them, but I'm not). Once I got past the over the top and repetitive style, I started to really engage with the ideas - brand yourself, do meaningful work, build your resume and your network.
This book is inspiring and makes you really think about how to stretch yourself. It provides tons of concrete ways to develop an action plan and execute it. I found half a dozen references to other books that are now on my reading list.
Unfortunately, the book is also all over the place, disorganized, and feels like it could be distilled into an even shorter book than the 50 brief chapters that it is. Even the title is terrible and nonsensical.
Overall, a must skim/read. Just get over the stylistic flair and take it all in.
This book is inspiring and makes you really think about how to stretch yourself. It provides tons of concrete ways to develop an action plan and execute it. I found half a dozen references to other books that are now on my reading list.
Unfortunately, the book is also all over the place, disorganized, and feels like it could be distilled into an even shorter book than the 50 brief chapters that it is. Even the title is terrible and nonsensical.
Overall, a must skim/read. Just get over the stylistic flair and take it all in.
January 18, 2017
While there's a lot of good stuff to think about, Peters's method of transmitting that information is a bit (way?) over the top. We do indeed have to think of ourselves as brands, and realize the only way to have hope of excelling in the business world is to market ourselves impressively. That being said, however, I would caution you against his at times overt beliefs that putting these branding projects above pretty much all else in life is essential. Take what you will from this book, but think about its impact on who you are and who you really want to be as a whole person.
September 15, 2007
Maybe it's a load of rubbish. It is certainly quite manic. But even if in some way it is not true, it is incredibly useful.
Do you want others to yank our chain, or would you rather call the shots? In an entropic world there's not much that one would want to follow.
The past is a mix of genius and misanthropy. AKA 'culture'.
This is about making your own way through high mountains and dark valleys.
Exciting!
Do you want others to yank our chain, or would you rather call the shots? In an entropic world there's not much that one would want to follow.
The past is a mix of genius and misanthropy. AKA 'culture'.
This is about making your own way through high mountains and dark valleys.
Exciting!
February 7, 2014
The content of this book is for the most part, excellent. The style...er..not so much. I understand the desire to communicate enthusiasm but, oh my goodness, Tom Peters must hold the world record for putting the most exclamation points in a book. The design is seriously distracting and it undermines his otherwise trenchant points.
May 25, 2014
Really really bad. A lot of useless bullshit irrelevant to making yourself a brand. Digusting writing style which leaves no chance to summarize key points. And in addition to that, all 170 pages of the book can be summarized in one phrase: choose one unique project for yourself and work hard at it. How innovative is that?!!!
April 10, 2016
This book, was written well ahead of it's time and is spot on. It is full of actionable things you can do to manage your career in todays "Flat World" Tom Peters identified the importance of marketing and managing your career as a company before Thomas Friedman wrote about it in "The World is Flat"
It is an easy and quick read with a clear message.
It is an easy and quick read with a clear message.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews