Never Eat Alone, Expanded and Updated: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time

by Keith Ferrazzi

Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You. —Tom Peters

In terms of branding, then, the bottom line for everyone comes down to a choice: to be distinct or extinct. “I’m sick to death of hearing, ‘I’d like to, but they won’t let me,’ ” Peters preaches, hitting his iconoclastic stride. “Be the CEO of your own life. Raise hell. Let the chips fall where they may. It’ll never be easier to change jobs than it is today.” Yes! Yes! Yes!

To become a brand, you’ve got to become relentlessly focused on what you do that adds value.

Develop a Personal Branding Message (PBM) A brand is nothing less than everything everyone thinks of when they see or hear your name. The best brands, like the most interesting people, have a distinct message.

You must manage your own media. Public relations companies are facilitators and act as leverage. I’ve been represented for years. The best ones can be strategic partners, but ultimately the press always wants to talk to the big guy—you, not a PR rep.

There was a time when I was less aware of the difference between reputation and notoriety. Boy, there is a big difference! Early on in my career, I paid too much attention to getting attention. I was building a brand, all right; but as I look back, it just wasn’t the brand I wanted for myself. All your efforts at publicity, promotion, and branding need to feed into your mission; if they’re only feeding into your ego, you’ll find yourself with a reputation you hadn’t bargained for that could hold you back for the rest of your life. I was lucky. Looking back, I merely wasted a lot of time.

Third, and most important, I realized that finding a talented, experienced mentor who is willing to invest the time and effort to develop you as a person and a professional is far more important than making career decisions based purely on salary or prestige.