Personal Brand Building

Your digital footprint is now more powerful than your résumé. And it often decides whether or not you get a shot. In today's digital world, search engines and social platforms are the new gatekeepers. They decide what surfaces. They decide what matters. They decide who gets seen—and who gets skipped. And it’s not ranking you based on your résumé, your title, or your intentions. It’s ranking you based on EVIDENCE. Not whether you’ve done the work— but whether you’ve made it visible, valuable, and verifiable. Consider this: Google isn’t just indexing content. It’s assembling identity. If you’ve ever seen a Knowledge Panel... that box on the right side of a search page showing who someone is, what they’re known for, and why they’re credible, you’ve seen algorithmic identity in action. But here’s what most professionals miss: You don’t get that panel by accident. You get it by showing your work. AI forms an opinion based on signals from everywhere: Your social media content,  Your press,  Your reviews,  Your employee voices, Even what others say about you online. In a world that organizes people by relevance and authority, silence is mispositioning. This isn’t about branding. It’s reputation infrastructure for an algorithmic world. Because if you're not actively shaping how you're seen, the system will do it for you. And it won’t ask for your permission. So instead of polishing our résumés, we need to start architecting our digital reputation— intentionally, consistently, and across every platform that counts.

When I started building my brand ecosystem publicly, everything shifted. The traditional advice says, "build it and they will come." But after studying founder brands, I've learned that most founders are stuck choosing between getting attention and maintaining integrity. Last year, I watched a brilliant entrepreneur struggle with this exact paradox. When I shared my Brand Trust Equation with her, something beautiful happened. Here's what I learned about building in public through systematic brand development: 1. Identity System Transparency Share your core messaging, positioning, and values openly. Building your identity in public creates accountability for authentic choices. Your audience connects with the journey, not just the destination. 2. Content System Broadcasting Document your strategic output across all platforms transparently. Sharing your content framework helps others while establishing your authority. Your systematic approach demonstrates professionalism and intentionality. 3. Experience System Documentation Show how people interact with your brand at every touchpoint. Building your customer journey in public creates better experiences for everyone. Your process transparency helps prospects know exactly what to expect. 4. Conversion System Sharing Reveal how attention becomes revenue in your business model. Building your funnel in public demonstrates the value of systematic thinking. Your transparent approach shows prospects the clear path forward. 5. Lighthouse Content Strategy Create cornerstone pieces that attract your ideal audience while repelling everyone else. Building your manifesto, methodology, case studies, and vision in public establishes authority. Your transparent philosophy becomes a filter for quality connections. This approach builds long-term brand equity instead of short-term attention. 6. Platform Synergy Framework Show how different platforms serve different purposes in your ecosystem. Building your multi-platform strategy in public creates strategic alignment. Other founders learn how to maximize impact across channels. This isn't just about building brands, it's about creating beautiful, systemized, and authentic businesses that serve both founders and their communities. When you build your brand ecosystem in public, you're not just attracting attention. You're building trust through the Brand Trust Equation: (Consistency × Authenticity × Value) ÷ Self-Promotion. The solution isn't choosing between integrity and attention, it's building systems that deliver both simultaneously through transparent, value-first brand development. The future belongs to those brave enough to build their brand systems in public. __ Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Curious how this could look inside your business? DM me ‘System’ and I’ll walk you through how we help clients make it happen. This is for high-commitment founders only.

You don’t need 100k followers to build a wildly successful personal brand. I recently spoke to a coach who earns over ₹8L/mo from her online presence. No ads. No paid funnels. Not even daily content. Just a simple but powerful system that brings in high-quality clients consistently. She has around 18K followers in total. But here’s the magic: almost all of her clients come through content + referrals. Let me break it down for you 👇 1. High-Value, Results-Focused Offer She’s a business coach, but instead of being vague, she helps people launch and scale group programs (which brings recurring revenue for her clients). That means her service delivers clear, financial ROI. She isn’t just offering “clarity” or “mindset”, she’s solving a specific problem with measurable outcomes. Because of that, her clients stay longer. Some even work with her for 6+ months. And just one client can bring her ₹1.5-2 lakhs over time. ➡️ Lesson: Clarity in your offer = higher client value + more referrals. 2. Trust-Building Content This is her superpower. She doesn’t just post fluff or tips. She shares: Case studies of clients filling up their group programs Screenshots of feedback from live calls Simple behind-the-scenes of her process People trust her not because she shouts the loudest, but because she shows real proof consistently. ➡️ Trust > virality, always. 3. Value-First Content Once or twice a week, she drops short, snackable tips: ✅ A simple DM script that helped her land 5 discovery calls ✅ Her 3-step framework for filling up masterclasses ✅ Mistakes she sees new coaches make (and how to fix them) These posts don’t always go viral. But they’re shared, bookmarked, and make people say: “I learned something.” That’s the kind of value that builds brand recall. 4. Subtle Differentiation She doesn't bash other coaches. She simply positions her offer in a clear, differentiated way: "I don’t just help you attract leads, I help you convert them with zero ads and zero burnout." That line alone is a brand differentiator. ➡️ It’s not just about being different. It’s about being usefully different. 5. Her Secret Sauce: Referrals + DMs She has a small but engaged circle. And she shows up intentionally. She replies to DMs. She sends voice notes. She checks in with past clients. And she offers free 15-min strategy checks in exchange for referrals. Because she’s easy to trust and easy to recommend, she gets consistent warm leads, no cold pitching needed. The Big Truth? You don’t need a big following. You need a clear offer, real proof, and a repeatable system to build trust. If you're a coach trying to grow your personal brand and client base.. Start here. Nail this. And you won’t need to chase the algorithm ever again. P.S. If you want to set this up for yourself, I created a free 5-day guide that helps you fix your profile, create content, and attract real leads from LinkedIn without wasting hours. Drop a “5 DAY” and I’ll DM it to you.

Trust isn't complicated. But most people get it wrong. Let me explain. I analyzed 500+ sales conversations and found something shocking: The highest-performing reps weren't using fancy trust-building techniques. They were using these 3 simple triggers that nobody talks about: 1. Real-time validation 🚫 Not customer logos 🚫 Not case studies 🚫 Not testimonials But showing prospects LIVE: → Who's viewing their content right now → Questions others are asking → Active engagement metrics Result? 73% higher meeting show rates. 2. Reverse referrals Instead of asking for referrals, document exactly: → How others found you → Their specific journey → Their exact results I tested this with 50 prospects: ✅ 41% response rate ✅ 28% meeting rate ✅ 19% close rate 3. Ambient reassurance Small, consistent actions that build trust: → Weekly performance updates → Public progress tracking → Regular capability proof My team's results: ✅ Trust scores up 47% ✅ Sales cycle shortened by 31% ✅ Close rates increased 22% Here's what nobody tells you: Trust isn't built through big gestures. It's built through small, consistent actions that prove you're reliable. I implemented these triggers last quarter: → Pipeline increased 52% → Close rate jumped 31% → Average deal size up 27% I’ve broken down this full framework above so you can study it, save it, and start applying it immediately. Remember: While others focus on complex trust-building strategies, these simple triggers consistently outperform. Ready to transform your trust-building approach? Let's connect. #SalesStrategy #TrustBuilding #B2BSales #GrowthHacking #RevenueLeadership

Are you building your reputation or your ego on LinkedIn? There's a difference. Vanity metrics = Likes, Followers, and Views Reputation = How many people really follow your advice! = How many people really take you seriously! = How many people really care for your advice! Most LinkedIn users be like: ↳ I need likes ↳ I need shares ↳ I need followers It’s addicting. But have you ever stopped to check if it works? I know a guy on LinkedIn. ↳ He has 3500+ followers. ↳ Only gets 50 likes per post. ↳ But he's been booked solidly for months. I know another guy on LinkedIn. ↳ He has 350000+ followers. ↳ Only gets 500 likes per post. ↳ But he has not been doing business. What's the secret of 1st Guy? He focuses on creating a REPUTATION, not just growing his metrics. Instead, his LinkedIn is a value-driven portfolio of his expertise. He shares: ↳ Detailed case studies. ↳ Wisdom he has learned. ↳ Tips to people in his industry. So, if you’re next post gets only a handful of likes, don’t worry. Focus on your reputation. People trust experts, not vanity metrics. What do you focus on: Vanity Metrics or Reputation? P.S. I cannot name these two people but they exist for real. Some would have guessed as well. Haha! P.P.S. I might not be able to make it to IIM Calcutta (due to vanity metrics - numbers), but I was invited to the same institution (due to reputation) to deliver a session on Personal Branding!

Trust builds businesses. Lack of it? Kills them quietly. I’ve seen it firsthand in the businesses I coach: You don’t need to shout louder. You need to build deeper trust. Because trust is what transforms: → Visibility into credibility → Content into clients → Buzz into business that lasts And it’s built on what I call the 4 Cs: 1/ Competence → Share insight that moves people, not just fills space. → Give them the how, not just pretty frameworks. → It’s not about being impressive. It’s about being impactful. → Let them feel your expertise before they ever buy. Your clients don’t want more information. They want someone who helps them act. 2/ Conviction → Say what you actually believe. → It’s not about being louder. It’s about being clearer. → People don’t trust experts who play it safe. → Speak to what matters, not just what’s trending. The more grounded I am in what I stand for, the more naturally the right people show up. 3/ Credibility → Story over spotlight. → Teach through what you’ve lived, not just learned. → Share the scars and the solutions. → Position yourself as the guide, not the hero. Your story isn’t baggage. It’s your best trust-building asset, when you own it. 4/ Consistency → Show up even when it’s quiet. → Let your presence build predictability. → Brands are built in patterns, not one-off posts. → Create a rhythm that makes people say: “I knew you’d say that and I trust it.” It’s not about going viral. It’s about becoming recognisable. Reliable. Respected. Because trust isn’t built by chance. It’s built by design and by choice. PS: What’s your focus this quarter? -More reach -Or more resonance? I’d love to hear where you’re at. ♻️Repost to help others build trust

From a 41-year-old homemaker to an agency founder with 25+ retainer clients—it's been a journey. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned: Build slow. Build solid. Build in sync with who you are. In a world of loud marketing, building quiet credibility through content, clarity, and consistency is a superpower, especially for professionals transitioning into solopreneurship or service-led businesses. Grateful to have shared my story at the Get Known Masterclass alongside Avi Arya, Dimpy Udhani, and Arunachalam S. Here are the takeaways I shared—lessons that shaped not just my business, but me: ✅ Productize your offering. Clarity sells. A fixed deliverable, outcome, and price build trust and make selling seamless. ✅ Make peace with your pace. Chasing scale is tempting. But sustainability is power. Focus on your personal best, not someone else's. ✅ Calculate your time value. When you know what your hour is worth, you price with conviction and show up with confidence. ✅ Trust over tools. I burnt ₹2–3 L testing shiny platforms. Today? Google Docs, Sheets, and Forms. Simple. Seamless. Sustainable. ✅ Team over tactics. No freelancers. Just a solid team that’s empowered, transparent, and trusted with every client touchpoint. ✅ No discounts. No confusion. Fair, consistent pricing = strong positioning + repeat referrals. ✅ Let your content do the outreach. 3–4 posts a week = 3–4 inbound leads. No cold DMs. No emails. Just value, visibility, and trust. Outreach is essential to scale, but closing happens faster when people already trust you. To every professional trying to build visibility without burnout, this conversation is for you—so do join these sessions next time." Which one resonates most with you? Or what’s one lesson that shaped your own path? #personalbranding #thoughtleadership #knowledgesharing

From Personal Trust to Systemic Trust: The Hidden Engine Behind Scalable Businesses For the last 25 years, I’ve been buying loose milk from Modak Dairy in Pen. The quality is outstanding, and every month we settle accounts — no invoices, no reminders. Just mutual trust. But when I travel outside Pen, I wouldn’t dream of buying loose milk from an unknown dairy. I reach for Amul India or chitale dairy. Why? Because in one case, trust is personal. In the other, it’s built into a system. Think about it. When we order on Zomato, ride with Ola, or book through Airbnb, we trust strangers. We believe the food will be on time, the ride safe, the villa clean — not because we know the people involved, but because the platform makes us feel secure. It’s not about the individual anymore, it’s about the system they operate in. This shift from personal trust to systemic trust is the secret behind scalable businesses. Local businesses like Modak Dairy build trust one person at a time. Brands like Amul build it through process, consistency, and technology. That’s what allows them to operate across cities, states, even countries. This insight isn’t new — many bestselling business books have emphasized it. “Good to Great” by Jim Collins says great companies move beyond dependence on a few individuals. They create disciplined systems that deliver consistently, even when people change. “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael E. Gerber - Beyond The E-Myth reminds small business owners: to grow, you must work on your business (designing systems), not just in it (doing everything yourself). “The Speed of Trust” by Stephen M. R. Covey says trust isn’t soft — it’s a business advantage. Systemic trust reduces friction and increases speed. So what should small businesses do? Here’s a simple roadmap: Step 1: Build personal trust Be dependable. Deliver consistently. Build goodwill. Step 2: Create repeatable systems Document your way of working. Make quality non-negotiable and consistent. Step 3: Use technology to scale CRMs, ERPs, customer apps — these help you deliver the same experience to 10 or 10,000 customers. Step 4: Monitor, learn, and evolve Systems aren’t static. Update them based on customer feedback, market shifts, and internal audits. Trust may begin with a person. But to grow, it must live in a system. That’s the difference between a local legend and a national brand. And that’s the journey every small business can take — from Pen to the world. What are you doing in your business to build trust that scales? Let’s share and learn from each other. Subodh #SmallBusiness #Scalability #Trust #SystemsThinking #GoodToGreat #EMyth #Entrepreneurship #DigitalTransformation

At Deloitte, my title opened doors. As a solopreneur, I had to make sure the right people were already listening before I ever walked through one. The first time I pitched without a global brand behind me, I felt the difference. No instant credibility. No built-in trust. Just me, my expertise, and my ability to connect. In that moment I realized: If I wanted to keep winning business, I had to become my own brand, my own sales team, and my own growth engine. Here are the 3 lessons I carried from Deloitte that fuel my AI consultancy today: 1. I treat time like my most valuable currency Time is the only thing I can’t earn back. I protect my calendar. Every meeting has a purpose. Most are 15 or 30 minutes, max. I don't have hour-long calls. I don’t just track time; I ask if it moved something forward. 2. I own the sales cycle At Deloitte, I knew sales was part of my role. Now, I am the whole sales team! I’ve sharpened my ability to listen, connect, and close. And I’ve learned to love the business side just as much as the technical work. 3. I lead with my brand My personal brand on LinkedIn isn’t just visibility, it builds trust. By the time clients reach out, they’ve already heard my voice and seen how I think. That shortens the sales cycle and makes conversations much more meaningful. If you’ve made the leap from corporate to solo, I challenge you: - Share one lesson you wish you’d known sooner. Data With Serena™️

At 27, I left my 6-figure role at Miro without a plan B. Here’s what happened next → - I made an announcement on LinkedIn  - Gained eyeballs from companies like Intercom and Grammarly - Said no to full-time. Used the moment for soft pitches - Manychat became my first advisory client - The rest became long-term relationships - Launched a podcast and invited them to share knowledge - Built credibility + experience through it - Invested time in a high-value lead magnet (Growthmates Playbook) - Launched it free → ~2,000 subscribers joined - Turned them into warm leads → which led to clients If you’re in the same place, here’s a 60-day roadmap 👇 Weeks 1-2: Clarity - Choose 1–2 themes you’d happily study for years. - Not “what’s trending.” What you can’t stop researching. This becomes your voice. Weeks 3-4: Announce yourself - Post your “I’ve left / I’m building” announcement. - Don’t make it vague. Defining your clear positioning is key. - Eg: I positioned myself as an expert in PLG ✕ UX intersection. Weeks 5-6: Run a referral sprint - Reach out to 10 people you know and trust. - Ask for introductions to 1–2 people who’d benefit from your skills. - Warm intros have a high chance of conversion. That’s how you land your first clients without aggressive cold DMs. This moment is a magnet for opportunities. Weeks 7-8: Build your first asset - Create a lead magnet (playbook/teardown). - Make it Free - this is about awareness building. - What matters is proving people want your way of thinking. Main takeaway? - Announcements done right = free and relevant inbound. - Invest time in high-value assets for your audience. - Relationships scale further than transactions. Sometimes, no plan B is all you need to figure it out 😉 P.S. Planning to become a solopreneur? Drop your questions in the comments. I’ll share what I wish I’d known. 🔥 — For more insights on solopreneurship and growth, join 7K on Growthmates — my weekly Substack newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eVf65bAx