Brand You Personal Branding

When Lauren Davis isn’t organizing live release shows at her record store in Rockford, IL she’s obsessed with empowering her clients through social media to help them boost sales, increase exposure, and impact their communities.   Lauren is an all-around marketing pro but for this episode I've asked her to share her best practices with my favorite social media network, Instagram.   Lauren recently ran my Instagram account at a speaking engagement and I was absolutely blown away by how much a difference it made. Here are a few concepts we cover in this interview: The biggest mistake that most people make with their new Instagram account The #1 practice in using Instagram intentionally to grow your brand footprint The top strategy Lauren recommends to get your first couple hundred followers FAST? How does Instagram algorithm works, and what the science is behind it. Follow Lauren on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ldaviscreative/   Lauren's website: https://laurendaviscreative.com/ FREE GIFT: Marketing M

  Many people want to “reinvent” themselves career-wise but they’re just not sure where to start. One of the keys to reinventing yourself successfully is already in your hands: social media. If you use any kind of social media right now, you’re already engaged in what I call “personal branding”. In this episode, I share two strategies to use social media intentionally to take control of the conversation people are having about you. The first pathway: Start with your favorite social media app, the one you use most. Document your day - don’t worry about “creating” Write something on your post that adds value by giving context to your post You’ll also learn a key strategy you can leverage for Facebook or LinkedIn to shape your personal brand if you’re looking to start a side-hustle or launch a new business. A few notable quotes from this episode: If you're wondering, “Is this off-brand?” it probably is. When it comes to personal branding, you are what you share. If you’d like to connect elsewhere o

After being unemployed for 6 months, Wes Gay quickly scaled his marketing consulting practice to six figures in the first year, and today he’s here to share what he did, why it worked, and how you can leverage it in your own work. Wes believes something deep in his bones: clarity always wins. Whether it’s in marketing, sales, leadership, or personal relationships, being clear is the best way to connect, grow, and move forward. He’s helped dozens of companies, ranging from startups to billion dollar brands, discover a new level of clarity through the StoryBrand framework. He lives with his wife, two young boys, and their overprotective dog in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA. When he’s not hanging with his family or helping businesses increase revenue, he’s probably looking for a good espresso and donut. Get Wes' terrific guide, Slogans That Sell, at wesgay.com Some questions I asked Wes: How did you get started? What’s the first thing people need to do in order to generate more free leads? Where can we find those

Behold two of the most sleep-stealing, life-sucking, worry-causing words I tell myself: “By now.” Fight as I may, they always seem to find a way to seep into my thoughts. Maybe you’ve said a few of these to yourself: By now…I should be out of debt. By now…I should have lost 20 lbs. By now…I should be finished with school. By now…I should have kicked that habit. By now…I should be married. By now…I should have a bigger house. By now…I should be famous. By now…I should know what I want to do with my life. In this episode, you'll learn practical steps on how to deal with "by now" syndrome, as well as the concept of "death by a thousand cuts". You'll also learn how to position yourself for greater opportunities. If you'd like to connect elsewhere online, the easiest place to reach me is via Instagram: instagram.com/mikekimtv Drop me a DM because I read and respond to every single one! Instagram is a convenient place to connect since you're probably listening to the show off your phone anyway. :-) FREE GIFT: Marke

Every few episodes we'll be doing a listener Q&A episode, and this is the first one! Most of these questions have come in via my Instagram channel at instagram.com/mikekimtv. If you have a question, hit me up there and we may end up using your question on a future episode! Joining me as co-host on this episode is my friend, former assistant, and travel expert Chelsea Brinkley. Check out Chelsea on Instagram at instagram.com/travelbrinkley! Here are the questions that were sent in: 1. The big problem I’m trying to solve in my life, at the moment, is deciphering the next season in my life. I’m 36, and have been an educator for 13 years. I’m finding myself bored and unfulfilled. I’m seeking a new direction, but having a hard time finding which way to turn. To me, creating something from nothing, and having someone else find enough value in it to purchase it, is an indescribable feeling. I have an Amazon FBA business that I started just last year. It’s been an awesome ride, but I can’t seem to shake past the

Personality tests are powerful tools for personal growth.  Some people think personality tests "box them in" but personally, I feel they open up our understanding of ourselves. If you can think of tests like the Briggs Myers, DISC, or Enneagram as a more concrete way to observe yourself, then you're well on your way to growth. Recommended (free) Enneagram test: exploreyourtype.com Recommended Ennegram results: enneagraminstitute.com All of these are tools to empower your capacity for self-observation. Here are three ways I use these tests for growth: Learn how you rest Learn how you relate Learn how you work Knowing these three things allows you to make better decisions in life.  If you'd like to connect elsewhere online, the easiest place to reach me is via Instagram: instagram.com/mikekimtv Drop me a DM because I read and respond to every single one! Instagram is a convenient place to connect since you're probably listening to the show off your phone anyway. :-) FREE GIFT: Marketing Mastery Insider #1 As

Decisions, decisions, decisions! Have you ever had to make a decision and kept delaying it? There's actually a 5-step psychological process behind why you get excited to make a change in your life -- and then fail to follow through: Satisfaction Dissatisfaction Emotional Brink Moment of Insight The Opening That's what we're going to talk about on this episode. Once we understand how we make decisions, then we can make better ones and break the cycle. In this episode I share: The root meaning of the word "decide" Why, when helping others, you must only do everything you SHOULD, and not everything you CAN The power behind the phrase, "There must be more to my life than ____..." If you'd like to connect elsewhere online, the easiest place to reach me is via Instagram: instagram.com/mikekimtv Drop me a DM because I read and respond to every single one! Instagram is a convenient place to connect since you're probably listening to the show off your phone anyway. :-) FREE GIFT: Marketing Mastery Insider #1 As a

What makes you leave a box in search of a new nirvana? That's what we're going to talk about on this episode. As we kick off the first few episodes, we're going to look at the most important relationship you have: the relationship you have with yourself. Ultimately you're the only person that can take responsibility for your own life, but if you've ever asked, "What am I going to do with my life?" you are not alone! Life is not linear. Unfortunately, most of us are underprepared for that simple fact because most of our developmental years are straightforward... But real life is anything but straightforward. In this episode I share: 3 bizarre (but effective!) questions to help you find your life purpose What pisses me off about corporate America and formalized education Why seeing people who live like zombies and spend their days at jobs they don't enjoy breaks my heart The "only" two career paths I was allowed to consider when growing up (typical Asian kid) Why real life is all about "off-roading" rather tha

In this episode of the Brand You Podcast, I share 5 things I've learned from doing 150 episodes of this show in hopes that these insights will inspire you to keep taking action to build your personal brand business. You'll discover: Why doing this podcast has been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done in my career Why it's never too early to share your stage How I created my 7P framework while doing this show The personal reason why I took such a long time off from the podcast The year-by-year things I did since 2013 to grow my personal brand business   Connect with Me on Instagram Instagram has quickly become my favorite social network, and because so few people use it to contact me, it's the easiest way to get in touch. If you'd like to connect on Instagram, connect with me at @mikekimtv. I read and respond to every DM. It's been a pleasure to be on this journey with you! Sincerely, Mike Kim

You work hard every day to craft your ideas, frameworks, and strategies. But what can you do to legally protect them? Today I interview Steve Sponseller, a patent attorney based in Spokane, Washington about best-practices when it comes to protecting our intellectual property. In this episode you will learn: The difference between copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets What legally constitutes a trademark, and when you should file for one Who really "owns" the creation when a contractor (like a designer or copywriter) creates intellectual property for a client When to use U.S. based contractors vs. when it's ok to use contractors who are overseas and so much more While this topic isn't the "sexiest" topic out there, it's extremely important. Several years ago I witness Michael Hyatt go through a trademark tiff with the National Speakers Association which I blogged about here. Thankfully things worked out for both groups, but it was a looming reminder that IP conflicts can come unexpectedly, and t

Stu McLaren is a master marketer and the genius behind building some of today's largest membership sites. In this interview, we recount his unique journey from being the behind-the-scenes strategist to stepping "out front" to become his own brand. It's a journey that I've walked to a small degree, and one I know that many listeners are on right now.  A sneak preview: The difference between unconscious competence vs. conscious competence The two types of entrepreneurs and why businesses don't grow without both The fastest way to gain momentum in your personal brand Resources Mentioned in This Episode: • Join Marketing Mastery Insider: mikekim.com/insider • Stu's blog • Tribe - Stu's online course on membership sites • Rocket Fuel (book)

Having a product for sale is the pathway to profit in a personal brand business. Yes, you can sell your own time by doing coaching, consulting, or speaking -- but why stop there? In this episode, I talk about 4 products you can create in under 4 hours each: Affliate products Documents / Swipe Files Mini-Trainings Coaching This episode focuses on the first two types of products because they are easy to create and can end up being strong generators of passive income for you. Once they're created, they sell indefinitely as long as you drive leads to them. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: • Join Marketing Mastery Insider: mikekim.com/insider • Info on Marketing Mastery Workshop: mikekim.com/workshop • Paypal • Gumroad • Wave Apps • Stripe • Essential Business Forms (my client proposal templates)

Positioning is one of the most important, yet least understood, aspects of marketing. It's clear when you see top-tier brands like Louis Vuitton (luxury) vs. everyday brands like Wal-Mart, but things get foggy when branding a person. But that's exactly what a personal brand is: a brand built around you.  In this episode I take you behind-the-scenes of one of my private workshops where I help personal brand builders get clear on their positioning in a way that allows them to reach any market. We often start with these 3 questions: What pisses you off? What breaks your heart? What is the big problem you're trying to solve? The answers to these questions provide the basis on which you will build your positioning. • Join Marketing Mastery Insider: mikekim.com/insider • Info on Marketing Mastery Workshop: mikekim.com/workshop

This is a "back to the basics" episode as I lay out the 3 things you need to build a minimum viable platform for your personal brand business. I'm amazed at how many coaches, consultants, and speakers I meet who don't have all three of these in place in a way that allows them to leverage their exposure and referrals. Homepage Services Page About Page There should be 3x as many calls to action for the Services page compared to the About page. Also, you should consider how people are getting to certain pages on your website. For example, most of my clients go directly to my homepage, while most of my blog readers (who don't hire me for contract work) rarely to go my homepage. Over the past two years, I geared my homepage to private clients while still growing a blog readership since my readers usually went directly to posts that I wrote and found them via social media or through my email list. Resources Mentioned In This Episode: studiopress.com (which is where my blog theme is from) wufoo.com (which I use f

In recent weeks I've made some big changes in my business. The biggest change has to do with my paid mastermind group ... and the decision to shut it down. In this episode, I talk about the reasons behind the decison, as well as the things I've been working on since (including two new launches that have generated more than the mastermind group that I decided to close down). I mentioned a number of people in today's episode, and you can find out more about them here: Neal Samudre and his email funnels Matt Dobschuetz and Porn Free Radio Michael Hudson To get request access to the Facebook group, click here.  Click Below To Subscribe to Marketing Mastery Insider: mikekim.com/insider 

If you're in the business of "you", your story will end up being one of the most important components of your marketing plan. In this episode, you'll learn the 7 elements of a Signature Story: Paradise Disaster Reluctant Hero Fleeting Victory Devastating Defeat Moment of Grace Final Victory There are also components within a story that move the narrative forward: Elephant in The Room Story Behind the Story Breaking News Little Known Facts To read my Signature Story, click here. Click Below To Get on the MK Insider Email List: mikekim.com/mkinsider 

In this episode, I share my approach to clarifying my purpose, vision, mission, goals, and tasks. Tune in, and you'll also hear about some big changes to the podcast, namely why I'm going to end this show at episode 150. There's no shortage of talk on concepts like purpose, vision, and mission and those words are often used interchangeably. For me, I see them in a certain hierarchy, which helps me see them sequentially. For example, this is my Purpose Statement in life: • The purpose of my life is to be love, enjoy abundance, and do generous deeds for myself and others. • The vision I have to manifest my purpose (at least business-wise) is to commit the next 25 years of my life to connect influencers for greater impact in the world. • The mission now might be a clear and compelling statement like, "I will host 4 events per year, 3 in the U.S. and 1 overseas, to connect influencers for greater impact so they can collaborate to solve big problems in the world." • The goals might then be something like "Have an

In this episode, I share the approach to goal setting that I learned at Tony Robbins' Date with Destiny seminar in West Palm Beach, FL. Date with Destiny was one of the most powerful and important events I've ever attended, and though I can't do the impact justice through a podcast, I felt one of the best things I could share would be Tony's approach to goal-setting. If you're anything like me, goal-setting is a mixed bag. There are a lot of good goal-setting frameworks out there, but they're also easy to get tired of. I found myself in that boat and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this one. The Tony Robbins Guide to Year-End Goal Setting: Set 4 categories: 1. Things & Stuff, 2. Experiences, 3. Treasure, 4. Contributions Write down 1, 3, 5, or 10 next to each goal to represent the years Write down your one-year goals and rank the top 4 Then ask 4 follow up questions for each goal The 4 Follow-Up Questions: Why to you want to accomplish this goal? What is the pain you will feel if you don't

I have committed to living everyday in my Zone of Genius. The Zone of Genius is a concept penned by one Gay Hendricks in a book titled The Big Leap. Hendricks contends that all of our problems in life stem from one BIG problem: The Upper Limit Problem (or ULP! for short). The Upper Limit Problem essentially prevents us from sustained enjoyment of our success … because we subconsciously don’t feel we deserve it. Thus, we end up sabotaging ourselves so that we somehow fall back into our lesser selves. The zone ABOVE the Upper Limit Problem is what he calls the Zone of Genius. The Zone of Genius is where we truly thrive, where our very best talents and abilities allow us to expand everyday in success, love and abundance - and by doing so, inspire others to do the same. There are 4 false beliefs that prevent us from living in our Zone of Genius: that we are fundamentally flawed in some way that by succeeding, we’re being disloyal or leaving people in our past behind that we are a burden to the world that we must

On this episode, I peel back the curtain to share the opening keynote from my recent conference Influence & Impact. Part of the reason I'm doing this is because, well, I'm really sick and can barely talk right now! But I still wanted to add value to you this week and publish a fresh podcast episode. Tune in and you'll hear the heart behind why I hosted this event, and some key points that will help you gain clarity in your own personal brand building journey. I ask several questions in this session, and I encourage you to ponder them yourself. What pisses you off? What breaks your heart? What is the big, interesting problem you're trying to solve? When we get clarity on this things, we step on the path towards greater influence and greater impact. Join the Brand You Community on Facebook: Have you checked out this invite-only group? Click here to request access to the Brand You Community Liked this episode? Leave a review on iTunes and I'd love to give you a shout out on the show! Make sure to leave you