Comments on: 3 Reasons I Hate Personal Brand Statements (But Recommend Them Anyway)

By: personal dislike

personal dislike — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 18:50:08 +0000

[...] matt disliking barthelme had less to do with the link in the footer, than some personal dislike. …3 Reasons I Hate Personal Brand Statements (But Recommend …Here are three reasons I dislike most personal brand statements, and why in the end I still [...]

By: arthurcharlesvanwyk

arthurcharlesvanwyk — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:44:47 +0000

I don't believe one should have a personal branding statement at all.

At the pace the digital landscape is changing the actual "thing" you do will as well. In 1997 I was a web designer. I was churning out front-end after front-end. The most complicated thing I had to do was insert banner ad code.
Today what I do goes so far beyond web design. I believe what I do these days is digital marketing, since I have an above average understanding of the medium and what it enables businesses to do online. I outsource all web development and just handle strategy and oversee implementation and the relative timelines.
Tomorrow I might just see clients, advise on the best possible online solution, recommend a strategy and an agency for implementation and walk away with a cheque.

My statement would have changed so many times between 1997 and today if I had one.

By: arthurcharlesvanwyk

arthurcharlesvanwyk — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:44:47 +0000

By: bretsimmons

bretsimmons — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:47:13 +0000

as a matter of fact, yes. Said it just last night. See, I have this thing about assholes – I hate them! :)

By: Ryan Rancatore

Ryan Rancatore — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:37:15 +0000

Wow Brett, well said! Do they let you teach that last line in your class?
;-) Appreciate the feedback, especially given your experience.

By: bretsimmons

bretsimmons — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:16:47 +0000

Great advice, Ryan. I actually advocate a statement of purpose, which is why you do what you do, not what you do. Your purpose should be steadfast and cover everything you do, even as the things you do change over time. For example, my purpose is to change people's minds about partnering with others to create healthy and responsibile organizations where everyone can thrive. When I started my site, I was not even doing things on personal branding, which is not part of my mission. But helping people develop personal brands is entirely consistent with my purpose because it makes people more flexible and marketable so they can get jobs they love and not have to work for assholes that don't care about them. Keep up the great work! Bret