Trillion-$ Faces: No Personal Brand, No Business Future [Keynote]

[00:01.8]
Thank you, Alex, for the kind introduction and good afternoon, everyone. Almost 300 faces here… But speaking about faces: “Trillion-Dollar Faces” that sounds like something everyone has to know about, right?

[00:24.0]
But before we dive into that, let me maybe give you some context. I met Alex on a flight back from Dubai, not that long ago actually. And he just happened to be sitting next to me. And you know, it’s funny how life works sometimes because within minutes we were like in a deep conversation.

[00:46.7]
Now, it wasn’t exactly “structured,” far from it. I think we were bouncing around from, back then, the upcoming US Elections to, to the global economy, startups, scaling businesses. And at some point, I couldn’t even tell you how we got there, but I started talking about why I see Personal Branding as the future of business.

[01:13.8]
Now, not just “a future,” I mean literally the future of business. And that’s exactly why I’m here today, to convince you of that very thing. Now, I know that most of you came to Alex’s Summit because your businesses are already pulling in like 5 to 20 million a year, right?

[01:36.6]
Which is impressive. I mean, this already puts you in the top 5% of companies across Europe. But hey, tell me something I don’t know. Well, that’s, I hope, why I’m here today. And, I also know that you’ve come here—and paid to be here—to learn from the best in the industry. To figure out how to double, maybe even triple your business in the next 12 to 36 months.

[02:05.7]
So you might be thinking right now, “Who is this guy?” and “Why is this guy up there talking about me and Personal Branding?” Isn’t this Summit supposed to be about scaling businesses? And scaling them fast?

[02:21.4]
So why am I here focusing on scaling you? Well, here’s the thing… The reason Alex offered me this last minute spot, and I think also took a risk in doing so, is because I truly convinced him about something I believe to my core.

[02:43.0]
And that thing is that: “The biggest trend and opportunity for the next 5-10 years is the rise of the individual.” Now, what do I mean by the “rise of the individual?” I think that in the very near future, businesses that are led by founders with strong, authentic Personal Brands are gonna dominate the market.

[03:10.0]
Now, some people call this Founder-Led Marketing… I’m not the one who came up with all of that, but I’m going to give you my perspective on this. I think that we’re entering a time where Personal Brand is the business.

[03:26.6]
Now, let me share some crazy hypothesis with you, and it will also allow you, I think to better understand the title of this presentation… I believe that the world’s first Trillionaire—someone with a net worth of 1.000 billion dollars— will be someone with a massive Personal Brand.

[03:51.7]
Now, some in the room might argue that there probably already is a first Trillionaire… and that Vladimir Putin is probably the first Trillionaire. But… I’m not talking about a military- political leader, or dictator, or whatever.

[04:09.5]
And maybe it will be Elon Musk. I think he’s pretty well set to reach that milestone, but still… I think he’s 300… 330 billion $. That’s a lot. But it’s still very far from the Trillion dollar mark, so a lot can happen in between.

[04:25.5]
I think that if Donald Trump were younger, and had enough years ahead of him to fully leverage the big Personal Brand he built—especially with the comeback—he could be the first Trillionaire. I mean, it’s hard to say for sure.

[04:42.1]
It might even be someone sitting right here in this room. So I’m not here to predict who it’s gonna be, but I will tell you this. I predict that whoever it’s gonna be, that person is gonna have a big Personal Brand.

[05:01.0]
Now, why do I believe that? I mean, look around… Even the most powerful people are realizing that if you are not building your Personal Brand, you could be left behind. Take tech giants, someone like Jeff Bezos, for example, the founder of Amazon.

[05:19.5]
He’s out there making headlines with his girlfriend, with his sweetheart. He’s speaking in public all the time. And this is exactly the same guy who used to stay out of the spotlight. And look at him now.

[05:34.6]
He’s everywhere. Think about Elon Musk, again. And think about his takeover of Twitter or X… What I believe is that under the cover of “saving free speech,” what he actually did was buy himself the biggest personal branding microphone in the world.

[05:56.4]
And I mean, love him or hate him, but the guy is a brand. The successes of Tesla, SpaceX—and basically everything else he touches—is directly correlated to his bold, risk taking personality.

[06:13.1]
And again, it’s not about being pro-Musk or anti-Musk… it’s about recognizing the power of personal branding in action. The facts are pretty clear, right? We can’t deny the fact that the guy moves markets with a single tweet.

[06:32.2]
And when people invest in Tesla, they’re not just betting on the “tech,” right? They are betting on his vision and his ability to deliver on it. So, the smartest people in the world are catching on to this.

[06:49.1]
They’re realizing, like… Wait a second… We live in an attention economy. You better be able to grab some human attention or you’re gonna be left behind. And… We’re still just in the intro, by the way.

[07:04.8]
But let me give you a last example, one that will probably make some of you cringe! If you don’t already cringe with Trump, and Musk, and all of that. But take the Kardashians. I hear so many people saying, “Oh, they’re stupid!” I don’t think so.

[07:24.0]
I actually believe that they’re incredibly smart. Shocker You know, I’ll let that one fly for a moment. Again, love them or hate them, I think it’s very hard to deny that they’ve mastered the art of Personal Branding and marketing.

[07:45.7]
Look, Kylie Jenner, the youngest Kardashian. At just 21, she became the youngest self-made billionaire on the planet. Her company, Kylie Cosmetics, generated almost 400 million in revenue last year… From lipstick kits and makeup products.

[08:09.7]
To put that into perspective, L’Oréal, Maybelline, massive legacy brands. It took them almost 50 years—half a century —and thousands of employees to do what Kylie Jenner did “by herself” at 21.

[08:28.0]
And we are gonna laugh at the Kardashians? I mean, do you have to agree with everything they do and say? No. But like a famous bearded president said, “I learn from everybody, even if sometimes it’s what not to do.” I know that some people will say, “Oh, but they came from money!” or “Kylie started halfway down the track!” And sure, she had a lot of help from her family.

[09:00.8]
But she didn’t inherit the business, she built it. And yes, of course the Kardashians come from money. They started—I mean, I’m not a Kardashian boy— but all facts aligned, they started with a few millions. It helps!

[09:15.8]
Not gonna deny that… But today, they’re worth collectively around 3 billion—with a B. That’s a totally different ball game. We human beings are often very bad at grasping big numbers.

[09:31.4]
But to put this into perspective, 1 million seconds, that’s about 12 days, give or take. But 1 billion seconds, that’s 32 years. 1 million = 12 days, 1 billion seconds = 32 years.

[09:52.2]
It’s another magnitude. So, yes—it’s not gonna be about all about the Kardashians— but to conclude that one: Yes, they came from money, but their empire is mostly the product of their ability to leverage their fame, their image, their Personal Brand.

[10:11.4]
Now, am I saying “it’s easy”? No. And does it take time? Absolutely. But that’s exactly what we’re gonna discuss today. But the point is, the TikTokization of the economy is real.

[10:26.7]
It’s already transforming business, and I believe that it’s coming for the rest. So, if you are not actively building YOU™… YOU “Trademark” —Your story, Your brand— especially as a medium-sized or small business owner, you’re about to be left behind.

[10:50.9]
Now, how do you build a strong Personal Brand? And let me be maybe a little philosophical here, I like to do that all the time. My wife hates it, but I like to do it. So… think of a Personal Brand and Personal Branding like Karmic Resonance.

[11:11.7]
Good deeds get rewarded, bad deeds get punished. In other words, IF you’re only doing this with the expectation of something in return— especially quick returns— people will feel it.

[11:27.5]
We can smell that bullsh*t, can’t we? You know, when someone is just trying to come and grab our money… They will sense something is off, and you will lose them. Which is, I believe, the exact opposite of what you want. Personal Branding is NOT about “quick cash.” That has to be very, very clear.

[11:47.8]
It’s a long game. It’s a lot of time, effort, energy and value. And it’s an ALL-IN or ALL-OUT situation. It’s not like “I’m gonna half Personal Brand,” that doesn’t work! ALL-IN, ALL-OUT. And let’s be clear, it has to be real, it has to be authentic.

[12:07.7]
And this is not some woo-woo, “feel good” bullsh*t. But here’s the thing… If you don’t have a true passion for sharing and learning, don’t start! Don’t even bother…

[12:23.1]
That’s the first lesson. I mean, you can fake it for a while, but trust me, you won’t last. Because it’s a long game. You know, I’m not talking about the typical “find your passion” or “law of attraction” and “wish it into existence” nonsense that you hear almost everywhere nowadays.

[12:43.1]
Let’s be clear, you either have it, or you don’t. I’m not gonna lie. Personal Branding is NOT for everyone. If you don’t naturally love the process, put your time, energy and effort somewhere else.

[13:02.4]
Now, let’s get into the practical stuff. How do you actually build a strong Personal Brand? I would say it starts with two pillars, authenticity and relevance. And I think we can see it every day.

[13:20.0]
People crave authenticity more than ever. And that’s a huge opportunity for us, because I think that many people are fed up with all the Corporate BS, right? It sounds nice, but it’s everywhere, right?

[13:36.6]
And of course some people love it, and you know… Great. But I believe that more and more people crave authenticity, or going back to that. BUT… and there is a big but.

[13:53.2]
Authenticity doesn’t mean that they want to hear the unfiltered truth about everything. And this can be very hard for people to grasp because often, OR you are peddling corporate bullsh*t, OR we want to be authentic, and real, and all of that… And it’s great! It’s a good strategy, but only in the matter where it aligns with what people actually care about.

[14:24.2]
What they are really interested in. What they value. There is NO point in saying things that people don’t want to hear. Or worse, things that could wreck your reputation. I know when I say this, it’s always like, “duh… obvious” but that’s the trap.

[14:44.2]
How many established business leaders do I see— do you see—spiraling into dangerous rants on LinkedIn? You know, the kind that gets you cancelled. And it’s not about whether you agree with them, or disagree with them.

[14:59.3]
That’s not what I’m saying. But the kind that gets you canceled. Just because they believe, they’re somehow “changing the world.” That they’re “being brave.” “Someone must be vocal about it.” NO! Not with your business voice, but I will get back to that.

[15:19.9]
How do you find the right balance in authenticity? I would say imagine two circles. One circle, the first one, represents “your authentic self.” You, your story, your values, your core, your DNA.

[15:38.3]
And the other circle represents what your audience cares about. Well, the overlap—you know, Venn diagram kind. The overlap between the two circles is where you should focus your communication. That’s your sweet spot.

[15:54.5]
That’s exactly where your Personal Brand is built. And anything about you that falls outside that intersection, it’s noise. And it doesn’t matter how authentic it feels to you.

[16:10.3]
If it doesn’t resonate with your audience, it’s useless. It won’t engage them. It won’t grow your Personal Brand. Worse, it might even hurt you. Beware of the ego trap. We can all fall prey to that trap.

[16:27.5]
Right? But, I would say the rule is simple: Be authentic, but not entirely. There are things I never talk about publicly, especially on divisive subjects. Why would I share my opinions?

[16:45.6]
Because at the end of the day, that’s what they are… Right? Opinions. Why would I share my opinions about the war in Ukraine, or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Why? Because that’s the perfect example of topics that don’t advance my business—they don’t push it forward—and that don’t help anyone in the world.

[17:09.6]
I’m not a diplomat, I’m not a world leader. So, there’s no upside to this. Maybe one day I will, but for now I’m not. So, it’s just not worth it. And there are so many— especially today— hot-button topics like this…

[17:28.4]
Controversies that don’t win you any clients, only haters. And here’s the thing: If you gain only haters and no clients, what’s the point? Instead, focus on topics where your opinions and expertise can add real value.

[17:48.5]
Don’t be Don Quixote… It’s dangerous out there. Now, don’t get me wrong, if you are polarizing in a way that attracts clients, that’s another story. For example, I have strong, divisive opinions about building a business.

[18:08.6]
And some people love them, and some hate them. Both are fine. Those who love them, they may become clients—directly or through one of my companies. And those who don’t, they weren’t going to buy from me anyway. But here’s the key: The people who disagree with me and my ideas, they may end up talking about them to others.

[18:33.7]
Guess what? That spreads my ideas to new audiences, people who might actually agree with me. And that’s what I call the power of positive haters. Because make no mistake, it’s impossible to put your ideas and opinions out there without getting haters.

[18:54.0]
It’s impossible! It’s sad. There we agree… But that’s just how it works. What really matters at the end of the day is where you “net out.” What do you get the most of? Haters or lovers? And maybe even more importantly, WHO loves you, and WHO hates you?

[19:14.4]
If your “ideal client” loves you more than he hates you, and your “non ideal client” hates you more than he loves you… Who cares? That’s the second rule of Personal Branding. Be “Strategically Polarizing.” Now, this doesn’t mean being controversial just for the sake of it.

[19:35.7]
If you start saying like… crazy outrageous sh*t just to “make a buzz”… Well, sure, you might very well succeed. You might make a bad buzz. But to what end? That kind of buzz doesn’t convert into clients.

[19:51.2]
In fact, you will probably lose a few along the way. And this is something I think people often misunderstand. It’s the difference between having an “audience” and having “clients.” At the end of the day, we are running businesses.

[20:08.6]
The goal is to align your audience with the people who are actually gonna buy from you. And that’s okay. It’s not a bad word. It’s okay if people buy from you. I mean Personal Branding with a purpose, it’s fantastic.

[20:24.3]
If you create value for your audience, and in turn your audience becomes your business, that’s a virtuous circle. You provide value and they bring money. Everybody wins. But if you can’t gain anything in return, because you have an “audience,” but no “customers,” you won’t last long.

[20:44.0]
Which brings me to the most important point. Building a Personal Brand takes time. It’s not an overnight success story. And I know that often it may appear like that… Pouf that guy was an unknown yesterday, and now he’s everywhere… Or that girl, or whatever… But it’s not!

[21:02.7]
It appears like that. But what we don’t see is all the work, time, effort and energy they put upfront… until when came that big breakthrough. Consistency is non-negotiable. And it can be incredibly discouraging if you don’t understand how the game works.

[21:20.8]
You might post content for weeks— even months—without seeing any significant growth. And that’s OKAY. That’s what you need to understand. The key is showing up every single day, delivering value and letting your audience grow organically over time.

[21:40.3]
And at first, those small numbers don’t seem like much… But over time, those small increments, they compound. And that’s how, and when growth becomes exponential. 1 or 2% a week may not seem like much.

[21:59.3]
God damn, look at that over a year, and now all of a sudden we’ve got a much bigger audience. The key is to always maintain a long-term perspective. I think so many people fail not because they weren’t “good enough,” but because they quit to soon.

[22:20.8]
We humans, we’re fast gratification animals… And if we don’t see results right away, we stop. Just print this deep into your mind: It’s okay if it takes months before you see any progress or results.

[22:39.1]
Those platforms, they’ve an algorithm… You need to tame it, and that just takes time. Now, I’ll get back to “taming the algorithm” in just a bit, but for now, the key takeaway is that consistency wins the game. Now, here’s another common mistake.

[22:57.6]
People spread themselves too thin, especially too early. They jump onto every platform. LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram— they try to master them all. You can’t. Unless you start with a team of 20 or 30, you can’t.

[23:13.3]
So let me give you a better strategy instead. The Americans, they’ve a great concept called “Master-and-Slave.” And… Yeah, as I’m saying it, I’m realizing why it might be a bit controversial… But that’s not that kind of colonial master and slave.

[23:29.3]
So what do I mean with Master-and-Slave? It means pick one or two main platforms—your Masters— and let all the other ones be Slaves to it. For me, my Master is LinkedIn.

[23:47.7]
And Instagram, TikTok, YouTube are just amplifiers. They take what I create for LinkedIn, and they repurpose it… Often not even in the most optimized format and all of that. But it doesn’t matter… Why? And why is LinkedIn my Master?

[24:05.8]
Because LinkedIn content is what converts clients for me, or for my companies. People see my content, a few of them think “hmmm I like what that motherf*cker has to say,” and they decide to work with me… Which is kind of the shortcut version, but that’s my funnel.

[24:24.6]
You need to align your strengths with one or two core platforms, and let the others support it. If you try to dominate the whole game, your time and energy will be spread too thin, and you will dilute your efforts. I don’t know who said that, but excellence comes from specialization.

[24:43.4]
And that’s true, even more true with social media. Another point is you also need to understand the “psychology of channels.” They’re not the same. The same video, posted on LinkedIn and Instagram, can get very different results. I would say, even if the same person watches it on both platforms.

[25:08.2]
Why? Because we’re in completely different mindsets when we’re scrolling through Instagram vs LinkedIn… Or like reading our work emails vs our personal ones. Depending on the platform, you are contextually different.

[25:27.7]
You’re looking for and expecting different things. And just like you act and behave differently at work than on a trip with your best friends. I hope so, at least. It’s still you, but a different version of you.

[25:46.7]
That’s why content needs to be contextualized for each channel, for each mindset. And that’s also why you can’t master them all. By the way, this is a great lesson for your marketing teams.

[26:02.2]
The WHERE, WHEN and HOW people consume content matters. Your story, your copy, and if you’re making videos, those critical first seconds, they ALL need to adapt. But isn’t that a lot of work?

[26:19.8]
YES, it is! That’s why, as I told you, it’s better to nail one or two key channels—your Masters—and let all the others support that. Because otherwise, you will spread yourself too thin across all of them.

[26:36.7]
Another question I often get is, “If the mindset is different, why use Slaves then?” Because they are amplifiers. You’re not looking for direct results from these channels, but they will boost your personal SEO—Search Engine Optimization—and they will create all kinds of indirect ripple effects.

[27:00.1]
Now, I won’t dive too deep into the technical side of it because that’s a rabbit hole. But trust me, this is key. And some will say, “Yeah, but it can hurt you, and the algorithm may punish you, and…” Who cares? It cannot really hurt you.

[27:17.0]
Worst case scenario, on some you get “shadow banned” for a while. That doesn’t last forever, but you get “shadow banned.” So what? If you do nothing, aren’t you in the shadows? You’re inexistent! Amplifiers. Master-Slaves.

[27:34.0]
Now, earlier we talked about taming the algorithm. Now let me give you a crash course on how to actually do that. How to tame social media algorithms. Let’s start with the basics.

[27:50.2]
Every single platform, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn—you name it— has one thing in common. An algorithm. And what is an algorithm? Well, it’s just a fancy way of saying how these platforms decide what shows up in your feed.

[28:11.3]
It’s the platform’s brain, and it’s sorting through billions of posts to figure out three things. What content you will love, what content will keep you scrolling, and what content will make them money.

[28:27.5]
The algorithm’s sole purpose is to keep you—and every other user— on the platform for as long as possible. And they’re starting to be very, very good at it. I think the average 8 year old today—we are talking about very young children, it’s dramatic to a certain extend— But the average 8 year old, spends 3 hours a day on social media.

[28:54.7]
It doesn’t matter which platform. And if you look at Gen Z, the 12-18 yo, they spend 6 hours a day on average. The algorithm is getting very, very good. And why? Because the longer you stay, the more ads you see.

[29:12.3]
And we’re all in business: the more ads you see, the more money the platform makes. It’s that simple. If you want to grow your Personal Brand on social media —or your business brand— your job is simple… Your job is to create content that helps the algorithm do its job.

[29:31.9]
Engage, entertain, and keep people coming back for more. And if you can do that, the algorithm will reward you. Of course, I don’t know all the secrets of the algorithm, and anyone who says they do is a liar.

[29:47.7]
It’s like the Coca-Cola recipe, it’s locked-up tight. But here is what we do know. There are two major variables that algorithms look at to decide whether your content deserves the spotlight, or stays invisible.

[30:05.5]
Sure, there are many other variables, but one thing is for certain: If you fail at these two, you are guaranteed to stay in the shadows of social media. And those two variables are (1) CTR, which is an acronym for “Click-Through Rate,” are people clicking on your content.

[30:27.6]
And the second one is (2) Watch Time, are they sticking around once they do? Now, TikTok and CTR, it’s another story, but generally speaking, are people clicking (CTR) and how long do they stay on your content once they do? That’s it.

[30:43.6]
Simple, right? But, it’s not because it’s simple that it means easy. So let’s start with Mastering the Art of CTR—how to get people to click on your content. And I say “art” on purpose, because that’s exactly what it is.

[31:03.9]
CTR, if you boil it down to its essence, it’s all about two things: (1) your thumbnail and (2) your title, your hook. Now, let’s start with the thumbnail. Now, “What’s a thumbnail?” you may ask.

[31:20.8]
If you look at a video or whatever content, it’s that small picture, like the cover of a book… That preview picture that you see on a video or a post, whatever. It’s the preview, it’s the teaser, it’s the visual teaser for your content.

[31:36.4]
(1) Thumbnails and (2) your title. Now obsess over your thumbnail. Be OCD’d about it. Don’t just slap something together and hope for the best. If you look at Mr. Beast —and you may not know the name, but Mr. Beast is the biggest YouTuber alive.

[31:57.0]
That may not sound very impressive when I say it like that, but he has 333 million subscribers on his YouTube channel… To put that into perspective, that is as many subscribers as people living in the U.S— Well, that guy is obsessed about thumbnails.

[32:19.2]
On average, he spends $15,000 per thumbnail. Now, of course, not everyone can afford that… But nail it! If people don’t stop and click, it doesn’t matter how good your content is— no one will ever see it!

[32:38.5]
It can be the best content in the world. If no one sees it, what’s the point? I’m going to give you a few hacks to help you with that. Number one: Use faces. People still connect with people.

[32:53.5]
A human face can grab attention, and it also builds instant connection. I’m not telling, “use random faces.” Use yours… Two: Play with contrasts. Bold colors, and sharp, readable text.

[33:11.1]
And three—and that’s a very important one: Create curiosity. Make people ask themselves, “What happens next?” Curiosity is your secret weapon. Next on, we have your titles.

[33:27.6]
There is a simple rule for titles. They must tease, not explain. The goal isn’t to give everything away, but to hook them in. Use action words, steer emotions, and sprinkle just enough mystery to make them need to click.

[33:47.1]
MrBeast, again… He and his team, they brainstorm 100 titles before—100 good titles, not just “ChatGPT, give me 100 titles”— 100 good titles before they even start recording videos.

[34:04.4]
If they don’t have a good hook, they don’t even start recording the content. Spend as much time on your title and thumbnail as you do on your video. Especially when you’re starting out, when you build your audience.

[34:21.2]
Number two: Now that they have clicked on your content, it’s all about holding their attention. Maximizing Watch Time—or read time if it’s a written post and that you have a hook, or a headline. Because if people bail after 2 or 10 seconds, the algorithm will f*cking bury you.

[34:42.5]
How do you keep them glued? First of all, start strong. The first 10 seconds are everything. They will frame all the rest. Open with a bold statement, a compelling question, or something unexpected.

[35:00.8]
You have to hook them before they have… I would say, a chance to scroll away. How do you do that? Well, number two is: Keep the pace. “Boring content is the kiss of death.” I’ve heard that somewhere, and I believe it’s perfectly summarized… Boring content is the kiss of death.

[35:22.1]
Use quick cuts, visuals, music, humor, whatever fits your style. But keep it engaging and dynamic. And three: Tell a story. Humans are wired for stories. Even if you’re explaining something technical, or very niche, frame it in a way that makes people care.

[35:44.4]
Stories pull people in and keep them invested. And last but not least, I would say experiment relentlessly. Algorithms, they evolve. Audiences, they change.

[36:00.8]
And so should you. You gotta stay ahead of your game. Now, how do you do that? Well, first of all, try different formats. For example, short-form content, like TikTok and Instagram Reels vs long-form content, YouTube, podcasts, etc.

[36:20.6]
20 min, 40 min, 2 hours. Test them all, see what resonates. Learn from the best, study trends, spy on your competition—if they do anything at all. And I’m not talking about their “company branding,” I’m talking about the Personal Branding, the founder-led marketing.

[36:41.3]
So… Learn from the best, study competition, study trends, see what’s working in the US, or other markets. Even draw, I would say, inspiration from other industries— adjacent ones, complementary ones, or radically different ones. See what works, see what flops.

[36:57.5]
And then, what do you do? You adapt and you refine. And then, the last step: Iterate, iterate, iterate… If something flops, don’t take it personally. Just tweak it, analyze why it didn’t work, improve and try again.

[37:17.1]
Success comes from constant strategic experimentation. Be a mad scientist. The future belongs to them. I made a LinkedIn post about that, by the way, so you could check it out—after this session.

[37:32.9]
That’s for the crash course on taming the algorithm. All right, here it is, the moment half of you have been waiting for, and the other half probably will hate. What about the impact of AI —of Artificial Intelligence— on Personal Branding?

[37:55.6]
And I’m gonna tackle this one from two different angles. The first angle is from YOUR perspective, as the business owner building a Personal Brand. And then, I’m gonna tackle it from the angle of YOUR BUSINESS— What’s the impact of AI on your business?

[38:12.1]
And more specifically, how can you leverage that to help you build your Personal Brand? Now, let’s start with your perspective. And… Artificial Intelligence is a very disruptive element to Personal Branding.

[38:29.3]
It is fundamentally changing the game. And that for two major reasons. First, it commoditizes content production and the value of work. What do I mean by it “commoditizes?” AI can now generate content, design and even manage tasks that used to require specialized skills or human effort— emphasis on effort.

[38:56.9]
The value of a lot of work is starting to be questioned, because AI can replicate it—or even do it better—at scale. And here’s the thing, whenever something becomes a commodity: Volume goes up, and value goes down.

[39:15.4]
Take posting on social media, for example… Done well, in a way that grabs attention and engages audiences, that used to be highly valuable. But it’s becoming less so, because almost anyone can do it.

[39:31.9]
So… AI is eliminating the traditional barriers to entry for content creation, for content production and dissemination. When commoditization happens—when everything gets flooded with content, or with a product or service—the winning strategy is always the same.

[39:53.4]
Niche down… niche down. That’s the winning strategy against commoditization. The bigger and more crowded the market, the more the real opportunities, the money, the profits lie in the niches.

[40:09.8]
In the past, generalist, or broad-based content, worked on social media. But that was then… and this is now. It is… in the coming years— if not already—Artificial Intelligence will dominate that kind of “generalist content.” I mean, how can you compete— and I say you, we! How can we compete with an AI that’s almost all-knowing, and works 24/7?

[40:39.7]
People will increasingly be seeking—even more—very specific niche content. Now, the good thing with niches is that you don’t need to appeal to everyone. You need to own your space within that niche.

[40:56.0]
That implies a lot of research and all of that, but… own that space! Won’t AI dominate that as well? Hard to say. My stance today is “Yes and No”… Because when you understand how LLMs work —Large Language Models— when you understand how AI needs to be trained on massive bodies of data.

[41:21.6]
Good data, bad data, extremely bad data… What happens is that the output will tend to gravitate towards the average. Now usually, let’s be honest, it’s a good average, but still.

[41:37.0]
And I know that Data Scientists, and AI experts like Tom, may argue about “singularity,” and how it’s all more nuanced than I’m making it out to be… But that’s a whole different rabbit hole. Now, regardless of whether I’m right or wrong, you gotta do something, right?

[41:58.8]
Here’s what’s gonna happen— or should I say accelerate— in the coming years. People are gonna start looking for things that are very, very, very specific on social media. So the level of fragmentation is going to skyrocket to almost insane levels.

[42:18.7]
And if you look at things from another perspective, that’s exactly what is already happening in the music industry, for example… Years ago, music was more or less grouped into a few broad categories pop, rock, country, etc.

[42:36.8]
Now we’ve got “niche genres” for everything. Hyper-pop, Lo-Fi, Beats, Vaporwave, Seapunk… Whatever. Take the best selling album in history, that’s Thriller by Michael Jackson.

[42:53.8]
At one point, it literally represented maybe 50% of the radio airplay worldwide, in every country. Why? Because he was the artist with the most success. But I challenge you to find someone—anyone—like that today.

[43:13.3]
I mean, even someone like Taylor Swift, who’s one of the biggest names out there. Almost a goddess among artists. But her audience is nowhere near as universal as Michael Jackson’s was. And think about how many songs you “recognize”— because of suggestions, because of the algorithm and all of that—but where you have absolutely no idea who the artist is… Or what they do…

[43:40.8]
I mean, it’s insane! Now, on the other hand, there are also artists that you’ve never heard of, and your friends, or maybe your kids, they would die for a picture with them… That’s new. Before, no one would ever say like, “I don’t know who Michael Jackson is.” There used to be famous people, and non-famous people.

[44:03.6]
Now you’ve got famous people, famous people in niches, famous people in market fragments— famous on YouTube, on TikTok, even now, famous in Telegram groups. I mean, that’s crazy. And it’s as crazy as it is new.

[44:20.4]
There are people out there with a community of 15.000 people, and within that community they’re absolute gods. But outside of those 15.000? No one knows them! The same thing is happening to content, and Personal Brands.

[44:40.1]
AI will fragment audiences even further, will break them down even further. The Personal Branding strategy for 2024-2025… Let’s see, after that… It’s all about—or even more about—differentiation, authenticity and creativity.

[44:58.8]
Your unique perspective and its execution— thumbnail, CTR, all of that—will be the true differentiators. It also tells you that you need to start NOW! Because the game will only get more complex.

[45:15.3]
Use AI as a tool to amplify your unique perspective. To do things better, faster, at scale. I mean the craziest use of AI for content that I’ve seen in the last 6 months—which is probably something that will interest all of you—it’s a guy who launched 35 newsletters around his business. From 35 different angles, for 35 different customer segments.

[45:47.4]
Before AI, that would have been impossible… It would have taken a team of 100 people, working together and exchanging. Now it’s one “random Bobby,” in his underwear, who every Sunday morning, makes a small content plan for all of his segments, and then just boom publishes it at lightning speeds.

[46:09.6]
I don’t know if he’s actually in his underwear, but I think you get the idea. We are entering an era where creativity, and the ability to use tools like AI effectively, will matter way more than theory. You can spend 10 years studying a field, like Quantum Physics, but if AI can do the same work in seconds, your value is no longer in the knowledge that you have… But it’s about how you apply that knowledge.

[46:39.5]
So, focus on your niche, own it. Double down on your judgment, on your intuition, play to your strengths. That’s it. Niche down. And always remember, your authenticity isn’t about saying everything, it’s about saying the right things.

[47:01.5]
Now… What about AI from a business angle? Look around this room. Every single one of you is running an established business. So, here’s the thing. If you are serious about making that shift to Founder-Led Marketing… If I convinced you— or not—to turn yourself into a Personal Brand, it’s not just gonna be about branding.

[47:29.9]
There’s a lot more to it. It’s not gonna be a one person show. It’s gonna take a team, systems, and things happening in parallel. And one of those things is that you will have to optimize your business… Like really optimize it.

[47:47.8]
And again, over the past few days, we’ve heard some amazing talks and hacks about this, and AI, and all of that. But let me tell you exactly what I mean by that in the context of Personal Branding. You need to (1) make your business faster and (2) your people sharper.

[48:07.8]
These two are deeply connected. They’re the secret sauce to make everything work. Business faster, people sharper. Let’s talk about AI & Automation for a second. See, I don’t believe that AI as a standalone feature is going to take over the world, or your business for that matter—at least not in the immediate future.

[48:33.5]
But here’s what I do believe. It’s that businesses that get AI right, those businesses, they will take over and crush those that don’t… Or those that don’t use AI the right way. I put AI and Automation in the, same bucket. Because these two get mislabeled a lot…

[48:55.2]
For marketing purposes, I get it. I mean, today everything is AI. But let’s be honest, most of the time it’s not. And that’s OKAY! I mean, at the end of the day, we don’t give a f*ck about whether it’s technically AI or not…

[49:11.9]
As long as it makes your business faster, smarter and ready to scale, we don’t care. Let me give you a concrete example. Let’s say you have someone on your team that’s spending 15 hours a week on a specific task.

[49:28.6]
And let’s say that with AI or automation, you could cut that down to 3 hours. Well, you’ve just freed up 12 hours. Now, usually when I say that, some people freak out like, “You monster, you want to fire people.” But that’s not what I’m saying.

[49:48.9]
Big corporations will definitely take that shortcut. Anything that boosts this year’s bottom line—gotta keep the shareholders happy. But I don’t believe that that’s the game for small or medium-sized businesses. The real key is, take those freed up hours and rechannel them into things that add meaningful value to your business.

[50:13.7]
And what could that be? Train your people. Not just a few hours, not just a few days. I mean, that’s not what I mean. You’re probably already doing that. But I mean, equip them with the deep skills that they need to thrive tomorrow… Because if they thrive tomorrow, well… they will help your business do so.

[50:35.4]
But here’s the thing. Of course it won’t happen overnight. I’ve heard so many times, “Oh, but if that person has 12 extra hours, well, I don’t see that person running my social media because they don’t have the skills.” It’s legit.

[50:52.8]
But here’s the real question. Do they have the right attitude? Sure, they need the minimum Olympic level of skills, but that’s something easy enough to test, right? But if they do, do they have the right attitude?

[51:09.7]
Because then suddenly, what do you have? Think about it… Yesterday you were paying that person 12h a week to do something that was basically nothing. Because it was work that could be automated. Now, you can invest in that person.

[51:27.9]
You can invest those 12h a week into them learning about social media, or whatever else… AI prompt engineering, Tokenization of assets, Behavioral… Behavioral Data Sculpting… Whatever! Whatever is relevant.

[51:44.2]
Invest to upgrade their skills, to level them up. And you will do that for a very marginal cost. Because you were already paying that person for something that was a “waste of time.” Remember those 12 hours— theoretical 12h— that we freed up.

[52:00.3]
Now why would you do that? What are the benefits? I believe there are many benefits to this. You are upskilling someone who already knows your company, your processes, your DNA. Now, if you acquire that skill from the outside, you will have to onboard someone new. Someone who, by the way, is probably going to be more expensive because they have a skill that’s in high demand.

[52:24.2]
But they will also need time to understand your company’s culture, processes, offering and identity. We’ve all been through that. That’s a gamble. You don’t know if that person will be the right fit for your business. Or… you’re gonna hire a young guy and after one year he’s gonna tell you— like, I’ve seen it so many times—like “I need to recenter, I need to find myself” and they quit.

[52:49.5]
I mean, that’s life. No hard feelings. But you don’t know if that person will be the right fit for your business. But investing in someone that is already a part of your world, that’s smart. That’s low-risk, high-reward. You’re almost shifting from an “employee relationship” to a “tribe relationship.” Because by showing appreciation, recognition and a genuine interest, and investing in someone’s growth, you’re not just helping them climb the ladder, you’re also sending a powerful message to everyone else.

[53:25.8]
You’re building loyalty, creating a company that people want to fight for, a place where they want to stay and succeed in. I hear so many times, “Ooh, we suck at our retention programs, and we need this, and that and…” everyone’s looking for that magic hack.

[53:43.4]
Start by building loyalty. AI Is a wonderful tool to help you do that, to create more commitment. That’s how you build a team that sticks with you for the long ride. And some may think like, “He says that because it sounds good” or “It sounds nice, but that’s corporate motivational talk.” No! I mean it.

[54:06.4]
Like I said, I’m a radical. I have very divisive opinions about how you grow a business. If someone isn’t the right fit, if someone isn’t capable enough, then why are they still part of your company? That’s on you, right?

[54:22.7]
That’s not on me. I start from the assumption that everyone in your company has the potential to upscale, because I start from the assumption that otherwise that person wouldn’t be there anymore. And sure, maybe not everyone can upscale to the same level of complexity, but still.

[54:42.9]
That’s how you leverage AI & Automation to make your people sharper, your business faster, more profitable, and future-proof. I feel that I may have talked about AI more than Personal Branding, but I also believe that I gave you all the right fundamentals about Personal Branding.

[55:00.8]
And let’s face it, AI is a powerful and disruptive force. I hope that I brought another angle to this. Speaking of, you know, motivational talk, let me wrap up this presentation with a little motivational talk.

[55:15.9]
This is my Tony Robbins moment. I’ll do that with a question. Do you know—what’s your best guess about—what holds most people back from putting themselves out there and building their Personal Brand?

[55:31.5]
Aside from “They don’t believe in it.” Okay. But aside from that, if you believe in it, if you think, “Yeah, that’s the trend, the rise of the individual is one of the biggest opportunities out there!” What’s holding people back? And probably holding you back.

[55:47.0]
It’s fear. Fear… It’s something hardwired into our brains. The fear of being judged, the fear of being rejected. You’ve probably already heard of the many studies that show that for most people— if not all people—the fear of being judged is actually greater than the fear of death.

[56:10.8]
Now, we can get into the details of how they measure that, but bottom line is: >e are more scared of being judged than we are of death. And that’s also why public speaking consistently ranks as one of the biggest fears.

[56:27.8]
Because, of course, a 100.000 years ago, when we were just animals running around in herds of 50 people in the African savanna… Being judged too harshly… It meant being cast out!

[56:43.1]
And being cast out meant death. Even today, you could argue that, in many ways, being judged too harshly can be an “economic death.” It can cost you business, relationships, opportunities.

[56:59.2]
It can cost you your ability to earn. But here’s the good news guys—and girls— If you approach Personal Branding the way we’ve just discussed, it won’t be a problem. Sure, don’t start putting crazy sh*t out there…

[57:17.7]
I think we’ve already covered that, at great length. Keep your brand focused on your audience and the value that you bring, not on your personal opinions. Because trust me, no one cares. Remember this famous quote: First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, and then you win.

[57:41.8]
And I think that the first three stages are pretty much a given, right? I mean, they will ignore you. Then, as you start gaining or building some traction, some will mock you. I mean, it’s human nature to dismiss whatever or whoever challenges the norm.

[57:59.2]
And then, when you really start making waves, that’s when they will fight you. They’ll question your motives, your methods, your very right to stand out. “Who does this person think they are?” “How dare they have a strong opinion!?” To quote the Swedish little girl.

[58:19.9]
It’s all part of the game. Now let me ask you another question, a last question. What is often the biggest difference between being labeled a “genius” or being called a “crazy person?” Again, aside from the obvious, if you’re not objectively, clinically deranged, of course.

[58:41.9]
And the answer is simple. The biggest difference between a “genius” and a “crazy person” is success. The difference between the genius and the crazy is all about the outcome. Think about Steve Jobs, for example.

[58:58.6]
Today we call him a visionary. But if he hadn’t succeeded, if Apple had flopped. Steve Jobs without success would have been called a “toxic manager.” But because he succeeded, he’s now seen as the “archetype of a bold visionary leader” who inspires people.

[59:25.5]
Steve Jobs without success would have been diagnosed with probably some pathological OCD… But he succeeded. So now he’s a “design mastermind,” a “detail-obsessed innovator,” a “master of simplicity.” Steve Jobs without success, showing up on stage in the late 90s wearing a turtleneck, and an ugly jeans, and everyday sneakers.

[59:54.8]
People would have called him unprofessional, at best. Or arrogant… But hey, he succeeded. So it became known as a “bold entrepreneurial move.” All the traits that we celebrate about the guy, without success, they would have been the flaws of a crazy person.

[60:14.8]
So… I would say, here’s my challenge to you. Go ahead and be crazy, but make it count. Add value, leave a mark, go out there and build your brand. The one that is uniquely yours, the one that only you can create.

[60:33.7]
And don’t forget, I’m building a brand too. So, take out your phones, go on LinkedIn, type my name and follow me. Thank you!

[60:46.9]
Thank you!

[60:51.5]
I see that we have some questions. Are we still on time? Good. I’ll let you manage.

[61:02.4]
Water, people. Drink a lot of water. So, we have a question.

[61:32.8]
Great question! Thanks for asking. I’m gonna try to do the short version of it. Likes, comments, followers. They’re all fine. Especially the followers one. I mean… they make us feel good, right?

[61:48.7]
And it’s okay. It’s okay to feel good. But the downside is, they can also make us feel bad… Because if you don’t get them, especially at the beginning. But hey, that’s part of the game. Here’s the thing. I would say enjoy the success, or enjoy the moment when it comes, but don’t get trapped—at least not too much—into “Vanity Metrics.” Because that’s—to a certain extent—that’s what they are, vanity metrics.

[62:17.9]
Sure, they please us. But likes don’t pay the bills. Followers don’t always mean influence. We’ve talked about this already. Here’s what I believe. I believe that successful Personal Branding drives real outcomes.

[62:34.4]
It educates your ideal customer. It builds meaningful relationships with them. Not with everyone, with them, with your ideal customers. And I get it, the answer sounds like bullsh*t.

[62:49.6]
So… How do you measure that? Let me be even more concrete. It’s simple. It drives sales —directly or indirectly. Someone buys from you, or joins your email list, engages with your business, and eventually they convert.

[63:07.8]
That’s ROI. Return On Investment. You may invest time, but you want to return on it. There’s a basic concept in marketing called “The Rule of 7,” and it says that it takes, on average, 7 interactions with your brand before a purchase happens.

[63:26.0]
So… If someone sees your content 7 times, they’re much more likely to remember you, to like you, to trust you, to talk about you, and eventually to BUY from you. Now, I believe that in the modern world we need an update of that concept… And it’s more likely “The Rule of 14” or 15.

[63:47.6]
But anyways, now here’s the tricky part, and this is also where most people get it wrong. Your most valuable audience, especially in B2B, is often the one that lurks in the …

[64:04.3]
They’re what is called the Silent Community. Now, what’s the Silent Community? They’re the people who… They don’t comment, They don’t like, tThey don’t share. They just watch… Quietly. They’re the ones who notice your insights, your consistency and your authenticity.

[64:24.0]
And when the time is right, they’re also the ones who turn into your best clients, partners or advocates. And I would even go as far—at least in my personal experience— to say that there is almost a negative correlation between those who comment and those who actually buy…

[64:43.2]
Some of the most insane contacts— I mean insane in the positive way, in the positive business way— contacts that I had over the last months, or weeks, were people that never liked a single post.

[64:59.2]
Never shared it. To still answer your question on one level deeper, how do you track ROI? And I would say look at three dimensions. 1. Engagement Metrics.

[65:16.4]
The likes, the shares, the comments. These are signals, they’re not outcomes… But they’re important. 2. Growth Metrics. Your followers, and the audience reach. Again, it’s important, but it’s not the end goal.

[65:32.0]

3. Business Metrics. Leads, sales, revenue… Money! This is where the real ROI lives. Are you generating leads? Collecting email signups? Or downloads?

[65:48.0]
Don’t underestimate, even to this day, the power of a mailing list. Collect emails, email signups. Are you converting viewers into paying customers? If your Personal Branding isn’t driving actual business results, it’s just a hobby.

[66:09.0]
Which is fine also, by the way. But… And I will leave you with this, because it may appear to contradict something that I have said, but it’s not. ROI doesn’t show up overnight. Personal Branding is a long game.

[66:25.3]
It’s about the seeds that you plant today, and that pay off months or even years later. Right? Make sense or? Great. Next question.

[67:17.1]
Well, thank you for the generous feedback. Now, I see that we got some time, right? And I always like a good challenge. I’m gonna answer that question, but not from a Personal Branding angle. And… You know, what I’ve just said about ROI and all of that, but your question is exactly what I advised against.

[67:41.1]
Think about it this way. When you were born, you didn’t just start running, you didn’t even start walking. Now, I’m not about to give a class on “How humans learn to walk,” but the point is, it’s an incremental process.

[67:56.3]
One step at a time. And what you’re saying is, “I don’t have a Personal Brand… I get that Personal Branding isn’t about selling… But, I want to make an extra million in the next 6 months.” That’s not Personal Branding.

[68:12.9]
Sure… At the end of the day, as I just said, if it doesn’t pay off, it’s a hobby. But that’s not how you are gonna get there. If you expect quick returns, your audience will sense it, and you will lose them.

[68:29.3]
Now, I’m not saying this to be patronizing or—I have no right to be—but I say that because I want everyone to understand that this right there, this is the right mindset for business, but it’s absolutely not the right mindset for Personal Branding.

[68:46.8]
Now, you’ve asked the question, so… Let’s see if I can help, take the challenge on stage. The problem, in my opinion, is not really about, the 1 million. You could even bring in 2 or 5…

[69:02.3]
Not over promising here, but… Let me better understand things. How much is your business pulling in, right now, on an annual basis? [About 6 million a year.] Okay… Do you have ONE client who is way bigger than the others?

[69:25.5]
[Yeah, we do.] Okay. What makes them special? [They signed a very big 3-year deal.] Okay… I guess that’s good! For me to understand what happened with them specifically that you couldn’t do with your other clients?

[69:47.7]
[It’s that they actually took a risk. They decided to go all-in. So… It was like, real opportunity because of that.] Okay… That happens sometimes. That’s how the best business is made. Now… How many companies like them would you say exist in…

[70:08.5]
France and Belgium, right? That’s the market? Yeah. How many companies like them exist in France and Belgium? [Honestly… Not many!] Have you guys spoken to ALL of them? Or, let me ask another question— maybe even better—have YOU personally spoken to all of them?

[70:26.5]
[Not yet! But we are… Looking into it. We’re working on it.] Are these people like unreachable? Like hiding into caves type of people? [No, they’re not unreachable, but…] Are you doing cold calls? And emails…

[70:42.8]
Cold emails? [Yeah. Yeah, we are. We’re doing cold calls and emails, and this… This client actually came from that.] Oh, really? Well then let me ask you a very simple question, but… Why don’t you multiply by 10 the number of cold emails that you send?

[70:59.5]
[Yeah, fair point. I mean, we’re scaling up the volumes, but…] Couldn’t you multiply that by 10 again? And let me clarify something. When I say “cold emailing,” or “cold calling,” I don’t mean just firing out generic crap.

[71:18.9]
Especially if… And that’s what you said, you are fishing in a small pond. Every cast needs to count. So, it’s about deep research, sharp messaging, clear value, personalized approaches. But if you were doing all that, could you— that’s my question— multiply it by 10 again?

[71:39.4]
[Definitely. Yeah, we can. We can multiply by 10 again.] There you are. That’s it. A powerful lesson that I’ve learned in sales is that often the secret to more business—or to achieve more of anything for that matter—it’s not the magic disruptive hack that everyone is looking for.

[72:04.9]
The real secret. It’s doing the same thing, but with much more intensity to refine, repeat and iterate. So… What do you do now? Figure out WHAT made that big deal happen in the first place.

[72:21.1]
And I mean break it down. That’s what I mean by “figure out.” Not just like “We sent an email and we got it” No! Break it all down, all the components. The process, your copy, their pain points, the timing, what was the value proposition, the negotiation, what’s to that?

[72:37.1]
All of it. You need to break it down in as many fragments, as many factors as possible. And then, once you have that, you need to find all the replicable factors. And then, what do you do? Then you put all your energy into actually replicating it.

[72:55.3]
Scale it like hell. And if you do that, you will see something almost magical happens. It doesn’t just add up, it starts multiplying. And if you do it right, you won’t stop at the 1 million extra you’ll hit the 3, the 4, or more.

[73:13.0]
Now, let me be clear again. Within the timeline that you have in mind, this is not about Personal Branding. It’s just smart sales with relentless execution.

[73:29.0]
So… I hope this helps. And again, I don’t have all the specifics, but… [Thanks, Gaetan! It’s definitely some food for thought for us! Valuable insights!] You’re welcome. Welcome. Next question? I see many hands raised.

[73:45.4]
Way more than I would have expected… Where do we stand on time? Two more questions, but short ones, Okay.

[74:25.0]
Well… First, like I’ve just said, “smart sales” and “smart marketing” plus relentless execution is still working. Right? That’s one. Now, let me clarify something.

[74:42.2]
I’m not suggesting for anyone to just stop everything that they’re doing and just focus on Personal Branding. No! The key is to integrate Personal Branding into your existing growth efforts.

[74:59.1]
So, it’s not a separate project. It’s part of a bigger picture. How can I make that concrete to you? If you’re already running ads, for example. Or creating content.

[75:15.1]
Why not make your Personal Brand the face of it? You share your insights, your values, your voice in the messaging. And by doing so you’re not just only driving short-term results, you’re also building Brand Equity in the process.

[75:34.0]
Personal Brand Equity. That sounds corporate, right? But it’s about layering your Personal Brand into what is already working. Create a system where your Personal Brand efforts, and your business brand efforts, where they fuel each other.

[75:55.6]
Make sense or? Perfect. Glad it helps. Was it short enough for… Yeah? Okay.

[76:29.9]
Gotcha. Well, first of all, you don’t have to anything. But here’s the thing though. If you are not putting yourself out there, someone else will. And that person—that business— will get all the attention, and all the trust that could have been yours.

[76:50.5]
Now you don’t have to be flashy, or extroverted, or do crazy stuff… But I think that you do need to show up in a way that feels authentic, and connects with your audience and its preferences. And, if being in the spotlight isn’t your thing—remember the fear and all of that—that’s fine.

[77:13.6]
Find, I would say, your version of visibility… Is that a newsletter? A podcast? Maybe even just writing brilliant LinkedIn posts? I don’t know what niche you’re in but… But staying invisible? In my opinion, it’s not really an option in today’s world and economy.

[77:35.4]
But let’s be clear again. Your business, your choice. Your body, your choice. So… Yeah… I’m sorry, there is not much more that I can say to that one. A last one?

[78:17.5]
Well, that’s the ultimate test of leadership, isn’t it? Now, jokes aside, I think it’s a very good question. I think… A strong and successful Personal Brand doesn’t just sell products or services, in the long run.

[78:37.4]
I think it also infuses values and, I would say, vision in the whole company. When a founder steps away, or sells his business, or whatever, the brand shouldn’t die! It should evolve. I mean, back to Steve Jobs and Apple.

[78:56.6]
Jobs was the brand. But his principles, his values, the obsession that he had with design and relentless innovation, they live on, right? They’re still there. And sure, Apple is not exactly the same anymore.

[79:13.3]
It’s not exactly what it used to be. But you could also argue that so is the world. The world isn’t the same anymore. The real key, I think, is… intentional legacy building. If you’re not embedding your values into your team, and into your culture, from day one… You’re not building a sustainable brand.

[79:35.1]
You are creating a long-term bottleneck… And it may pay off in the short-term. But still. And also, even if you’re thinking about flipping your business, or selling your business, or whatever: If you are too strong of a brand, and that there is no culture, that there are no values, that also makes your business worth less.

[79:55.2]
It’s a fine balance. I’m not saying… But it’s all about, if I had to boil it down, it’s all about culture. And as Peter Drucker puts it, “Culture eats strategy for lunch” or for breakfast….

[80:11.4]
I don’t remember. But the point is that culture eats strategy… at a certain point in time. But I think he could also have said something like, “Your Personal Brand is your culture in action,” or something like that. Maybe I should write that down.

[80:30.6]
Okay. Okay? Yeah. Well, thank you, everyone, for this attention that I got in this attention economy. Thank you, Alex, again, for putting me up here. And… Well, come and meet me at the bar.