Shaping Your Brand

Deep down, I'm a big 'branding' fanatic. I love reading recent headlines of Jaguar swinging for the fences. Or when Tribune Publishing rebranded to Tronc temporarily (...I was there for that one). Yet, branding means more than that.

Apple did not become one of the world’s most valuable companies because they redesigned a logo or changed a slogan. They shifted how people related to them by repeatedly showing up with something new, solving a different problem. They moved from computers to music to phones to an entire ecosystem of products and services.

Sure, it's a well-known example, but it carries a lesson relevant beyond big companies. Any brand, corporate or personal, changes when there is real evidence that things are different. A logo might catch your eye, but proof points change your mind.

Beyond the "Logo"

Our own career works the same way. People think of us based on what we have done, what they have seen us do well, and what we put our focus on each day. It's our reputation.... What people expect when we walk in the door.

Hiring managers and decision-makers look for quick signals because they likely don't know us personally... checking our job titles, the skills we highlight, or the stories we choose to tell to understand what our value is to their needs.

The good news is that you can shape what people believe about your value by building new proof points that help them see you in a fresh way.

"Proof Points" Shift Perception

Looking back, every career shift I made happened because there was something that I learned beyond the job I was in. I went from "startup digital marketing guy" to "sales guy" to "partnerships guy" to "corporate innovation guy" to "strategy guy" to "product guy." None of these roles naturally sequence one to another, but my skillsets accumulated in a way that stood-out from other candidates.

A company like Apple did not change its brand overnight. Each big move was backed by clear "proof points." The iPhone showed they could help us connect everywhere, the Apple Watch signaled a step into health and lifestyle, and AirPods become the fashionable bluetooth headphones. These moments gave people real evidence that the brand was evolving by serving different needs.

We have proof points too. Every new skill, project, or idea we share becomes a signal that we are ready for more and capable of delivering new value.

Growth and development works like that. Picking up a new skill, exploring an unfamiliar topic, or learning a new domain that excites you... these things add up. They reinforce your ability to solve new problems. They create important evidence that you are moving forward, and they make it easier for others to believe it too.

Now for the "Marketing"

I'll say the obvious... what you learn only helps your brand if people can connect it to something real. Skills that stay hidden do not open doors. Small proof points, shared naturally, reinforce what you can do in your next role. You do not need to become a loud self-promoter... you just need to make your growth visible in ways that feel genuine to you.

Before going off and signing up for an advanced degree program, make learning a priority this week with a few simple steps.

1. Pick one thing to learn this week that ties to the next role you want. What's a skillset you see missing from your resume? A technology on the horizon? Or domain that is trending? 2. Start a quick conversation with someone who already knows this area. Ask them for guidance on how to approach the next phase of your learning curve. 3. Share a takeaway from what you learned. This could be a short LinkedIn post, a comment in a networking group, or a quick note to someone who might find it useful too.

Corporate rebrands can take years to be fully realized in the market.

Your brand can be refined today.