Personal branding isn’t just about a presence and exposure in social media or in media in general; it’s about strategically showcasing your unique value proposition to the world. If we think about the personal brands that stand out in the history of the world—we think about outstanding personalities that shift the way we think or brought impressive value to society.

A powerful personal brand helps you stand out, build relationships, and achieve your professional goals, however it should not be just built based on presence and visibility, but on the evidence of achievements and value you bring to the world. The Personal Branding Canvas is a structured framework that can guide you through this process. Using examples of powerful personal brands, we’ll explore how to fill out each section.

You can download Personal Branding Canvas here >>

Personal brands – examples

Let’s start with some understanding of what a personal brand is:

“Personal branding is a strategic process aimed at creating, positioning, and maintaining a positive public perception of oneself by leveraging unique individual characteristics and presenting a differentiated narrative to a target audience.” Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_branding

However, I like more the definition by Harrison Monarth, Harvard Business Review:

‘Whereas reputation is about credibility, your personal brand is about visibility and the values that you outwardly represent.’ Source: https://hbr.org/2022/02/whats-the-point-of-a-personal-brand

Considering famous leaders whose personalities changed the way we think, work or operate as a society, we often think about Martin Luther King, Marie Curie Skłodowska, Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe, etc. Each of those person not only was exposed by media like the current influencers, but also build their visibility based on the values.

Martin Luther King: We often recognize him as a speaker (famous “I had a dream” speech) and leader who gave the power to think broadly about the rights of black people in US, but also in the broader meaning about the freedom of humans in general.

Marilyn Monroe: We not only remember her stunning roles in movies, details about revolutions in her private love life, but also we think about her as an icon who changed the way we think about the role of the women. She was brave in exposing her sexuality – that changed the fashion, entertainment industry, as well as social patterns forever.

Winston Churchill: we remember his powerful words, that not only revolutionize the way we thought about the role of the prime minister in the modern democracies, but also he wrote the modern history of the Europe after the WWII with his speeches and brave political decisions.

Maria Curie Skłodowska: we remember her achievements in the area of physics and chemistry, that not only revolutionize the science but also brought real value in terms of its usage in many industries like medicine, military, and energy.

As you can see all those personalities were famous because the change they brought to the society, but their analyzing their personal brands we can investigate the ingredients that helped them to build and maintain the recognizability (probably they weren’t conscious of it, or were only partly).

WHY: Substantive Differentiator (Your Core Expertise)

What single word best describes your professional identity? What sets you apart professionally? Let’s explore examples of personal brands that excel in specific fields – technology, art, entrepreneurship. Your area of expertise—your industry, skill set, or perspective—is your core why. What unique insights, approaches, or values do you bring to the table? A person’s area of expertise (like a specific technology, industry, or methodology) can be a powerful differentiator. This question of your unique value proposition is crucial—and often the hardest to answer—perhaps encompassing a core value, philosophy, industry focus, technology, or solution.

Examples:

• Value: Martin Luther King – freedom, Madonna – rebel;
• Industry: Marilyn Monroe – movie, Olga Tokarczuk – literature, Frida Kahlo – art;
• Area: Marc Andreessen – VC investments, Dan Pink – motivation;
• Technology: Sam Altman – AI, DHH – Ruby on Rails, Elon Musk – EV;
• Methodology: Jurgen Apello – Management 3.0., Simon Sinek – Golden Circle.

My why:

• Historically: product marketing, strategy
• Now: strategy & leadership.

HOW: Visual Differentiator (Your Unique Style)

This section focuses on the how you present yourself. Think about your unique style. It’s not just about clothes; it encompasses your body language, accessories, and overall aesthetic. Are you known for stylish outfits? Do you always wear a specific type of jewelry? Do you cultivate a certain visual presence? Be authentic and consistent. Your visual style should reflect your values and professional goals.

Examples:

• General style: French style of Audrey Hepburn, comfortable dressing of Steve Jobs;
• Repeatable outfits: Steve Jobs & black turtleneck, jeans and white Adidas; Mark Zuckerberg & gray T-shirt & jeans (before famous rebranding);
• Pieces of jewelry: Coco Chanel and pearls, flowers on the hair of Frida Kahlo, glasses of Bill Gates;
• Makeup: red lips of Madonna, blue lips of Kate Perry;
• Element of the body: characteristic haircut of Prince Diana, mole on the skin of Marilyn Monroe, Salvador Dalí mustache.

My visual style:

• circle jewelry,
• red lips,
• historically: red dress, now: Italian neckline.

WHAT: Facts, Evidence (Proof of Your Expertise)

Now, back it up with concrete proof—what have you achieved? Showcase your accomplishments, awards, published works, or notable projects. The presentation provided examples of significant achievements: awards, large-scale projects, or even roles in influential companies/brands you’ve built. How can you quantify your value? Quantifiable achievements (e.g., numbers of clients, project outcomes) are valuable, as are your famous quotes, publications, or other notable work.

Examples:

• Achievements: Wisława Szymborska – Nobel Prize; Serena Williams – Wimbledon awards;
• Brands: Coco Chanel – Chanel; Irena Eris – Irena Eris cosmetic brand; Steve Jobs – Apple; Bill Gates – Microsoft; Mark Zuckerberg – Facebook/Meta;
• Quotes/Words: Martin Luther King Jr. – “I had a dream”; Brené Brown – “Be brave!”;
• Roles: Jacqueline Kennedy – First Lady of the United States, Satya Nadel – CEO of Microsoft;
• Publications: Daniel H. Pink – Drive; Simon Sinek – Start with Why.

My facts:

I played the role of a co-owner and/or C-level executive in 5 companies (Project: People, Project: Values, Reversum.io, and Hermes & Partner cooperatives). I built marketing at nazwa.pl (from 100k to 1 million customers), created a lean strategy agency Project: People (over 180 clients from 18 countries in 5 years), and cooperated with global brands such as Sabre or Google for Developers.

One-Liner (Your Concise Statement)

A one-liner is your concise elevator pitch. What one or two words best capture the value you bring to the world? Think concisely about your work and the value you offer. This section emphasizes the importance of a compelling one-liner—a clear statement of your expertise. What’s the core message you want to communicate?

Examples:

• Values: Princess Diana – People’s Princess; Margaret Thatcher – The Iron Lady;
• Vision: Steve Jobs – Think Different;
• Methodologies: Tim Ferriss – The 4-Hour Workweek;
• Phrases: Marilyn Monroe – “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” & “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”.

My one-liner:

• Historically: ♥ is my superpower, what’s yours?
• Now: My long-term mission is to support the development of 1 million leaders.

Bio (Your Story)

This is your chance to share your background and career path, emphasizing what makes you unique. Examples of successful entrepreneurs and leaders from diverse fields show varied experiences. In your bio, highlight relevant experience and skills, but focus on the value you bring. Summarize key information from your personal branding canvas, emphasizing facts and evidence, and highlighting significant achievements. The bio should visually integrate your logo, photo, and the key branding elements discussed.

Examples:

• Significant Brands/Companies Worked With/Created
• Conferences/Workshops: Specify the name of the conferences, and quantify your involvement (e.g., “Keynote speaker at 3 international conferences focusing on [topic]”).
• Books/Publications/White Papers/Articles: List specific publications and the number of articles or white papers you’ve authored or contributed to.
• Mentoring Programs: Name mentoring programs and/or roles within programs (e.g., “Founder/Lead Mentor of [program name]”). Quantify if possible (e.g., “mentored over 500 individuals through the [program name] mentorship program”).
• Quantifiable Achievements: Focus on impactful numbers wherever possible (e.g., “Increased company revenue by 20% in three years,” “Reached over 1 million users for the [product name] platform”).
• University Lectures/Courses: List the universities and courses you’ve taught or designed.
• Tools/Methodologies: Name your unique creations and the impact they had (e.g., “Developed [methodology name], which led to [outcome]”).

Check my bio >>

Vision (Your Aspirations)

What are your long-term goals? Where do you see yourself in five or ten years? Your vision should align with your personal brand and career trajectory. For example, do you aspire to mentor others in your field, start a company, or make a significant impact on a specific community? This long-term vision should drive your internal motivation and fuel your personal brand.

To-Do List (Next Steps)

This is where you create actionable steps to achieve your personal branding goals. Examples shown include outlining a detailed action plan to work towards personal goals like becoming a mentor or creating a presentation, leading a workshop, or getting a new job, as well as creating a logo, website or a professional photoshoot. This section should be broken down into concrete and measurable steps.

By diligently filling out the Personal Branding Canvas using examples and inspiration from successful individuals, you can craft a powerful and compelling personal brand that resonates with your target audience and helps you achieve your career aspirations. Remember, authenticity is key. Be true to yourself, and your brand will naturally follow. Just remember personal branding is just a tool to showcase your expertise and fuel the value you bring to the World, not the opposite.

You can work with me on your Personal Branding during the mentoring sessions >>