6 Famous Personal Branding Examples & How to Build Your Own

Why Your Personal Brand Matters More Than You Think 

While personal branding sounds like something that should only concern public figures and celebrities, it actually matters for everyone. In the crowded job market, a well defined and unique personal brand allows you to stand out among your peers. In a way, you already have a personal brand: the way you carry yourself (especially online), your interests and strengths, and your interactions with others all are a part of your personal brand. When potential customers or employers see your online presence, they know what you bring to the table.

Personal Branding Success Stories: 6 Case Studies

You certainly don't need millions of fans or a red carpet lifestyle to benefit from personal branding, but it doesn't mean we can't learn from those who have mastered it, to great success. Below we will take a look at 6 famous people who made their careers out of their personal branding, and what you can learn from their branding approaches.

Martha StewartMartha Stewart is an iconic figure in cooking and home style, bolstered by her decades long career in front of the cameras teaching housewives how to whip up delicious meals. She picked a lane (home cooking), and owned it so well that when she started talking about other fields like gardening or home decor, people trusted her. Build credibility in one field that you are confident in; after that, expanding into related areas feels natural rather than forced.

👉 Lesson: Own your corner first, then expand your territory 

MrBeast

MrBeast is a personal branding phenomenon known for his elaborately set up Youtube videos and generosity that leads to highly viral videos. This personal brand empire was built by putting his audience first, focusing all his monetary investments into blowing his audiences' minds. By focusing on creating value for your audience (whether it be entertainement, resources, or knowledge), the growth will naturally follow.

👉 Lesson: Be willing to give in order to get

Gary VeeGary Vee is one of the most well known "hustle- culture" influencers, being a CEO of multiple companies as well as a multi-time NYT bestselling writer. The most impressive part is that he stays on top of his work while also staying active across multiple social media platforms and podcasts, posting multiple times daily. Like Gary, you should treat social media content creation for your personal brand as non-negotiable and consistent. 

👉 Lesson: Success compounds when you show up consistently 

Dwayne "The Rock" JohnsonDwyane "The Rock" Johnson's transition from a wrestling superstar to Hollywood blockbuster actor to businessman is nothing short or amazing. However, he never lost his core appeal, just applied his charm to different fields. When pivoting, don't try to reinvent yourself; take what already works and apply it to your next chapter.

👉 Lesson: Take your core strengths with you to every opportunity 

Billie EilishBillie Eilish has one of the most unique personal brands, touting bright neon colors and unique fashion styles that made her a style icon. While her main gig is music, this memorable expansion of her identity makes her a stronger personality in her fan's eyes, increasing her reach and fan loyalty. What makes you "strange" is what makes you memorable; polish your skills, but never sanitize your uniqueness.

👉 Lesson: Be unapologetically yourself

Bill NyeBill Nye is one of the most well-known science educators in America, taking complex concepts and making them fun through goofy experiments. Bill proved that even difficult topics can captivate when you focus on making them accessible for the masses. When you are sharing your personal message, don't be caught up in proving how much you know; captivate them by convincing them why they should care.

👉 Lesson: Teach to ignite curiosity, not to flex knowledge 

Tips for Building Your Personal Brand

Develop a distinct brand identity: Your personal brand should feel unmistakably you. That means figuring out what people consistently come to you for; your specialty and niche of sorts. Don't try to spread youself too thin trying to please many people, it will only water down your value.

👉 Pro Tip:  Stick to your signature brand identity everywhere, and your audience will always know it's you.  Once you create your brand in uBrand, you can instantly generate beautiful matching banners for social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and more so your viewers can recognize you at first glance.

Leverage content creation & social media: You don’t have to post daily to build a brand, but you do have to show up consistently. The key? Work smarter, not harder. Utilize social media posting tools such as uBrand's Social Post Generator to streamline your content production rather than scrambling to post content from scratch everyday.

Engage with your audience authentically: Too many people treat social media like a megaphone—broadcasting but never listening. If your audience keeps asking the same questions, that’s your cue to create content around it. The more you engage, the more your brand feels like a two-way relationship.

Adapt over time: Your brand should evolve as you do, but that doesn’t mean chasing every trend. Every few months, take stock: Does my brand still align with where I’m headed? Maybe you started as a freelance designer but now you’re teaching others how to do it, so you should update your message accordingly.