Personal branding is when your brand is you. It centers around your name, your personality, your voice, your image, and your story.

Think:

• Marie Forleo
• Gary Vee
• Alex Hormozi
• Chiara Ferragni
• Your favorite TikTok content creator

You are the product - or at the very least, the messenger.

Pros:

• Builds trust faster (people buy from people)
• Easier to connect emotionally with audiences
• More flexibility - pivoting your offer or business model doesn’t require a full rebrand
• Highly effective for creators, coaches, consultants, speakers, and founders building a movement

Cons:

• Hard to separate the brand from you
• Can limit scalability or exit potential
• Burnout risk - you’re the face, always
• Clients may expect you, not your team or process

Business branding is when your brand has its own name, story, tone, and visual identity - separate from your personal identity.

Think:

• Glossier
• Lenny Studios
• Haus of Padel
• Gymshark
• Notion

You might still be the founder or public face, but the business has its own positioning.

Pros:

• Easier to scale, hire, delegate
• More professional perception in some industries
• Easier to sell or exit the business
• The brand can live on without you

Cons:

• Primary loTakes longer to build audience trustgo
• Requires more investment in design, strategy, and content
• Messaging can feel less personal if not done right

1. What are your long-term goals?

• Want to become a thought leader, speaker, or niche expert? → Go personal
• Want to grow a team, create a scalable product/service, or sell later? → Go business

2. Who are you trying to reach?

• If your audience buys into you, your story, your lifestyle → Personal brand
• If your audience wants credibility, consistency, or category positioning → Business brand

3. Do you want flexibility or structure?

• Personal branding lets you pivot your offers without changing your brand
• Business branding gives you a defined container - great for growth but less flexible

4. Can you do both?

Yes, and many smart founders do.

You can:

• Build a personal brand to grow trust and visibility
• Launch a business brand as the product or service container

Example:

Alex Hormozi is a personal brand. Acquisition.com is his business brand.

You trust him, and then buy from them.

A few signs you may be outgrowing your personal brand:

• You’re hiring a team and clients still expect you on every project
• You want to expand into new markets that don’t align with your name/image
• You’re building something you plan to exit or license long-term
• You feel trapped creatively by your own online persona

That’s when it may be time to separate your identity from your operations and let the business become its own brand.