If you are a leader within a family firm or family office, you have probably invested some time and energy into nurturing the family “brand,” in response to the increasing need to connect with people and partners on a more personal level. After all, the next generation, driven by an influencer mindset, see themselves as personal brands who should only transact with businesses that share the same set of values and priorities as they do. This mindset is not just for next-gen consumers but for next-gen employees as well. If the personification of brands has become so important, it is time to drop family brand thinking down a level and start focusing on the individuals behind the brand.
It all boils down to personal branding. Within a family business context, there are obvious benefits to having individuals of strong professional or social standing. An individual who has become an opinion or thought leader within a particular industry or discipline can have a massively positive halo impact on the reputation of the business or brand with which they are associated.
The importance of personal brand-building cannot just be seen in the context of family set-ups though. Just as millennials are seeing themselves as individual brands, any modern professional needs to do the same.