Personal Branding When Wearing Many Hats
We've all heard about personal branding and how important it is for career success. But what if the idea of settling on a personal brand feels too constricting? The poet Walt Whitman never worried about personal branding, but here's what he probably would have said about it if we could ask him:
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
― Walt Whitman
We all contain multitudes, so presenting a single public-facing brand can be a challenge. In life, you wear many hats.
The potential of having more than one personal brand came up in a masterclass for startup founders that I was teaching. Several founders in the cohort wore different hats. They were scientists and marketers, startup founders and academics. In other words, that had more than one public identity. Did they have to choose only one?
We workshopped this in class, and here’s what we came up with.
Step 1: Craft an Integrated Narrative
Rather than treating your scientist and entrepreneur identities separately, think of how they strengthen each other. In the masterclass, we did writing exercises to develop a coherent story that brought in a full job description. For example, as a scientist, your expertise provides unique insights for your company, while entrepreneurial thinking brings fresh perspectives to your research. Could this be used to enrich your brand identity?
Step 2: Leverage the Advantages of Dual Identity
As a scientist, you have credibility. Use it to differentiate your startup while applying business skills to improve grant writing and lab management. This cross-pollination creates value that single-focus professionals can't easily match.
Step 3: Prioritize Authenticity Over Consistency
With a nod to Walt Whitman, you contain multitudes. But they don't have to contradict each other. If you are genuinely passionate about the scientific work you do and your scientific IP, you will soon find pathways connecting both worlds. Your ability to move between the scientific and business communities is valuable in an innovation ecosystem.
Science and entrepreneurship operate on different timelines, languages, and value systems. Scientific work prizes methodical progress, peer validation, and knowledge for knowledge's sake. Startup culture celebrates speed, disruption, and commercialization. When you embody both, you present a deeper personal brand.