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Forbes
10-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How To Leverage Personal Branding To Accelerate Business Growth
In recent years, social media platforms have become a key way for entrepreneurs to build a personal brand. While these brands are essential for grabbing the attention of target audiences and gaining access to new opportunities, they can also be leveraged to take a business to the next level. Below, 20 Forbes Business Council members discuss how entrepreneurs can leverage their personal branding to accelerate company growth across every channel. Read on to learn more about specific ways to take full advantage of a well-defined personal brand. Entrepreneurs grow faster when their personal brand aligns with their mission. People follow purpose, not titles, so start by defining your 'why.' When you lead with clarity, values and authenticity, you don't just expand reach—you also inspire trust, attract talent and build a movement. - Paula Ferrada, Inova Healthcare System Leaders often make their personal brand all about their company's success, but when things get messy, their image crumbles. Ground your brand in the problem you care to solve, as values that outlast market cycles feel a lot more authentic and trustworthy. - Rytis Lauris, Omnisend Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify? Personal branding is a strategic asset. When founders show up with clarity and credibility, it accelerates trust across customers, investors and partners. One effective step is leveraging platforms like Intro or Minnect to offer direct access. Thoughtful visibility builds authority, which in turn drives measurable growth across all channels. - Khusniddin Muradov, Comston Technologies Whether it's a personal brand or the brand of a business, the best way to leverage it is to market it. A brand only lives in the hearts and minds of others. A valuable brand is one that enhances the meaning of what you do, eliminates or reduces hassles or problems, or provides a product or service that meets a specific need. If it doesn't do these things, then rethink the promise your brand is making. - Tom Daly, The Transformation Guild Pick one platform for exposure, one for nurturing and one for conversions. The target audience will be different on each platform, as people use platforms with different intentions. For example, we use TikTok for exposure, YouTube for nurturing and Instagram for conversions on socials. TikTok is the best platform for testing creative angles or ideas, whereas Instagram content should be more refined and polished. - Willow Kai, Becca Luna Education Showing real wins, challenges and lessons humanizes your brand and builds trust, while also attracting clients, talent and partners. I don't just talk business; I share wins, struggles and lessons honestly. Consistently share authentic stories and insights on the channels where your target customers spend time, especially LinkedIn and Instagram. - Sahil Gandhi, Blushush Entrepreneurs can leverage personal branding to accelerate growth by showing the human side of their business. People invest in people, and when potential customers connect with the individuals behind the company, it fosters trust and relatability. One key step is sharing authentic insights and values across various social media platforms, as it helps build stronger connections and drives growth. - Ryan Whitefield, Revilo Property Group A personal brand is the most available growth engine, so use it! People don't follow companies, but they do follow individuals with bold ideas and the courage to build. Your entrepreneurial story, values and vision can be a magnet across investors, customers and talent channels. Post, speak, tweet and build in public. The more real you are, the more trust you earn. In today's world, trust scales faster than capital. - Victor Tay, Global Catalyst Advisory Personal branding builds trust, which then drives growth. I recommend entrepreneurs consistently share authentic insights on platforms like LinkedIn. Doing this positions you as an industry leader, attracting customers, partners and talent. It's not just about visibility; it's about creating meaningful connections that propel your business forward. - Dustin Lemick, BriteCo Make yourself the algorithm by sharing sharp, opinionated content that earns attention and then directing it toward your business. One step to take is turning weekly founder insights into bite-sized posts across platforms. People buy from people, so build the brand they'll trust first—you. - Sam Nelson, Downstreet Digital People buy into people—it's human nature. If you're trying to go from zero to one, bringing in a personal touch is necessary to building a stronger relationship with your customers. Founder-led brands can transition into huge corporate entities at a later date, but initially utilizing your personal edge to become someone who is believed and followed is a superpower. - Jake Lee, Magnet Entrepreneurs can leverage personal branding by aligning their values, perspective and vision with their company's culture and marketing strategies. One step they can take is clearly defining and communicating their personal brand to ensure consistency across all touchpoints, from leadership to customer interactions. This will create a more authentic and engaging experience. - Sara Khaki, Atlanta Divorce Law Group Walk the talk! Representing trust, ethics and strong passion in everything one does helps clients associate those values with your business. For entrepreneurs, a personal brand is closely tied to the business brand. Ensuring that these values are consistently communicated across all channels is essential, both personally and professionally. - Meenal Aggarwal, Groots Valuation LLC I've built my personal brand on authenticity and keeping it real. I share my wins but also talk about the challenges, setbacks and low moments. I believe in sharing the full journey, including the good, the tough and everything in between. I've created genuine connections with my audience by being transparent. They see the human behind the brand, and that builds trust in me and my company. - Deepali Jamwal, Live2Dance LLC Show up consistently where your customers and clients are, whether that's on social platforms or blogs or in communities or forums. Choosing the right channel is the key to exposure and growth. Align your personal presence with business values so that when you write a post, make a comment or wear a branded T-shirt at events, your voice and story clearly reflect your brand identity. - Michael Podolsky, Establishing a regular video presence on social platforms, such as Instagram Reels, TikTok and LinkedIn, serves as a powerful strategy. Quickly gather followers and guide them to your business with brief authentic videos that demonstrate your professional skills or day-to-day business activities. - Tammy Sons, Tn Nursery Create authentic thought leadership that resonates with all stakeholders' values. Share expertise through strategic content that addresses their specific pain points. One vital step is to create a consistent stakeholder engagement calendar that aligns personal brand messaging with your company's core purpose across all channels. - Kent Gregoire, Symphony Advantage People love a good story. As an entrepreneur, your journey is unique. The first step is sharing why you started, what drives you and the lessons you've learned. When it's personal, your audience connects more deeply and gets behind you and your business. It's all about building trust and creating authentic connections. - Samuel Darwin, Sparkle The key to building a durable personal brand is to stop chasing visibility and start documenting impact. It's not about hype or platitudes. Identify what's working, for whom and why it matters to your customers and to the world. The point isn't to impress LinkedIn's noisiest circles, but to build credibility with the people who matter, like your customers, team and market. Trust compounds, and so does growth. - Gabe Gladstein, Indigo Research One thing that works is showing up with honesty and consistency. When entrepreneurs share real stories, lessons and values, people connect. That trust then carries over to the brand. Start by picking one channel, like LinkedIn, and speaking from experience. People don't follow products—they follow people they believe in. - Somdutta Singh, Assiduus
Forbes
08-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Could Tariffs On Chinese Goods Open A Door For Small Businesses?
Rytis Lauris is the cofounder and CEO of Omnisend, a marketing automation platform built for e-commerce. We are at the beginning of a potential trade war with China, but the majority of Americans view tariffs on Chinese goods negatively and are worried that the tariffs will drive up prices. Shoppers looking to save money may shift to low-cost marketplaces like Amazon and Temu, but there's an elephant in the room: Marketplaces and tariffs are heavily intertwined. Many of the goods sold on these marketplaces are manufactured in China and thus subject to tariffs. The questions then become: How will tariffs impact these companies and how will they impact consumers' willingness to shop with them? More importantly, what is the effect on small to medium businesses and what can brands do to make the most of this potential opportunity? Temu has established its reputation as a low-cost marketplace and competitor of Amazon. Most of its products are sold by Chinese manufacturers and shipped directly to consumers via low-cost shipping options that take upward of 30 days, and because of the low price of products, orders were previously exempt from de minimis (no duty on imports valued less than $800). Yet even with low prices and increased popularity, trust in the platform remains low. My company surveyed 4,000 people across the U.S., U.K., Australia and Canada and found that only 6% of shoppers surveyed trust Temu over Amazon. If prices increase, will they continue to shop on a less-trustworthy site? Twenty-nine percent say no, reporting that if prices increase on Chinese marketplaces like Temu they'd immediately stop buying or buy less. One in five, however, said they will still shop there unless the increase is more than 20%. Amazon also relies heavily on Chinese manufacturers and sellers that use the Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) program. In this model, goods sold on the platform are imported and subject to tariffs. Amazon's Temu competitor, Amazon Haul, follows a similar business model as Temu, where manufacturers ship directly from China to consumers. Thus, a rescission of de minimis exemption has the same impact as it does on Temu. Takeaway: Beyond de minimis, any Chinese good, whether it's sold on Amazon, Walmart or another retailer, will face the same tariff. If prices increase with one retailer, it's logical to assume they'll increase with the others. When shoppers say they'll stop purchasing from Temu if prices rise, it may be moot if prices simultaneously increase at other retailers. If Amazon and Temu both see drastic price increases, it could leave the door open for small and medium-sized business (SMB) ecommerce brands to seize some of their lost market share. But will it be possible? While large corporations may have the financial flexibility to adjust their supply chains to lessen the impact of tariffs, most SMBs don't have the same luxury. Many source their materials or finished goods from China due to cost efficiency and supply chain reliability, but don't have the buying power to demand lower prices. Some companies may pivot to domestic manufacturing, but this transition takes time and may not solve the issue. Domestic manufacturers may not be fully equipped to take on the influx of production, and even if the products are manufactured in the U.S., many of the materials are sourced from overseas, exposing them to tariffs. Not to mention, the labor costs of domestic manufacturing are typically higher, which is one reason so much manufacturing happens offshore. Others may look to alternative countries such as Vietnam or India for lower-cost production, though shifting supply chains is a complex process that involves logistical, regulatory and quality control challenges. Plus, these countries are also currently experiencing higher tariffs, albeit at a lower rate than China. Takeaway: Even though price increases can make large retailers like Walmart, Amazon and Temu less attractive, it doesn't mean it will make SMBs more competitive. In fact, it could weaken their positioning, especially if a recession comes to fruition. This leaves consumers between a rock and a hard place, forcing them to make tough decisions. E-commerce is in for an uncertain year as shopping behaviors change, forcing brands to adapt. As we navigate 2025, I believe businesses must focus on reinforcing their value to consumers and maximizing marketing channel sales. Whether it's fast and free shipping and returns, product quality or exceptional customer service, brands can highlight these value-adds in their emails, websites and social media channels. Some brands may be forced to lower their minimum threshold to qualify for free shipping to compete, but proving value to customers is essential. Brands can also use high-performing marketing channels, such as automated email marketing, to generate sales and increase customer retention. Use behavior-based emails to target customers at high-intent stages of their shopping journeys. Dedicated post-purchase emails can also engage shoppers and improve their experience, resulting in repeat purchases. With fewer sales to go around, retention is key to profitability. By reassessing competitive differentiators and streamlining marketing channel return on investment, brands can formulate a plan to weather the storm and grow at a time when spending is expected to slow. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
