6 Millennial Personal Branding Experts
In today’s day and age, relying on your resume and cover letter to land you that job you so badly want is like trying to catch a greased pig. On the off-chance you do catch the darn thing, you’re exhausted, a little bit pissed off, and now have a greasy pig in your hands.
All joking aside, trying to land your dream job as a millennial can, quite frankly, be a real pain in the ass.
It seems like every employer wants us to have at least 5 years of experience upon graduating college, to be well-versed in everything school didn’t teach us, and to not check Instagram during work hours (#FatChance).
Luckily, personal branding has become easier than ever* to set yourself apart from the crowded digital world we live in.
Our Instagram feed acts as a portfolio for our creativity.
Our LinkedIn page allows us to showcase our professionalism.
And our Facebook page shows employers our ability (or lack thereof for some) to hide the “play” in our “work-hard-play-harder” lifestyles…
Personal branding truly allow us to create an online persona that shows we’re capable of more than just plugging numbers into excel or getting coffee for our bosses. They’re the gateway to leveling up quicker in a professional world that prides itself on cubicle-littered offices, and (if done right) can be monetized in ways that a normal job can’t.
Let’s take a look at 7 millennials who are personal branding experts to see how they position themselves online:
Branden Harvey
Branden Harvey is a world traveler who tells stories of good in the world.
A professional photographer since 16, Branden was early on the Instagram train and has since amassed a following of over 250,000 on across his digital empire.
He’s worked with brands like Disney, Southwest Airlines, and Square to tell their stories in a world that craves authentic content. His work has been viewed by millions of people across the globe, and Branden continues to find unique ways to tell stories in a voice that’s both powerful and relevant.
Branden now runs his company, Good Good Good, as a way to “leave [people] feeling less overwhelmed, and more capable of being a part of the good in the world.” He has a weekly podcast, an epic email newsletter, and a quarterly newspaper all of which highlight the good happening across the globe.
Overall, Branden is a phenomenal example of what developing a personal brand can do for your career.
Brittney Lopez
Brittney Lopez is one of my favorites on this list because she understands how personal branding plays a huge role in landing new clients.
As a web designer and branding guru, Brittney leverages the strength of her own personal brand to showcase potential clients what she can do for them.
Not only is her website visually-appealing, but she also understands that great web design is goal-oriented. Because of this, the user experience on her site is bar none one of the best around.
Brittney understands her audience well, knows how to lead them through her website, and does a beautiful job giving them exactly what they need to know when coming to her site. If you’re looking to offer services through your personal brand, you should definitely study how Brittney found her success by making her brand clear, cohesive, and concise.
Dan Schawbel
Inc. 30 Under 30… Forbes 30 Under 30… Business Insider 40 Under 40… You name it, Dan’s done it.
With a mission “to support his generation from student to CEO,” Dan has established himself as a powerhouse millennial by becoming a New York Times bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, Fortune 500 consultant, and numerous other titles.
As much as I like to rag on the suit-and-tie entrepreneur, Dan’s professionalism is nothing but admirable and really sets himself apart form the stereotypical “millennial” entrepreneur. That in itself speaks towards his expertise in personal branding.
As Fortune Magazine puts it, “[He is] A twenty-something personal branding czar.”
Dan is a great example of how having a hard work ethic can lead to great success.
He’s gotten the chance to consult for companies like American Express, NBC Universal, Ernst & Young through his Gen Y research & consulting firm, Millennial Branding.
Dan shows us millennials that success doesn’t care about your age and that starting TODAY is the best way to build your brand.
Lauren Hooker
Lauren Hooker is a must-follow for any creative trying to build a successful, profitable online business.
She is founder of Elle & Co. where she boasts a boatload of valuable content including a killer blog, live weekly webinars, and a weekly newsletter for the creative entrepreneur.
The funny part about Lauren? She never dreamed of being an entrepreneur — rather, entrepreneurship found her through her personal brand.
After getting her BFA in Visual Communication Design from Virginia Tech in 2012, Lauren began working for a startup where she quickly found her frustrations because of a “not-so-awesome boss.”
Rather than jump ship, Lauren began freelancing on top of her 9-to-5 and quickly realized that she wanted to pursue her creative business full-time.
Lauren is a perfect example of why I think every millennials needs a side hustle.
What started as a love for design turned into a passion for helping other creative entrepreneurs find their way in the online business world.
Lauren runs Elle & Co. full-time and shows us that online business truly allows us to monetize our passions in ways that are often unexpected.
Gerard Adams
Gerard Adams, aka The Millennial Mentor™, is the definition of personal branding done right.
After cofounding popular millennial site EliteDaily.com and selling it for $50,000,000, Gerard took control of his personal brand where he’s made it his mission to “share how [he] did it, mentor others, and encourage aspiring Millennial entrepreneurs to go after their dreams.”
The #1 thing I love about Gerard is his mission to share success with others.
Through his personal brand, The Millennial Mentor™ has gone on to create a video series called Leaders Create Leaders, is the CEO of Fownders, and continues to be a voice for a millennial generation that wants to positively impact the world.
Most importantly, Gerard uses his platform as a way to empower a generation of people who stand for more than the traditional way of living. If you want to learn how to be confident in yourself, follow your dreams, and make a difference in the lives of others, I suggest you follow Gerard on social media @GerardAdams.
Peter Voogd
Peter Voogd, in my opinion, sets himself apart from other millennial personal branding experts because of his focus on mindset as a way to succeed in business.
Having started his first business at the ripe age of 15, Peter spent the next few years leveling up as an entrepreneur and had his first 7-figure year by age 26.
Rather than become complacent, Peter took what he learned through this experience and replicated it in a new industry and eventually used the same formula to propel his personal brand to new heights.
Labeled as the world’s leading authority for millennials and entrepreneurs by Entrepreneur.com, Peter is now a best-selling author and millennial entrepreneur coach who uses his personal brand as an avenue to help others reach the goals they have in life.
His mindset is something that really sets him apart and continues to help him build a digital media empire through the work he does.
Personal brands, in my opinion, are one of the best investments that us millennials can make in today’s connect world.
We can use them to share our passions & interests, connect with people across the globe, make money through various different revenue streams, and feel good about who we are. They’re the best way to grow both personal and professionally.
If you’re looking to kickstart a successful personal brand, consider joining Side Hustle University and get started investing in yourself for a change!
- Personal brands are easier than ever because of the resources we have in front of us. Taking the time to actually work hard and build your personal brand is no cake walk!
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