Unlike consultants who only teach, Sales Gravy's trainers are full-time employees who must also sell. This "practice what you preach" model ensures their training is grounded in real-world, current experience, making it more credible and effective for clients.

Competence is the most overlooked element of personal branding. It isn't charisma or visibility, but the 'quiet power' of consistently demonstrating your expertise and the 'why' behind it. This is the substance of your brand that builds trust over time.

Your attire is a powerful non-verbal cue. Dressing appropriately for the customer's environment—whether a farm or a boardroom—is a sign of respect. It demonstrates you understand their world and that the relationship is about them, not your personal style, which is crucial for building initial trust.

Your core values are a powerful marketing tool. Instead of keeping them internal, broadcast them. When you state values like being "fiduciary marketers," you build trust and attract clients who share those principles. This acts as a self-selection mechanism, pre-qualifying leads for a better-aligned partnership.

Your physical energy is a key non-verbal signal of competence and reliability. Potential hires, investors, and partners subconsciously assess your energy to gauge if you can deliver on promises. Low energy can communicate untrustworthiness, causing you to lose high-caliber opportunities.

The foundation of a strong personal brand is not self-promotion but demonstrated value. The process is twofold: first, achieve something notable or put in extraordinary effort to gain unique insights. Second, share what you've done and learned. This provides genuine value to others, which is the core of brand building.

The nature of marketing has shifted from promoting a faceless corporation to showcasing an authentic founder personality. Companies without an interesting character at the helm are at a disadvantage. This requires leaders to be public figures, as their personal brand, story, and voice are now integral to the company's identity and success.

The Tim Hortons CMO views her personal brand not as a passive trait but as a conscious leadership choice, focusing on being empathetic while projecting confidence. She maintains this through dedicated self-reflection during activities like exercise and playing piano, ensuring her actions consistently align with her stated values.

Communication extends far beyond words. How you carry yourself—your posture, demeanor, and overall presence—is a constant broadcast that communicates your value and influence. Citing WNBA icon Lisa Leslie, Chiney Ogwumike argues this "physical communication" is as critical to one's professional brand as their spoken words.