Brand Called You!

Can your salary jump from 'x' to '10x'? Yes, it can — but you need to go beyond hard and smart work. You need to think creatively and strategically, and build yourself up into a brand. Dominic CostaBir shows you how...

- Dominic CostaBir

I met “Praneet The Cake Prince”, a passionate cake artist and educator at the Cakeology Exhibition in Mumbai. He's an Instagram sensation who conducts online master classes on buttercream icing techniques. He started at age 14 and has over 3 lakh Instagram followers, plus a team of 20 staffers. I raved to Sharma (name changed), my senior from IHM Mumbai, who recently retired as a Hospitality Manager from a PSU. We marvelled as Praneet's students surrounded him for selfies.

Sharma painfully lamented, “I have so much knowledge, skills, and experience but I didn't know how to market myself.” I felt her pain. I know many reliable professionals who work hard, yet are rarely recognised or rewarded. The money lost or lack of fame hurt. But what hurts most is they feel unfulfilled as their talent was undermined and underutilised. All because they didn't know how to market themselves.

Ted Turner, Founder, CNN, says it brilliantly, “Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise.”

Interestingly, Sharma had missed my seminar at Cakeology on how to ‘Build Yourself into a Brand’! As a brand, your work is recognised and respected, and you get more opportunities. Increased opportunity, respect and recognition motivate you to work better – and the cycle continues. Personal Branding is not an option; it's a much-needed value-add for yourself and your organisation.