Lessons
Class Introduction
07:38 2Defining Brand
06:54 3Finding Your Mindset
03:14 4Winning A Job vs. Getting A Job
09:16 5Busy Is A Decision
02:33 6Honing your Mindset
04:02 7Generators vs. Drains
03:58 8Developing Your Mission (Statement)
10:27Identifying Table Stakes
05:18 10Characterizing Leadership
07:04 11Crafting Your Message
06:27 12How to Master Presentation
07:31 13The Importance of Being Trustworthy
02:30 14How to Achieve Success at your Interview–Part 1
10:32 15How to Achieve Success at your Interview–Part 2
14:00 16Artificial Harmony
04:14 17Developing Your Methodology
07:24 18How to Get the Interview
11:03 19Tips on Self Promotion
05:40 20Email Best and Worst Practices
06:50 21Creating a Stellar Resume and Cover Letter
05:49 22Set Big Goals and Final Q&A
04:30Lesson Info
Defining Brand
The class is called "A Brand Called You." So there's this big elephant in the room. At least, I think there is. And that is: what is branding? What is branding? What does it mean to brand? And so I want to talk a little bit about branding. Let's just get some definitions out of the way so that we're literally and figuratively all on the same page about what the notion of branding is. Because branding is not a result. So branding is a result, not a journey. It's a result. It is what you are left with. You don't start out as a brand. You create a brand through specific ways of working. And I'm gonna talk very, very seriously about ways in which you create and build a brand, but you don't just have a brand. A brand isn't just born. You have to create that brand. So my definition of branding is a very simple one, and I've done a lot of research in branding. And in my book, "Brand Thinking and Other Noble Pursuits," I speak with some of the world's greatest brand thinkers: Malcolm Gladwell,...
Seth Godin, Dan Pink, Virginia Postrel, amazing, amazing thinkers. And I asked them all, "What is your definition of branding?" And not surprising, everyone had a very specific opinion about what branding is, and they had their own definition. However, they were all different. So it's this really squishy, amorphous thing. But it isn't really. So I wanted to come up with a definition that I felt was the sort of foundation. Take everything else away. Take all the other words, a promise, an experience, all that other stuff, and give you a definition-- create a definition that succinctly describes this process of branding. And so my definition of branding is deliberate differentiation. That's it. No promises, no experiences. Deliberate differentiation. You want to create something that's different from everything else. If you're not creating something that's different from everything else, why do you need it? Brands are doing more than they ever have before in our history as a species. They define our beliefs. They telegraph who we are. They allow us to create a sense of who we are that we can project to others. And so the most authentic way of doing that, whether it be for a person or a thing, is from the inside out. And so if a branded product in a supermarket is built from the inside out, then how amazing that who you are is built from the inside out. Who you are in your heart, that you then build from the inside out. And so that's one of the things that I'd like us to keep in mind today as we think about how to create a persona that we share with others. The most important thing is that it come from the inside out. It's not an outside-in construction. Because then it's not based on anything that's real. And it's really not able to be something that other people connect to. So branding is the result of sound, strategic positioning. It is the result of sound, strategic positioning. Positioning is what you are, not what you say. And so in order to be able to understand how to position yourself in the marketplace, you need to be able to understand what you are, who you are. And then you build. And a great position sits at the heart of either an organization or a being, and it drives everything that you do, including your communication. And for a person, a great position is in your heart and drives everything that you do, especially your communication. So your communication is essentially how you talk about your unique beliefs and benefits, and you state those with stature and sincerity. And that is how you develop a way to talk about yourself. This is the bottom line, literally and figuratively. People are going to be hiring you to provide a benefit. They are going to be giving you money to do the thing that you say you love to do or that you want to do, because you love it. They're giving you money. You have to give them something back. They're paying you to do something that is going to benefit that organization. I often joke that someone out there in the marketplace must love peach flavored powdered iced tea. Why? Because it's on the market. Companies don't put products out in the market for very long that people don't buy. If it's out there, and it's been out there for a while, it's because people buy it. Companies aren't altruistically putting products into the marketplace thinking, "Oh, this is something they're gonna love. "Maybe they'll buy it and maybe they'll give us money. "And then maybe, if we're profitable, "we'll give some of that money back to our shareholders." It doesn't work that way. It doesn't work that way. There's profit and loss statements that need to be maintained. There's all sorts of fiduciary responsibilities that brand-makers have to their shareholders. And so they are providing products in the marketplace that they hope people will love and buy and buy again and buy often. So if you are going to be working and you are going to be hired, you need to be able to communicate what it is that you do that is going to provide a return on the investment that they make for giving you that money. So no one will ever care or want to hear that you are a people person
Ratings and Reviews
Hilary Larson
I was not expecting to get so much out of this accelerated class! Debbie is a captivating speaker who manages to get her points across directly while maintaining a strong sense of relatability with her audience. I really look forward to taking what I have learned here with me as I move forward in my career as a visual artist. Highly recommended.
Michelle
This class is for a specific audience - young or new-to-the-field designers. It is NOT a branding class for the regular person. The class description is misleading. However, there are bits and tips that anyone can benefit from, but you have to sit through the entire presentation to get those bits and tips. I am not a designer. Because I had the all-access pass, I dipped in and out of different classes, speeding up and skipping as needed. I found enough value in this Fast Class: A Brand Called You to watch it, rather than the long one. I can see how this would benefit new designers as they job hunt.
Matías Obando Ruiz
Debbie the OG
Student Work
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Branding