Steve Olson
• 8 min
What is a personal brand and how do you build one?
Your Brand with Steve Olson
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Everyone talks about building a personal brand, but almost no one can define what it actually is let alone how to know if you’ve built one that works.
In a recent episode, we tackled that question head-on. Not with fluff or motivational quotes, but with a dead simple breakdown: three non-negotiable components that every real personal brand shares.
1. Fame (But Not the Type You're Thinking Of)
No, you don’t need millions of followers. But there does need to be a group of people who associate your name with a specific result or outcome. If your name pops up and people instantly know what you do that’s step one.
2. Education That Positions You as the Only Choice
Your content can’t just entertain. It has to educate in a way that builds trust, solves problems, and shows people why you’re the only logical option when the moment to buy or hire shows up.
3. Cadence That Builds Recognition and Readiness
Even if you’re brilliant, if you post once every few months, you’re forgettable. Consistent content isn’t optional, it’s the system that creates top-of-mind awareness before someone ever raises their hand.
What Happens When You Get It Right?
You stop chasing leads. They come pre-sold, saying things like:
“I’ve seen your videos, your content, your ads, I already know you’re the one. My only question is, will this work for me?”
That’s not theory. It’s what happens when you combine all three components and execute over time.
Bonus: The 1174 Rule
Google has studied buyer behavior and found that most people need 11 touches, 7 hours of content, across 4 different platforms before they make a high-trust decision. Your brand doesn’t just need to exist it needs to show up.
Final Take
A personal brand isn’t a vanity metric. It’s the most scalable sales machine you’ll ever build. Stronger than a 500 person sales team. Cheaper than ads. And far more defensible when the market shifts.
