19 Incredible Personal Brand Examples To Inspire You

When it comes to starting or growing a business, you have control over one thing:

Your personal brand.

Sure, as time goes on and you’re successful, it may take on a life of its own with customer reviews, social media, and media coverage.

However, in the beginning, crafting an ideal personal brand that resonates with your customer is all on you. Fortunately, we’ve created an amazing compilation of incredible personal brand examples to get you started.

Below, you’ll find 19 personal brand examples from entrepreneurs, content creators, and coaches which are both authentic and carefully designed to attract the right target audience. Let’s make sure your personal brand has the same effect.

1. Ruth Soukup

When it comes to creating a brand that hits home with your target audience, Ruth Soukup has cleaned up. Her Living Well Spending Less blog began in 2010 as a way to hold herself accountable with her finances.

Ruth’s story resonates with women and men alike, but her target clearly is married women with children. She hones in on a few key areas: money, food, home, and life.

The rise of the “mommy blog” over the years can partially be attributed to Ruth’s Elite Blog Academy, which she launched after the success of Living Well Spending Less. Today, she also has a podcast called Do It Scared along with a top-rated book of the same name.

2. Neil Patel

Neil Patel is all over the place. And that is by design.

His online marketing tactics and strategies have made him a go-to resource among digital marketers and business owners. He consults with some of the top global companies, including Google, Facebook, GM, and Airbnb with Neil Patel Digital.

Neil also founded Crazy Egg, which helps customers use heat maps on their sites to learn more about what content is working as well as to increase conversion rates. So, not only does he craft great content, but he has social proof with the companies he works with.

Neil is the quintessential blogger and SEO expert that cemented himself as #1 in the minds of those looking for online marketing help. That’s not a bad place to be when it comes to your brand.

3. Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

All Michelle Schroeder-Gardner did was take a personal finance blog and turn it into a six-figure per month business.

No big deal. Right?

Her blog, Making Sense of Cents, started in 2011 as a way for Michelle (like Ruth) to discuss her finances. She even paid off over $30,000 in student loan debt.

Similar to Ruth as well, she capitalized on her blog’s success by launching two courses geared toward helping people make money with a blog. They include Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing and Making Sense of Sponsored Posts.

In keeping the Making Sense portion in her course titles, Michelle kept with her original brand name and doesn’t stray away from the concept of money. Essentially, she’s teaching people how to make money so they can pay off debt as she did and hopefully break free from the cubicle lifestyle.

4. Bryan Harris

Bryan Harris doesn’t have the same clout as Neil Patel. But, his work and track record are incredible.

Bryan is the founder of VideoFruit and Growth Tools. His work in helping folks grow their email list and giving away such value even in free content is why I chose to sign up for his coaching program.

One of the things I like about the way Bryan grew his audience is he did Facebook Lives just giving away value. Another great strategy was building partnerships with other brands as a way to grow your email list. These things are what make Bryan one of the better personal brand examples.

5. Gary Vaynerchuk

Unless you live under a rock, you know who Gary Vaynerchuk is.

Even if you’re not completely plugged into the digital marketing and entrepreneurship space, you’ve likely heard of this guy.

Why is that?

Because even more so than Neil Patel, Gary Vee is everywhere. Sure, he has his companies VaynerX and VaynerMedia.

But, it’s his content that sets him apart among influencers. He’s on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. He has a podcast and is all over YouTube with keynotes and other speeches.

He even put out a Slideshare deck that includes 80+ slides on how he puts together 30+ pieces of content from a single keynote speech. Now, that is how you market yourself and Gary is an excellent personal brand example for that last bit alone.

6. Pat Flynn

Pat Flynn, of the Smart Passive Income podcast, was an architect who was laid off. To make things worse, it was a few months before his wedding.

But, here’s what he says about that experience:

“This could have been a terrible time in my life, but it wasn’t, thanks to a little website I had built on the side to help me study for an architectural exam. In the days before my job ended, I found a way to turn that website into an income stream, and in the process, changed my life.”

He calls this his “Plan B” career and this concept resonates with folks who have taken a detour in their respective careers as well.

Today, he’s well-respected in the entrepreneurship and freelance space. His podcast provides beginners and veterans with plenty of insight to take their businesses to the next level.

Pat is a great example of a person who has done the work and shares his wins and losses in a very real and authentic way. If you model yourself after anyone on this list, go with Pat.

7. Rosemarie Groner

Rosemarie Groner, of the Busy Budgeter, was actually a state trooper before she became a full-time blogger.

Her focus is primarily on budgeting your money and developing a more organized home and life. However, and this is a growing trend among bloggers, she also teaches people how to blog based on her own success.

I think Rosemarie is one of the more wholesome personal brand examples highlighted here. Plus, her style makes her audience feel like she’s their friend. She’s done a remarkable job at narrowing in on a certain niche both for her budgeting folks and blogging folks.

It goes to show you that your personal brand can be versatile if crafted the right way. What matters most is that you create something authentic that engages the audience in the right way.

8. John Lee Dumas

Are you prepared to ignite?

Once you hear that phrase on the Entrepreneurs On Fire podcast with John Lee Dumas (JLD for short), you don’t forget it.

JLD is known for creating a podcast that had an episode 7 days per week. Creating content like that on a massive scale isn’t easy so JLD optimized his business using systems.

Today, he’s taken a different approach with the podcast. Instead of the 7-day format with interviews, he focuses on bringing folks on who can provide his audience with a master class on different subjects.

JLD and EOFire are staples in the financial freedom and lifestyle freedom movement. As you can see from his monthly earnings, when you craft the right personal brand, it can be very lucrative.

9. Russell Brunson

Speaking of your brand being lucrative, have you heard of ClickFunnels?

It’s the brainchild of Russell Brunson, the guy who “popularized the concept of sales funnels.” He, along with his partner Todd Dickerson, launched ClickFunnels in 2014.

Since then, Russell has helped create over 200 millionaires. People have used the technology to build their businesses and scale them at a much quicker rate.

From being the guy who was trying to find a market for his potato gun to being at the forefront of life-changing (and business-enhancing) technology, Russell has surely made a name for himself.

It’s really one of the quickest rises for a personal brand that I can think of. Because while ClickFunnels is the company, Russell is the face and his authenticity and teaching is what keeps the company top of mind.

10. Brendon Burchard

Want to feel good about your life?

Listen to Brendon Burchard. He’s one most of the positive and inspiring people I have ever listened to.

However, this ability didn’t just manifest out of thin air. It came down to taking an important life event very seriously. Here’s how it’s described on his website:

“After suffering depression and surviving a car accident at the age of 19, Brendon faced what he felt were life’s last questions: “Did I live fully? Did I love openly? Did I make a difference?”

In his talks and books, this is the kind of thing Brendon highlights from his personal story. We all have these big moments in our lives that shape us. Maybe not as dramatic as Brendon, but still very real and life-altering.

What I think makes this personal brand example special is Brendon’s ability to be vulnerable, thus making it alright for his target audience to do the same.

11. Amy Porterfield

Amy Porterfield has a great story. It includes working for Tony Robbins and Harley Davidson.

On top of that, she’s open and honest about the struggles of starting a new venture. And what your mindset is when you realize you’re building the wrong business.

Amy’s Online Marketing Made Easy podcast is one of the top-rated podcasts out there. She covers topics like social media, list building, course creation, and webinars.

12. Robert Kiyosaki

Robert Kiyosaki’s name is synonymous with personal finance. His mark on the space is undeniable.

With his signature book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Robert made a name for himself challenging the status quo on things like your house not being an asset and the school system failing our children when it came to education on money.

On the Rich Dad Company website, they cite this as their mission: “To elevate the financial well-being of humanity.” Robert explains that “By being clear and true to the dual spiritual and business mission of this company, we have enjoyed great success.”

From his books to his board game Cash Flow, Robert has stayed true to that aspect of his mission. That’s why he’s certainly a great personal brand example.

13. James Clear

Building your business around a certain topic of expertise is what makes this list of personal brand examples so powerful.

One of the better examples of that: James Clear.

James is the habits guy. He even wrote the book on it called Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way To Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones and created the Habits Academy.

What I also like about James is how minimalist his website is. I’ve always thought it was a take on his last name, Clear, but I could be making that up.

He keeps things organized, neat, and easy to find. Plus, he gives you some insight into his mindset with his book summaries, best podcasts, great speeches that aren’t widely known, and his ultralight travel guide.

It all just helps add to his already valuable personal brand.

14. Nathan Latka

If you want to understand all things SaaS, Nathan Latka is your guy.

Between his Top Entrepreneurs podcast and his recently released book, How To Be A Capitalist Without Any Capital: The Four Rules You Must Break to Get Rich, Nathan has used his experience and connections create quite the personal brand.

If you’re looking for creative ways to start a business, acquire a business, or just figure out how to make monthly recurring revenue, you have to check out what Nathan is doing.

15. Nicole Lapin

My introduction to Nicole Lapin was through her book, Boss Bitch: A Simple 12-Step Plan To Take Charge Of Your Career. It was a gift from the team at GOBankingRates when I became a contributor there for a while.

What I love about Nicole’s personal brand is the empowerment aspect. It’s all about taking ownership of your career, finances, mindset, and family life – and being unapologetic about all of it.

16. John Maxwell

When you think of leadership, what do you picture?

For me, it’s John Maxwell. Hands down.

Personally, I have more than one John Maxwell book on my shelf. That’s how you know you’ve been a trustworthy personal brand.

If people continue to buy from you or invest their time and energy in consuming your content, you are on to something.

17. Michael Hyatt

In terms of leadership, a close second to John Maxwell is Michael Hyatt.

Michael is the former chairman and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, so he understands what it takes to lead others at a very high level. And he’s used that experience to educate and mentor other leaders trying to do right by their people.

But, that’s not where it ends for Michael. As he explains on his site, this is what he brings to leaders’ lives:

“You also want to thrive in the other domains of life:

• Your relationships with family and friends
• Your health
• Your spiritual and intellectual growth
• Your hobbies, passions, and interests
• Your legacy in the lives of the people around you”

Clearly, Michael’s personal brand is all about developing the entire person and not just one facet of their lives. Keep that in mind when you’re developing your personal brand. Consider being a “one-stop shop” for all things in your industry.

18. Craig Ballantyne

I selected many of the folks for this list based on who came to mind first and why. I think that’s the essence of a great personal brand example: being able to stick in someone’s mind for years.

When it comes to self-improvement and productivity, that person is Craig Ballantyne. Even Craig’s clients call him “The World’s Most Productive Man.”

With taking over the self-improvement website Early To Rise to his books and coaching, Craig has carved out an incredible niche for himself in the space. His personal brand is certainly one to be modeled.

19. Tim Dierkes

Here’s one you probably know very little about unless you’re a sports fan, particularly baseball. Does the name Tim Dierkes or MLBTradeRumors.com ring a bell?

Tim actually worked in the search engine marketing field before he went full-time with MLBTR in 2008. MLBTR is a self-described “clearinghouse for relevant, legitimate baseball rumors. [It] focuses on the hot stove – trades and free agent signings.”

Tim’s website became the go-to place for baseball rumors and many reporters and players took notice. Sure, MLBTR may not be a personal brand per se, but Tim made himself known in the sports world by making it a powerful brand (and one for us to study).

What’s Your Personal Brand About?

Now that we’ve studied 19 solid personal brand examples, it’s time for you to either create your personal brand or tweak it.

Don’t get into the mindset that your personal brand can’t evolve or change. However, the wrong approach is to obsess over every little detail.

The best route is to put yourself out there and see how your target audience reacts. That way, you will fail early, learn from your mistakes, and get on a clearer path to creating the right personal brand that resonates with the right people and allows you to be your authentic self.

Author Bio

Dave Domzalski is the Founding Editor and Writer of Hero Story, a newsletter that highlights amazing entrepreneurs doing incredible things for their families, communities, and the world. His coverage of uplifting, positive stories of entrepreneurs making an impact provides readers the inspiration, education, and motivation to be heroic in their own lives. Dave’s writing and branding expertise has been featured in AOL, Forbes, MSN, Skillshare, Thrive Global, and Yahoo along with his blogs, Run The Money and Financial Bin. You can email Dave at [email protected] or tweet him @HeroStoryNews. If you want to subscribe to the Hero Story newsletter, visit HeroStory.org.