Building Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn: A Guide for Executives Who've Never Had To
For your entire career, you had a corporate brand behind you.
When you introduced yourself, the company name did half the work: "I'm the VP of Marketing at [Fortune 500 Company]."
Instant credibility. Instant context. Instant respect.
But now you're on your own. And suddenly, the question shifts:
"Who are you without the company logo behind your name?"
This is where personal branding matters. Not because you need to become an influencer. But because you need people to understand what you offer and why it matters.
What Personal Branding Actually Means
Let's clear up a misconception: personal branding isn't about being famous or going viral. It's not about posting every day or building a massive following.
Personal branding is clarity about:
What you're known for
Who you serve
What value you create
Why someone should care
That's it.
If someone lands on your LinkedIn profile and walks away thinking, "I have no idea what this person does or how they could help me," you don't have a personal brand. You have a resume.
Why Executives Resist Personal Branding
Most executives I work with are uncomfortable with the idea of "building a brand."
It feels:
Self-promotional
Inauthentic
Unnecessary (shouldn't results speak for themselves?)
Here's the truth: results do speak for themselves—but only if people know about them.
In corporate, your results were visible within a clear structure. Your boss saw them. Your team saw them. The company celebrated them.
Outside of corporate, no one knows what you're capable of unless you tell them.
Personal branding isn't about bragging. It's about making your value clear so the right people can find you.
The Four Elements of a Strong LinkedIn Personal Brand
1. A Clear Point of View
Your personal brand isn't just what you do—it's what you believe about how it should be done.
Weak: "I help companies with marketing strategy."
Strong: "I help companies build marketing strategies that prioritize authenticity over trends."
See the difference? The second version has a perspective. It tells you not just what the person does, but how they think about the work.
Your point of view doesn't need to be radical. It just needs to be specific.
Ask yourself:
What do I believe about my work that others might not?
What approach do I take that's different?
What matters to me that often gets overlooked?
2. Consistent Themes
Your personal brand shouldn't feel scattered. When people follow you on LinkedIn, they should know what to expect.
That doesn't mean every post needs to be the same. But there should be threads that connect:
Career transitions and meaningful work
Leadership in times of change
Building sustainable professional lives
LinkedIn strategy for executives
Pick 3-4 core themes and return to them often.
This consistency builds recognition. People start to associate you with specific topics. And when someone needs help in that area, you're the first person they think of.
3. Value Without Asking for Anything in Return
The best personal brands give before they ask.
That means:
Sharing insights without a sales pitch
Teaching something practical
Offering perspective that helps people think differently
If every post you write ends with "hire me," people will tune out.
But if you consistently add value—if you help people solve problems, see things more clearly, or feel less alone—they'll remember you when they're ready to work with someone.
4. Authentic Personality
The executives with the strongest personal brands aren't the most polished. They're the most real.
They share:
What they're learning
What they're struggling with
What surprised them
What they got wrong
This doesn't mean oversharing or making every post about your personal life. It means writing like a human, not a corporate press release.
Let your personality show through:
Use "I" instead of "we"
Write like you talk
Share specific stories, not vague platitudes
Admit when you don't have all the answers
How to Start Building Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn
If you've never thought about personal branding before, here's where to begin:
Step 1: Define Your Core Message
Fill in the blanks:
"I help [who] do [what] so they can [outcome]."
Example: "I help executives navigate career transitions so they can build work that aligns with their values and the season of life they're in."
This becomes the foundation of everything—your headline, your About section, your content.
Step 2: Audit Your Current Presence
Look at your LinkedIn profile and last 10 posts. Ask:
Is it clear what I do and who I help?
Would someone understand my point of view?
Does my content add value, or is it just noise?
If the answer is no, it's time to refine.
Step 3: Commit to Consistent Value
Choose a posting rhythm you can sustain:
2x per week
3x per week
Daily (if you can maintain quality)
Focus on adding value in every post. Teach something. Share an insight. Ask a good question.
Step 4: Engage Authentically
Building a personal brand isn't just about posting. It's about showing up in conversations.
Comment thoughtfully on others' posts
Respond to comments on your posts
Send genuine messages to people whose work resonates
Relationships build brands faster than content alone.
What Personal Branding Looks Like in Practice
Let's say you're a former executive building a consulting practice.
Without personal branding:
Generic headline: "Executive with 20 years of experience"
Sporadic posts about random topics
No clear sense of what you stand for
People aren't sure what you offer
With personal branding:
Clear headline: "Helping growth-stage companies scale operations without losing culture | Former COO"
Consistent posts about scaling challenges, culture, and leadership
Clear point of view: "Growth doesn't have to come at the cost of humanity"
People know exactly what you do and how you think
The difference isn't talent. It's clarity.
Final Thought: Your Brand Already Exists
Here's the thing about personal branding: you already have one.
Every interaction, every post, every comment shapes how people perceive you.
The only question is: are you building that perception intentionally, or leaving it to chance?
You don't need to be someone you're not. You don't need to manufacture a persona.
You just need to be clear, consistent, and generous with what you know.
That's a personal brand. And it's the foundation of everything you'll build next.
Want help building a LinkedIn personal brand that attracts the right opportunities?
I work with executives to clarify their message and build visibility.
Or join the Coaching with Mitch community for regular insights on LinkedIn strategy and personal branding.
