My personal brand, Exit 14A

In the social media world one of the most debated topics is the “personal brand.”  This is the brand or personality you “represent” when you are talking to others on social media platforms.  In most cases, the words or elements that make up those brands are what you include in the descriptions you are asked to include on those short bios on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. 

Some people feel like they need to be cutesy or even to “create” a social brand.  It is my experience that the closer you can align your personal brand to who you really are and the more specific you can describe that brand, the better it will be for you, your company or business and the people with whom you are communicating. 

 

My brand can be summed up in one word…..Jersey. 

I know, that’s a hell of a personal brand, but it is true and it is made up of different elements which, other than my family, are my true passions in life. 

First passion:  Bruce Springsteen.   You can’t get more “Jersey” than that.  It’s not just his songs, its his philosophy.  And what I have found is that just including “Springsteen” on my bio has led to countless wonderful conversations and relationship and last week it even lead to a new client for THP.  Yes, hard to believe but as Bruce says, “Be True” and wonderful things can happen. 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH1rXY8bIKk] 

 

Second passion:  Rutgers University and its sports teams.  Okay so success here is not universal and a more recent phenomenon but I have been a Scarlet Knight almost since birth, it is part of my DNA and always will be.  This is who I am and to be anything else is not honest, a core element of any personal brand.  Once again, I have and will continue to make connections through my Rutgers relationship.  This was hammered home once again during a trip I took this weekend to the spring football game with 20,000 of my closest friends.  I have also made a number of social media connections though Rutgers and those continue to grow every day. 

Third passion:  Food.  Not just any food, Jersey food.  There are two things that New Jersey is known for and you can find on just about every corner (aside from bars, that is); diners and pizzerias. 

 

Let’s take the second first.  So after the game on Saturday our family of four is driving around Piscataway looking for something to eat.  There is a wonderful feeling when you know that in every strip mall you can find a legitimate pizzeria owned by an Italian family, where you can dine on garlic knots, fresh pasta and the best fresh greasy pizza you ever ate.  We actually had to choose from pizza places on opposite corners.  Yum. 

 

But New Jersey is home to the diner.  Not the chains that slap the word diner in their title, but honest to goodness, get spaghetti or pancakes at two in the morning, bakery in the front, every waitress knows the regular diners.  My favorite?   Mastoris in Bordentown.  Why?  Because they greet you with homemade cheese bread and cinnamon bread and then serve you omelettes that could choke a horse. 

If that ain’t Jersey eating?  What is? 

Like any other Jersey native, we root for teams either from New York or who left New York to play in Jersey.  Mine are the Mets, Jets, Knicks and whichever hockey team is hot at the time. 

So while I’ve lived outside of New Jersey for more than half of my life, New Jersey is still “home” but more importantly it is the home of my passions and the core of my personal brand. 

If your brand isn’t made up of something you are passionate about, can it truly represent you?  Would love to hear your thoughts.