I’m on the phone with one of my best friends, talking about the importance of building a personal brand.

“The personal brand is the new resume,” I say.

“It can also help you find more dates,” He replies.

I hate to admit it, but he’s not wrong.

Your online brand is the “first digital impression” of you before someone meets you IRL—that’s “in real life” for you boomers.

I’ve seen people miss out on incredible opportunities, not because they lacked experience but because their experience only lived in a document titled “[First and Last Name] — Resume.doc”

I’ve also seen people get access to life-changing opportunities (myself included). All because they decided to share their passions and experience online with the intent of serving others.

So whether you’re a professional looking to position yourself as a thought leader in your industry, a business owner looking to leverage your personal brand to grow your biz, or a single mami or papi looking for your perfect match, I urge you to take building your personal brand seriously.

Lucky for you, I have everything you need to get started. However, before we get into it, I have to tell you about a robbery that would define the life of the greatest boxer of all time.

But more on that later…

Without further ado,

TODAY’S MENU

• 💡 Muhammad Ali’s Lessons on Personal Branding

• 🧠 The Biggest Barrier to Accomplishing Great Things

• ⛰️ Just Good Advice

• 🤗 How to Persuade Anyone

— Santi

BTW, If you love THE WORK, share it with a friend. And if you hate it, share it with an enemy.

5 Lessons on Personal Branding From Muhammad Ali

Heads up: If you’re new to personal branding, watch this short video then come back to the article.

1. Personal branding is an ongoing process of self-discovery.

Somewhere in Kentucky, someone stole a twelve-year-old boy’s bicycle.

No one knows who it was—no one ever will.

That bike was the boy’s prized possession. Pissed off, the boy reported the theft to a policeman, stating that if he found the criminal, he was going to ‘whoop’ his ass.

The officer, Joe Martin, smiled and told the boy, “Well, you’d better learn how to fight before then.”

Joe, who also worked with young boxers at a local gym, began training the boy—Cassius.

That same year, Cassius had his first amateur fight—winning by split decision.

He never found the thief—or his bike—but he found his love for boxing.

Spoiler: Cassius’ love for boxing would eventually lead him to a deeper love.

Mini lesson: follow your interests no matter how small they might seem.

2. A brand is what you’re known for.

Two years later, Cassius won the Golden Gloves light heavyweight title in a novice tournament. By age 17, he was a national champion.

Cassius earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team for the Rome Olympics in 1960. He only agreed to fly to Rome because he was allowed to carry a parachute on the plane with him (he was terrified of flying). Once there, he would win a Gold Medal.

Mini lesson: do it scared.

As his skills developed, so did his confidence, which many people perceived as cockiness.

Cassius had earned the right to fight the heavyweight champion of the world—Sonny Liston.

Liston was regarded as one of the toughest, meanest fighters in the history of boxing. Liston had learned to box in the Missouri State Penitentiary and was known as the Big Bear.

Cassius began taunting the champ as soon as the contract was signed. He wrote a poem about the fight, declared himself the champ at the official weigh-in, and dropped his famous words,

The tagline is so well-branded that you can finish it without my help. That’s damn strong branding.

Cassius became the heavyweight champion of the world after defeating Liston.

3. Great personal brands require great courage.

The very next day, he called a press conference to confirm that he had converted to Islam and would be taking a Muslim name.

Mini lesson: if you hear your calling, pick up the phone.

Muhammad Ali would go on to be the first person in history to win the heavyweight title on three different occasions, amass a record of 57 wins (36 by knockout) vs only 5 losses. He was named the athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated, ESPN, the BBC and many others. In boxing circles, he is known as the GOAT—Greatest of All Time, boomers.

Those accomplishments were possible only because Muhammad Ali was a courageous and strong brand.

4. Strong brands are built on strong values

Muhammad Ali was a champion in the boxing ring, but his legend has long-lived outside the arena. Ali always spoke his truth, even when it threatened his sports career and personal freedom.

Ali was a man who believed in peace and living a life of respect. He believed that the more we help others, the more we help ourselves. Ali was given a true test of faith when, in 1967, he was called to military service via the draft.

Ali refused to enlist, becoming a conscientious objector based on his principles and his faith. He was a voice for those without one.

The heavyweight champion lost his title when he refused induction into the military during the Vietnam War.

Compare this to today's athletes or influencers, who seem to share the legally approved language handed down by their sponsors, managers, and PR teams.

Nelson Mandela said that Ali was a symbol of hope for him during his imprisonment. When Dr. Martin Luther King went public about his opposition to the Vietnam War, he quoted Ali.

A man who held one of the most highly regarded titles in the world was seen to sacrifice his career for his commitment to peace throughout the world.

Mini lesson: figure out what you believe in. It’s essential to a meaningful life.

5. Believe in yourself

Muhammad Ali put it this way: “I am the greatest—I said that even before I was!” That’s right, it wasn’t Drake.

Fearless brands achieve a level of conviction that allows them to achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams. Know your talent, embrace your passion, believe in yourself, go hard, and never fucking quit.

This means doing THE WORK.

Your brand is ever-changing and evolving. It takes work to adapt, adjust, improve, and increase your value.

Personal Notes

I am not an expert by any means, but here are some of my insights from the last year:

Building a personal brand is self-actualizing in public.

It is a never-ending process of unbecoming who you are not, which pushes you to find and use your voice to move hearts and motivate minds by sharing your truth.

Building a personal brand means standing for something.

Whether your values are part of popular culture—or not—don't be afraid to proclaim your passions and beliefs. The clearer you are in your beliefs, the quicker you’ll attract your audience. If you try to be for everyone, you will be for no one.

Building your personal brand takes time.

Ali thought his true love was boxing—and he loved it. It wasn’t until later that he realized his true love was peace, fairness, and equity.

If you’re not sure of your purpose, be patient but stay diligent—always in pursuit. Until you know your purpose, merely do the next thing to the best of your ability. Follow your heart—as scary as it might be.

Are you actively building a personal brand? If not, what’s stopping you? Just hit “reply” to this email and let me know. I’d love to hear from you!