Leverage Your Background to Build a Unique Brand

Personal branding, building a brand online, creating an online presence—these buzzwords are often repeated, but how can you actually create a brand that stands out and gets attention in an overcrowded digital space?

Your quirky, unique, very human background might be the answer.

Below, we’ll discuss some examples of companies and their entrepreneurs who have leveraged their relevant experience to build interesting, unique, and memorable brands. Then, we’ll outline a step-by-step process so that you can do the same.

Brands You Know With Unique Influences

Popular brands are infinitely recognizable, but you may not always know the backstories that made them what they are today. Consider a few examples.

According to Statista, Pokémon is currently the world’s highest-grossing franchise. Its characters range from cute to fearsome, and several generations have now grown up with them. You may not know, however, that the hobby of bug collecting was integral to the brand’s creation.

Junichi Masuda and Satoshi Tajiri co-founded Game Freak, the studio where Pokémon got its start.  Masuda grew up in Osaka, Japan, an “outdoors type” who enjoyed catching bugs. Tajiri “was obsessed with catching insects in his youth,” recording his discoveries in a notebook as he explored fields on the outskirts of Tokyo. He dreamed of becoming an entomologist, an insect scientist. Both became interested in video games, but they leveraged this shared childhood interest in the creative process.

Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, used her experiences differently. She wanted to create a product that would “make them feel good,” but she didn’t know where to start. At the time, she was selling fax machines door-to-door, but she had a problem—panty lines visible through her cream-colored slacks. So, she cut the feet out of a pair of pantyhose and realized that similar ready-made garments could be the product she was looking for. Her bold approach has since brought shapewear into the mainstream.

These real-world examples are certainly inspirational, but can you do the same? We’ve drawn you a roadmap in the next section.

How You Can Leverage Your Own Experience

As a freelancer and solopreneur, I rely on brand-building to attract clients and put food on the table. The following steps have helped me build my personal brand and, in turn, that of my business. From grabbing customers’ attention to securing their trust, you will no doubt find these steps helpful as well.

Step 1: Get Their Attention

Think back to the last time you were in a group setting and everyone was asked to share an interesting fact to introduce themselves. Do you remember what any of your colleagues shared? What did you say?

If you do recall specifics, it was likely because the fact they shared was surprising, unexpected, or unusual. In past years, I liked to introduce myself with the phrase “I was once interrogated by the FBI.” It was a bit of an exaggeration—I was asked a few questions about a friend who needed security clearance for her job in the Air Force—but it was attention-getting and memorable. This allowed for easy conversation and networking within the group.

Today, I use equally attention-grabbing facts like “I captured a swarm of honeybees last week” or “I swam with humpback whales in Australia.” These adventures may not be directly related to my work as a writer, but they say, “I can overcome challenges and learn highly technical skills.” They also make the client more likely to remember me.

What surprising facts or background will you use to grab consumers’ attention? That will depend on your industry, client demographics, and your particular experiences. Cheek Boss uses unapologetic images of full-figured women to model their undergarments. Duolingo lets Duo the owl “go wild” on TikTok, haunting, threatening users, and twerking. Their in-app visuals, such as an owl-unicorn or a young Duo butterfly emerging from an old Duo skin, can be disconcerting. These examples can inspire you to create your own surprising, attention-getting campaigns.

Step 2: Build Their Trust

No matter what field of business you’re in, your clients and customers will be looking for the same assurance:

• They can trust you
• You have the skills and knowledge to do what you claim you can

One way to do this is by showing your face (or those of your team). Georgia Tech reports that “Instagram pictures with human faces are 38 percent more likely to receive likes…[and] 32 percent more likely to attract clients.” Faces “stop the stroll” and enable a more human connection.

You should also meditate on your passions and how they intersect with your company’s values and goals. For example, climber Yvon Choinard channeled his passion for climbing, surfing and the outdoors to found the environmentally-friendly clothing company Patagonia. In 2023, he was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time magazine, and his company is a global powerhouse.

You, too, can leverage your background to build a unique brand when you take inspiration from these examples.