As a business founder, it’s not enough to focus on your products, services or profits. Though that’s what keeps your business evolving and growing, and keeps cash flowing in, it’s not going to result in a legacy; not one that’s going to stand out and be memorable, anyway. If you want a founder legacy that goes beyond business, you need to use events to shape your personal brand.
What Does it Mean to Leave Founder Legacy?
With so many businesses breaking the mold, innovating and standing out for the right reasons, leaving a legacy requires you to build a personal brand and focus on yourself as a founder. Founder legacy goes beyond what your business does, focusing on who you are as an individual. Founder legacy is all about thought leadership, personal purpose, values and visibility. It’s about how people experience you as an entrepreneur and what they say when you’re not in the room. It’s about the impact you leave behind. You can then use your personal brand to determine how that legacy is perceived and remembered.
Founders today are using events to shape their personal brand, ensuring their founder legacy is exactly what they want it to be. By hosting or appearing at exclusive events, you can position yourself not just as a business owner, but as a personal brand worth paying attention to.
Why Events Matter When It Comes to Building a Personal Brand
- Events Shape Your Identity – At an event, you have a brand new opportunity to control how you’re perceived by others in your industry. For example, at a speaking engagement, you can showcase your vision in your own words. If you’re hosting an event yourself, you get to choose the tone, the topic and the guest list, all of which reflect your values. You’re in control when it comes to building a personal brand using events.
- Moments Create Memories – There’s a lot of networking going on in all industries, and even the most insightful conversations are quickly forgotten. But, people do remember how you made them feel. They might not remember the facts, or the industry insights you shared with them, but they will remember if you listened to what they had to say. You can’t simply show up to an event, share a few tidbits of information and leave; you’ll be forgotten about before you know it. Instead, use events to build a personal brand by providing value, sharing your vulnerabilities as a founder and connecting on a deeper level. It’s a lot easier to remember moments, rather than facts.
- Association Means a Lot – Your personal brand is shaped by who you’re seen with. By spending time alongside top investors, industry leaders and respected entrepreneurs, you can raise your profile through your proximity to those individuals. When you attend the right networking events, you can borrow the reputation of others to build your own.
How to Build a Personal Brand and Solidify Founder Legacy at Events
When it comes to using events to shape your personal brand, you’re unlikely to find success if you jump straight in without a plan. You need a strong strategy to guide you.
- Be Selective About Where You Show Up – There’s a lot of networking events out there, but you don’t need to attend them all. Choose events that align with your business type, industry or future goals, and consider if the other attendees are going to resonate with what you’re trying to do as a founder. Focus your attention on events that allow you to add value, not just receive it.
- Make Your Presence at Events Known – Showing up to an event isn’t enough, you need to make your presence known. You need to speak with intention, share beneficial insights and offer value in conversations. You need to contribute to the event in a meaningful way, not just turn up and expect your personal brand to flourish.
- Create Your Own Platform – Founders with strong personal brands don’t just attend events, they host them. Whether it’s a private dinner for other founders in your industry, a live podcast recording or informal drinks after a business meeting, curating your own experience allows you to perfect the atmosphere, messaging and audience, ensuring every aspect benefits your personal brand.
- Share the Right Content – When there’s a lot of people at an event, there’s no guarantee that everyone will remember your interactions. That’s why it’s important to document your presence by sharing photos, clips of your speaking engagements and how the event benefited you. Share what you learned or who you met, and why it mattered. This builds your personal brand by showing that you’re a key part of events, and not just a background attendee. Sharing content also extends your reach to those who couldn’t be there in person.
- Follow Up and Continue the Connection – Real networking happens after the event, so be sure to follow up and continue the connection. Send personalised follow-ups and connect on social media, and mention something memorable from your conversation. These small touches remind people of who you are, what you do and the time you spent together. It shows that you’re a founder who’s genuinely interested in turning networking into long-term connections.
If you’re a founder and you’re serious about shaping your legacy, don’t just focus on your business growth, focus on your presence in the industry. Enhance your personal brand and legacy – connect with those who matter at our next event.
