Personal Brand vs Business Brand - Which Should You Grow? Episode 42

Welcome to back to SMM! The newsletter that delivers bite-sized, practical social media guidance straight to your inbox every single week.

Let’s not mess about - today’s topic is:

Personal Brand vs Business Brand - Which Should You Grow?

This is a genuinely important question, and one I see business owners get wrong all the time.

Before we decide which route makes the most sense, let’s clearly define what each one actually means.

What Is a Personal Brand?

A personal brand is the reputation, perception, and trust people associate with you, based on what you share, say, and do - both online and offline.

It’s how people feel about you as a person, a creator, or a business owner.

What Is a Business Brand?

A business brand is the overall identity, reputation, and experience people associate with a company - not just its logo, but how it looks, sounds, feels, and behaves at every touchpoint.

It’s the promise your business makes, and how consistently it keeps it.

What Does It Mean to “Grow” a Brand?

To grow your brand means to increase how many people:

• Know you

• Trust you

• Remember you

• And choose you over alternatives

It’s not just about followers or sales. It’s about long-term relevance and preference.

So, as a business owner, you really have three options:

• Grow your personal brand

• Grow your business brand

• Or try to grow both

Let’s break it down.

Why You Should Grow Your Personal Brand

Your personal brand can be the fastest catalyst for success, especially in the early stages of a business.

People trust people far quicker than they trust logos.

A great example of this is PRIME. Why did it explode so quickly? Because it had two huge creators (KSI and Logan Paul) as the face of the brand. Without them, it’s just another energy drink on a crowded shelf.

Now, I know what you’re probably thinking:

“I don’t want to be as big as KSI or Logan Paul!”

Good. You don’t need to be.

Imagine what having 10,000 followers could do for your business, if those followers perfectly matched your dream client. Suddenly, that number feels powerful.

You don’t need millions of followers. You need the right followers - people who engage with your content, trust your opinion, and are actually willing to buy from you.

Only when you aim to become a large national or international company does it make sense to broaden your audience to the masses.

A personal brand is one of the biggest unfair advantages you can have going into 2026.

Why you should grow your Business Brand:

Okay, so we have looked at personal brand, but what are the benefits of growing your business brand?

Growing your business brand is about far more than logos, colours, or aesthetics. It’s about becoming recognisable, trusted, and memorable in a crowded market.

When people repeatedly see your brand - understand what you do - and know what you stand for - choosing you becomes easy. Strong brands don’t need to convince as hard, the decision is already half made before the conversation even starts.

A well-built business brand also creates trust at scale. Unlike a personal brand, which relies heavily on one individual, a business brand allows customers to trust the company itself - its systems, values, and consistency. This means your business can grow beyond you, operate without your constant presence, and feel credible even to people who’ve never interacted with you before.

Another huge benefit of growing your business brand is long-term stability. Platforms change, algorithms shift, and trends come and go - but brands that are clearly positioned survive all of it. When your audience recognises your name and associates it with quality or results, you’re less dependent on short-term tactics or viral moments to stay relevant.

Finally, a strong business brand increases perceived value. People are willing to pay more, wait longer, and trust faster when they believe in the brand behind the product or service. In competitive markets, branding is often the difference between being compared on price and being chosen on reputation. The stronger your business brand becomes, the easier growth feels - because people already want to work with you.

So… Which Should You Grow?

In my opinion, if you’re a new business owner, your personal brand should be the priority.

A handful of strong social media posts can build personal authority far faster than a business brand ever could. It can take years to establish a trusted business brand - but personal trust can be built much quicker.

Early on, I’d focus on creating as much content as possible through you and your personal brand. Once you start hiring employees, building systems, or can afford to bring someone in to manage brand growth, that’s when your business brand should take centre stage.

If you’re building a business you may eventually sell, a personal brand protects your authority after the sale. If you’re in the game for the long term, a strong business brand is essential.

Trying to do both at the very beginning usually leads to doing neither properly.

Final Thought

Pick one. Commit to it. Execute consistently.

Because clarity beats confusion every single time.

Make sure to subscribe, and remember - “Short-term wins fade. Long-term growth compounds.”

- Jacob

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