Welcome to Personal Brand: Executive Perspective with Michelle Madziva, a weekly column dedicated to the art and strategy of personal branding.
In 2027, organisations will need to think beyond how they market their products and services. They must also consider the people who bring the brand to life.
A customer may discover the products or services you offer through an advertisement, but their experience is shaped by the person who answers the phone, explains the features, handles a complaint or leads the meeting. The brand promise is tested in these moments, yet the people delivering it are often missing from the branding strategy.
Most businesses invest in marketing and corporate identities, but how many remember to equip their people to represent the brand confidently and consistently?
Employees can extend a business’ story beyond its official platforms. I recently came across a newly launched local fast food business where the owner and family members regularly share updates about the dishes on offer. Employees also post pictures and videos of the restaurant and daily specials.
In a short space of time, this has helped make the business relatable, giving customers a glimpse of the people behind the brand and another reason to engage with it.
This is the power of personal branding working alongside corporate branding. The founder’s personal brand gives the business a recognisable human face, while employees contribute to the way customers experience and perceive the organisation. Every person, from the CEO to the frontline employee, has a role to play.
Their communication, professional conduct, online presence and interactions with customers all influence how the business is perceived. Personal branding is therefore not just an individual career investment, it is an opportunity for organisations to build credibility, strengthen customer relationships and create a workforce that can confidently represent the brand.
I have witnessed the value of this first hand. While working closely with a Group Chief Operating Officer at another organisation, I saw how their LinkedIn presence gained momentum when the executive began consistently sharing company updates and tagging the organisation’s page.
Followers increased, visibility improved and new business conversations followed. It demonstrated how a leader’s personal platform, when used strategically, can create opportunities for the wider organisation. The executive was not simply building a personal profile, they were helping to move the company’s brand forward.
For executives, this is a strategic consideration. A well developed leadership brand can communicate direction, strengthen stakeholder confidence and give the organisation a recognisable voice. Employees can also become credible representatives of the products, services and values they know best. Their networks can extend the organisation’s reach beyond its corporate pages.
Employee advocacy, however, cannot simply be demanded by management. People are more likely to speak positively about an organisation when they understand its values, feel valued and are proud of the work that they do. They also need to know how to represent the business online and offline.
This is why personal branding must become part of every company’s 2027 strategic plan. It should not be reduced to a once off workshop or an instruction for employees to post more on social media. Organisations need a sustained investment in developing their leaders and employees, equipping them with the skills and confidence to represent the business.
As organisations finalise their 2027 strategic plans, the conversation about brand growth must extend beyond advertising budgets and marketing campaigns. It must also consider whether leaders and employees have the knowledge, confidence and professional skills to represent the organisation effectively.
This is where personal branding becomes an important part of organisational development. It brings together leadership presence, professional image, business etiquette, digital communication and customer experience. These are not isolated soft skills, they influence how businesses are experienced, understood and represented.
At Grand Curations, this is the area of work we are particularly passionate about, developing the people behind brands because we believe investing in your people is also investing in the strength of your brand.
Your next brand ambassadors may already be on your payroll. The opportunity is to develop them, not simply expect them to represent you.
Michelle Madziva
Founder & CEO, Grand Curations
Personal Branding Consultant | Corporate Strategist
Email : [email protected]
