Abstract:
Personal branding is now trending as a self-marketing strategy. From young graduates to
professionals, everyone benefits from personal branding to get noticed in the competing
marketplace. However, limited literature is centered around the process of developing a personal
brand, especially for novice entrepreneurs where product branding overlaps with personal
branding. Therefore, this research explores the development of an entrepreneur’s personal brand
and strategies for the maintenance of a personal brand. This study employs a qualitative
approach to the exploration of the process of development and maintenance of a personal brand.
The qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 entrepreneurs who
have been in the field for 2 years or less. The qualitative data was analyzed through thematic
analysis. This study explored the process of personal brand development, and the strategies
entrepreneurs employ for the maintenance of personal brands along with their product brands.
This study highlights the significance of personal branding for novice entrepreneurs by exploring
the outcomes of personal branding for entrepreneurs and suggests guidelines for the development
of personal brands for entrepreneurs. Through the findings of the research, a framework is
suggested. This framework highlights the process of developing a personal brand and the ways to
maintain a personal brand. This framework is intended to help the guidance practitioners
working in incubation centers and generally for young graduates and entrepreneurs to build a
strong personal brand.
