Personal Branding for Novice Entrepreneurs: An Exploratory Study

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.