Mike saw firsthand what it means to operate in a market with no name recognition – and why building a public image isn’t just about ego. It’s about survival, strategy, and long-term trust.
In this guide, he shares, step by step, what it takes to turn a personal brand into real leverage.
Step 1: Set clear goals before going public
Want to write an expert post or give an interview? You need to know why you're doing it. Not “why personal branding matters” in general, but what role it plays specifically for you and for the stage your project is in. Without that clarity, your communication becomes either random or overly cautious – and neither builds long-term value.
And yes, if you're feeling afraid of being public, that’s normal. As Mike says, it’s also your growth point – often the first sign you’re heading in the right direction.
In the early years of working in a crypto holding, Mike operated under a pseudonym. At the time, anonymity was the norm. But when he co-founded his first digital communications agency, things shifted. Suddenly, there was a need to build external trust, to sign clients, to be recognized as a professional. And that’s when the problem surfaced: the pseudonym that had once worked inside the industry now became a liability.
“Imagine working in a Google Doc and seeing Anonymous Chupacabra viewing it with you. What’s your first reaction? Probably not trust, maybe even suspicion. No one’s going to Google ‘Anonymous Chupacabra’ and feel confident handing over their reputation. You can’t build a business under a nickname.”
The turning point came in 2019. While working as a PR lead at another company, Mike published his first article under his real name. That moment marked the beginning of a conscious transition to building personal visibility for credibility.
“That article was small, but it was mine. My real voice, my real presence. And it started something.”
Step 2: Choose your expertise (and stick to it)
Your personal brand is also about strategic focus – defining where your expertise lies. Ideally, it should be just one or two areas: the narrower the focus, the easier it is to build recognition and authority.
Two fields are often the sweet spot – they give you enough range to grow and scale, without diluting your voice. One area can work too, but only if it’s broad or in high demand. Otherwise, it can be hard to evolve beyond your initial audience.
For Mike, it could have been crypto PR and nothing else. But he quickly realized that was too narrow: the market was small, and media interest around PR itself was low. So instead of forcing relevance, he leaned into what came naturally – news cycles.
“I’ve always been surrounded by crypto news – reading and analyzing. It’s like a never-ending series. Some plotlines are new, some are recurring, but I know how to navigate them.”
During his time as a PR lead, Mike was the only public face of the company and had to cover more ground than communications. He began publishing market commentary on FXStreet, including technical analysis pieces. One of those articles was picked up by Cointelegraph Brazil – and just like that, a new vertical opened up. That momentum showed how expanding your presence means using your day-to-day immersion as a foundation to build from.
“If you only speak on what you know – over time, people start listening. That’s when it becomes a brand.”
Step 3: Stay consistent, even if no one’s watching
To build a personal brand, you need to show up over and over again, especially when nobody seems to care yet.
“You might write a post that gets two likes. You may publish an article that no one will share. But you need to keep going. With consistency, it might work – but without it, it definitely won’t.”
That was Mike’s approach early on. He didn’t wait for perfect conditions – just made a decision: to keep publishing under his real name, wherever there was an opportunity. Even if it meant chasing small media placements or building up a content habit during evenings and weekends.
That consistency paid off. By the time Outset PR launched, Mike’s name already had visibility. Articles, a dedicated interview series on Benzinga, and public commentary formed a media footprint that helped the agency gain trust during its earliest stage – even before it had big client names to demonstrate.
“Most of the work happens in silence. But when the opportunity comes, you already have a presence. Success is built on years of work no one ever sees.”
Step 4: If you're a founder, know the difference between you and your brand
As your company grows, your voice and your brand’s voice begin to diverge. That’s okay – and even necessary. In the early days, everything you say is seen as an extension of the company. Later, the brand develops its own tone, positioning, and media strategy – and your voice starts to carry more personal nuance.
“A founder can say what they think right now. A brand doesn’t always have that luxury.”
However, this divergence is not equal to disconnection. You can comment on side topics, bring more personality, or explore your own interests. But you’re still the face of the company, so its values, vibes, and style must still echo through what you say.
Think of it this way: you're no longer reading from the same script, but you’re still on the same stage. If your brand prioritizes trust and calm in public conversations, and you’re out there flaming those supposed to be your target audience with rage bait, people won’t just question you – they’ll question your company, too.
“You have to understand when you’re speaking for yourself and when you’re speaking on behalf of something bigger. That distinction matters.”
Done right, your voice adds dimension to your brand. You make it human and relatable. But remember that being personal doesn’t mean ignoring your brainchild’s identity. And authenticity isn’t an excuse for chaos in shared communications.
Step 5: Never outsource your voice entirely
Delegation saves a lot of time on writing, editing, and scheduling. Founders are busy, and nobody expects you to draft every post or script every line. However, full detachment is a trap.
“You can have ghostwriters, content leads, or someone whispering in your ear during interviews. But if it goes out under your name, you’d better run it through your own filter first.”
When you remove yourself completely from the process, you risk saying things you don’t mean – or worse, things that damage your credibility.
That’s why Mike stays involved in every piece of personal communication, even if he doesn’t always write it word-for-word. He brings the insights, reviews the message, and makes sure it sounds like him. Not because he doesn’t trust his team, but because reputation can’t be outsourced.
“When it’s your personal brand, the risk is all on you. No one’s getting canceled for a ghostwritten post – but you might.”
You can get help shaping the message, but the meaning has to come from you.
Step 6: Build your own radar
If you want to be relevant, you have to be plugged in. But that doesn’t mean reading the news on a timer – it means surrounding yourself with signals.
“I don’t set aside 30 minutes every morning to scroll headlines. News just finds me – through chats, channels, people I talk to. If something matters, it’ll stick.”
Mike doesn’t force it. He’s exposed to dozens of Telegram channels and ongoing market noise all day – not in a structured way, but as part of his everyday rhythm. That constant flow builds intuition and ideas.
But here’s the key: not every piece of news is worth a take. The important ones become part of a bigger picture, and that picture shapes commentary that actually matters.
“Ideas don’t come from headlines. They come from pattern recognition.”
The best influencers speak when they have something to say. The more intentional your inputs, the more insightful your outputs.
Controversial or vulnerable topics: how to speak without oversharing
Sometimes, something hits a nerve. You feel compelled to speak up – not as a brand, but as a person. That’s fine, but don’t confuse emotional urgency with strategic relevance.
“If you feel like saying something controversial, ask yourself first: Am I an expert in this? Does my audience need it? Am I ready for the consequences? If the answer isn’t ‘yes’ to at least two of them, think twice before making it public.”
It’s not necessarily about staying silent, but it might mean being subtle. Tone, subtext, even your choice of subject – these are all ways to speak without shouting.
A personal brand is a system – not random posts
Building a founder's personal brand goes beyond dropping hot takes. It's a long game built on consistency, clarity, and staying grounded in what you actually know. Make sure you say the right things, in the right way, over time.
Sequence. Honesty. Expertise. That’s the formula.
And if you’re serious about personal brand development, you don’t have to do it alone. At Outset PR, we’ve built founder-led communications into a repeatable system. From defining your zone of expertise to shaping your voice, structuring your content, and matching it with the right media – we know how to help you get seen for the right reasons.
