Phase 1: Laying the Foundation – Your Brand Strategy

This is all about defining who you are, what you stand for, and what you want to be known for.

Understand Core Concepts ( Video Ref: 1:00 - 3:10 ):

Branding: The "intentional pairing of relevant things done consistently."

Brand: The byproduct – when your audience inherently associates those things with you.

Your Goal: To make your audience automatically think of specific (positive) things when they hear your name.

Define Your Brand – The Brand Journey Framework ( Video Ref: 3:54 - 5:31 ):

This framework helps you reverse-engineer your brand from your end goal. Ask yourself:

Question 1: What is my desired outcome? (Be specific. What do you ultimately want to achieve with your personal brand? E.g., "To be a sought-after speaker on sustainable living," "To launch a successful online course teaching digital art.")

Question 2: What do I have to be known for, for that to happen? (E.g., "Expert in zero-waste practices," "Master of Procreate and character design.")

Question 3: What do I have to *do* to be known for that? (Actions, not just words. E.g., "Consistently share tips on reducing waste," "Create and share digital art tutorials, showcase my portfolio.")

Question 4: What do I have to *learn* in order to do that? (This is your immediate starting point. E.g., "Learn how to film and edit short videos," "Master advanced Procreate techniques.")

Action: Dedicate time to thoughtfully answer these four questions. This is your foundational roadmap.

Define Your Desired Associations ( Video Ref: 6:20 - 7:43 ):

Ask yourself: "What do I want the audience to think of when they hear my name?"

List 3-5 core attributes or concepts (e.g., "innovative," "trustworthy," "expert in [your niche]," "empathetic," "practical").

Action: List your desired associations. Everything you create should reinforce these.

Define What You DON'T Want to Be Associated With ( Video Ref: 7:44 - 12:04 ):

This is crucial for protecting your brand. What topics, styles, or types of people/brands do you want to actively avoid being linked with?

(E.g., "Scammy get-rich-quick schemes," "negative or overly critical content," "unprofessionalism").

Action: List these "non-associations." Be diligent about this.

Position Your Brand – Find and Own Your Gap ( Video Ref: 12:10 - 14:20 ):

What's missing in your industry or niche?

Is it specific information?

A unique philosophy or perspective on a common topic?

Your unique personality delivering existing information in a new way?

What do current creators in your space say that you disagree with (respectfully)?

Action: Research your niche. Identify a gap or a unique angle you can own.

Craft Your Brand Story Framework ( Video Ref: 26:14 - 33:07 ):

Forget complex, rigid formulas. Use this simpler, more flexible approach:

1. The Catalyst: Why does your brand (or your desire to share this message) exist? What change did you see that needed to happen, or what opportunity did you spot?

Action: What's your "why"?

2. The Core Truth: What makes you different? What's a core conviction you hold, possibly different from others? What part of your personality stands out? Why should your audience care about this?

Action: Define your core truth.

3. The Proof: How do you consistently (through actions, content, examples, case studies) reinforce your identity and your core truth?

Action: How will you prove it? (This links heavily to your content).

Action: Outline your brand story using these three components.

Phase 2: Crafting Your Content Strategy

Now that you know what your brand is, let's figure out how you'll communicate it.

Pick Your Core Topic (s) – Start Narrow ( Video Ref: 33:08 - 50:59 ):

Start by focusing on one specific thing you are (or are becoming) an expert in. This builds trust faster.

Later, you can expand to adjacent topics.

The 80/20 Rule: Aim for 80% of your content to be on your core topic. The other 20% can be about related interests, showing more of your personality ("interest stacking").

Action: Define your primary (80%) topic. List 2-3 related interests for the 20%.

Choose Your Primary Content Medium ( Video Ref: 50:59 - 1:08:25 ):

The goal is long-term sustainability. What can you consistently create without burning out?

Options:

Written: (LinkedIn, X, blogs, newsletters) – Good for detailed info.

Video: (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram Reels) – Highest leverage for repurposing.

Audio: (Podcasts) – Good if camera-shy but comfortable speaking.

Visual/Graphic: (Instagram carousels, infographics) – Good for simplifying concepts.

Action: Select ONE primary medium you'll focus 80% of your effort on. You can dabble in others with the remaining 20%.

Choose Your Key Platforms ( Video Ref: 1:08:25 - 1:23:50 ):

Prioritize 2-3 platforms. Don't try to be everywhere at once.

Consider:

Where you're most comfortable.

Where your (target) audience spends their time (hypothesize and test).

Platforms that suit your chosen medium.

Short-form (TikTok, Reels) is great for awareness.

Long-form (YouTube, podcasts) is great for conversion and deep trust.

Action: Select your 2-3 primary platforms.

Determine Your Initial Posting Cadence ( Video Ref: 1:23:51 - 1:36:24 ):

Quality vs. Quantity: In the beginning, "quantity" helps you get data *faster_ on what your audience considers "quality."

Start with a cadence that is sustainable for you. Consistency trumps perfection.

Avoid the "perfect post" trap. Get content out there to learn.

Action: For your primary platform, what's a realistic number of times you can post per week to start (e.g., 2-3 times)?

Plan for Repurposing ( Content Waterfall )( Video Ref: 1:36:25 - 1:41:40 ):

Create one "pillar" piece of content (e.g., a longer YouTube video, a detailed blog post/newsletter).

Then, "mine" that pillar content for smaller, bite-sized pieces for other platforms (e.g., short video clips, quotes, key takeaways for a carousel).

Action: Take one content idea. How can you make it a pillar piece, and then derive at least 3 micro-pieces from it?

Incorporate Storytelling ( Video Ref: 2:07:40 - 2:29:33 ):

Use the framework: Hook -> Problem -> Journey -> Lesson -> Call to Action (CTA).

Types of stories to tell:

Origin stories (how you got started, why you care).

Failure stories (lessons learned, vulnerability builds trust).

Success stories (your own, or how you helped others – proof of concept).

Industry stories (your unique take, contrarian views).

Action: Choose one story type relevant to your brand. Outline it using the storytelling framework.

Engage with Your Audience ( Community-Driven Content )( Video Ref: 2:34:15 - 2:45:22 ):

Listen: Pay attention to comments and DMs for questions and feedback. This is content gold!

Involve Them: Ask questions, run polls, solicit opinions.

Respond & Reward: Acknowledge comments. Make people feel heard.

Create Inside Jokes/Shared Language: This builds a tighter community feel.

Action: This week, find one way to actively solicit feedback or involve your (early) audience in a content decision. Respond to any comments you get.

Phase 3: Execution & Iteration

This is where you start doing, learning, and refining.

Start Creating and Posting Consistently:

Focus on your chosen topic, medium, platforms, and cadence.

Don't aim for perfection initially; aim for posted .

Address Skepticism Proactively ( Video Ref: 16:30 - 18:16 ):

As you get feedback (or anticipate it), start addressing common audience objections or questions within your content.

Be Human, Not a Robot ( Video Ref: 18:17 - 21:58 ):

Share your personality. Share wins and losses. Vulnerability is relatable.

Listen and Adapt ( Video Ref: 21:59 - 26:13 & 1:23:51 - 1:32:42 ):

Pay attention to what resonates with your audience (views, engagement, comments).

What are they praising you for? What kind of content gets the best response?

Use this data to refine your topics, style, and what "quality" means to your audience .

Focus on Sustainable Practices ( Video Ref: 1:48:32 - 2:07:39 ):

Create content when you have the most energy (your "energy rhythm").

Protect your content creation time.

As you grow, think about how to make content contextual for each specific platform rather than just one-size-fits-all repurposing (this is more advanced but important for scaling).

Phase 4: Scaling & Monetization ( Longer-Term )

These steps come after you've built a foundation and have consistent content flow.

Scaling Your Content ( Video Ref: 2:45:23 - 3:09:26 ):

Increase Effort Per Piece: Once you know what your audience likes, focus on making better versions of that, rather than just more. (This might mean fewer but higher-impact pieces).

Platform-Native Content: (Advanced) Start tailoring content specifically for the nuances of each platform.

Data Tracking: Track what works (e.g., median views/engagement per format, then track new content as a multiplier of that average). Focus on metrics that change your actions .

Experimentation ( 70/20/10 Rule ):

70% of content is what you know works (proven).

20% is small iterations/improvements on proven content.

10% is pure experimentation (new formats, wild ideas).

Building Your Team ( Video Ref: 3:20:36 - 6:04:12 ):

This is a much later step for most personal brands. Initially, you are the team.

When you do hire (even freelancers):

Define needs clearly (solve bottlenecks).

Hire for culture fit > skills (skills can be trained).

Start lean.

For now: Think about what tasks, if you could delegate one, would free you up the most. This helps you identify future hiring needs.

Monetize Your Brand ( Video Ref: 6:04:13 - End ):

Trust BEFORE Transactions: This is paramount. Provide immense value for free first.

Monetization Models:

Services (consulting, coaching)

Products (digital like courses/ebooks, or physical)

Affiliates/Sponsorships (only promote what you genuinely use and believe in)

Community/Memberships

Ads (e.g., YouTube AdSense – often supplementary)

Offer Stack Progression:

Start with Free Content.

Then a Lead Magnet (e.g., checklist, mini-guide) to capture emails.

Then a Low-Ticket Offer ($10-$100).

Then Mid-Ticket ($500-$5000).

Then High-Ticket ($10k+).

Action ( for later ): Start by offering incredible free value. Your first "monetization" step might be a simple lead magnet.

Let Content Do the Selling: Don't be pushy. Share knowledge freely; your expertise and the results you (or your clients) get will naturally lead people to want your paid solutions.

Play the Long Game: Protect your reputation. Short-term cash grabs can kill long-term trust.

Your Immediate First Steps:

Complete the Brand Journey Framework (Phase 1, Step 2).

List your Desired Associations and Non-Associations (Phase 1, Steps 3 & 4).

Define your Primary Topic and 1-2 related interests (Phase 2, Step 1).

Choose your Primary Content Medium and 2-3 Key Platforms (Phase 2, Steps 2 & 3).

Decide on a Sustainable Initial Posting Cadence (Phase 2, Step 4).

Kortex