Business Book Review: From Individual to Empire by Laura Bull
From Individual to Empire is a behind-the-scenes tour of the biggest personal brands of our era. Guided by an experienced entertainment executive.
My Rating: ★★★★
Length: 216 Pages
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
Released: 2020
Key Takeaways for Personal Branding
Laura Bull’s book is a peek into the strategy behind some of the most notable personal brands of our era.
Bull spent ten years with Sony Music Entertainment. There, she became one of the youngest executives of the iconic label.
She now helps entrepreneurs and leaders as a consultant, speaker and professor. She aims to redefine the term “influencer”, expanding its scope offline. An important point in a digital world that seems to assign the title to only those with online impact.
Bull reminds us of the core principles of branding for establishing influence.
The Brand Matrix
From Individual to Empire presents Bull’s Brand Matrix.
The matrix sees the following dimensions overlap in a Venn diagram:
Product: What is being sold to the consumer
Image: The visual representation of the product
Narrative: The message of the product and image
The intersection of these forms the core of the brand.
Bull’s matrix is clear and concise. As Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” Bull’s crisp framework demonstrates her expertise in personal branding.
Her emphasis on narrative is distinct from her counterparts. who usually default to discussions around origin stories or key messages. The narrative framing, essential in Public Relations, reminds you to be intentional.
Favourite Quotes
“Steve Jobs once said, “Your brand is the single most important investment you can make for your business.”
“The human race has always gathered in tribes and clans to increase the chance of survival.”
“The number one greatest predictor of long-term happiness is social connection.”
“The goal is to develop passion for a purpose because in doing so, you instinctively develop perseverance.”
“Recognize that negative self-talk may be based on faulty assumptions. Stop and ask yourself if your conclusions are based on facts.”
“Be bold and create an entirely new category!”
“A good product with a good narrative entices the consumer to participate in the story.”
From Individual to Empire is both an informative and entertaining read. The plethora of household names provides easily-understood cases to process Bull’s concepts. From Taylor Swift to Kayne, and Oprah to Hillary Clinton. Bull cleverly uses pop-culture to dissect where personal brands have excelled or misstepped.
With expertise often reserved for big-name signings, Bull guides everyday leaders. Those who, with the right branding, can turn their individual efforts into empires.
From Individual to Empire by Laura Bull: Available on Amazon.
