R. Todd Stephens, Ph.D. made a comment concerning the 5 Es of branding. Don’t you love a doctor who makes house calls? He was curious how the 5 Es would apply to your personal brand, and whether all of them actually would.

I think they all still apply.

You must establish your personal brand.
Seek to understand who you are and what purpose your life serves. Various elements have factored into helping me do this myself. Two in particular are The Gift of Being Yourself by David Benner, and Your One Degree consultations by David Jewitt.

Your actions must extend the brand.
If I believe my purpose in life is to inspire others, but my actions express doubt, fear, and bitterness, then I’m not living in line with my personal brand. My brand still is what it is, but my actions are inauthentic to the essence of who I am.

Those in relationship with you should experience the brand.
You should open up and be transparent and authentic with those close to you. Don’t rob someone else of the joy of knowing you. Let them experience the truth of who you are, even if it means being vulnerable.

Give others the opportunity to experiment with your brand.
Engage other people in ways that are authentic to your personal brand. You may not be as transparent as you are with close friends/family, but you can still remain true to your values. Be willing to broaden your sphere of influence.

Time will evolve your brand.
Certain core values may always remain, but new information, new seasons of life, relational and intellectual changes can all create subtle changes in your personal brand.

So Dr. Stephens, do you concur with my diagnosis?