Let's Talk About Fame

[Kak]

I bet most business powerhouse people can walk around without much problem.

There are a few with a high fame factor... Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Donald Trump.

However could you recognize a guy like Warren Buffett if you saw him in a grocery store or totally out of context? Jamie Dimon? Charles Koch? Tim Cook? Bill Gates? I don’t think I would.

I worked gun counter during college in Waco. I had a regular ammo customer that I always liked. Chatted all the time. Was a actually a fan of his music... Had no idea he was actually Ted Nugent until one day he bought something that required paperwork... But then it all made sense...

Ted Nugent is a pretty hard not to figure out. Maybe I just don't care enough about famous people.

 

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[ChrisV]

If you’re extroverted you’ll love fame; if you’re introverted, you’ll hate it.

 

[GPM]

Here is an example of how much I would love fame. After I had my daughter I found it uncomfortable to go out for something as simple as groceries, as I found the attention I got to be be unpleasant.

People swarm you when you have a new baby, and I hated it. I couldn't imagine actually achieving fame of some sort. I would probably hire doubles as decoys to leave my house before me, and then I would sneak out to my private car/jet to go where I wanted to go.

 

[MTF]

I bet most business powerhouse people can walk around without much problem.

There are a few with a high fame factor... Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Donald Trump.

You'd say that Tim Ferriss would have no problems then. But maybe it's because he's also an author of semi-controversial books and not just a businessman/investor.

However could you recognize a guy like Warren Buffett if you saw him in a grocery store or totally out of context? Jamie Dimon? Charles Koch? Tim Cook? Bill Gates? I don’t think I would.

I'd recognize Warren Buffett and Bill Gates as long as it would make at least a little bit of sense they could be there (so I wouldn't expect them in my hometown).

Ted Nugent is a pretty hard not to figure out. Maybe I just don't care enough about famous people.

I have no idea who he is and had to google his name. Still have no idea who he is (lol sorry, maybe that's something everyone in the US knows).

If you’re extroverted you’ll love fame; if you’re introverted, you’ll hate it.

Introverts would definitely struggle with it more, but I'd say that sociopaths and psychopaths probably enjoy fame most.

Here is an example of how much I would love fame. After I had my daughter I found it uncomfortable to go out for something as simple as groceries, as I found the attention I got to be be unpleasant.

And that's just a temporary problem. Imagine the hopelessness of knowing that it will never end (fame can fade, but many people will still recognize once well-known celebrities after years or decades).

I'm most certainly not famous (and wouldn't want to be), but I'm well known in my small niche...so not sure if my response is worthwhile or not... But...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It's interesting because you operate in a niche that might possibly attract a lot of shady people (or people with hidden intentions) given how much money there is in real estate.

The morons on the street will be ten times more likely to know lady gaga than warren buffett.

True, though business celebrities are known to be rich for sure so they might be a better target than artists who can be, and often are, broke.

 

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[Roli]

I suddenly thought of this thread this morning, and I reminded myself of Damon Albarn of Blur fame.

When things were getting too much for him, yet he still wanted to carry on making music, he created the Gorrilaz, whom were made up of Manga cartoon characters.

You can't stalk a cartoon character!

Now Damon lives in relative anonymity, he lives not too far from me, I see him now and again, however I always have to have him pointed out to me. (See previously mentioned can't recognise-celebrityitis)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V_xRb0x9aw

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXR-bCF5dbM

 

[MakeItHappen]

I think that a strong personal brand can be very valuable.

People are social being and like to buy from other people, instead of impersonal corporation.

If both a biz with a strong personal brand and a faceless corporation offers the exact same value the biz with the personal brand has an advantage imo.

As automation/AI is getting better and better and more jobs/skills can be done by machines the personal brand becomes even more important in the future to differentiate yourself from the competition.

If your competitors have strong personal brands and you don't have any personal brand imo it can be a disadvantage.

Elon Musk and Tesla comes to mind. If I would be in the market for an electrical car the first company that comes to mind is Tesla and when I think of Tesla I think of Elon Musk and the fact that I like him (his personal brand). I would compare other car companies to Tesla and unless they very clearly provide a lot more value than Tesla I am buying a Tesla.

This might not be true for all industries but as social media keeps growing it become more important and Elon Musk is an example of an entrepreneur with a personal brand in industries that I wouldn't have thought of as industries that could benefit from a personal brand.

 

[LisaMcdowell8]

Hello, a very interesting question. I think that I would like to be outstanding in my industry, to be in demand, so that there is more profit, more opportunities. I never seriously thought to be famous as a TV star or something, but to be good at what you do and for other people to know about it I would like to.

 

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[wouldntitbenice]

If your competitors have strong personal brands and you don't have any personal brand imo it can be a disadvantage.

Elon Musk and Tesla comes to mind. If I would be in the market for an electrical car the first company that comes to mind is Tesla and when I think of Tesla I think of Elon Musk and the fact that I like him (his personal brand). I would compare other car companies to Tesla and unless they very clearly provide a lot more value than Tesla I am buying a Tesla.

This might not be true for all industries but as social media keeps growing it become more important and Elon Musk is an example of an entrepreneur with a personal brand in industries that I wouldn't have thought of as industries that could benefit from a personal brand.

I personally dislike Elon Musk, at least the side he shares with the public, so personal branding cuts both ways. John DeLorean was very much a personal brand in the auto industry.

I instinctively agreed with your statement that it can be a disadvantage if the competition has a strong personal brand while you don't, but then I thought of the countless plumbing, electrical, and hvac companies marketed as an individual or family business struggling to grow against the large regional players in those professions. All things being equal, I bet personal brand does matter, but things are rarely all equal.

 

[wouldntitbenice]

I feel that the importance of personal brand comes down to what you're selling: a service or a product. A service typically relies on expertise and authority, and while word of mouth and testimonials help a lot, people are buying into the person(s) at the root of that expertise and authority.

Personal brand feels like a buzz concept in the online world. An investment in a lease in a reasonable, and not sketchy, location projects legitimacy. Using your personal reputation through your face and sharing parts of your life is the online equivalent, so there is a natural gravitational pull. But...

There's a strong push by people to create a personal brand, mostly by those selling services or pushing content, because it's a relatively easy sell. Every person has a self, and that self is well known to them as well as free to use. Most people feel special, unique, valuable, and likeable. The only thing they have to do is show the world.

I don't know...maybe I'm struggling with confirmation bias, because I'm searching for an online business that enables me to have a comfortable living without any need for a personal brand or attention.

 

[Andy Black]

Here's the take on personal brands from a guy with a big personal brand in his space:

• Gary Vaynerchuk: How to build a personal brand from nothing

Here's some of my braindump in other threads talking about personal branding:

Read "Built to Sell"

It's alright getting started making sales as "The XYZ Guy".

Later on you might want to make sales as "The XYZ Business".

I agree. You're building a personal brand with every interaction or lack of interaction. You don't even need to say "I'm the XYZ guy", you just talk about XYZ, help people with XYZ, and be seen to help people with XYZ. When people start tagging you when someone asks for help with XYZ then you know you're doing it right.

Personally, I'd rather use my initial personal brand to jumpstart a non-personal brand, rather than try and push my personal brand down everyone's throats on social media platforms.

Personal branding.

Closely aligned with “follow your passion”.

It’s what the masses want to hear... Talk about yourself, and flood the world with selfies and talking head videos. Build an audience, make loads of money living the hammock and laptop lifestyle.

@MTF wrote a great post here:

• RANT - How deep does this "FAKE GURU" market actually go?

 

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[Guest6814]

That's a pen name?

If correct, it would answer my longtime question, “What does ‘MJ’ stand for?”

I had no idea it was a pen name!

 

[Guest6814]

The goal is to be successful, not to be famous per se. Fame by itself means nothing of you’re broke and haven’t contributed anything. Provide something of value. If others recognize you for your contribution, very nice. If not, it’s not the end of the world.

 

[SteveO]

If correct, it would answer my longtime question, “What does ‘MJ’ stand for?”

Short for Michael John

 

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[Costa]

If I'm dealing with shit being broke and anonymous, man I can't even imagine being rich, famous or both

 

[Runum]

It was a very strange experience to be in a store one day and hearing people on the next aisle talking shit about me, my wife, and my race car. It's odd how people will shoot you down and they don't even know you. My wife has been harassed at a college BB game from a fan of Texas Tech. My wife was a JR high girls BB coach and this woman knew who my wife was and began stalking and swearing at her. My wife let the deranged woman say her piece until she ran out of steam. I always wanted to be a blue jean millionaire, no one would know who I am or where I live.

How weird would it be to go to an event and everyone is wearing a t shirt with your face on it?

 

[Fox]

In the last year I have been recognized 4-5 times in public.

I stick out in Poland as a redhead and then if you watch anything about web design on Youtube I guess I pop up pretty fast.

The first time I was carrying an expensive camera and for sure thought this person was going to snatch it. I was super close to telling them to F off when they mentioned Youtube and the school and it clicked.

I ended up inviting them out for lunch and they were really cool.

After that I have tried to be more relaxed when someone randomly starts walking right at me.
But it takes effort cause you don't want to just be accepting every random person in the world either.

Obviously I love meeting people who follow me, but until they actually tell me that I have no idea who they are.

Id say being properly famous is very difficult. Like to be recognized like that everywhere must be insanely demanding.
Also people just know me as just some small Youtube channel. Being a movie start or celebrity is going to have people reacting 100 times more emotionally.

 

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[heavy_industry]

Id say being properly famous is very difficult. Like to be recognized like that everywhere must be insanely demanding.

Jordan Peterson said that he can no longer take a 10 minute walk without having at least 3 random people talking to him. Usually young people that are thankful for his work and teachings.

Not only in Canada, but virtually every city of every country he's been on tour.

I imagine you have to have a certain personality type to be able to deal with this. Otherwise it's completely overwhelming.