• 2012 and You Inc. Devin Hughes         posted in: Motivation and Inspiration
    As we sit here the first few days of 2012, it is almost impossible not to think about what the new year has in store for us.  Most of us would agree that the economy is not in tip-top shape nor are we.  The gyms are crowded this time of the year as people scramble to lose a few pounds while remaining focused on their New Year’s resolution to lose those love handles.  “Hey, I was next on ...
  • Secret Sauce For Personal Branding Devin Hughes         posted in: Sales, Branding, Marketing
    I am so very lucky. I have the opportunity to travel the country and speak about personal branding to a variety of people from various teams, groups and organizations. It’s a topic that I am passionate about and one that I can speak about based on my journey as well as others. Invariably, one of the first questions asked during my presentations this past year was by someone looking ...
  • Personal Branding is Not Optional Devin Hughes         posted in: Sales, Branding, Marketing
    I had the opportunity this past week to speak to a group of entrepreneurs about personal branding.  As you might imagine, I was delighted to share my experience and its significance with the large crowd.  Much like a prizefighter, I was warming up back stage, as I was getting ready to deliver a knock out talk to a packed room. Shortly after I began, an older man in the back of t...
  • Personal Branding Is Not A Hobby Devin Hughes         posted in: Sales, Branding, Marketing
    Building your personal brand is not easy.  Beyond all the hype and success stories that you read and hear about, it is a grind.  I often compare it to trying to find a light switch in a dark room that is unfamiliar to you.  It will certainly make you second-guess yourself as you often wonder if you will ever see the finish line.  Imagine for a second running a marathon where the finish...
  • My Personal Branding Breakfast Club Devin Hughes         posted in: Sales, Branding, Marketing
    I had the pleasure of spending an entire day recently at a local coffee shop due to a power outage at my office.   As you may have guessed, the mere thought of being without Internet access was completely unacceptable.  The plan was so to sit, peck away on the laptop, drink coffee and soak up the atmosphere.  It was my idea of turning lemons into lemonade. The store was packe...
  • Personal Branding is a Contact Sport Devin Hughes         posted in: Sales, Branding, Marketing
    In the age of ubiquitous social media, I find that so many people lose sight of the fact that developing a personal brand involves real relationships with actual human beings.  Technology has become “comfort food” for far too many of us in developing Me Inc. similar to popcorn at a movie theater.  It is so easy to become enamored with the number of connections and followers we have a...
  • Use the Rule of 3 for Personal Branding Devin Hughes         posted in: Sales, Branding, Marketing
    If you are not familiar with it then I suggest that you introduce yourself quickly. I believe that it is the most highly effective technique for disseminating information with a punch. As an aspiring Brandpreneur, you have been told, over and over, ad nauseam, that your ability to convey your message with impact is critical to your long-term success. Like so many of us, I ...
  • Building Your Personal Brand Devin Hughes         posted in: Sales, Branding, Marketing
    I hope that when you decide to jump off the diving board and into the personal branding pool, you are prepared to swim in the deep end. From my experience, the lifeguard is often unavailable when you find yourself struggling to keep your head above water. In my case, it was incumbent upon me to faux swim or at least doggie paddle with dignity. When I began, I was inundated with wonderful success...
  • The Power of the Personal Brand Devin Hughes         posted in: Sales, Branding, Marketing
    This past weekend, I had the good fortune of attending a picnic in my neighborhood.  Have I ever told you how much I love picnics?  As I sat there consuming anything in sight, I struck up a conversation with a physician who, like me, was enjoying the barbeque.  He began to tell me about an unusual experience he had that afternoon in his office.  During a routine office visit with a new...