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If someone were to ask you who you are and what defines, how would you answer? Do you have a set of ideas and principles in mind that dictate how you conduct yourself? This is not a random question Oprah would ask, but rather a way to define your personal brand.

A personal brand is more than what you put on a resume or Linkedin profile. It’s a way of life, tailored focus you create in order to achieve goals. It doesn’t matter whether you are a business owner, employee at a company, or still in school. Your personal brand is what defines you and once you fully grasp your brand identity – life will start to have more of a purpose. Things will become a little more clear regarding life choices and even business decisions. It’s a discovery of aspiration and the start of a necessary foundation to become the best version of you.

So again – what is your personal brand? Not sure? That’s okay. Here are ten ways to define your values, strengths, and attributes.

Source: hiphopweekly.com

From Black Enterprise

Audiences tuned in religiously to watch the ladies of VH1′s Love & Hip Hop go through their personal and professional triumphs and trials. In Season 2 of the popular series was breakout star, Yandy Smith, entertainment manager to platinum-selling hip-hop artist Jim Jones, among others. Viewers watched as she made major moves for her client and ended up severing ties with him in an unfortunate personal battle with his beau, castmate Chrissy Lampkin.

It’s no doubt that the show widened the scope of exposure for all cast members to millions of new consumers. Smith continues her work as a manager to stars including Missy Elliot and has expanded her brand to the film, accessories and publishing industries.

As the show returns for a third season, taking its cameras to spotlight the who’s who of talent on Atlanta’s popular music scene June 18, we caught up with Smith to talk how Love & Hip Hop changed her life and what her next boss move will be.

To see what Yandy has in store, head over to BlackEnterprise.com.

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Source: Black Enterprise.com

Janell Hazelwood for Black Enterprise.com

On the Real Housewives of Atlanta, we’ve all seen the drama and antics of six women interacting both professionally and personally to make must-see TV. But Attorney Phaedra Parks is not your typical reality TV diva. She’s been managing law partner at The Parks Group, P.C., for a decade, and has represented the likes of Bobby Brown, Jermaine Dupri and Ludacris, among others.

The mother, entrepreneur, and litigator, was president of the Gate City Bar Association, and actively sits on boards for organizations including the American Bar Association and the University of Georgia. One can’t have all of this under her (designer) belt without knowing a thing — or three— about networking.

On the heels of last night’s episode, Black Enterprise.com caught up with Parks for her quick and dirty quips on making quality connections.

See what Phaedra says you need to know about making connections and getting that job at BlackEnterprise.com.

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From the professionals looking to solidify entrepreneurial or consultant ventures to those who want to distinguish themselves in the job pool, online branding is the perfect venue for you. Fast Company reports that this year, smart social networking is essential to gaining control over your professional life. As you undertake a new online strategy, there are five key steps that you must fulfill effectively to reach your personal online branding success.

As important as it is to incorporate Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn into your personal brand, make sure you have your own personal website as your base. Your website doesn’t have to be extravagant, it can be a simple page created on Squarespace, webs.com or WordPress. Make sure to use a real professional headshot on your site to give make it stand out. Once you’ve established your website, don’t forget to use social media tools to drive traffic to your site to get people interested in what you are doing or hope to do.

The next step is to blog! While you don’t have to create a deeply introspective blog with posts every few hours or every day, a blog with a post a week that includes simple text and a bit of multimedia can make a difference. You can then use the blog to drive traffic back to your website.

Once you’ve got your website and blog established, never underestimate the power of 140 characters. One bad Twitter status can ruin your reputation or a potential job opportunity. Make sure you keep your most outrageous comments to yourself and double check your wording before sending your thoughts into the universe.

Although it’s not necessary to jump on every social media platform as soon as they come out, pick a few new platforms to boost your personal brand. For instance, Fast Company observes that Google+ is a great way to build your personal brand and so it the app Path, which allows you to network with people on a professional level. One quick thing to note about Path: you’re only allowed 150 friends, so choose wisely!

The last piece of advice is to network, network, network!!!! Networking is a never ending process so to continue to expand into the online realm, try to find new people to connect with or follow every day. Make sure you actively engage with your followers and friends by saying hello and responding to posts and messages.

(Black Enterprise) — Marketing is a reality of our everyday lives. Everywhere we turn, we see it, smell it, and live it. Technology has given all of us access to tools that can help us with marketing. Tools like Twitter and Tumblr enable us to send our message to the masses in an instant. But what are you truly trying to say? What is your personal brand? And how do you create a brand that will take you where you want to go? It’s okay if don’t have the answers because here’s how you can all of the above in three easy steps.

Read More…

(Entrepreneur.com) — When it comes to starting and growing a business, there’s one kind of equity that can’t be measured in dollars: brand equity. It has nothing to do with cash on hand, real estate, inventory or any other tangible assets, but it’s more important for the health and sustainability of the enterprise than any of them. A strong personal brand that dovetails seamlessly with a business has the power to turn customers’ perception into profits. This is most important for entrepreneurs who often start businesses with nothing more than an idea and a firm handshake.

Read More…

(Entrepreneur.com) — When it comes to starting and growing a business, there’s one kind of equity that can’t be measured in dollars: brand equity. It has nothing to do with cash on hand, real estate, inventory or any other tangible assets, but it’s more important for the health and sustainability of the enterprise than any of them. A strong personal brand that dovetails seamlessly with a business has the power to turn customers’ perception into profits. This is most important for entrepreneurs who often start businesses with nothing more than an idea and a firm handshake.

Read More…