Our CEO shares his expertise with Inc. Magazine on why people follow people, not logos. He explains that when CEOs speak openly about their decisions, customers listen.
As a founder and CEO, I’ve always known that I should be more active on social media, building my brand and growing my community. But, to be honest, I wasn’t sure that anyone would care. Despite my experience, I lacked the confidence to publicly share that expertise, what I was seeing, and give my opinion on where the industry was headed.
It was only when I started to put myself out there in a larger way, really focusing on my personal brand and POV, that I quickly regretted any hesitation. Not only has building my personal social media presence become an incredibly empowering experience in ways I didn’t expect, but it’s also driven enormous business growth for my company.
There are plenty of CEOs out there missing out, as I was – underestimating the benefits of going beyond periodic corporate posts on LinkedIn and instead turning it into a platform for your thoughts, personality, and ideas. I’m not saying that every CEO needs to be a loud, front-and-center personality. But every CEO does need a point of view. Plus, if you’re a CEO, you’re already representing your brand whether you like it or not.
Building a thoughtful personal brand on social media just means you’re being intentional about that representation instead of letting other people define it for you. It’s a secret weapon that can spark not only growth for the company you lead, but personal growth as well.
Risk and reward
For CEOs, the upside is significant. A strong personal brand builds consumer and employee trust at scale. When potential buyers hear directly from the CEO, it humanizes the company and shortens the trust cycle, making them feel like they already know you before the first sales conversation ever happens. But the benefits don’t end there. People follow people, not logos. So, when a CEO consistently shares smart, honest insights, it creates awareness that attracts talent, partners, and press, becoming a demand engine that compounds.
Plenty of CEOs are already using their personal profiles to their company’s advantage. Take Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. He talks about leadership, culture, and technology in a way that feels calm and deliberate. That tone mirrors how Microsoft positions itself, and it reinforces trust at scale at a time when the brand needs to rebuild trust with employees and customers.
Similarly, outgoing Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald has never used his platform to act as a simple page to sell products. He unpacked stories of people, leadership, and the kind of culture he believed in. That helped shape how Lululemon was perceived far beyond apparel, showing what it stands for. Even LinkedIn’s own CEO, Ryan Roslansky, posts human and grounded messages, usually focused on leadership, work culture, and how people actually experience their careers. He reinforces LinkedIn’s role as more than just a job board, and that alignment is why his presence works.
Of course, there are risks too. The weight a CEO’s words carry, which means that when you post a bad take publicly, it doesn’t stay confined to your personal feed. It influences how the company is talked about across social, PR, sales conversations, and even internally. A single comment can reshape how people understand your brand, for better or worse. And there have been plenty of moments where leaders shared something controversial or careless, and the fallout was real.
But that doesn’t mean CEOs should sit social media out. It just means you can’t be impulsive—instead, addressing several important considerations to build a personal brand playbook that delivers.
Don’t fake it
The first step is getting honest with yourself about what you actually care about talking about. If you’re forcing it, people will feel that right away. A personal brand works only when it’s rooted in how you already think and communicate. You don’t need a new personality.
Narrow your focus
Pick a few themes you come back to consistently. Don’t put unnecessary pressure on yourself to cover everything. You need to be known for something. When people can predict the kinds of ideas you’ll share, trust builds over time.
Keep it real
You also have to write and speak like a real person. If it sounds like a press release, it’s already lost. When something reads too formal, it’s usually because you’re trying to protect yourself. When it reads too casual, you’re probably trying too hard to be liked. Neither works. The posts that land are the ones that feel like they could’ve been said in a room of peers you respect, not approved by a committee.
Spark a conversation
Once you post something, your job isn’t done. You have to stick around to participate in any conversations, debates, or disagreements. If you’re on the right track, your audience will add their own perspective, ask follow-up questions, or keep the conversation going. When you’re off, engagement feels shallow or people misunderstand what you were trying to say.
Stay consistent
The last piece of the puzzle is repetition and patience. After all, people look forward to content from leaders and creators they know they can rely on. You’re not going to build a personal brand in a month. It begins with showing up, sharing your perspective, learning what resonates, and doing it again. Over time, it adds up.
I can promise that it’s worth the effort. Putting my perspective out there and hearing other people weigh in, agree, disagree, and bring up other points has been genuinely invaluable in shaping how I run my company. And I can’t even count the number of new relationships I’ve formed purely through engaging with other leaders on social. Any CEO can find those same benefits and more. All it takes is time, a smart strategy, and a commitment to your values and those of the company you lead.
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