Personal Brand Worksheet for Founders: Step-by-Step Guide
- maudelabs
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 18 hours ago
Personal Brand Worksheet: Step-by-Step Guide
Having a community, a digital business, an online presence that opens opportunities are the dream. But it all starts with starting a personal brand. If you want something sustainable, you need a personal brand that’s built slowly but surely.
This article contains a custom personal brand worksheet that you can use to help you jumpstart your personal brand building journey. If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment and we’d be more than happy to answer your questions.
The Need for Founders to Build a Personal Brands
A national research study conducted by Brand Builders Group reveals that personal branding is the future, highly profitable, and a trust accelerator.
Respondents show that businesses have their employees build their personal brand as a part of their companies strategy. The personal brands of their leaders are also a part of their brand identity.
People now are getting smarter and more careful with where they spend their energies online. 74% of Americans say that they are more likely to trust someone who has an established personal brand. The majority of millennials would check out the online personal brand of a business before hiring them.
The best time to start a personal brand is yesterday. So if you’re reading this article, you’re on the right track!
Different Founder Goals in Building a Personal Brand
Building a personal brand has no one size fits all objectives. Here are a few common goals for personal brands:
Visibility
For some founders, the goal is to step out of the shadows and establish authority in their industry.
Visibility means being known for your expertise, your opinions, and the value you bring not just within your company, but in the broader conversation.
Example:
A tech founder might start writing on LinkedIn about innovation and leadership, host webinars, or speak at conferences to position themselves as a thought leader in the startup space.
Over time, their name becomes associated with innovation and forward thinking that translates into their product and company.
Trust
In a world of automation and algorithms, people crave authenticity.
Building trust means showing the person behind the business like your values, beliefs, and motivations.
When founders share stories of the journey, the mistakes, the lessons, and the real moments behind success, they become relatable and magnetic.
Example:
A wellness founder might share her personal health challenges that inspired her to start her brand. By being open and honest, she attracts an audience that connects with her journey and sees her not just as a business owner, but as someone who truly understands their needs.
Growth
A personal brand can become a bridge that connects you to opportunities that may have never surfaced otherwise.
When you are visible and trusted, doors open. Partnerships form. Speaking invitations come. Investors notice.
Example:
A sustainability entrepreneur might consistently share insights about circular design and ethical manufacturing. Soon, she is invited to collaborate with other eco-conscious brands or speak on global panels.
Your personal brand becomes a magnet for alignment, drawing in opportunities that match your values and vision.
Legacy
For many founders, personal branding is not about growth or visibility. It is about leaving something behind. It is about turning lessons into frameworks, experiences into stories, and values into something that outlives their role or company.
Example:
A retired founder might mentor younger entrepreneurs or start writing about leadership and resilience. Their personal brand evolves into a body of work that teaches, inspires, and guides others a living legacy that continues to make an impact long after their business chapter ends.
Understanding your reason helps you define the kind of personal brand you want to create. Each goal will have different methods and frameworks so it’s important to be clear on this.
Steps to start your personal brand in 2026
You’re convinced to start your personal brand. You now understand the value it brings to your brand and the opportunities it can open. How do you start? It’s important to note that everyone starts from zero in their personal brands. You need time and clarity of strategy to build a message that resonates and cuts through the noise.
Here’s an overview of the steps you can take to get started.
Define your objectives and the “why” behind your personal brand.
What is the purpose of showing up and being visible? What is the overall goal or objective? Is it to increase sign ups for your course? Do you want to spark discussion on a certain topic?
Knowing the objectives of why you’re building your personal brand helps you get clear on the next steps you need to take.
Be clear who your target audience is
Who will resonate with your message the most? Who are you trying to reach? If you know who your audience are, the more targeted your messaging will be to them. Consider where they spend their time the most and observe their language, desires, and inclinations. Knowing this will help you frame your message that will be relevant to your audience.
Start with Essence
At Maude Labs, we allocate time to ask intentional questions that they don't get to hear often. Questions like your story, strengths and experiences are what makes you unique. Later in this article, we have listed specific questions you can consider when building your personal brand.
Start with initial drafts and timeline
Based on the answers gathered, you can start to create a brand narrative and use it as an inspiration for your logo and visual identity. The process of finalizing your brand will take a lot of introspection and decision making on what you would like for your personal brand. We recommend partnering with experts in personal branding like Maude Labs to ensure a professional and effective result.
Execute your materials into an online portfolio
Whether for a brand book, website, or social media posts, you can refer to your finalized brand book for inspiration and reference as you create content and share your story.
Personal Brand Worksheet: Questions to Ask Yourself
Partner with a Personal Branding Expert
Save yourself the trial and error by working with a personal branding house who has built successful and clear personal brands. Maude Labs is a boutique agency that handles clients who are ready to step into their power and presence. Send us an email at discover@maudelabs.com for more information.
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