Hajj Flemings - Visual Resume (Resume 2.0)

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 Growing up I was told that storytellers were liars, so I never wanted to be a person who told stories.  When I got older I realized that most people were living a lie.  The average person was living someone else’s existence spending 70% of their waking life doing something that they hated. So I didn’t realize I had a story.

As a personal brand I now realize that being a good story teller is more a product of a person who is passionate about what they do versus just assembling a bunch of words.

Story telling allows you to influence beyond words. It enables you to present in color versus black and white and package in all forms of media. 

How to tell your Story

New School

1. Visual Resume – Hajj E. Flemings  - Visual Resume (Resume 2.0)
2. Blog Post- My Brand Story
3. Video –What is your Message to the World?
4. Creative Slide Presentation –Personal Branding 2.0 Slide Presentation
5. Business Cards –Web 2.0 Cards (www.BrandCardz.com)
6. Tweet – A one to many conversation.

Old School

1. Standard Resume – 8.5 x 11 white paper (still required by non-engaging)
2. Bio- Basic information about you.
3. Video – Video content that is all about you.
4. Power point – Boring slides with too many words.
5. Business Cards – Web 1.0 business piece that doesn’t engage people.

How Other tell your Story:

RT: Re-Tweet

Fav: Favorites

Views

Commenting on your blog

As a personal brand you are always telling your story or creating content that people can spread.

Power Organization + Hajj E. Flemings, originally uploaded by Hajj Flemings.

My mission is ‘To inspire 1 million people to live a life of significance.’ This past Saturday between speaking at Pod Camp Michigan and preparing to speak to the Detroit Lions, I spoke at The Power Organization Boy’s Conference in Auburn Hills, MI, November 8, 2008. It was a very rewarding experience. One of the greatest benefits of developing a strong personal brand is the ability to influence and impact lives.

People that I admire and follow who are changing lives:

o Hill Harper, Author of ‘Letters to a Young Brother’ Follow him on Twitter @HillHarper
o Kevin Carroll, Author of ‘Rules of the Red Ball’ www.kevincarrollkatalyst.com
o Scott Harrison, Founder of Charity: Water www.charitywater.org Follow him on Twitter @ScottHarrison

Food for thought on what Personal Branding is:
o Personal Branding is a tool that helps an individual to develop a platform but doesn’t make them a leader.

o Personal Branding is a tool that helps you to define your voice but doesn’t mean you are being heard.

As you develop your personal brand think about the bigger picture. Life is not about you, but about the lives that you change.

Where in the world did the phrase ‘elevator speech’ come from? When was the last time you actually talked to someone on the elevator, try like never. You enter the elevator when the door opens, getting on trying not to make eye contact with anyone, and purposing not to invade people’s personal space. You are waiting anxiously for the door to open at your floor so you can exit. It is an unwritten rule, a code of honor that we all unconsciously follow. The phrase ‘elevator speech’ (a.k.a. Message-2-the world) is your 30-second message communicating who you are and what makes you significant packaged in an unforgettable way.

Every person (personal brand) will have an audience of one with a person of influence. But the question is what will you say? Will you be prepared? Will you tell that person your life’s story or your brand story (read the blog post, My Brand Story)? Your message-2-the world is the platform for your personal brand to stand out and be distinctive.

What is your message-2-the world?

‘My Brand Story’ is a new series that I will blog about telling inspiring stories of some of the world’s greatest brands. Of course my story is first.

What is a brand story? It is who you are packaged in an organic and authentic way that allows people to connect with the real you. Now, what you all have been waiting for my brand story . . . Relax, get a cup of Starbucks (White Chocolate Mocha of course) or Voss bottled water as I take you through the Genesis of the Hajj E. Flemings brand story. I grew up in a small town Roseville, Michigan with big dreams of being a gym shoe designer. When I was in high school, I had a passion for sketching sneakers. I started writing Nike during my senior year of high school and continued through my junior year of college without a positive response (I also wrote every footwear company in United States and was rejected by them all). The rejection letters I received from Nike serve as an inspiration and reminder that motivates me to this day. I found that wrapped inside of every ‘no’ was my ‘yes’. In 1992, I began working for Mavade Footwear, a growing sneaker company, in Wixom, Michigan where I designed the Equator, a cross trainer shoe. My book, ‘The Brand YU Life: Re-Thinking who you are through personal brand management’ was birthed out of my necessity to identify my purpose and live my dreams.

The Purpose of a Brand Story:
o Definition- It provides meaning, perspective, and focus to your life.

o Connection- People are emotionally connected to their favorite brands which is most effectively communicated through a story. As a mental realtor it is your job to own a slice of mental real estate in the mind of your customer.

o Value- Your story has the potential to increase your value and can effectively position your personal brand.

In conclusion, my brand story is about inspiring people to live a life of significances. I love assisting people and businesses in finding innovative solutions for common problems. I believe you will be defined in life by the size of the problem that you solve and addressing the issue of significances is a hugh undertaking with tremendous return. What is your brand story?

My Brand Story: Hajj E. Flemings, originally uploaded by Hajj Flemings.