Realistically, whatever product you’re building at this moment is going to flounder over several iterations.  The good news is, there are a lot of people who want to see you succeed and will continue to use your product, iteration after iteration… Right?

Through my experience, I’ve watched power users and influencers evangelize products not based on the product value but based on how much they care about the people behind it.  Therefore, if you’re a founder or CEO of a company, make sure you’re not solely focused on building your product but also focused on building your personal brand.

The easiest way to build a positive, personal brand is by helping others.  Before I jump into this, realize that you shouldn’t be helping people for the sake of building your brand.  You should be helping because you actually care about seeing others succeed.

That being said, I believe the most effective way to create value is to help others solve their problems.  Everyone you come in contact with has some problem they’d like to solve.  It’s your goal to diagnose that problem and solve it quickly.

This may sound hard but it can be done easily in one of two ways.  Either suggest a book or article that sheds light on potential solutions to their problem or introduce them to a person who has the knowledge or connections to help them succeed.  I personally love making introductions because I find it offers a ton of value for the person I’m trying to help and it also helps me to stay top of mind with people in my network.  Most people I make introductions to would have never received an email from me otherwise.  So every opportunity I have to make a quality introduction is a good excuse for me to keep in touch with those I probably otherwise wouldn’t.

Another impactful way to develop a positive personal brand is to improve the community that you’re a part of.    Let’s take the tech/startup community in Boston as an example.  While I’d argue the scene has come a long way since when I got involved, there are still plenty of improvements to be made.

Take a minute to diagnose the problems that you currently face in your community and find a way to fix them.  This could be done by mentoring another company, helping an event by speaking on a panel or even by creating an event that helps others overcome the same problem you face.  You may think this is a daunting task but I’d argue that if you do take action and truly solve a problem, people will take notice and reciprocate by helping you succeed more than you could ever possibly imagine!

Don’t forget that your personal brand will long be associated with your product and company so take the time to make it a positive one.  Just remember that as your brand and company grow, continue to make a positive impact otherwise you’ll feel the backlash.