From a Multi-City Launch to a Small-Town Classroom

During a recent visit to Kannauj, I met with a senior government official and, as a gesture of appreciation, gifted him a copy of my book A to Z of Personal Branding, which had a successful multi-city launch a few months ago. What happened next caught me by surprise.

Later that evening, I received a call from the same official. He sounded both amused and excited. His daughter couldn’t believe her father had met the author of the book her teacher had been discussing in class! The fact that a teacher in a small town like Kannauj was not only reading my book but also advocating it to students was incredibly humbling. This teacher was using the book to highlight the importance of personal branding and why it’s crucial to invest in building one’s own brand, both personally and professionally.

It’s moments like these that remind me of the far-reaching impact our work can have, often in places we least expect. Personal branding isn’t just a concept for the elite or those in the corporate world—it’s for everyone. Just like the local tutor or tradesman who thrives on word-of-mouth, anyone can build a brand based on trust, consistency, and value.

What resonated with me most was that in a town where we might assume global concepts take longer to arrive, the idea of personal branding was already being embraced and taught. It reinforced that the principles of branding aren’t tied to geography; they apply to anyone who strives to create lasting value, no matter where they are. Personal branding, much like trust and reputation, knows no boundaries—it thrives everywhere.