Of Vacuum Flasks and Transformers: The Power of Being Known, Yet Unknown

Is great work enough to make you known, or does visibility matter just as much? In today’s world, those who define their narrative often shape their opportunities. But what happens to those who quietly build, solve, and innovate—without ever stepping into the spotlight?

I was having a coffee conversation not long ago with a friend, which went along the following lines.

"You need to do more personal branding," she said, watching me carefully, gauging my reaction.

I smiled, brushing it off. "I do not know," I said. "That kind of thing has never felt natural to me."

She set down her cup with a soft clink. "Listen, it is not about self-promotion in a shallow way. It is about differentiation—making sure people know who you are and what you bring to the table. The corporate world is different now. If you do not define yourself, someone else will."

Her words sat heavily with me. She was not wrong, but I struggled to reconcile it with the values I had been raised with. My whole life, I had been taught that you were called to serve, not to seek recognition. You do not volunteer yourself for accolades, and you certainly do not seek out leadership until it is placed upon you. Humility meant waiting, not pushing.

So I sat there, feeling the tension pull at me. Was I supposed to change? If I did not, would I be left behind? If I did, would I be betraying something fundamental within me? There was no immediate answer—just a quiet storm of uncertainty.

The Unsung Heroes

We all know people like this—those who work hard, press on, and do an honest day’s work without expecting fanfare. They keep things running, often unnoticed, yet without them, life would be much harder.

There is one such innovator who reshaped modern energy and technology. You might have used one of his inventions this morning without realizing it. But as I researched his life, I found very little about him outside of his accomplishments. A quiet figure in history, yet one whose work touches all our lives.

The Man Who Reinvented Insulation

William Stanley Jr. was not just an electrical engineer; he also improved how we keep things hot and cold. In 1913, he designed the first all-steel, vacuum-insulated bottle. Before this, vacuum flasks were fragile, made of glass, and prone to breaking. His durable alternative became the blueprint for the insulated bottles we use today.

The Innovation That Powered the World

But his greatest contribution was in electricity.

In the late 19th century, the War of Currents pitted Thomas Edison’s direct current (DC) system against Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse’s alternating current (AC). DC could not travel long distances efficiently, while AC needed a reliable way to regulate voltage.

Stanley solved this. In 1886, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, he demonstrated the first practical AC transformer, allowing electricity to be transmitted over long distances at high voltages and then stepped down for safe use. His work laid the foundation for the modern power grid, enabling AC to become the dominant standard. Today, nearly every home, office, and industrial facility runs on AC power because of the system Stanley helped pioneer.

The Whispered Admission

Despite his impact, Stanley’s name never became as recognized as Edison’s or Tesla’s. Edison, in particular, fought aggressively against AC, using propaganda to convince people it was dangerous. But by the early 20th century, AC had become the global standard.

Edison never publicly admitted his mistake. The only known instance happened in private.

In 1908, Edison met the son of William Stanley—the man whose work had made AC possible. He motioned for the young Stanley to come closer and, in a low voice, said, "Oh, by the way, tell your father I was wrong."

No public statement. No grand retraction. But coming from Edison in this manner was probably the biggest testament to Stanley.

Lessons in Leadership

Here are three leadership lessons from his journey:

• Solve real problems. Stanley’s genius was not in chasing fame—it was in identifying challenges and fixing them. Leadership is not about being the loudest voice; it is about making something better for others.
• Balance humility with visibility. He did not seek the spotlight, yet his work shaped industries. There is a balance between humility and ensuring your contributions are recognized so they can have the widest impact possible.
• Time will tell who the real winner is. Edison fought relentlessly to destroy AC’s credibility, but in the end, the superior system prevailed. The world now runs on AC power, proving that the best ideas do not always win immediately—but they win eventually.

The tension I felt during that café conversation still lingers. On one hand, Stanley’s story proves that great work can exist without self-promotion. On the other hand, history often forgets those who do not claim their own narrative. And perhaps that is the answer to my own dilemma.

Personal branding is not about ego—it is about ensuring that the things you build, the ideas you champion, and the changes you push forward help more people.

He changed the world. But the world barely remembers him. Maybe, just maybe, there is a lesson in that too.