#EntrepreneurCorner: Branding yourself as a business owner

Cape Town – Fin24’s resident coach and mentor to small businesses Anton Ressel says it’s important for entrepreneurs to understand that the way they present themselves to the world has a direct impact on their businesses; this can be either negative or positive.

"When we talk personal branding, we mean how you present yourself, how you carry yourself and how people perceive you," Ressel says.

According to him, there's a direct link between one's personal branding and the success of the business. Branding on a personal level includes your confidence during pitches, for example; whether your voice is audible enough and if you can maintain eye contact with your audience, as your potential investor could be among them.

"Are you confident enough to walk into a room and pitch your idea, or are you a wallflower who mumbles? Communication is so crucial and we often downplay it as entrepreneurs," Ressel says.

WATCH last week's episode of #EntrepreneurCorner: Preparing for quieter periods

He also warns of the other extreme, where you are so arrogant that you put people off because you’re a kind of "know it all" person and you talk down other people’s ideas.

Ressel cautions that you should be careful not to change who you are at the core, otherwise it would be false; you should be conscious of the fact that the personalities you project are going to determine your success in business.

WATCH the full interview here:

Did you find this useful? We need your input to identify your most pressing issues. Send us your questions. Our resident coach Anton Ressel or one of our experts will answer as many as possible in future shows. You can also engage with us on Fin24's Twitter and Facebook   pages. Look for our hashtag, #EntrepreneurCorner.

ICYMI, Watch the previous episodes of #EntrepreneurCorner below:

#EntrepreneurCorner: Delegating for success

#EntrepreneurCorner: Surround yourself with smart people