🎥 Building Personal Brands, One Story at a Time

�� Building Personal Brands, One Story at a Time

At our firm, we primarily focus on serving B2B companies with a comprehensive suite of marketing services. However, every now and then, we work with an individual who asks for help with personal branding.

As the Chicago Marathon approaches, I'm reminded of a request from my friend, Coach Mark, after the last Chicago Marathon.

Mark's story is nothing short of inspirational. For over two decades, he has been coaching marathon runners, having run the Boston Marathon an astounding 30+ times, including that unforgettable day in 2013 when the city united in the face of tragedy.

Mark isn’t just a coach; he’s a remarkable individual. He’s deeply passionate about his twin daughters and his wife—who are all avid marathoners—and he's dedicated to preserving his father’s legacy by organizing a blood drive for the past 25 years. On top of that, he’s built a successful career in the sporting goods industry, a field he genuinely loves.

After the last Chicago Marathon, Mark reached out to me, asking for some advice. He wanted to connect with the team he’d tirelessly prepared for the race. Despite many of his runners being out of state, Mark had created a way for them to 'virtually train.' Through a combination of emails, phone calls and sheer determination, they trained and entered the race motivated and excited. The result? Every single runner finished the race—some achieving personal records and others qualifying for prestigious events like the Boston and New York Marathons.

Mark asked for advice on how to celebrate their extraordinary achievements. When he mentioned having a collection of photos, it became clear that we had a golden opportunity to create something special—a video that would commemorate their accomplishments. Although we didn’t have photos of every runner, we captured the essence of teamwork that drove these incredible results.

With the video produced and out thanking his team, Mark leveraged it to reach out to more runners, sharing the success of his 2023 team to inspire others. Together, we devised a plan to harness the power of the video to attract more runners for his 2024 Chicago Marathon team.

Mark’s journey mirrors the essence of marathon training—a relentless focus on the long journey, not just the sprint. This approach is remarkably similar to the world of marketing. Building a story, showcasing successes and fostering connections— the common keys to success.

In a world where self-promotion can sometimes feel uncomfortable, it's essential to acknowledge and celebrate our accomplishments. I’m grateful that Mark trusted us to help share his inspiring journey. It was a joy to reconnect with an old friend and leverage our skills to help others get to know his remarkable story. ����

#PersonalBrand #MarketingStrategy #ChicagoMarathon
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/uajfoa13kry2hszths9nm/Coach-Buciak-Chicago-Marathon-v3.mp4?rlkey=n80ek2p2az7ufu02iy4tq2ums&st=6pd4jt94&dl=0