The CEO's Guide to Personal Branding: Where to Build Your Executive Presence

By Marina Byezhanova

Between constant evolution in tech and most specifically genAI, the rules of marketing have fundamentally changed and are affecting all of our businesses. Traditional advertising costs continue to climb up, while trust has become an increasingly precious commodity (thanks to deepfakes and cookie-cutter AI-generated content). This means that human-to-human connection is more powerful as ever. And yet, what I see is that the vast majority of brilliant CEOs, including Founders, remain essentially invisible, hidden behind their company brands. This invisibility limits both their business’s potential impact and success at a growing rate.

The old adage "it's not what you know but who you know" has evolved into something more powerful: it's who knows you. This shift has made executive branding not just an option, but an essential component of the modern business leader's toolkit.

Where Should CEOs Focus Their Personal Branding Efforts?

And so, as you consider building your visibility, the question becomes: what platform do you leverage: LinkedIn? Speaking engagements? Podcasting? 

I wrote this article to answer exactly this question with insights from other CEOs.

My questions to them were: "What's the one platform you've found most effective for showcasing your personal brand as CEO? What makes it stand out for you? How do you leverage it?" Their responses reveal insights into where and how you could build your own presence.

LinkedIn: The Clear Frontrunner

The overwhelming consensus points to LinkedIn as the most powerful platform for executive branding, with each leader highlighting different aspects of its effectiveness. This is a cornerstone offering we have at Brand of a Leader, helping Founders and CEOs create consistent high quality and unique content on LinkedIn. 

Steve Rock, Partner at Good Kids, said: "I am on LinkedIn because it's where the buyers are. People running companies aren't doomscrolling Instagram. They're on LinkedIn, looking for proof, credibility, and a reason to trust you."

His approach emphasizes authenticity: "No one wants another stiff case study. I keep it personal. Business is personal."

Saddat Abid, CEO of Property Saviour, echoes this sentiment: "LinkedIn's the only place where my Rolodex, resume, and company billboard exist in one spot." He notes that "82% of consumers trust companies more when leadership engages there," and that "Over 70% of recruiters and investors vet leaders there before deals."

These are the same statistics I use during my speaking engagements across the globe. Yes, putting ourselves out there may feel counterintuitive to what we actually want to be doing (i.e. building and scaling our businesses!) but numbers don’t lie. Trust is key in sales and our visibility as CEOs helps in scaling our clients’ and prospects’ trust in our organizations. 

Bjørn Ekeberg, CEO and Co-founder of Recharge Health, values LinkedIn's overall vibe: "It offers a professional environment where I can share insights on leadership, innovation in health, and the latest from Recharge Health. The platform's robust network lets me connect with industry peers and thought leaders, amplifying our mission and vision."

And as you can see, these leaders are not motivated with visibility for visibility’s sake. They are looking to leverage LinkedIn as a key platform to impact the growth of their businesses, not to catch likes or engage in some other vanity metrics. 

Beyond Simple Posting: Strategic Approaches to LinkedIn

Bennett Barrier, Chief Executive Officer of DFW Turf Solutions, highlights LinkedIn's capacity for meaningful engagement: "Unlike other platforms, LinkedIn allows me to share insights that aren't just promotional but actually add value, whether that's industry trends, behind-the-scenes looks at our installations, or thoughts on running a growing business."

Marcin Swider, CEO of CITY LION, breaks down his structured approach: "I post regularly, focusing on:

• Company updates - Key milestones and industry trends.
• Entrepreneurial lessons - Practical advice from real experience.
• Strategic reflections - Insights that spark meaningful discussions."

Dr. Jasveen Singh, Pediatric Dentist & Owner of Pediatric Dentistry And Beyond, explains how LinkedIn helps establish professional credibility: "It brings me closer to parents, healthcare providers, and professionals in the field who specialize in children's oral health. Unlike other sites, LinkedIn values credibility and professional interaction."

Specialized Approaches for Specific Industries

For leaders in specialized fields, LinkedIn offers unique advantages. Cory Arsic, Founder of Canadian Parent, shares: "I use LinkedIn to share my experiences in digital marketing and parenting, offering practical tips that can directly help others. Sharing these insights builds trust and positions me as someone who understands the challenges parents face while also running a business."

Dr. Barbara Sparacino, Founder of The Aging Parent Coach, notes that LinkedIn is "the best place for building credibility and connecting with people dealing with aging parents' challenges. Families in need of information, healthcare professionals, and industry influencers are present here, which creates an environment conducive to real discussion regarding caregiving, mental illness, and concerns about aging."

Alternative Platforms: Beyond LinkedIn

While LinkedIn dominates, some leaders find other platforms more effective for their specific needs. 

Victor Hernandez, COO and Property Safety Expert at Hurricane Safety Program, champions podcast appearances: "Podcast guest appearances outperform every other platform. A 30-minute interview locks in attention longer than any LinkedIn post or tweet ever will. People listen while driving, working out, or cooking--zero distractions."

Brett Farmiloe, CEO of Featured, looks toward emerging platforms: "The question on every platform's mind is, 'How do we effectively integrate with OpenAI?'... If OpenAI has 400M active users, companies need to ask themselves how they can activate that audience to empower their workflows."

At Brand of a Leader, we are in full alignment with these leaders. This is why we launched our podcast outreach service last year, booking our clients as guests on podcasts within their verticals. This service has been a massive success. Not only does podcasting indeed lock in attention, as Victor shared, it also:

• Boosts your business’s SEO 
• Exposes your business to new audiences 
• Helps you refine your speaking points
• Gives you content you can then repurpose for other platforms: video snippets, blog, and so on 

The Broader Impact of Digital Presence

Evan Tunis, President of Florida Healthcare Insurance, emphasizes the transformative power of online presence: "The internet has transformed the way we do business. With social media platforms, websites, and online networking tools readily available, individuals have more opportunities than ever before to showcase their expertise and connect with potential clients."

Balancing Executive Branding with Other Responsibilities

Of course, building a personal brand takes time and effort. Joe Hawtin, Owner of Marin County Visitor, shares his experience balancing multiple priorities: "I adopted a meticulous time management strategy. I broke down my tasks into smaller, manageable chunks and used a detailed calendar to allocate specific times for study and work."

This is where our team comes in to help. Building your executive brand is a process, not an event, and we are there to build out a roadmap and hold your hand throughout this process, securing wins along the way. 

Moving Forward with Your Executive Brand

When you establish yourself as thought leader, making sure your name is associated with top level expertise within your vertical, you create multiple layers of value for your organization. Your personal brand becomes powerful fuel for your marketing engine, driving visibility and credibility in ways that traditional marketing channels can't match on their own.

As you begin your executive branding journey, remember that the key is not to jump straight into content creation or social media posting. Instead, understand what your personal brand is all about: identify your key message, decide what you want to be known for, and determine what unique perspective you bring to the conversation. Need help? Contact our team at Brand of a Leader and let’s discuss!