The power of a personal brand in B2B SaaS with Aaron Zakowski @Genius Scouts

saas.unbound is a podcast for and about founders who are working on scaling inspiring products that people love, brought to you by https://saas.group/, a serial acquirer of B2B SaaS companies.

In episode #2, Anna Nadeina talks with Aaron, founder of Genius Scouts, specializing in Personal Branding to speed up your Founder-led marketing programs.

Aaron began his career in accounting as an auditor but quickly transitioned into the digital marketing realm around 2009. With over a decade of experience, he ran an agency, ZMO Digital, focused on paid social ads for B2B companies. After closing the agency, he worked as a fractional CMO before co-founding Genius Scouts, a company dedicated to helping founders and executives build their personal brands.

The Importance of Personal Branding

Aaron emphasizes that personal branding is not just for founders; it’s an essential asset for anyone in the professional world. A strong personal brand can lead to promotions, new opportunities, and overall career enrichment. He believes that everyone, regardless of their position, should actively cultivate their personal brand.

Empowering Employees to Build Their Brands

While founder-led branding is powerful, Aaron notes that it doesn’t have to be limited to just the founder. Companies can empower employees to become brand ambassadors. By encouraging team members to share their expertise and experiences, companies can create a broader brand presence.

Generating Content Ideas

One of the biggest challenges for creators is consistently generating content ideas. Aaron suggests a few strategies:

• Use conversations with clients and colleagues as inspiration.
• Keep a repository for ideas, such as a private Slack channel for thoughts and notes.
• Engage with books, podcasts, and other content to adapt ideas to your own business context.

Measuring the Success of Personal Branding

Measuring personal branding efforts can be tricky, but Aaron highlights the importance of tracking metrics like impressions, engagements, and profile visits. He also suggests using open-ended questions on lead forms to gauge how people discovered your brand.

Choosing the Right Platform

When it comes to selecting a platform for personal branding, Aaron advises considering where your target audience spends their time. For B2B companies, LinkedIn is often the best choice due to its professional focus. However, it’s essential to choose a platform that aligns with your content creation style and comfort level.

The Rise of Video Content on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is evolving, with video content becoming increasingly popular. Aaron encourages creators to embrace this shift, as video can often convey personality and authenticity better than written content.

Steps for Early-Stage Founders

If you’re an early-stage founder looking to build your brand, Aaron suggests the following steps:

1. Shift your mindset to be more vulnerable and open to sharing your journey.
2. Start creating content consistently, aiming for at least two to three posts per week.
3. Engage with others in your industry to build connections and visibility.
4. Utilize LinkedIn’s thought leader ads to amplify your best content.

Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Many founders struggle with imposter syndrome, feeling that they lack the experience or knowledge to share their insights. Aaron reassures that everyone has valuable experiences to share, and often, simply starting the conversation can reveal expertise.

Harnessing the Power of Community

Building relationships through content and networking can lead to opportunities that might not have been available otherwise. Aaron highlights that personal branding is about fostering connections and creating meaningful conversations.