I came across a powerful story in the book – ‘How YOU are like Shampoo’ by Brenda Bence. It is a story about someone I’m sure we have all heard of. Alfred Nobel.
He was a successful and wealthy Swedish industrialist in the late 1800s. Alfred Nobel had single -handedly invented dynamite and the detonator – the apparatus that causes dynamite to ignite. He made millions with these inventions and lived a perfect life that we dream of!
He had a brother – Ludwig Nobel who was also a very well-known, successful businessman. Ludwig passed away in 1888. The obituary that showed up in the morning paper the next day, however, was switched and was Alfred’s! So, he had the rare opportunity of reading his own life story. But there was something that had a strong impact on him when he read it.
The obituary was labelled – Alfred “The Merchant of Death” because of his work with dynamite and detonators. He realized instantly, that his personal brandwould forever be associated with death. That was not what he wanted. He decided to take control and do something about it.
He made a plan and developed the Nobel Prizes for three things he really cared about- peace, literature and science. Alfred Nobel also left his millions to the establishment of these prizes when he died in 1895.
And look what “Nobel” stands for today! The Nobel Prize is the highest possible award in peace, literature and science. We have all heard of it. Many of us probably didn’t know about the other work he had done in his life.
That’s because he was successful in changing his personal brand so that his name would stand for what he wanted it to stand for.
This is a perfect example of what a personal brand is and how essential it is to communicate it. Maybe we should ask ourselves, what would the headline of our life story be?
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| Alfred Nobel |
Are we communicating what we would want to be remembered for?
“Though no one can go back and make a brand-new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new ending.” – Carl Bard
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