Brand Builder Lab
Brand Builder Lab is the podcast for marketers, entrepreneurs, creators, and leaders who want to build brands that matter. Produced by Columbia University lecturer and brand strategist Kai D. Wright, this show offers a weekly dose of creativity applied strategically with inspiration, insights, and resources. Each episode breaks down proven strategies from the Brand Builder Lab newsletter on LinkedIn, exploring topics like cult branding, creative effectiveness, storytelling, and personal branding. Explore more at BrandBuilderLab.com
Brand Builder Lab
Daily Dose | Setting a Work-Life Destination | How to Ace Change to be Future Ready
In this episode, we dig into how navigating your career is like driving a car – you need a clear destination to avoid burning fuel but going nowhere.
Inspired by the Brand Builder Lab newsletter, this discussion on why the secret to standing out isn't just talking about your past accomplishments but clearly articulating the future you want to build.
Listen to get tips on the following:
- Understanding the broader landscape using the question: "What will people do more, do less, need more of, need less of over the next five years?"
- Identifying your zone of credibility by asking: "What three topics do people ask you about most?"
- Finding fulfillment at the intersection of emerging trends and your natural expertise
- Activating your future vision by connecting your strengths to real-world needs
- Becoming more compelling by clearly articulating your specific direction and contribution
- Using Arthur Ashe's philosophy: "Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can"
Whether you’re building a startup or refreshing your brand, this is your blueprint for turning an audience into a tribe.
Subscribe to the weekly Brand Builder Lab newsletter.
Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn.
Buy the companion book, "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" on Amazon.
Welcome to Brand Builder Lab. Hello everyone. This is your daily dose of creative inspiration, all designed to help you build your brand.
Speaker 2:That's right. We dig into ideas that can really make a difference.
Speaker 1:And today we're diving into something I think is really relevant right now, especially, maybe, if you're navigating some kind of change. It's inspired by the latest newsletter from Kai D Wright.
Speaker 2:Ah, Kai D Wright. Great stuff there. Brand Builder, he wrote. Follow the Feeling lectures at Columbia, advises startups he knows his stuff.
Speaker 1:He really does, and this newsletter piece hit on something timely. Think about graduation season, for example. You've got millions facing transitions. I think the estimate for 2025 is nearly 7 million graduating just in the US. That's a lot of change happening all at once.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and not just grads. People change careers, shift roles, start new ventures all the time. Change is constant.
Speaker 1:Exactly, and the core idea, the analogy Kai uses in the newsletter, is that navigating your career, your work, life journey, it's like driving a car.
Speaker 2:Okay, I like that Driving a car.
Speaker 1:Right, but just having motion, just driving, isn't enough. You can drive all over the place, burn a lot of gas.
Speaker 2:And still end up completely lost. Yeah, still be nowhere near where you actually wanted to go. Yeah, you need a destination.
Speaker 1:Precisely that's the core of it Driving everywhere and still being nowhere because you didn't set a destination.
Speaker 2:It's a powerful way to think about it. You see people constantly busy, constantly doing things, but is there intention behind it? Is there a direction?
Speaker 1:And this brings us to the main insight from the newsletter, especially for those moments of transition, the real secret to standing out. It suggests. Well, it isn't just talking about your past.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's interesting, Because resumes, LinkedIn, that's all backward looking right. Here's what I did.
Speaker 1:Totally. It's documentation. But the newsletter argues the power lies in being able to speak clearly, confidently, about the future you want to build.
Speaker 2:Ah, okay, shifting the focus forward. What are you aiming for? What are you trying to create?
Speaker 1:Exactly. And Kitee Wright offers this really practical approach, kind of inspired by Arthur Ashe's ACE method. Apparently it starts with activating a future-oriented vision.
Speaker 2:Activating a vision, not just passively waiting for one, but actively building it. I like that.
Speaker 1:And it starts with a couple of deceptively simple questions, ready for the first one.
Speaker 2:Lay on me All right.
Speaker 1:The new letter asks Acceptably simple questions. Ready for? The first one Lay on me, all right. The New Letter asks Over the next five years, what do you think people will do more, do less, need more of, need less of.
Speaker 2:Okay, More less, need more, need less. That's broad.
Speaker 1:It is broad, but think about why. The point is to anchor yourself to trends, to zoom out from your own world for a second.
Speaker 2:Right To look at the bigger picture. What's happening out there? What does the world seem to need or want?
Speaker 1:Exactly. It forces you to observe what shifts are happening in society, in technology, in culture. Where is the momentum?
Speaker 2:So it's about understanding the landscape before you decide where to drive your car in that landscape.
Speaker 1:You got it Because aligning your work, your contribution, with those real needs, that's where relevance comes from. That's how you build something resilient.
Speaker 2:That makes sense. If you're solving a problem people actually have or meeting a need that's growing, you're automatically more valuable, more secure, in a way.
Speaker 1:It makes your journey less about just what you want and more about how you fit into the larger picture. It grounds your ambition.
Speaker 2:Okay, I see the power in that first question. That sets the context. What's the second one?
Speaker 1:The second one brings it back home, more personal. It asks what three topics do people ask you about the most?
Speaker 2:Ah, okay. So what do people naturally come to me for?
Speaker 1:Yeah, think about it. Friends, colleagues, family what subjects do you find yourself explaining, discussing or giving advice on, like all the time?
Speaker 2:That's interesting because it might not be directly related to your job title necessarily. Exactly that's the key insight here. These topics point to your zone of credibility, and the newsletter emphasizes this. Credibility isn't just about degrees or past roles.
Speaker 1:Right. It's deeper than that. It's about authenticity, how people feel talking to you, yes, and the unique perspective you bring, the value you add just by being part of the conversation in that area is where people already kind of trust your input.
Speaker 2:So it's recognizing where you already have influence, even if it's informal, where people see you as a go to person.
Speaker 1:Precisely. You might even you know ask people close to you what they think those topics are. Their answers could be really illuminating. You might find you have credibility in areas you hadn't even considered.
Speaker 2:I like that. It's like uncovering your hidden superpowers, the things you're known for, without even trying sometimes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then here's where it gets really good. The newsletter suggests the magic happens when you connect these two things.
Speaker 2:Okay, connecting the external trends from question one.
Speaker 1:With your internal zone of credibility from question two, connecting your passion, your natural strengths with your vision for the future, anchored in those real world needs.
Speaker 2:Ah, I see. So you figure out where the world is going and you figure out what unique contribution you're already equipped to make.
Speaker 1:Bingo and that intersection. That's where you find real fulfillment, that's where the excitement, the motivation, the sense of purpose kicks in.
Speaker 2:It's like finding the perfect road for your specific car, leading to a destination you actually care about.
Speaker 1:Beautifully put. Now your driving has meaning. It has intention. You've plugged the destination into your GPS.
Speaker 2:And this framework, this way of thinking, it's not just for the 22-year-old graduate, is it?
Speaker 1:Not at all. The newsletter is really clear on this. Whether you're 22, 52, or anywhere in between, if you're navigating growth change reinvention, this applies.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because we all face those moments where we need to readjust our course.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Maybe you're feeling stuck or the landscape shifts under you.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Having that clarity about the future you want to help build and the unique value you bring. That acts like a compass. It keeps your work meaningful, it keeps you relevant.
Speaker 2:And thinking about this from a brand building perspective, which is what this show is all about.
Speaker 1:Right. This activated future vision is huge for your personal or professional brand.
Speaker 2:How so.
Speaker 1:Well, think about it. When you can clearly articulate where you're going, why it matters and how your unique credibility fits in, people pay attention.
Speaker 2:Ah, okay, you become more compelling.
Speaker 1:Exactly, you're not just someone looking for any opportunity. You're someone with direction, someone adding specific value, someone shaping something interesting.
Speaker 2:People want to talk to that person, they want to collaborate with that person. They see you as someone who's like actively building the future, not just reacting to it.
Speaker 1:You're signaling purpose, you're showing, you're in the driver's seat, charting a course, and that's incredibly attractive, whether you're building a personal brand, a startup or leading a team.
Speaker 2:That intentionality is magnetic. It really does cut through the noise.
Speaker 1:So the main takeaway here is pretty clear, I think. Change is always happening. Things are always shifting.
Speaker 2:But you don't have to just drift aimlessly. You can actually choose your direction. You can be intentional about it.
Speaker 1:Activate that future vision, define your path. Don't let yourself drive everywhere and end up nowhere.
Speaker 2:And it brings us back to that Arthur Ashe quote mentioned in the newsletter material Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.
Speaker 1:Such a great quote. It takes the pressure off, doesn't it? You don't need all the answers right now.
Speaker 2:Exactly yeah. Start with these questions. Use the credibility you already have. Do what you can to take that next step with intention.
Speaker 1:So the invitation to you listening right now is to actually do this. Take some time, maybe grab a notebook.
Speaker 2:Yeah, really sit with those two questions. Question one next five years, what will people do more, Do less, Need more of. Need less of.
Speaker 1:And question two what three topics do people ask you about the most? What's your zone of credibility?
Speaker 2:Write down whatever comes up. Don't censor it, just explore.
Speaker 1:See what patterns emerge and maybe talk it through with someone you trust. Get their perspective.
Speaker 2:It can really help clarify things. Definitely that external viewpoint can be invaluable.
Speaker 1:And if you want more insights like this, more ways to think about building your brand with purpose.
Speaker 2:Well, you should definitely subscribe to the Brand Builder Lab newsletter on LinkedIn. Get these kinds of ideas regularly.
Speaker 1:Good point and also check out Kai D Wright's book Follow the Feeling Brand Building in a Noisy World.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely. It really dives deep into how the best brands connect on an emotional level. It's fantastic, whether you're an entrepreneur, an executive, anyone trying to build something meaningful. It helps you focus on feelings, which is often what truly drives connection.
Speaker 1:It really does. So bottom line change is here, but your direction is your choice.
Speaker 2:Activate that vision. Use your unique credibility.
Speaker 1:And make sure you're not just driving, but driving towards a future you actually want to build.
Speaker 2:All right, that's our time for today. See you next time in the Brand Builder Lab. Let's get to work.
