Recently I discovered an innovative and inspiring book by Peter Arnell titled Shift. Arnell, a brand enthusiast and guru, imparts his thoughts and experiences on “how to reinvent your business, your career, and your personal brand.” Arnell writes with conviction, true humility and an insightful wisdom of the times. Shift is about taking hold of your own personal brand and redefining how you and others see yourself. Every corporation, organization, and company has an identifying characteristic, logo, or image that defines them. More often times than not, this is labeled one’s brand or brand image.
Arnell gets to the heart of building these brands. He walks us through his experiences with brands such as Pepsi, DKNY, Samsung and Reebok. Careful research, marketing and public relations are good and helpful but they are not the stones that build the house of the brand. Understanding the history of the company, the needs of the client, the goals and vision of the future, and the needs of the consumer are what build brands. Arnell, who has helped countless organizations develop a lasting image and “the man behind many of the world’s most recognizable brands” lays out many steps for reinventing your brand for all parts of your life. In particular, he describes the notion of having no separation between the private life and the work life. In his world, both are laid out together and should compose the “onelife” as he describes. I recommend this book for those individuals or business seeking to transform or reinvent their brand or their career.
