How can you maintain your personal brand when changing firms?

Yes, saying what you really think in the way you would normally say it is fundamental to building a personal brand that actually represents who you are (often referred to as "authenticity"), but it is also advisable to take stock on a regular basis, and certainly before a significant change: are you writing about the right things? Is your writing accessible to the right people? How are you measuring the impact of the time you are spending on personal branding (beyond the benefits of self-expression)? How can you improve what you are doing? These are all important questions to answer.

As a VC investor, your brand is crucial for building credibility, fostering relationships in the ecosystem, and attracting deal flow. a. Your experience and expertise in the specific industries or technologies you talk about and can support your founder network with resulting in you as the go-to person in that domain. b. The depth of your relationships in your network. c. Your work ethic, integrity, and transparency will speak volumes when you’re starting a new role. d. Track record of your successes and failures alike. Both are equally important to learn from and are part of your experience and hence brand. e. Online presence, thought leadership, and value addition, are all relevant when assessing your brand.

Ideally, your move will reinforce your brand and what you stand for. If you are moving to a fund with a different strategy and focus, be authentic about how you are adding value in your new role. Highlight the reasons that excited you about the opportunity and how you're ready to learn and adapt.

Hopefully, you have decided to move to a firm whose culture and brand is aligned with your own. If not, you may find it challenging to align your personal writing with the firm's messaging. However, if you focus on the similarities, rather than the differences, you should still be able to contribute to your firm's goals, while still building your own brand.

Some employers will want you to hold back from announcing that you are leaving to join another firm: resist this, where practical. Insist on timely and transparent communication. It will create a better impression of your current employer and will help maintain strong partnership during your transition.

Maintaining your personal brand entails keeping your social and professional profiles current with the changes in your professional engagements. Sharing updates, goals, and motivations will help you stay engaged with your network.

Building your personal brand never stops. It is not always about what you post on social media platforms, but also your reputation, interactions with fellow investors, value added to founders, and support as a mentor. Continuing to share what you learn along your journey; will help you build a distinct personal brand.