It's 2026. You're now a 'personal brand'. Now what?

Today’s episode is part of our GOOD ADVICE series that we kicked off with the Laid Off? Stuck? Scared? episode.

This episode started, like so many things have in this letter, with a reply! Patrick Hanlon, longtime GOOD THINKING reader and author of Primal Branding, is a frequent name in my inbox. He shared his book with me, and when I read it, I liked how simple it was. And after chatting, I learned he has led workshops for folx figuring out their next chapter. And, so, here we are.

The truth is, as cringe-inducing as it sounds, if you listened to the Laid Off episode, you know I truly believe you have to build in public. But so many people get stuck with figuring out ‘what their brand is’ before getting started. You can reverse engineer it. But having some founding principles is useful. It was for us when we started IN GOOD CO.

So, whether you are job searching, pivoting, or starting something new, this episode is for you.

If you’re a brand that’s untethered, right now, it’s also for you.

A place to start. An ultra-simple framework to begin thinking about the most fundamental issue: what’s the story I want to tell, and why should they care.

In 2026, whether you like it or not, you are a brand. This episode is about how to build one from the ground up.

Enjoy!

Meet Patrick Hanlon

Patrick Hanlon’s thesis is pretty simple: the most powerful brands aren’t logos or taglines. They’re belief systems that attract people who share those beliefs.

His book Primal Branding came out 20 years ago and is being re-released. It’s taught at places like NYU and is required reading at YouTube.

His core idea? Every strong brand has seven pieces:

* Creation story

* Creed

* Icons

* Rituals

* Lexicon

* Non-believers

* Leaders

It’s fundamental. And perfect for thinking about your own brand.

Hit the links to skip to the bits you fancy

00:01 — PRIMAL BRANDING 101 // Brands are belief systems. Humans connect through story.

04:45 — THE SEVEN-PART FRAMEWORK // Creation story. Creed. Icons. Rituals. Lexicon. Non-believers. Leaders. But you need all 7. Miss one, and it gets messy.

06:40 — RESUME ≠ NARRATIVE // Why listing titles and logos is not a story. Your narrative has to be shaped around relevance and belief, not pedigree.

09:53 — BAD BUNNY AS A MASTERCLASS // How Bad Bunny articulated identity through icons, language, and origin story on the biggest stage in culture.

12:49 — WHAT YOU’RE NOT MATTERS // Boundaries build trust. Defining what you won’t do can be more powerful than saying yes to everything. Even if it’s scary to say ‘no’, it’s worth it.

15:42 — RITUALS BUILD MOMENTUM // What’s a ritual in a personal brand? Patrick’s morning writing habit. Chris’s Friday newsletter rule. Consistency creates authority.

18:24 — QUICK FIRE WITH PATRICK // Three things every brand should do. Why ghosting marketing may rise. Where founders misunderstand brand power.

19:40 — WHY THIS FRAMEWORK WORKS RIGHT NOW // Why this is especially useful for people rebuilding careers, launching something new, or clarifying their voice.

22:10 — OTHERSHIP NAILS IT // How Othership uses origin story, rituals, language, and belief to create true community, not just customers.

27:00 — PERSONAL BRAND IS VISUAL TOO // Your portfolio, your typography, your email tone. Icons are not just for billion-dollar brands.

29:10 — LEXICON & LEADERSHIP STYLE // Why naming your perspective matters. Active positioning. Owning how you think is critical.

31:20 — BOUNDARIES AS STRENGTH // Why not niching down was actually a boundary.

36:20 — SOULCYCLE & THE POWER OF CULT ENERGY // SoulCycle is making a comeback. And why its primal brand might be the reason.

41:15 — FUNDAMENTALS > FLASH // Frameworks are useful because they force you to check the basics. A good place to start when you need one.

Huge thanks to Patrick for joining us. Find Primal Branding here (or better yet, at your local bookstore!). And find Patrick here, on LinkedIn.

ABOUT

Chris and Kirsten are the founders of IN GOOD CO, a consultancy that ignites challenger brands with fearless and proactive positioning.

Chris writes a weekly newsletter for +16K subscribers that shares the best-of-the-best on culture, trends, marketing, etc. What she's dropping to friends on Slack or finding useful in meetings with brands | Follow her on Substack

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