Brand You Personal Branding

Mike Kim
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Mar 24, 2026 • 8min

[#27] From SXSW: The Work Behind the Work of Co-Presenting with Ryan Levesque

Recently, I presented at SXSW called You Are Still the Brand: What AI Can't Do For You alongside author, Ryan Levesque. Preparing together gave me a rare look at how someone I respect does their work, and it made me rethink a few things about my own process. Here's what I learned about preparation, deep work, and why there's a huge jump between $1,500 Hamilton tickets vs. $15 improv tickets. If you're interested in hearing about an upcoming training I'm planning to offer around writing and marketing your book, get on my waitlist below. mikekim.com/writeyourbook CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook
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Mar 17, 2026 • 23min

[#26] How AI Will Impact Books with JJ Virgin

AI isn't killing books. The numbers say otherwise, and the opportunity for authors has never been bigger. In this conversation, Mike Kim (Wall St. Journal and USA Today bestselling author) and JJ Virgin (4x NYT bestselling author) talk about what actually happens to books in an AI world: who survives, who doesn't, and why your personal brand matters more now than ever. They also get into AI clones, institutional knowledge, and why JJ literally has a digital version of herself running 24/7. If you're an author, aspiring author, or thought leader trying to figure out where books fit in your business, this one's for you. CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook
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Mar 10, 2026 • 33min

[#25] The Return to Real in a Post-AI World with Ryan Levesque

Ryan Levesque built a SaaS company, had a life-changing exit offer fall apart at the 11th hour, and then realized something that shook him: he'd started hating his business, and as a result, he'd started hating himself. What followed was a radical reorientation: making a public confession to his audience that none of his emails over the past seven years had actually been written by him, moving to a Vermont farm, and writing every word of his newsletter without AI. This is a conversation about what it costs to take your voice back and why the unscalable things are the only real moat left in a post AI world. RESOURCES: Ryan's newsletter » CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook
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9 snips
Mar 3, 2026 • 12min

[#24] The Five Voices of Thought Leadership

They unpack five distinct voice types people default to when writing and speaking. The conversation contrasts voice with niche and shows how to shift register for different platforms. There is a strong case that a recognizable human voice beats generic tactics in the age of AI. Practical steps are offered to identify and flex your own natural voice.
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Feb 24, 2026 • 25min

[#23] The Inner Game: What Charlie Munger Hating Math And Selling Myself Taught Me About The Game No One Sees

Take the Idea-to-IP assessment here » No business strategy will solve a nervous system problem. In this episode, I break down Charlie Munger's inversion principle, a powerful identity framework from mental performance coach Lauren Johnson, and why the most successful people I've worked with are always the most teachable. This is the inner game, and it matters more than any tactic. CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook
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Feb 17, 2026 • 10min

[#22] 3 Ways to Protect Your Original Thinking and Voice in a Post-AI World

Take the Idea-to-IP assessment here » Your inner voice powers everything: what you say, write, and how you show up. But most people try to force it louder instead of turning down the noise. In this episode, I cover how tracking behaviors, sorting ideas vs. notes, and building a simple capture system protects your original thinking and ensures you don't default to being a copy of a copy or a copy. CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook
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Feb 10, 2026 • 11min

[#21] The Voice Louder Than What You Say or Write

Take the Idea-to-IP assessment here » Most people think voice is just what you say or write. But there's a third voice that matters more than both: the voice of presence—what you emanate when people are around you. In this video, I unpack why developing all three voices is what creates real opportunity. CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook
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Feb 3, 2026 • 14min

[#20] AI is the Ozempic of Thinking

Take the Idea-to-IP assessment here » What does a day worth repeating actually look like? Today, I talk about getting punched in the mouth by January (literally ended up in the hospital), why AI is the Ozempic of thinking, and how I'm putting guardrails around my brain in a post-AI world. If you're a hard-charging, high-achiever who defaults to being the engine instead of the architect, this one's for you. CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook
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Jan 27, 2026 • 5min

[#19] Take My NEW Idea-to-IP Assessment (While it's Free)

Take the Idea-to-IP assessment here » One of the most common problems I see: experts doing everything right but not getting the traction they should. Usually, it comes down to this: the right digits, the wrong order. You can have all the right numbers in a phone number, but if even one digit is out of place, you're not dialed in. That's why I built the Idea to IP Score Assessment—a free 30-question diagnostic that shows you exactly where you are and what to focus on next. CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook
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Jan 20, 2026 • 4min

[#18] Reflections From Being Hospitalized Last Week

div]:bg-bg-000/50 [&_pre>div]:border-0.5 [&_pre>div]:border-border-400 [&_.ignore-pre-bg>div]:bg-transparent [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.standard-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pl-2 [&_.progressive-markdown_:is(p,blockquote,ul,ol,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6)]:pr-8"> _*]:min-w-0 standard-markdown"> I spent last week in the hospital getting tests done after experiencing bad headaches. Everything came back clear, and I'm on the mend. While I was there, a line from Matthew McConaughey's book Greenlights kept coming to mind: "Can I live in a way that I look forward to looking back?" Sharing some thoughts on that experience and a few updates on what's coming up. EPISODE LINKS: Join the waitlist for You Are the Brand Academy » Greenlights (book) » CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook

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