Hi, I'm Hannah and welcome to the A16Z podcast.

The phrase personal brand is something of a cliche, but we all know we're supposed to have one.

So what does it really mean and how do you go about actually creating one?

In this episode, A16Z's Margate Venemacher's and Alex Constantinople, CEO of the Outcast Agency,

both break it down into basics and also give us a sense

of nuance on how best to think of a personal brand. This podcast was recorded as part of the

Breakline Tech program for military veterans. So I just thought we would start with a really basic

question just to lay a little groundwork, which is, what do you think a personal brand actually is?

How would you define it?

I think in a nutshell, it's basically what people think or say about you when you're not in the room.

That's how you should think about what your brain.

What is your reputation?

What is the association that you occupy in someone's mind? And so that's,

that's in a nutshell what it is. If you think of, companies are easier than people. If you think

of Apple, you probably think of design and elegant products. If you think of Virgin, you probably

think of irreverent and fun. Like those are, those are the brand attributes that you think of Virgin, you probably think of irreverent and fun.

Like those are the brand attributes that you think of, not even consciously necessarily,

and that really what defines a brand.

Yeah, I mean, the good news is just being conscious about it actually will help you.

So I think while it is a huge part of what others say about you,

I do think it's what you choose to put it

out into the world as much. And it's actually more important. So let's say we're, you're starting

...