The Development Of A Very Personal Brand

While sitting in our conference room last week, talking to client and friend, Tim, the subject somehow evolved to branding. Not the kind we deal with daily on a professional basis – companies, products and services – but the kind we usually don’t talk about much: ourselves. The discussion generated a question as to just how much of a role parents play in the development of their offspring’s personal “brands,” and then specifically to the influences they may have had on their kids’ career directions. (Don’t know exactly how we got to this point, but we were just lettin’ it flow.) We also agreed on a strange phenomenon we’d both observed numerous times: that many (most?) casual male friends know little or nothing about the other’s parents, especially their dads. This prompted me to ask Tim about his dad, and here’s what I discovered…

Tim, a happily married communications/PR manager with two “approaching-their-teens” daughters, is the fourth of five children. His parents are both in their early 80s, and still live in the metropolitan Detroit area. His dad, Bob, is of French/Irish ancestry, as is his mom, with the addition of being part Iroquois Indian (but I don’t think she ever ran for the Senate).

Bob’s father (Tim’s grandfather) was a career production worker at Chrysler, and passed away when Tim was very young. Bob had two siblings: a brother who served as a combat pilot in Korea, and a sister.

Bob attended the University of Detroit in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s (a rarity at the time, especially for a working-class kid), where he also played baseball, and ultimately received his Masters in finance. During this time, he met his future wife, who attained a Masters as well, hers in music. More than 50 years later, they’re still an active pair.

Bob’s career path was indeed interesting. After college, he spent a couple of years in the Army, and after his tour decided to try to join the FBI. He succeeded, and with assignments in Milwaukee and San Francisco, Bob worked as an agent for nearly 10 years. For a few of those years he also investigated the famous ‘60s Alcatraz escape case. He left the FBI to accept a position in Ford’s finance group in Dearborn, and later took a leave of absence for two years to work, with his young family in tow, on a church mission in rural Kentucky. Afterward, he returned to Ford (or “Fords” for you diehard Detroiters), held a variety of management positions, the last in civic affairs, and was simultaneously active in the New Detroit campaign and the United Way. He retired from Ford in the mid ‘90s. He and his wife remain active in church and charity projects.

Whew.

I asked Tim what career assistance he got from his very outgoing dad. Considering the question for a bit, he responded that his dad helped, both directly and indirectly, in getting some initial interviews through his automotive connections, and played a huge role in him learning how to market himself – which also involved polishing some business-related social and confidence-building skills.

As Tim and I talked, and each new part of the story unfolded, one thing became very clear: his dad’s career was far from boring. (Not to mention the challenges of raising three…um…”spirited” sons and two daughters. But I’ve been sworn to secrecy on a few of those stories.) It was also clear that had I not asked the question, I’d have no idea how interesting the contributions to Tim’s personal brand actually were.  This prompted me to wonder:

Just how many amazing stories like this exist all around us, even in, say, a one-mile radius? Hundreds? Thousands? Bet some of them would almost make your jaw drop.

So, maybe instead of spending time in some electronic wasteland, why not ask a friend about his or her family background? It’s guaranteed to be interesting entertainment, possibly a source of useable knowledge, and can be found right in front of you – in real life! And it costs nothing. Go figure.

So Happy Fathers Day, Bob.  And thanks for the truly interesting story.

And…Happy Fathers Day to ALL you dads! In honor of them, as well as to your personal brand, please feel free to share something interesting about your dad, grandfather or any other dad you’re somehow connected to.