Are You Your Brand?

These days, if you spend more than five minutes on social media, you'll hear people talking about “their brand” or “personal brand.” Building a brand has become the buzzword of the year — and honestly, last year too.

But what does that actually mean? When I hear “brand,” I think of the usual suspects: Nike. Disney. Jack Daniels. Each of these names comes with a distinct vibe, a clear identity, and a loyal customer base.

So when we bring that idea to a personal level — what is your personal brand? And if you don’t have one, how do you find it? How do you market it? And then the real kicker — how do you separate you from the business?

Because here’s the truth: to scale a business, you have to be able to replicate yourself. But at the same time… you can’t replicate you. Not really. Nobody else can be Max Thomas. Can someone be as productive? More productive? Sure. But can they actually be me? No shot.

So how do you balance both? How do you market you — make people want to work with you — while also building something bigger than you? Something that people are loyal to even if you’re not in the room?

That’s the challenge.

From Material Handler to GM — Why Growth Paths Matter

I met with a team last week who’s in major hiring mode — looking to grow fast and build the right crew. But what stuck with me most wasn’t the number of jobs or even the urgency behind the search.

It was the story their General Manager shared.

He told me how he started as a material handler — entry level, on the floor, learning everything from the ground up. And now, he’s running the entire operation. From entry-level to GM.

That’s the kind of story we need to hear more of in manufacturing.

Because it’s not just inspiring — it’s important.

It shows employees that there’s a real path forward. That if they put in the work, there’s room to grow. But here’s the thing: it’s not enough to have a path for growth — you’ve got to actually show it. It needs to be clear. Visible. Easy to understand.

I’ve felt that uncertainty myself in two past careers. That moment of:

"Do I stay or do I go?"

When there’s no clear next step, even the best-paying job can start to feel like a dead end.

And most people don’t want to stay stuck forever.

So if you’re leading a team — or building one — don’t just hire for today. Show your people what tomorrow could look like, too.

Because stories like this GM’s? They’re not rare. They’re just rarely told.

The Effective Syndicate is a family of brands dedicated to supporting U.S. manufacturing by addressing the industry's unique challenges:

• The Effective Syndicate: Delivering expert consulting services in Lean Six Sigma, leadership development, and operational improvement to help manufacturing companies achieve sustainable growth and operational excellence.

• TES Recruiting: Connecting manufacturing companies with top-tier talent, from the shop floor to the C-suite.

• Swiftemp: Providing fast, reliable staffing solutions, specializing in temporary-to-hire roles for manufacturing and metal fabrication.

• GSD Manager Training: Empowering managers with practical, no-nonsense training to lead confidently, enhance productivity, and build stronger teams.

Together, we help U.S. manufacturing businesses thrive. Want to learn more? Check out our website! www.tes.run