Brand You Personal Branding

Watch on YouTube » In this episode, I discuss "The Tabloidification of the Internet"... my observations on mass media and how click-bait headlines influence public perception. This discussion encourages critical thinking and media literacy in a digital media landscape. 1:46 - Social media is the new supermarket tabloid 2:58 - How Buzzfeed and Upworthy created click-bait 5:18 - Not all views should count the same 7:15 - Click vs. Relationship 8:49 - A small action item to try this week Subscribe to the Mike Kim Letter: http://mikekim.com/newsletter

(Watch on YouTube or read on my site ») I've been going on something called an "Artist Date": a solo outing, once a week with your "Inner Artist," to something that feeds you creatively. The idea comes from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way, a book that's been sitting on my shelf for a year. I finally decided to go through with it. A few links I mentioned, all in one place: The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron (get the hard copy) » Blackwing video by The Wall St. Journal (great storytelling) » Blackwing's site (you can't get these on Amazon) » Doug's Comic, Wait it Gets Worse » Lauren's site, laurendaviscreative.com » Rich Relationships: Create a Million-Dollar Network for Your Business by Selena Soo »

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  

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  

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  

Your emails, posts, and captions sound generic because you shut off your real voice the moment you think you're supposed to sound impressive. You don't have a writing problem. You have a voice problem. I've spent over a decade as a brand strategist working with NYT bestselling authors and thought leaders, and I've found that nearly everyone falls into one of five voice types. This post may help you figure out which one is yours, and show you how to adapt it to any platform or situation. CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook

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    

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

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

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

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

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

I've spent years building a library that shaped who I am as a person and entrepreneur. From memoirs of obsessive creators to dark philosophy, relationship healing to marketing classics—these aren't just books I've read, they're books that changed me. Here's my full list (with some comic books, YouTube channels, and newsletters thrown in): http://mikekim.com/booklist CONNECT WITH ME   Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook

Watch on YouTube » Read this episode » One of the most important aspects of my business costs about $12 on Amazon. It's a cheap plastic 12 month calendar that I stick on a wall. In this episode, I break down my entire annual planning system. I'll show you how I schedule big rocks (webinars, launches, events), build in proper runway and recovery time, and create the margin needed for life's inevitable curveballs. I'm also sharing my five guiding principles for 2026: fewer commitments, stronger yeses, slower starts, deeper fulfillment, and cleaner endings. Whether you're in startup mode or ready to work less and create more, this framework will help you design a year that's sustainable, profitable, and fulfilling. EPISODE LINKS: Join the waitlist for You Are the Brand Academy » Learning to Love Midlife by Chip Conley (book) » CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook

Watch on YouTube » Read this episode » The past year has been a reckoning on work, grief, and self-trust. I reflect on the changes I made this year: what I built, what I cut, and what death clarified for me. This episode is about subtraction, nervous system regulation, and learning to live without numbing or chaos. I hope you find some of my learnings helpful. EPISODE LINKS: Join the waitlist for 1:1 Advisory » Join the waitlist for You Are the Brand Academy » CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook

Watch on YouTube » Read this episode » Welcome to that in-between liminal week and a half between Christmas and New Year's. Every so often we get lucky and score two weekends during this stretch, and this year is one of them. This is one of my favorite times of the year. Despite the commercialization, this period is a rare cultural pause. A collective breath, if you will. For me, it's a time to live unarmored and to make peace with peace. EPISODE LINKS: Join the waitlist for 1:1 Advisory » Join the waitlist for You Are the Brand Academy » CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook

Watch on YouTube » Read this episode » During her visit to New York City, my (sweetheart!!!) niece Nylah asked if I could help with a school project on social media and influence. (She thinks I'm an actual influencer, haha.) We braved the winter weather and did an interview while walking towards the Museum of Natural History. I always tell people that if you want to explain what you do, try explaining it like you're talking to a kid. Well, this is my attempt! I could have explained it to her in way more complex terms and she would have understood me – she's a smart cookie. She asked me some pretty deep questions! But you get what I mean. Reflecting on our interview, I realized it's really important to have these kinds of conversations with kids. I share some life skills I think will be really important for Nylah, as well as recommended books, the reality behind what people see online, and the pitfalls and opportunities social media affords. If you're interested in the books that shaped me as a communicator an

Watch on YouTube » Read this episode » Content marketing is dead. "How-to" isn't a differentiator anymore—AI can do that better than any of us. What actually cuts through now is the messenger, not the message. In this video, I break down why the shift from "How-to" to "How I…" content matters, how connection beats conversion, and why wisdom earned through lived experience is the real currency in a post-AI world. People don't buy from experts—they buy from humans they believe. If you're tired of chasing trends and fighting for attention, this is the path forward: share your wisdom, not just your knowledge. EPISODE LINKS: Join the waitlist for 1:1 Advisory » Join the waitlist for You Are the Brand Academy » CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook

Watch on YouTube » Read this newsletter » I played (too many) videogames in college and often sank a lot of time into "character creation" – where you get to pick what kind of character you'll build for the game. Game developers knew players would obsess over getting it "right," so they built in something called a respec — a way to wipe your build, reassign your points, and start fresh without losing your progress. Turns out, businessa and life can work the same way. Today, I share how I've been re-specing my own habits, business, and direction. You might be overdue for a reset yourself. EPISODE LINKS: The Second Mountain by David Brooks » Ryan Levesque's Newsletter » Join the waitlist for 1:1 Advisory » Join the waitlist for You Are the Brand Academy » CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook

Watch on YouTube here » I used to think gratitude was an obligation—something church kids did while passing an offering plate or something people talked about every Thanksgiving. But four years with The Five Minute Journal did something I never expected: it made me a grateful person instead of someone trying to feel grateful.  EPISODE LINKS: The Five Minute Journal » Join the waitlist for 1:1 Advisory » Join the waitlist for my Private Mastermind » CONNECT WITH ME Newsletter Instagram TikTok X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook