THE BUILDING OF A PERSONAL BRAND

How I Use Travel and Storytelling to Build My Brand

In today's world, personal branding is essential for anyone looking to establish themselves in their industry. It's about defining who you are, what you stand for, and how you connect with others. For me, personal branding has been a powerful tool that I'm still using to establish my career as a creative, storyteller, and global traveler.

My Story

I grew up not having the luxury of vacations or international trips, but when the chance finally came, I embraced it wholeheartedly. While still in college, I started traveling and within the first year I visited over 20 countries and documented every step of the way. Every moment from losing my camera gear and passport, spending nine hours in Tokyo on a layover, to a motorbike accident in Nicaragua, every experience became part of my story. The video, Black Boys Fly Worldwide, encapsulates this journey and serves as a reflection of how I use storytelling to build my personal brand.

The Power of Personal Branding

Personal branding is about much more than just a logo or a tagline. It’s about communicating your unique identity and values through content that resonates with others.

In my case, I used my Black Boy Fly Worldwide video to show my perspective as a Black traveler who didn’t have the privilege of travel growing up. I turned this into a strength by showing my followers that anyone can break barriers, see the world, and share meaningful stories.

The video was created the first 2-3 years into my creative journey. As a very

My personal brand has always focused on authenticity, documenting both the highs and the struggles of my adventures. By doing this, I’ve been able to connect deeply with people who feel similarly, especially those who don’t see many travel stories like mine. Creating content with intentionality, sharing the richness of different cultures, and embracing diversity all help me connect with my audience on a human level.

How I Use Content to Strengthen My Brand

The video I created, Black Boys Fly Worldwide, is a key example of leveraging content to strengthen personal branding. I didn’t just share footage of amazing places—I told a story that was deeply personal. The video ties together several themes that are central to my brand: exploration, resilience, and empowerment. Each travel memory, whether joyous or challenging, represents a larger narrative about personal growth and cultural understanding.

In my agency, LiveFrom631, I continue to apply this same storytelling approach to help brands in the travel and tourism space connect with their audience. Whether it's documenting a destination's beauty or crafting a branding strategy, my goal is always to create authentic stories that resonate.

Building Your Own Brand

If you're looking to build a strong personal brand, here are a few key takeaways from my journey:

1. Know Your Story: Understand who you are and what makes your perspective unique. For me, it was my experience of discovering the world after years of not being able to travel. Your story can be just as powerful if it’s true to you.

2. Show, Don’t Just Tell: Personal branding is about creating content that reflects your values. Whether you’re a creator, business owner, or influencer, showing your process, your challenges, and your successes builds trust and engagement.

3. Be Consistent: Brand identity isn’t built overnight. It’s something you develop over time through consistent storytelling, design, and interaction with your audience.

4. Embrace Authenticity: People connect with genuine stories. The more real you are about your journey, the more people will resonate with your message.

Building a personal brand takes time and effort, but the reward is creating something that truly represents you. By aligning my story with my values, I’ve been able to not only build a brand but also inspire others to explore the world on their terms. Let your story be your brand's most powerful tool.

Keep exploring.

Stefan Liautaud

CEO/Founder