Regent’s University London recently welcomed back Thomas Finetto, Head of Global Creative at Meta, for a Visiting Professorship talk on personal branding. With extensive experience in tech and marketing, Thomas shared key insights on building a strong, authentic brand – whether for a business or as an individual.
The power of a personal brand
Thomas opened the session by defining a brand as ‘the identity and story of a company that differentiates itself in the market’. With the explosion of industry and consumer choice, branding has become essential in helping people make decisions. He cited Red Bull as a prime example - an energy drink that carved out its own market by crafting a unique and compelling brand identity, ultimately gaining market share against Coca-Cola.
‘You have a brand - whether you like it or not’
Thomas emphasised that everyone, whether they realise it or not, has a personal brand. The question is whether you take control of it. He used the story of Nike’s transformation to illustrate how storytelling builds powerful brands. Initially seen as an ‘uncool’ brand for college athletes, Nike redefined itself by securing Michael Jordan in what we would now consider a ‘brand ambassador’ role in 1984. Investing heavily in Jordan and creating the Air Jordan line, helped Nike dominate the basketball shoe market, overtaking Converse and Adidas.
Thomas also referenced Sabrina Carpenter, a rising pop star who carefully curated her personal brand around Hollywood nostalgia, cheeky humour, and romance. These deliberate choices have helped her stand out in a crowded music industry and now has become one of the highest streaming artists.
The benefits of building a strong personal brand
Thomas outlined eight benefits of establishing a strong personal brand:
- Stand out from the crowd
- People know you before you have met them
- Build credibility and trust
- Attract opportunities and like-minded people
- More energy and confidence
- Clarifies your goals and vision
- Take control of your life and career
- Grow wealth
How to build your personal brand in five steps
Thomas provided a clear action plan for students looking to craft their personal brand:
- Know yourself - Identify what comes naturally to you and write it down. Thomas emphasised that ‘you need to be passionate about whatever you’re creating, otherwise it won’t work’
- Define your goal and audience - Be specific. You can’t appeal to everyone, so focus on one niche
- Craft your personal brand story - Thomas suggested using Meta AI tools or follow a structured formula (e.g., I am __, I help __, I have done __)
- Communicate consistently - Choose key platforms, post frequently, and engage with your audience
- Be patient and authentic - Branding takes time but should feel natural and energising.
Overcoming fear and embracing authenticity
Students asked about challenges in personal branding, including fear of over-sharing. Thomas advised starting small – for example, sharing facts or industry insights about something that you feel passionately about before getting personal. He also addressed the fear of negative feedback: ‘If someone unfollows you, they weren’t your audience anyway. Focus on those who stay.’
His final advice? ‘The upside is far greater than the downside of annoying a few people. Take control of your brand and own your story.’
Keep an eye out for future Visiting Professorship and Distinguished Speaker Series on our Events page – or catch up with previous events.