Starting a business can be a daunting enterprise. Budding entrepreneurs often face a lack of real-world credibility, or proof thereof. Sure, many of us have the requisite education and professional know-how, but how do we show that we are the real deal? Or that we have a genuine connection to the world?
This all has to do with cultivating an image. The French philosopher Gaston Bachelard speaks of the image’s “reverberation”, for it “has touched the depths before it stirs the surface”. Thus, we are not speaking of superficialities here; no, your self-imagine, and, by extension, your brand’s, relies on some kind of deep objective proof.
A robust stock portfolio can do the trick – it’s something you can share, refer to, and brag about.
And it’s even better if you have invested in something materially substantial like farmland, which the platform AcreTrader enables. Once the soul of America, agriculture has taken a backseat to the jazz and glitter of technology and big pharmaceuticals – this is exactly why name-dropping “farmland investment” in a conversation is sure to furrow and raise some brows.
By showing a commitment to the earthly fabric of the nation, farmland investment is sure to tie your brand image to the real world.
Another way to clean up your personal brand is by subscribing to a service like BrandYourself. Did you know that over 75% of employers Google your name before considering whether to hire you or not? The same goes for potential clients – what people find on the web about you may make or break your career.
Cleaning up your online presence goes a long way in the cultivation of self-image. In an age that is in some sense more puritan than ever, being squeaky clean can only be a bonus – remember, potential clients are of varying creeds and walks of life.
Image is undoubtably a small portion of running a successful business. There are numerous logistics to think about, profit margins to consider, employee satisfactions to monitor – really, all things under the sun seem to trouble the new entrepreneur. But maintaining a desirable image is one thing that is firmly in your control.
Let’s take a closer look at these two services, AcreTrader and BrandYourself.
AcreTrader – Smart Investing
Founded in 2018 by investing guru Carter Malloy, the company has seen positive growth and is more popular than ever. As of today, they employ 15 highly trained individuals and have raised more than $5 million dollars.
How does it all work? Sort of like your run-of-the-mill investing platform, such as Betterment, SoFi, or M1 Finance. If you are familiar with robo-advisors, you won’t find AcreTrader unusual at all.
- Ease of Use: AcreTrader is oft praised for its sleek, user-friendly interface. This allows newbies to get a grip on this new world of investing opportunities; what’s more, its simple to get started: once you’ve set up a user account and linked it to an existing bank account, you can get started. There are not a lot of investing options, as opposed to regular stock trade platforms, which can often dazzle the beginner; no, with AcreTrader everything is crystal-clear from the get-go.
- Information and Knowledge: We’ve found that one of the neatest things about AcreTrader is how they provide a brief description of every “farmstead” available for investment. This gives you a sense of knowing the land, and of having some stack in the fortunes of real laboring individuals.
- Investment Thresholds: $10,000 is the minimum amount one can invest on AcreTrader, and investors are required to purchase at least one acre of land. This may seem extravagant, but it’s really not: this is the real deal we are talking about, a finite, limited resource; a slice of Mother Earth. And it must be noted that because of this “one acre rule”, initial investments may actually entail upwards of $25,000 or more.
BrandYourself – Project Greatness
BrandYourself is an online reputation management company founded by three students from Syracuse University in 2010. Having famously turned down an investment offer on ABC’s Shark Tank, this crafty trio have since taken their business to new heights.
- Google Results: BrandYourself’s unique software will identify Google results, social media posts, and assorted images which could result in tarnishing your career and business. Not only does it identify these sordid details, but takes proper measures to remove them and eliminate any future actions that could unfairly jeopardize your image.
- Privacy Protection: BrandYourself also cleans up your act by removing your home address, date of birth, phone number, and other personal data from the web. This allows you to broadcast only what info you deem important for potential customers or investors.
- Build Your Brand: like this article suggests, online presence, or image, is sneaky important. BrandYourself will scan your web presence to determine how you look in the eyes of potential clients and organizations and adjust things accordingly.
The Bottom Line – Image Matters
As Gaston Bachelard tells us, the “image, which stems from the logos, is personally innovating”. And we can easily transfer this philosophic discourse onto the modest world of business: image is personally innovating.
By projecting a confident and clean image onto the public world, one is sure to attract more and better clients. With a little work and consideration, you could solidify yourself in today’s competitive world of trade and commerce.