Authority isn’t just built in boardrooms—it’s built online. Executives who understand this shift position themselves ahead of the competition, leveraging their personal brand to work more effectively as a leader. Thomas Homsi, Senior Strategist and Sales Manager at Whitefriar, has spent his career guiding C-suite leaders through the intricacies of digital positioning. His expertise in online reputation management, sales technologies, and business advisory has helped Fortune 500 executives and early-stage company founders alike carve out their influence. “The new currency in business is all about being seen, being known, and being trusted,” says Homsi. “It goes beyond a strong online presence to conveying an honest message about who you are and how you lead.”
Why Personal Branding Gives Executives an Edge
For CEOs and C-suite leaders, personal branding isn’t just a tool; it’s a strategic necessity. In a world where first impressions are often made online, an executive’s digital presence directly impacts business growth, deal-making, and industry influence.
“I like to see the CEO as the story behind the brand image,” Homsi explains. “Their values align with the company, but their personal brand should also add something new—a legacy as unique as a fingerprint. I help leaders leverage their experiences and ways of thinking to raise their profiles in their industry. And when the CEO rises, so does the company.”
Yet, many executives hesitate when it comes to personal branding, often equating it with influencer culture. “It’s got nothing to do with celebrity in that sense,” says Homsi. “It’s about being seen, known, and trusted as a leader. Everything is digital now, and due diligence often boils down to a few bits of information on page one of search results and executive profiles. We want to help leaders make the most of that.”
The Three Pillars of Executive Personal Branding: Expertise, Leadership, and Vision
A personal brand isn’t about self-promotion; it’s about strategic positioning. Homsi helps executives build their brands around three core pillars:
- Expertise: Showcasing experience, specialized knowledge, and industry insights.
- Leadership: Highlighting a leader’s ability to inspire teams, drive growth, and make strategic decisions.
- Vision: Communicating the long-term impact they aim to create within their industry and beyond.
Homsi has worked with Fortune 500 executives and industry leaders who’ve relied on personal branding to ensure career longevity. Whether they were transitioning into new industries, seeking speaking engagements, or aiming for board positions, a refined digital presence has been crucial to their success.
“What we do is elevate the executive as they are,” says Homsi. “We don’t fabricate a persona. We highlight what they already know, how they already lead, and how they drive company growth. This ensures that their brand presence is both authentic and effective.”
Personal branding is particularly critical for leaders transitioning between industries. “Someone who has spent their entire career in real estate but wants to move into tech will struggle with a conventional resume alone,” Homsi explains. “By elevating their expertise within real estate and positioning them as an adaptable leader, we help them break into new sectors with confidence.”
How Executive Personal Branding Drives Business Growth
Executives who invest in their personal brand don’t just elevate their own careers—they accelerate business growth. Storytelling remains one of the most powerful tools in marketing. “A prime example of this is Gary Vaynerchuk. People get excited when they see Gary Vee! He built his brand by leveraging online reputation—turning YouTube videos into authority, social media into influence, and content into business growth. The strategy matters, but the story sells.”
By positioning the leader as the face of the company, authenticity transforms into authority, which, in turn, fuels visibility then growth. “At the end of the day, people buy from people. This applies to consumers as much as investors,” Homsi notes. “From a consumer perspective, your online presence shows them who you are. This should complement and, ideally, enhance their view of the business. From a business viewpoint, investors, partners, employees, and even competitors, will use what they read about you to inform their assessments of the company you lead.”
Taking Executives Where They Want to Go
For C-suite leaders looking to stand out, a personal brand is no longer optional. It’s a business asset that builds trusts and accelerates growth. Homsi and his team at Whitefriar take a strategic approach, analyzing an executive’s current online presence and crafting a roadmap for increased visibility and influence based on where clients wish to go in their careers.
“We don’t ask executives to reinvent themselves. We showcase the right story online, positioning them for the next stage of their careers, whether that’s leading their current company for another five years or entering a new industry.” says Homsi. For regular insights on building thought leadership at your organization, follow Thomas Homsi on LinkedIn or visit his personal website.
