# PERSONAL BRAND CONTEXT — US REGION

> **Region:** United States + Canada
> **Currency:** USD ($)
> **Key regulations:** FTC Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255), state privacy laws (CCPA/CPRA in CA, similar in CO/CT/UT/VA)
> **Tax structures:** LLC / Sole Proprietorship / S-Corp election (most common for personal brand monetization)
>
> This variant covers ALL THREE roles inside: **Founder** / **Coach** / **Creator**. Each section gives role-specific guidance.

---

## HOW TO USE

- Answer one section at a time. AI asks questions one at a time, never all at once.
- Each section has guidance and examples — use as reference, do NOT copy verbatim.
- Section unknown -> mark "TBD" — return to update later.
- Total time: **20-40 minutes** if info is ready.
- US cultural cue: directness is welcome. Specific numbers and outcomes resonate. The "personal brand industry" is mature — be specific about your angle.

---

## ROLE DECLARATION (FILL FIRST)

| Field | Your answer |
|-------|-------------|
| **Primary role:** | [ ] Founder/CEO  [ ] Coach/Consultant  [ ] Creator/KOL |
| **Secondary role (if any):** | _____________ |
| **Notes:** | (e.g. "I am a founder but also create content; main role = founder") |

---

## SECTION 1 — PROFILE

| Field | Info |
|-------|------|
| **Full name:** | |
| **Current role:** | (Founder: CEO / Co-founder / MD) (Coach: Senior Coach / Lead Consultant) (Creator: Channel name + niche) |
| **Company / Brand name:** | |
| **Industry:** | |
| **Years experience:** | |
| **Location (city, state):** | (e.g. Austin, TX / NYC, NY / Toronto, ON) |
| **Primary website:** | |
| **LinkedIn:** | (US: ESSENTIAL for founder + coach) |
| **X / Twitter:** | (US: secondary for founder, primary for tech founder) |
| **Instagram:** | (US: primary for creator, secondary for coach) |
| **YouTube:** | (US: long-form authority for coach + creator) |
| **TikTok:** | (US: primary for creator) |
| **Newsletter (Substack/Beehiiv/ConvertKit):** | (US: increasingly important across roles) |

---

## SECTION 2 — NICHE & AUTHORITY

> The field where you want to be recognized as the expert. Pick 1-2 specific areas — NOT "I help everyone".

- **Primary authority field:**
  > Founder example: "B2B SaaS for US healthcare ops" / "Bootstrapped DTC scaling past $10M ARR"
  > Coach example: "Sales coaching for SaaS AEs targeting $200K OTE" / "Career transition coaching for laid-off Big Tech engineers"
  > Creator example: "Personal finance for US millennials with student debt" / "AI productivity tools reviewed weekly"

- **Sub-niche:**
  > Founder: "Series A fundraising in NYC tech" / "Vertical SaaS for niche industries"
  > Coach: "Cold outbound for B2B SDRs" / "Resume + LinkedIn for senior PMs"
  > Creator: "Tax-efficient investing for W-2 employees" / "Open-source AI tools tested on real workflows"

- **What you do NOT want to be known for:**
  > "Not a get-rich-quick guru" / "Not a generic life coach" / "Not a tech reviewer chasing every new product"

---

## SECTION 3 — NORTH STAR (12 MONTHS)

> One sentence: in 12 months, what should the US tech / coaching / creator community remember you for?

- **North Star sentence:**
  > Founder: "In 12 months, US healthcare-tech founders see me as the go-to for vertical SaaS GTM."
  > Coach: "In 12 months, US SaaS AEs know my Cold-to-Closed framework as the standard."
  > Creator: "In 12 months, US millennials with student debt see my channel as the trusted personal finance resource."

- **Specifics:**
  - Remembered for: ___________
  - Within which community: ___________
  - Through which primary channel: ___________

---

## SECTION 4 — PERSONAL AUDIENCE

> The audience YOU (the person) attracts — different from the audience your COMPANY/PRODUCT serves.

### Primary audience (who you want to ATTRACT)

| Field | Founder | Coach | Creator |
|-------|---------|-------|---------|
| **Who they are:** | B2B decision-makers, VPs, fellow founders, US VCs | Working professionals, mid-career switchers, B2B sales reps | Specific demographic (age, life stage, interest) |
| **Title / Role:** | VP / Director / C-suite / GP at fund | AE / SDR / PM / Engineer / Manager | Persona descriptor (e.g. "26-34 W-2 employee, $80K-$150K") |
| **Company size:** | [ ] Startup (<50) [ ] Mid (50-500) [ ] Enterprise (500+) | N/A or "company size of student" | N/A |
| **US-specific context:** | (e.g. "Series A-C SF/NYC tech") | (e.g. "Big Tech laid off in 2024-2025 wave") | (e.g. "US millennials, urban, smartphone-first") |
| **Primary pain:** | | | |
| **Where they follow you:** | [ ] LinkedIn [ ] X [ ] Newsletter [ ] Podcast | [ ] LinkedIn [ ] YouTube [ ] Newsletter | [ ] TikTok [ ] IG [ ] YouTube [ ] Newsletter |

### Secondary audience (nice-to-attract, not primary)
- **Brief description:** ___________
- **Why secondary:** ___________

---

## SECTION 5 — STORY ARC

> The journey — emotional connection. People do not remember "I am good at X". They remember a journey.

### Origin
> US cultural cue: include concrete details — city, school, first job, dollar amount. Avoid vague "I always loved business".
> Founder ex: "Quit Goldman analyst job in 2019, $0 in savings, slept on parents' couch in NJ for 6 months building first SaaS."
> Coach ex: "Spent 8 years missing quota at 3 different SaaS companies before reverse-engineering top reps and hitting #1 nationally."
> Creator ex: "Six-figure W-2 paycheck, $90K student debt, $0 saved at 30 — woke up one day and started tracking every dollar."

```
[2-4 sentences on origin]
```

### Turning point
> Founder ex: "Pivoted product 4 times in 18 months — finally found PMF when I rebuilt for a niche I had ignored."
> Coach ex: "Got fired in 2022 — spent 3 months rebuilding from zero with cold outbound; landed 7 clients in 90 days."
> Creator ex: "Posted 100 videos to 200 followers; the 101st hit 2M views and changed everything."

```
[2-4 sentences on the pivot moment]
```

### Current state
> Founder ex: "Now at $4M ARR, hiring senior leadership, board pushing me toward Series B in 12 months."
> Coach ex: "Now run a 6-figure 1-on-1 + cohort hybrid practice with 200 alumni."
> Creator ex: "180K subscribers, two viral series, building first paid course in Q1 next year."

```
[2-4 sentences on now + next]
```

### Signature one-liner (30 seconds)
> Founder ex: "Quit Goldman in 2019 with zero savings, pivoted 4 times, now scaling a vertical SaaS to Series B."
> Coach ex: "From bottom-quartile rep to nationally ranked #1 — now I teach 200+ AEs the system that got me there."
> Creator ex: "Paid off $90K of student debt on a W-2 income; now 180K millennials follow along weekly."

```
[1-2 sentence summary]
```

---

## SECTION 6 — CONTENT PILLARS (4 PILLARS)

> 4 themes you cycle through repeatedly. EVERY post must fit ONE pillar. Pillars differ by role.

### If FOUNDER

| Pillar | Name | Description | US example |
|--------|------|-------------|-----------|
| 1 | **Industry insight** | Trend + thesis posts | "3 reasons US healthcare AI startups will fail Series B in 2026" |
| 2 | **Behind-the-scene** | Company building, team, hard calls | "Why I let go of my CTO last week" |
| 3 | **Leadership lesson** | Hiring, scaling, decision frameworks | "The one-question interview that filters 90% of bad hires" |
| 4 | **Personal philosophy** | Worldview, contrarian takes | "Why I stopped reading business books in 2023" |

### If COACH

| Pillar | Name | Description | US example |
|--------|------|-------------|-----------|
| 1 | **Framework / Method** | Your proprietary system | "The Cold-to-Closed 7-step framework for SaaS AEs" |
| 2 | **Student case study** | Real wins (with permission) | "How Sarah went from missing quota to #1 rep in 90 days" |
| 3 | **Behind-the-scene** | Coaching life, building product | "Inside my 1-on-1 sessions: the 3 questions I ask every new client" |
| 4 | **Industry trend** | Market commentary | "Why outbound still works in 2026 (with US data)" |

### If CREATOR

| Pillar | Name | Description | US example |
|--------|------|-------------|-----------|
| 1 | **Educate / Entertain** | Niche expertise hooks | "I tracked every $1 for 365 days — here is what happened" |
| 2 | **Behind-the-scene** | Process, tools, daily life | "My exact desk setup, costs broken down" |
| 3 | **Collab / Reaction** | Cross-channel + reactions | "I tried [popular guru]'s budget for 30 days" |
| 4 | **Trend / News** | Hot takes on industry news | "The new IRS rule everyone is missing" |

**Customize for you:**
- Pillar 1: ___________
- Pillar 2: ___________
- Pillar 3: ___________
- Pillar 4: ___________

---

## SECTION 7 — BRAND VOICE

> US voice: directness is appreciated. Specifics > generalities. Numbers > vibes.

### Tone basics

| Field | Info |
|-------|------|
| **3 adjectives:** | Founder: "Sharp, contrarian, grounded" / Coach: "Tactical, supportive, no-fluff" / Creator: "Honest, witty, transparent" |
| **Formality level:** | [ ] Very formal [ ] Professional casual [ ] Friendly expert [ ] Casual peer |
| **Default POV:** | [ ] First-person ("I", "we") [ ] Observer ("Top reps do...") [ ] Mixed |
| **Profanity:** | [ ] Never [ ] Rare for emphasis [ ] Often (creator only) |

### Voice examples

- **Line you WOULD say:**
  > Founder: "Numbers tell half the story. The other half is what your team says when you are not in the room."
  > Coach: "If your discovery call lasts 22 minutes, you are doing it wrong. Here is the script."
  > Creator: "I made $0 from this channel for 18 months. Here is what I would do differently."

- **Line you WOULD NEVER say:**
  > Founder: "Follow me for daily success tips!"
  > Coach: "DM me 'YES' to unlock the secret formula!"
  > Creator: "Smash that like button if you loved this!"

### Signature words / phrases
- ___________
- ___________
- ___________

---

## SECTION 8 — VISUAL IDENTITY

| Field | Info |
|-------|------|
| **Outfit:** | Founder: [ ] Suit [ ] Quarter-zip + jeans (SF/Austin tech) [ ] Hoodie [ ] Casual button-down |
|  | Coach: [ ] Smart casual [ ] Brand-tee [ ] Studio look |
|  | Creator: [ ] Brand-tee/hoodie [ ] Lifestyle outfit [ ] Theme-based |
| **Setting:** | [ ] Office [ ] Studio [ ] Home setup [ ] Outdoor city/lifestyle [ ] On stage |
| **Color palette:** | (e.g. Navy + white, Black + electric blue) |
| **Photo style:** | [ ] Studio professional [ ] Lifestyle natural [ ] Behind-the-scene candid [ ] Mix |
| **Video style:** | [ ] Talking head [ ] Walk-and-talk [ ] Interview [ ] Vlog [ ] Short-form skit |

---

## SECTION 9 — ANTI-PERSONAS

> Who is NOT your audience. Helps the AI avoid mis-targeted content. US-specific note: be explicit about regulatory anti-personas (FTC requires clear disclosure if targeting children, etc.).

| Anti-persona | Why |
|-------------|-----|
| (Founder ex) Junior college student with no work context | No B2B context to engage with leadership content |
| (Coach ex) Mass-audience seeking get-rich-quick | Brand premium pricing requires committed buyers |
| (Creator ex) Brand seeking pure ad-read sponsorship | Goal is integrated content, not 30-sec reads |
| | |

---

## SECTION 10 — AUTHORITY ASSETS

> Proof points. US audiences want concrete numbers + recognizable logos.

- **Books published:** _____ (US: traditional publisher matters more in some niches; self-published works for tactical books)
- **Podcasts (host or notable guest):** _____
- **Notable keynotes / speaking:** _____ (e.g. SaaStr, INBOUND, Web Summit)
- **Press / Media:** _____ (e.g. WSJ, Forbes, NYT, TechCrunch, The Information)
- **Awards / Certifications:**
  - Founder: Y Combinator, Forbes 30 Under 30, Inc. 5000
  - Coach: ICF PCC/MCC, Sales Hacker Top 25, top community leader
  - Creator: YouTube Silver/Gold/Diamond, TikTok Creator awards
- **Board / Advisory positions:** _____
- **Impressive numbers:**
  - Founder: ARR, headcount, customer count, raised capital
  - Coach: students coached, average outcome, NPS
  - Creator: subscriber count, total views, retention rate
- **Notable case studies:** _____

---

## SECTION 11 — MONETIZATION GOALS

> US monetization is the most mature market. Be specific about pricing in USD.

### If FOUNDER (B2B leads + advisory)

| Channel | Currently? | 12-month target |
|---------|-----------|----------------|
| **B2B inbound leads** (warm leads from personal brand) | [ ] Yes [ ] No | _____ leads/month |
| **Speaking / MC** | [ ] Yes [ ] No | _____ events/year @ $_____ /event |
| **Advisory positions** | [ ] Yes [ ] No | _____ positions @ $_____ /year |
| **Investment deal flow** | [ ] Yes [ ] No | _____ deals/year |
| **Book / thought leadership** | [ ] Yes [ ] No | Goal: _____ |

### If COACH (course revenue + 1-on-1 + retainers)

| Channel | Currently? | Current price | 12-month target |
|---------|-----------|--------------|----------------|
| **Self-paced course** | [ ] Yes [ ] No | $_____ | _____ students/month |
| **Cohort course** | [ ] Yes [ ] No | $_____ | _____ cohorts/year |
| **1-on-1 coaching** | [ ] Yes [ ] No | $_____ /session | _____ clients/month |
| **Group program** | [ ] Yes [ ] No | $_____ | _____ groups/year |
| **Speaking / Workshop** | [ ] Yes [ ] No | $_____ /event | _____ events/year |
| **Consulting retainer** | [ ] Yes [ ] No | $_____ /month | _____ clients |
| **Digital product** (template, ebook) | [ ] Yes [ ] No | $_____ | _____ /month |

- **MRR goal:** $_____
- **Scalable vs 1-on-1 mix:** _____ (e.g. "70% course / 30% 1-on-1")

### If CREATOR (brand deals + own product)

| Channel | Currently? | Current rate | 12-month target |
|---------|-----------|-------------|----------------|
| **Brand deals / Sponsored content** | [ ] Yes [ ] No | $_____ /video | _____ deals/month |
| **Affiliate marketing** | [ ] Yes [ ] No | $_____ /month | $_____ /month |
| **Own digital product** (course, preset) | [ ] Yes [ ] No | $_____ | $_____ /month |
| **Merch** | [ ] Yes [ ] No | $_____ | $_____ /month |
| **Subscription** (Patreon, channel membership) | [ ] Yes [ ] No | _____ subs | _____ subs |
| **Ad revenue** (YouTube AdSense, TikTok Creativity Program) | [ ] Yes [ ] No | $_____ /month | $_____ /month |

- **Total monthly revenue target:** $_____
- **FTC disclosure approach:** [ ] #ad in caption [ ] "Sponsored by" verbal + on-screen [ ] Both
- **Owned vs sponsored revenue mix:** _____ (long-term goal: shift to owned)

---

## SECTION 12 — KPIs

### If FOUNDER

| KPI | Current | 6-month | 12-month |
|-----|---------|---------|---------|
| **Inbound DMs / week** (LinkedIn + X) | | | |
| **Deal pipeline value** ($ from personal brand) | $ | $ | $ |
| **Speaking invitations / quarter** | | | |
| **Profile views by decision-makers / week** | | | |
| **Press mentions / month** | | | |
| **LinkedIn followers** | | | |
| **Avg engagement rate** | % | % | % |

### If COACH

| KPI | Current | 6-month | 12-month |
|-----|---------|---------|---------|
| **Course conversion rate** (lead -> buy) | % | % | % |
| **Student retention** (% completing) | % | % | % |
| **NPS** | | | |
| **MRR** | $ | $ | $ |
| **Email list size** | | | |
| **Primary platform followers** | | | |
| **Avg engagement rate** | % | % | % |
| **New testimonials / month** | | | |
| **Referral rate** | % | % | % |

### If CREATOR

| KPI | Current | 6-month | 12-month |
|-----|---------|---------|---------|
| **Follower growth / month** (primary platform) | | | |
| **Avg views / video** | | | |
| **Engagement rate** | % | % | % |
| **Brand deal floor price** | $ | $ | $ |
| **Affiliate revenue / month** | $ | $ | $ |
| **Own product MRR** | $ | $ | $ |
| **Email list / community size** | | | |
| **Content output** (per week) | | | |
| **Avg watch time** | | | |

---

## US REGULATORY NOTES (READ ONCE)

- **FTC Endorsement Guides** — any sponsored content must clearly disclose. "#ad" or "Sponsored" up front. Applies to Founder + Coach + Creator equally.
- **CCPA / CPRA (California)** + similar state laws — if collecting emails from CA residents, honor data deletion / opt-out requests. Use a CCPA-compliant ESP (most US ESPs handle this).
- **Tax structure** — most US personal brands monetizing $50K+ should consider LLC -> S-Corp election (consult a CPA). Sole proprietorship simplest at <$30K/year.
- **Cultural note** — direct selling, calls to action, "let's hop on a call" are normal in US. Specificity in numbers / outcomes wins. The "personal brand industry" is mature, so differentiation matters more than effort.

---

*Variant 01-us | Skill 22-global | Over Powers Agency | v1.0.0*
