When building a brand, people often put their focus on the wrong areas and then wonder why the brand isn't taking off. When we're talking branding, especially apparel, people are usually buying into an idea or another person and what they stand for, and not necessarily just the products themselves. Building a message that you know other people need to hear is an essential first step in getting people to be interested in your brand. Find a community that will rally around that message, inspire them with your ideas, and they will want to buy what you create as their way of supporting your idea. This is the slow yet brilliant approach that led to the very successful launch of the apparel company Official Patriot Gear, owned by Ian Wendt.

Ian Wendt is an expert in sales, an accomplished creative, speaker, and a marketing professional. Ian's passion has always been about serving others by helping them to reach new levels of performance both in their professional and personal lives. With his successful history in communication sales, Ian turned his focus on launching his own brand and apparel company, Official Patriot Gear. Their message is simple: patriotism is not partisan or exclusive. He's taking that message to the masses and drawing attention to some of the most controversial and polarizing subjects of today's culture and society. At the age of 34, Ian has established himself as an influential leader and teacher.

In this episode of the 365 Driven Podcast, Ian Wendt talks about the importance of always chasing fulfillment, focusing on adding value to others, embracing challenges, not being afraid to reinvent yourself, and what it means to be a Patriot. Ian credits a lot of his success to making the decision to stop caring what other people think about him. Although we hear this advice a lot, few people have actually put that into action. Releasing the fear of judgment or how others may perceive you will free you to do so much more and align with people that will resonate with your message. That is how you build an unstoppable brand.

Key highlights:

• Fulfillment should be constant
• How to be successful: Find gaps and find a way to fill them
• Put yourself in challenging situations so you can grow from them
• Society's two biggest problems: Apathy and entitlement
• The 3 things that drive people: Money, power, and control
• About Official Patriot Gear: What is it and how did it start?
• Why building an identity around politics is dangerous
• How to build a powerful brand
• Putting your audience into perspective if you think you don't have a big enough following to make a difference in the world

For resources and links mentioned in this episode, visit: 365driven.com/episode304