Think personal branding is about self-promotion? Think again.

In this episode of Executive Connect, host Melissa Aarskaug sit down with Alan McLaren, co-founder of Strata Originals and trusted advisor to more than 600 CEOs, to redefine what personal branding really is. Alan explains why visibility is not about ego, marketing, or chasing attention, but about leadership, service, and trust at scale.

This conversation dismantles the fear executives feel about putting themselves out there and replaces it with a practical, human-centered framework for building influence without the ick factor. If you are a CEO, founder, or senior leader who knows visibility matters but has been avoiding it, this episode will show you why your leadership brand may be your most undervalued asset.

What You Will Learn

• Why personal branding is really leadership branding
• How visibility builds trust, influence, and opportunity
• The real cost of staying invisible as a leader
• How to overcome fear without feeling self-promotional
• Why service eliminates the ick factor
• How CEOs build relationships at scale
• What authentic content actually looks like
• Why consistency matters more than perfection
• How AI will change branding and why humanity still wins

Chapters

(0:01) Why personal branding is misunderstood
(1:26) The pivot that changed Alan’s career
(2:55) Leadership is not about you
(4:44) Reframing personal branding as leadership branding
(6:55) The hidden risks of staying invisible
(9:14) How to get past fear and the ick factor
(11:33) The breakthrough moment for most CEOs
(13:48) Content that builds trust, not clicks
(16:55) What to do with only 20 minutes a week
(19:48) How clarity unlocks unexpected opportunities
(22:57) Why the CEO sets the leadership tone
(25:33) Lessons Alan learned building his own brand
(27:25) Using fear as a growth signal
(29:40) AI, authenticity, and the future of branding
(32:07) How leaders should start today
(33:54) How to connect with Alan McLaren

Guest Bio

Alan McLaren is the co-founder of Strata Originals and a leadership branding strategist who has coached more than 600 CEOs and senior executives. With a background spanning agency leadership, public companies, and executive coaching, Alan helps leaders move from invisibility to influence by building trust-driven personal brands rooted in service and authenticity.

Connect With Alan McLaren
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanmclaren
Company: https://strataoriginals.com

Connect With Executive Connect
Website: https://www.executiveconnectpodcast.com
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LinkedIn: Melissa Aarskaug
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