Brand New Start is the first book I have read, focusing on personal branding, and I must say that it is worth it. Thanks to Writersmelon for sending this review copy. It must be one of the most thoughtful books I have ever reviewed.
About the Book and Author
This book named Brand New Start: Fast-Start Your Career with the Power of Personal Branding is written by Mainak Dhar. The author is an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, and currently, he is a CEO of a multinational company for their India and South Asia operations. Mainak Dhar has authored more than 15 books till now. The book’s length is 174 pages, and it is published by Bloomsbury India.
Review:
The book aims to introduce the reader to the importance of personal branding. It explains very well why every individual, regardless of his position at work, should seek to establish himself/herself as a brand. We often consider that branding is not for everyone, but this book defies that belief, and it does it very logically. We all have a perception that brand building is for people who want to show-off or it is for a particular section of people. Mainak Dhar has contradicted that belief and making us think differently.
The most significant thing I noticed, never in the book author tried to portray himself as an expert who possesses all the knowledge. He repeatedly stated that the book is based on his readings and experiences of his life. In fact, he has referred to various research or interviews or statements by renewed people before making his point. It wouldn’t just help to understand the book better but adds a lot of value and credibility to it.
The core of the book is the ADDA model of personal branding. The model introduced by Manish Dhar has four aspects to it. It suggests keeping personal branding authentic and it must have a purpose to it. It asks to play strongly on the points that differentiate you from the rest of the crowd. The model encourages evaluating yourself and face your moments of truth. Lastly, the ADDA model gives great emphasis on the ability to adapt to ever-changing change.
The book has many illustrations and pointers to make it easier for a reader to understand the concepts and memorize them for a long time. The language is pretty simple, except for some jargons used here and there. I like such books that connect with the reader and knows exactly why a reader would be reading them.
While the overall reading experience was decent for me, I found the middle part was stretched too much. The author tried to explain every concept with examples which made it a bit too lengthy. Some prolonged explanations and occasional repetition make it a more extended read than it ideally should be.
Conclusion:
This is an excellent book for everyone, to be honest. But, I will recommend this book to someone who is just starting his/her career or who is in the final years of college or university. I found it rather thought-provoking as well as guiding in many ways. If you’re into the business of marketing like me, this is worth every penny.
You can buy Brand New Start by Mainak Dhar from the links below.
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3fnFMOW
Kindle: https://amzn.to/31unpjk
