CHAPTER 2How Exceptional Leader Brands Are Built

A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.

—JEFF BEZOS, CEO, AMAZON

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM LEADERS who have built exceptional brands? In this chapter I’ve chosen to explore a few “household names”—modern-day leaders and celebrities who have become the “Mercedes-Benz” of their industries. They define their categories. They are standouts among standouts. We know their histories, but what do those stories tell us about how to build a brand?

You don’t have to be Richard Branson, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, or Oprah Winfrey to be standout leader in your own category. The point of sharing these stories is to show you how their stories ...

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