The Inaugural Competition

Where it all began.

35 entrepreneurs stepped forward on the virtual stage in November 2022. Ten reached the Top 10. Three earned the title of 2022 Leader to Watch and walked away as the first-ever Brand Builders. This is the story of the inaugural competition.

The Winners

The first three Brand Builders.

Gold

Angie Bailey

Registered Nurse & Calming Calligraphy Practitioner

“Helping nurses relieve stress with calming calligraphy so they can feel rejuvenated in their work and life.”

Silver

Kristin Light

Accessibility Advocate for Disabilities of the Mind

“Demystifying mental health at work and play.”

Bronze

Mell Balment

The Deep Belief Hacker

“Guiding empathic leaders to master and command their mindstorms to confidently sail to calmer waters.”

Top 10 Finalists

The other seven who made the stage.

These seven reached the Top 10 alongside our first three Brand Builders. Each brought a brand the world deserved to see.

Karen Porter

Women's Health & Wellness Coach

Carlyn Morris

Outdoor Adventurer & Solution Scout

Michele Maher

Custom Statement Jewellery Designer

Karen Wallington

Artisan of Dreadlocks

Patrice Esper, DTM

An Entrepreneur's Super Hero

Anu Tähemaa

Corporate Maestro

Peter Hernandez

Transformational Speaker

Think you could build a brand like this?

The Brand Builder Competition runs every spring and fall. Entry is free, and the stage is open to entrepreneurs, authors, speakers, and professionals ready to prove they're leaders worth following.

Enter the Competition →

The Judges

Four brand builders who shaped it all.

Mike Kim

Personal Brand Strategist

Author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller “You Are the Brand.” Mike has helped thought leaders like John Maxwell, Donald Miller, and Dr. Daniel Amen build their brands.

Crystal Adair-Benning

Copywriter & Ghostwriter

Crystal had her first New York Times bestseller as a ghostwriter at 15. Based on Vancouver Island, she helps authors, writers, and speakers take their message from stage to page.

Tiffany Neuman

Brand Strategist for Female Entrepreneurs

With 20 years in corporate brand work for Stoli Vodka, Burt's Bees, FedEx, and Adidas, Tiffany helps mission-driven female entrepreneurs build magnetic brands. She is a professor and contributor for Entrepreneur.

Stu McLaren

Membership Sites Expert

Since 2008, Stu has helped entrepreneurs package their expertise into stable, recurring revenue through membership sites. He is the creator of TRIBE and a passionate advocate for building orphanages in Kenya.

The Prize Package

A lineup worth over $20,000.

Gold

The Full Brand Package

Brand coaching package with Mike Kim (messaging, copy, personal brand)
6-month membership in Mike Kim's Marketing School
Book coaching for 90 days plus 6 bi-weekly meetings with Crystal Adair-Benning
Legacy Brand Foundations program with Tiffany Neuman
Plan It, Build It, Searchy Starter course plus 1-year Searchy Pro with Stu McLaren
Signature Legacy Video by Speaker Slam®

Silver

The Brand Amplifier

45-minute one-on-one call with Mike Kim
Plan It, Build It, Searchy Starter course plus 6 months Searchy Pro with Stu McLaren
90-minute Brand Legacy Strategy Session with Tiffany Neuman
Copywriting package with Crystal Adair-Benning

Bronze

The Brand Starter

Custom-branded social media graphics from Tiffany Neuman's Your Legacy Brand design team
30-minute one-on-one call with Mike Kim
Plan It, Build It, Searchy Starter course plus 3 months Searchy Pro with Stu McLaren
6 months of Content Curators membership with Crystal Adair-Benning

Total prize package valued at over $20,000.

Not ready to compete?

Come to a free Momentum class.

Work on your positioning, your graphic, and your message with Rina before you step onto the stage. Classes run twice a month on Saturdays at 10 AM EST. No cost, no catch.

Book a Class →

The Full Field

Every leader who stepped forward.

Before the Top 10 was named, there were 35. Every person who submitted a positioning graphic and declared who they are. Click any card to see it full size.