It takes years to build a trusted brand and seconds to destroy it.
When I speak with young entrepreneurs, I remind them: brand is everything. It’s the beginning of trust, the engine of loyalty, and the foundation of that personal connection relationship between the consumer, the product and the business.
As an entrepreneur, investor, and advocate of Africapitalism, I’ve learned that success is not just about operations, it’s about perception. How do your customers, employees, and competitors experience your brand?
I am the CMO of every business I lead. I have built my brand by being intentional, consistent, and value-driven. I have matched substance, with execution, and amplified consistently.
I believe in the power of entrepreneurship to transform lives, so we created the Tony Elumelu Foundation to empower thousands of African entrepreneurs.
I believe in long-term investment in Africa. So, when I advocate for Africapitalism, I can demonstrate how Heirs Holdings invests in strategic sectors like power, healthcare, and financial services, not just because they are profitable, but because they are catalytic.
To every entrepreneur, every CEO, every manager reading this: do not leave branding to your marketing department.
Take ownership.
Your brand is not just what you sell. It is who you are.
There’s more to unpack on my branding journey here https://tonyelumelu.com/brand-power-why-every-leader-must-be-their-chief-marketing-officer/
#TOEWay