Going from Businessman to Brand, Jay-Z Style

Jay-Z famously rapped, “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man.”

Jay-Z (Photo credit: matthew_harrison)

In a world where a lot of businessmen are celebrities, and a lot of celebrities are businessmen— Jay-Z said it best, “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man.” From the cars he drives, to the alcohol he drinks, to the music he listens to, to the clothes that he wears, it’s all one brand. And based on his #38 Forbes Celebrity rank, he gets paid off every cent he touches.

Growing up listening to a heavy dose of hip-hop and rap, I naturally idolized my urban heroes. Later, when I started looking for mentors in the business world, I marveled at modern day rock star businessmen. Our biggest icons now have the best-integrated empires, like Jay-Z, Russell Simmons, Richard Branson and Trump; they’re a combination of brand and businessman.

Like everyone with a hustler’s ambition, I aspired to be like my early idols, so I set out to do the same as they did. My dilemma was how to go from a suit-wearing, briefcase-carrying businessman (who was secretly listening to hip-hop) to creating a brand in business unique to myself (without selling out).Here’s what I learned along the way…

1. Expose your thorns. Businessmen don’t expose their thorns, but real people do. These days, transparency is a mandate. I took my skeletons out of the closet and put them in the bookstore, and now my bestseller is my version of “rapping about yesterday.” That’s the first step from businessman to brand. Your story is your power, not your shame.

2. Image. I used to wear suits and ties, and now I wear Converse and Levi’s. From Zuckerberg’s hoodie to Steve Job’s turtleneck, the point is, dress however you feel. It’s your brand; you should be comfortable in it.

3. Grow a thick skin. It’s all been said about me, some true and some false, and all it does is bring a smile to my face. If you have haters it’s just proof that you’re on your way to being a brand. And as the old PR saying goes—just get my name right.

4. Make a playlist for your haters. Mine starts out with Nas Hate Me Now. I’ve also got Hate by Jay-Z, Lose Yourself by Eminem, I Made It by Cash Money Heroes, Paparazzi by Xzibit, No love by Eminem, Titaniumfeaturing Sia by David Guetta, Lost by Coldplay with Jay-Z. You can check out my entire playlist on Spotify, 4-my-haters. I’m looking forward to seeing yours.

5. Reinvent yourself. New stakes mean a new strategy. Like Lil Wayne said: “Throw dirt on me, and grow a wildflower.” The moment people think they’ve got you pinned down and they know what you’re made of, show them another angle. Surprise them with something new. (On that note, my next book—Nothing to Lose: a romance novel—is coming out very soon.)

Now let the world know how you plan to go from businessman to brand and comment on this post! What songs are on your “4-my-haters” play list?