You have put in the hard work, established your start-up and hit the ground running as business operations begin. Your status quo has changed, and everyone in your business and social circles is referring to you as the Founder of this start-up. At the mention of the word “founder”, you beam with smiles and feel so proud for starting something so great and visionary. Being a founder is a great thing if you ask me. However, this is only the beginning. Do not get too carried away by the accolades and encomiums that you become oblivious to one important ingredient to the success of your business – your reputation. Yes, you read that right! Your reputation is very vital to the growth and success of your business.

You might be thinking, how does my reputation benefit my business? What does my reputation have to do with my business? Think again. It has everything to do with it. It is closely tied to your business brand and is the most valuable currency in your business and social transactions. With it, you have access to great business benefits. Your reputation precedes you and your business such that without being physically present, it ushers you and the business into unexpected places and exciting opportunities. Your reputation as a founder can be likened to an all-expense paid ticket to a treasure island filled with precious stones and gems vital to the growth of your business. Without it, you cannot get into this treasure island. Sadly, if you lose it, you cannot get a new one because it is irreplaceable.

While your reputation is vital and valuable to your business, it can be quite difficult to grasp and master because sometimes, it is built by the best and worst circumstances you are a part of. Sometimes, you may be the culprit and soil your reputation with poor judgment or decisions. At other times, others might ruin your reputation by intentionally peddling often untrue information about you. It is very difficult to build yet, easy to destroy. See! It can be very dicey, making it problematic for you to create and nurture a winning reputation. However, all hope is not lost. You are not completely helpless; you can nurture and grow your reputation regardless.

I can picture you raising your eyebrows and asking, how do I go about this? First, develop a personal brand and, by extension, humanize your business brand. Understand that the secret to nurturing your reputation is ensuring you are visible. Do not be an anonymous founder. You need to be visible and let everyone who matters know that you are the face behind your business brand such that when you make appearances in the media and at events, people automatically recall your business brand. Remember, if you do not tell your story, someone else will. So, the next time you are invited to a public speaking engagement, do not ignore the invitation. Honour the invitation because it gives you the exposure you need to build and nurture your reputation! If there are no invitations, do not be disheartened. Take the bull by the horn and create avenues and platforms that enable you to speak about your personal and business brand.

Second, you can nurture your reputation by having an online presence and becoming a thought leader who consistently shares business insights and knowledge with other professionals via your digital platforms, including LinkedIn, Twitter, your personal website/blog, the company’s website, etc. This way, you become visible and expose your personal and business brand to the professional world. With time, your reputation currency appreciates, and you become a well-known and recognized subject matter expert in your industry.

A note of caution here! Refrain from being so focused on being visible and nurturing your reputation that you throw caution to the wind. Ensure that you consistently build credibility and maintain professionalism in all your dealings regarding nurturing your reputation. Consistency is key. Within and outside the walls of your company, set and maintain the highest standards of professionalism and work ethics. Do not only communicate and engage your staff on professional standards; you should lead by example and exude the same standards.

Your reputation is more important than you think, and nurturing it is neither a walk in the park nor a luxury. It is necessary for your personal and business success and should be taken seriously. So, please pay attention to your reputation; it is an important and valuable asset to you and your business. Guard it diligently and be intentional about nurturing it because out of it flows the goodies and juicy benefits that your business needs to thrive and grow.