Hi,

This week’s newsletter is more surface-level, sharing a recent realization I had about brand building.

Let’s explore below.

Let’s dive in ⬇️

Dolphins Cancer Challenge

Before jumping into the newsletter…on a personal note, I recently signed up for the Dolphins Cancer Challenge - a fundraiser in Miami, FL next February to raise money in the fight against cancer.

Participants have the option of running, cycling, or walking.

I’ll be cycling and can’t wait for the event.

In case you’re interested in donating, 100% of funds will go directly to cancer research.

To set the stage…I’m subscribed to a bunch of different newsletters from brands and individual people.

The subject matter ranges from music, entertainment, tech, and more.

I’ve been subscribed to some for just a few weeks and others for as long as a few years.

Last week, I finished reading 2 different newsletters back-to-back and had a thought that took me by surprise:

“I’ve been reading these for a while and I’m not actually learning anything tactical from them.”

Out of nowhere, almost as if it hit me like a ton of bricks, I realized I wasn’t learning anything super tangible.

I started thinking back to the older newsletter issues I’ve read from these 2 particular people and realized they both had that in common.

I wasn’t really learning any new specific tactics or strategies.

In fact, I was actually already familiar with a lot of the ideas these creators were talking about.

Both of these newsletter writers are 2 respected leaders in their fields (one is in tech and another in music) and after thinking about it, I laughed to myself and thought:

“I’ve been reading these guys for years and I’m not really learning much in each issue that is super applicable to my own life.”

It got me thinking…

What was I actually getting out of being subscribed and reading?

Why was I still so invested in these people, despite not walking away with a ton of tangible tips for execution?

Then it hit me…PERSPECTIVE.

I was invested in their perspective on things. Their story. Their background.

The things I could relate to about who they were and what they were doing.

• We have similar interests

• I see parts of myself in them and their journeys

• We think about things in a similar way

• They’re vulnerable enough to share their failures

Despite tactical strategies being missing, I was still invested in who they were because of all of these other things and as a result, I kept coming back because I was interested in their perspective.

How they thought about things and how they approached certain situations, people, etc.

To be honest, most of it isn’t anything groundbreaking. (no disrespect to them!)

In fact…after reflecting, it’s a lot of stuff I already know but part of the value I’m finding in their perspective is that it serves as reassurance.

Reassurance for how I see things and validation of my own perspective as well as reassurance when you mess up or fail, you know you’re not alone.

Everyone is just trying to figure it out. Not in a super corny way like how these internet thought leaders always preach “just be authentic”. Ugh.

Moreso in a way that acknowledges even people at a very high level fail. They make mistakes. They don’t always get it right. They’re not some superhuman robot machine who has a 100% batting average in making decisions.

Sometimes they make the wrong decisions - what’s dope is that they acknowledge it, learn from it, and move on.

It’s also entertainment - it’s fun to read about the stories of people you find interesting, even if you’re not really walking away with a ton of applicable ideas for your own life.

It was a reminder that all of these components play a part in people connecting with you and your relatability:

• Who you are…

• Where you’re from…

• Your morals and values…

• Your hobbies and activities…

• Your general way of thinking about the world…

• Being vulnerable about your wins, losses, and everything in between…

These are all elements that other people can relate to and contribute while brand building.

Take the thought leader in tech that I follow - I haven’t really learned anything tangible or applicable to my own career but nonetheless, I’m still invested in his journey.

His story feels personal - I’m rooting for him. I’m getting a first-hand look into his journey and the things that connect us are making me invested.

While this might sound obvious, it’s something that so many artists and creators overlook.

Part of brand building as an artist isn’t just getting people to fall in love with your music - it’s where you’re from, what you stand for, what your hobbies, are.

Being open and vulnerable about your failures along with your wins. Letting your audience know you’re not some perfect robot - you’re a real person trying to figure it out just like they are.

These are all things that people can find relatable and connect to.

Not in a manipulative way, but in a genuine human way.

Zooming out a little bit…all of these elements create a web of connectivity.

How many things can people latch onto and connect to?

Same thing with creators. There are a few creators I follow who I’m not necessarily the biggest fan of their content, but I love their story and am still rooting for them because of it.

It’s an idea that I was already aware of but this simple realization reinforced it.

This idea has actually come to partially define my relationship with some of my favorite artists…

I’m not necessarily the biggest fan of their recent music but I’m endeared to them and rooting for them because of my history with their music, what they stand for, etc.

Do you experience the same thing? I’m curious if there’s anyone you’re a fan of with the same dynamic.

Hopefully this was helpful on your journey.

Thanks for reading, until next time.

_{The Vault}

 1) Emergent - my cousin actually introduced me to this one! It’s similiar to Lovable, a platform that can be used for building web applications with AI but Emergent has more integrations. For example, it recently just integrated with Claude Sonnet 4.5 More info HERE