To have or not to have: a personal brand
The fact of the matter is that each person is forming an image whether you are aware or not aware about it. Many people debate about whether we should have a personal brand or not.
The debate should not be about whether we should or not, as each action or word that you utter is forming impressions about you. The real debate is whether the image that you are creating is your reality image or the one you want to have. If you are not happy about what people think or say about you, that means that your personal brand, behaviour, its presentation, its values need a revisit.
The problem today is that personal branding has become an obsessive exercise that is so far removed from reality that it has become an exercise of 'fake it till you make it'. In today's world we see the young trying to look and behave like old and the old using filters and reels to act young and perky. Instagram is the short cut to building up a brand these days.
Aside from products, people are also using this forum to look, behave, talk in a manner that fulfills their personal brand aspirations. However, the fact that you can tweak your looks, words, behaviour has put a huge question mark on the types of personal branding pressures that it creates. Instagram users try to create superior images constantly looking for external impetus.
Many users engaging in digital status seeking (looking for popularity online) and social comparison (evaluating oneself in relation to others) tend to experience negative psychological outcomes.
Such behaviors have been linked to increases in depressive symptoms, social anxiety, and body image concerns across age groups, as well as decreases in self-esteem (Sherlock, M., & Wagstaff, D. L., Psychology of Popular Media). This comparison and mental pressure to develop a personal brand creates a huge disconnect between the actual and the virtual and is the real bane of personal branding disasters. This obsessive compulsive urge to be a certain, age, look, act and behaviour has actually brought a lot of negative smears on the process of developing personal brands. What we need is to rationalize this process to make a choice of going for it or not. Let us first look at what the personal branding should 'NOT' be before we say what it should be:
A sum of the greatest number of 'likes'— Yes the personal brand should make you likeable to your important stakeholders. No, the likability should not be determined from the number of likes you get on the social media. The pressure to have followers and likes on click is a recipe for creating personas that are not YOU. The race to reach your first hundred, thousand, million completely overshadows the quality of the brand that truly is you.
A promise that cannot be delivered— Another problem with creating a showpiece personal brand that is very eye catching is that it builds expectation in the minds of the viewers. The trend these days is to hire PR specialists who do the brand building for you. Nothing wrong with that.
However, the PR specialist in her or his race to prove how effective they are at their job then create stories, quotes, promises that are not realistic and feasible. This may get you attention in the beginning but prove very damaging if the same people find out the reality.
For example, in a pursuit to make you sound and look intellectual they create and pose literary stuff on you that makes the intellectuals sort you out. But if the interactions with these intellectuals reveal that what is being written and your conversations have a disconnect, it may totally break down personal trust.
A selfie narcissism— The 'Selfie' is the true me, myself and I obsession. Many professionals go overboard in trying to create a brand of being everywhere, doing everything in every conference, every meeting and every family interaction. Yes the comments that come on the multiple selfie moments are cute and encouraging, but it also shows a brand desperation that does not create a classy professional impression.
Branding, be it of a product or a person has some foundational principles. Without these foundations, anything you build will in the long run crack and crumble. Some of these principles are:
Authenticity over duplicity- The filters hide marks on the face but they cannot hide marks on the personality. Your personal brand needs to find out what is that you are, what is that you do that is unique, and, what is that you represent. If you are giving advice on how to eat healthy, base it on your experience, your expertise, your journey. If your story is based on what people wanting to hear to get their approval, you will end up living on the edge if it is not truly what you represent. Nothing breaks the brand trust if a person is found to be hollow, fake or overhyped.
Discover your niche- The answer to 'why' needs to be sought within you. Why should people respect you? Why should people hire you? What is that you have to offer that others cannot do? A brand has to have an appeal. What is that personal appeal that you can develop? What is the unique value that makes you distinct?
Have a holistic approach- Consulting an expert always helps. If you are lucky to have such expertise, build up a holistic plan for making your brand matter. Do not think that being on social media, Instagram or LinkedIn is the 'fast forward' way. They are great forums to exhibit your personality. But the real game is to have a plan that puts together your personal values in alignment with your plan. Do not forget the fundamentals—work on your area of expertise, meet the right people, form the right communities, upgrade your skills, and keep digging to understand yourself and what you can offer.
At the end of the day, what you are, speaks louder than your Instagram posts, your reel snippets, and your one liner quotes. If the core of your personal brand has substance, if your core values shine through your actions, you will earn the trust and the respect that enables a person to become a true brand.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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Business Recorder
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To have or not to have: a personal brand
Straight, dodgy, secretive, open, charming offensive articulate, struggling, positive, evasive and many more. These are all words that describe what people perceive about a person. These are the impressions that emit from your personality. These are the signals your behaviour manifests. This may be by design or default. The fact of the matter is that each person is forming an image whether you are aware or not aware about it. Many people debate about whether we should have a personal brand or not. The debate should not be about whether we should or not, as each action or word that you utter is forming impressions about you. The real debate is whether the image that you are creating is your reality image or the one you want to have. If you are not happy about what people think or say about you, that means that your personal brand, behaviour, its presentation, its values need a revisit. The problem today is that personal branding has become an obsessive exercise that is so far removed from reality that it has become an exercise of 'fake it till you make it'. In today's world we see the young trying to look and behave like old and the old using filters and reels to act young and perky. Instagram is the short cut to building up a brand these days. Aside from products, people are also using this forum to look, behave, talk in a manner that fulfills their personal brand aspirations. However, the fact that you can tweak your looks, words, behaviour has put a huge question mark on the types of personal branding pressures that it creates. Instagram users try to create superior images constantly looking for external impetus. Many users engaging in digital status seeking (looking for popularity online) and social comparison (evaluating oneself in relation to others) tend to experience negative psychological outcomes. Such behaviors have been linked to increases in depressive symptoms, social anxiety, and body image concerns across age groups, as well as decreases in self-esteem (Sherlock, M., & Wagstaff, D. L., Psychology of Popular Media). This comparison and mental pressure to develop a personal brand creates a huge disconnect between the actual and the virtual and is the real bane of personal branding disasters. This obsessive compulsive urge to be a certain, age, look, act and behaviour has actually brought a lot of negative smears on the process of developing personal brands. What we need is to rationalize this process to make a choice of going for it or not. Let us first look at what the personal branding should 'NOT' be before we say what it should be: A sum of the greatest number of 'likes'— Yes the personal brand should make you likeable to your important stakeholders. No, the likability should not be determined from the number of likes you get on the social media. The pressure to have followers and likes on click is a recipe for creating personas that are not YOU. The race to reach your first hundred, thousand, million completely overshadows the quality of the brand that truly is you. A promise that cannot be delivered— Another problem with creating a showpiece personal brand that is very eye catching is that it builds expectation in the minds of the viewers. The trend these days is to hire PR specialists who do the brand building for you. Nothing wrong with that. However, the PR specialist in her or his race to prove how effective they are at their job then create stories, quotes, promises that are not realistic and feasible. This may get you attention in the beginning but prove very damaging if the same people find out the reality. For example, in a pursuit to make you sound and look intellectual they create and pose literary stuff on you that makes the intellectuals sort you out. But if the interactions with these intellectuals reveal that what is being written and your conversations have a disconnect, it may totally break down personal trust. A selfie narcissism— The 'Selfie' is the true me, myself and I obsession. Many professionals go overboard in trying to create a brand of being everywhere, doing everything in every conference, every meeting and every family interaction. Yes the comments that come on the multiple selfie moments are cute and encouraging, but it also shows a brand desperation that does not create a classy professional impression. Branding, be it of a product or a person has some foundational principles. Without these foundations, anything you build will in the long run crack and crumble. Some of these principles are: Authenticity over duplicity- The filters hide marks on the face but they cannot hide marks on the personality. Your personal brand needs to find out what is that you are, what is that you do that is unique, and, what is that you represent. If you are giving advice on how to eat healthy, base it on your experience, your expertise, your journey. If your story is based on what people wanting to hear to get their approval, you will end up living on the edge if it is not truly what you represent. Nothing breaks the brand trust if a person is found to be hollow, fake or overhyped. Discover your niche- The answer to 'why' needs to be sought within you. Why should people respect you? Why should people hire you? What is that you have to offer that others cannot do? A brand has to have an appeal. What is that personal appeal that you can develop? What is the unique value that makes you distinct? Have a holistic approach- Consulting an expert always helps. If you are lucky to have such expertise, build up a holistic plan for making your brand matter. Do not think that being on social media, Instagram or LinkedIn is the 'fast forward' way. They are great forums to exhibit your personality. But the real game is to have a plan that puts together your personal values in alignment with your plan. Do not forget the fundamentals—work on your area of expertise, meet the right people, form the right communities, upgrade your skills, and keep digging to understand yourself and what you can offer. At the end of the day, what you are, speaks louder than your Instagram posts, your reel snippets, and your one liner quotes. If the core of your personal brand has substance, if your core values shine through your actions, you will earn the trust and the respect that enables a person to become a true brand. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
05-06-2025
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How we love and lost Bakra Eid
By the time Eidul Azha actually rolls around, the country has long surrendered to it. Around this time, an empty plot rarely stays that way for long – transforming into a jam-packed mandi. There, you will find people gripping goats by their mouths to inspect their teeth. (For the unaware: the goat's teeth reveal its age, with the two-toothed ones holding the highest value). On the roads, cars cautiously crawl behind the occasional herd of cows that make their way like they own the place and somehow, they do. No one bats an eye when a Suzuki drives by overflowing with animals stacked on top of each other, their limbs poking out from every possible gap. Kids run outside with bags of 'chaara' leaving a trail behind for their newly adopted goats. And of course, there is always that one cousin trying to one up everyone else, proudly boasting about how much cash they dropped on their cow or camel since a goat is simply too basic. It is loud, it is chaotic, but it is unmistakably ours. Because for many of us, this Eid is a direct line to our childhood memories. Trips to the mandi were our first introduction to the coveted phrase 'munasib lagao'. We all have a Bakra Eid story: the one goat that escaped through the neighborhood chased by a party of screaming uncles or the chachu who got smacked in the face by a panicked cow. Above all, we will never forget the dizzying excitement of waking up on Eid morning to the sound of knives being sharpened, the scent of raw meat in the air and our moms portioning out qurbani meat into plastic bags for our dads to distribute. Certainly, there is an intimacy to this Eid that has stayed with us long after the meat has been packed away. Yet, somewhere along the way, its spirit has started to fade away. For all the affection we offer our animals, it cannot be denied that we grossly overlook their comfort. Goats are tied too tightly under the harsh sun with no shade, cows stand for hours on hot concrete, and water is forgotten between rounds of eager children tugging at their ears or climbing on their backs. We decorate them in elaborate garlands and shiny bells, and laugh when they struggle under the weight as if their discomfort is part of a quirky performance. Perhaps our cruelty is not deliberate – we mean well in our excitement but it is increasingly on the edge of negligence. Qurbani for the algorithm A large part of what has changed also is that this sacred act has become entirely performative. Qurbani now arrives with a front-facing camera and animals are documented from the moment they arrive. Their pictures and videos are spammed across WhatsApp from every angle imaginable (including things no one wants to see) and posted to Instagram reels none of us can escape. Of course, there is nothing inherently wrong with it. In fact, much of it is, admittedly, hilarious. A goat named Pathan Khan eating biryani off a plate, another balancing between three men on a bike. However, our laughter should not negate the fact that this trend is reducing the animal to a source of entertainment, distorting the lines between sacrifice and spectacle. In doing so, it inevitably makes way for the more disturbing act of filming the Qurbani itself, with people resorting to posting pictures, full videos and even live streaming it. Which leaves us to question, who even watches those and what does that accomplish other than turning an act of worship into a sensationalised broadcast? And then there is the matter of price. In the weeks leading up to Eid, prices soar to near absurd heights. An animal becomes a status symbol, less about sacrifice and more about wanting to surpass our neighbours – and their uncles and their brothers. Sellers, knowing that people will spend whatever it takes, take full advantage of this demand, because they know one simple truth: you cannot walk away without buying. And so, a ritual that is literally about charity ends up feeling increasingly out of reach, excluding the very people it was meant to uplift. Blood, smell, and tears Unfortunately, the challenges do not end here. Most densely populated cities in Pakistan are simply not designed infrastructurally to accommodate the scale, animals or the waste that comes with Eid. And Karachi, more than anywhere else, bears the grunt of it. This part – the aftermath – may be the hardest to joke about. It neither smells or looks good when zthe remains of the animals are left to rot on the side of the roads, as we jump over them to get to our cars. To make matters worse, there is always the impending doom that the rivers of fresh blood and sewage water will meet halfway to create a pungent sludge of filth and contamination. And God forbid if it rains, the bloody waste water mixes with rainfall to create an unpleasant and foul mess to say the least. Not to mention, it stretches out already overburdened municipal services and falls on sanitation workers who are rarely paid or treated fairly. In a religion where the ethical treatment of animals and the importance of cleanliness are fundamental, it is hard to overlook the irony. Ours is a ritual meant to honour life and sacrifice – it should not, under any circumstances, disregard it in the process. To be clear, none of this is a rejection of the festival. If anything, it comes from a longing for a time we desperately ache for. Eid is still one of the few moments where the country feels connected. The endless BBQ dawats, the chaos in everyone's kitchens, the collective participation in something bigger than ourselves; these are things worth celebrating. But celebration should never come at the cost of compassion. That is also not to say that everyone is getting it wrong. There are families who treat their animals gently, butchers who work cleanly and children who are taught clearly – not just what is happening but why it matters. Simply put: Bakra Eid can be the same, if only we let it be.
Express Tribune
05-06-2025
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Between reverence and reality: The lost spirit of Eidul Azha
By the time Eidul Azha actually rolls around, the country has long surrendered to it. Around this time, an empty plot rarely stays that way for long - transforming into a jam-packed mandi. There, you will find people gripping goats by their mouths to inspect their teeth. (For the unaware: the goat's teeth reveal its age, with the two-toothed ones holding the highest value). On the roads, cars cautiously crawl behind the occasional herd of cows that make their way like they own the place and somehow, they do. No one bats an eye when a Suzuki drives by overflowing with animals stacked on top of each other, their limbs poking out from every possible gap. Kids run outside with bags of 'chaara' leaving a trail behind for their newly adopted goats. And of course, there is always that one cousin trying to one up everyone else, proudly boasting about how much cash they dropped on their cow or camel since a goat is simply too basic. It is loud, it is chaotic, but it is unmistakably ours. Because for many of us, this Eid is a direct line to our childhood memories. Trips to the mandi were our first introduction to the coveted phrase 'munasib lagao'. We all have a Bakra Eid story: the one goat that escaped through the neighborhood chased by a party of screaming uncles or the chachu who got smacked in the face by a panicked cow. Above all, we will never forget the dizzying excitement of waking up on Eid morning to the sound of knives being sharpened, the scent of raw meat in the air and our moms portioning out qurbani meat into plastic bags for our dads to distribute. Certainly, there is an intimacy to this Eid that has stayed with us long after the meat has been packed away. Yet, somewhere along the way, its spirit has started to fade away. For all the affection we offer our animals, it cannot be denied that we grossly overlook their comfort. Goats are tied too tightly under the harsh sun with no shade, cows stand for hours on hot concrete, and water is forgotten between rounds of eager children tugging at their ears or climbing on their backs. We decorate them in elaborate garlands and shiny bells, and laugh when they struggle under the weight as if their discomfort is part of a quirky performance. Perhaps our cruelty is not deliberate - we mean well in our excitement but it is increasingly on the edge of negligence. Qurbani for the algorithm A large part of what has changed also is that this sacred act has become entirely performative. Qurbani now arrives with a front-facing camera and animals are documented from the moment they arrive. Their pictures and videos are spammed across WhatsApp from every angle imaginable (including things no one wants to see) and posted to Instagram reels none of us can escape. Of course, there is nothing inherently wrong with it. In fact, much of it is, admittedly, hilarious. A goat named Pathan Khan eating biryani off a plate, another balancing between three men on a bike. However, our laughter should not negate the fact that this trend is reducing the animal to a source of entertainment, distorting the lines between sacrifice and spectacle. In doing so, it inevitably makes way for the more disturbing act of filming the Qurbani itself, with people resorting to posting pictures, full videos and even live streaming it. Which leaves us to question, who even watches those and what does that accomplish other than turning an act of worship into a sensationalised broadcast? And then there is the matter of price. In the weeks leading up to Eid, prices soar to near absurd heights. An animal becomes a status symbol, less about sacrifice and more about wanting to surpass our neighbours - and their uncles and their brothers. Sellers, knowing that people will spend whatever it takes, take full advantage of this demand, because they know one simple truth: you cannot walk away without buying. And so, a ritual that is literally about charity ends up feeling increasingly out of reach, excluding the very people it was meant to uplift. Blood, smell, and tears Unfortunately, the challenges do not end here. Most densely populated cities in Pakistan are simply not designed infrastructurally to accommodate the scale, animals or the waste that comes with Eid. And Karachi, more than anywhere else, bears the grunt of it. This part - the aftermath - may be the hardest to joke about. It neither smells or looks good when the remains of the animals are left to rot on the side of the roads, as we jump over them to get to our cars. To make matters worse, there is always the impending doom that the rivers of fresh blood and sewage water will meet halfway to create a pungent sludge of filth and contamination. And God forbid if it rains, the bloody waste water mixes with rainfall to create an unpleasant and foul mess to say the least. Not to mention, it stretches out already overburdened municipal services and falls on sanitation workers who are rarely paid or treated fairly. In a religion where the ethical treatment of animals and the importance of cleanliness are fundamental, it is hard to overlook the irony. Ours is a ritual meant to honour life and sacrifice - it should not, under any circumstances, disregard it in the process. To be clear, none of this is a rejection of the festival. If anything, it comes from a longing for a time we desperately ache for. Eid is still one of the few moments where the country feels connected. The endless BBQ dawats, the chaos in everyone's kitchens, the collective participation in something bigger than ourselves; these are things worth celebrating. But celebration should never come at the cost of compassion. That is also not to say that everyone is getting it wrong. There are families who treat their animals gently, butchers who work cleanly and children who are taught clearly - not just what is happening but why it matters. Simply put: Bakra Eid can be the same, if only we let it be. Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.
