Bradley Miller, TPE
Founder of MedicineThink
"I'm currently between start-ups and as I've been trying to figure out my next venture I started doing quite a bit of consulting in both life science and healthcare. My wife, who's a PR pro, and a few friends convinced me to start a blog called MedicineThink.com - both as an outlet and as an opportunity to start building an online presence and developing a personal brand.
As I started to blog and after some PR coaching from my wife it became clear that if I was going to start building a web presence and my "personal brand" that I'd have to have professional headshots done.
I hadn't done this before and I'm always nervous taking pictures. At 6'5" and the size of a linebacker I think I'm a hard person to shoot. These images were important to me to establish the right branding, relaxed but intelligent and with integrity. Despite my academic and professional achievements, it's always my impression that my size makes a "jock" impression as I walk in to a room and I didn't want that in people's minds. I wanted the images to make the first impression as an broadly thinking intelligent professional before I even met my next contact or client. Clearly, I had a lot of concerns and worried about pulling it all together.
I know in business the first impression matters most. I wanted to tell a story, and to convey comfort immediately. I brought in Allana to photo more than just me, but to show who I am. She has an uncanny ability to capture the true essence of a person. The true me.
I sat down with Allana and we plotted out the shoot - the Golden Gate Bridge - local to me and my work, and an iconic structure. I liked the concept of using the bridge, it's metal construction (rivets and custom metal lamps and wires, etc) to convey strength while also balancing out my size somewhat. It also lends a sense of style and integrity. And although my shots were somewhat posed, I feel like Allana truly caught the essence of what I wanted to go for.
The pictures have only been up for a few days, and I've already gotten incredible compliments. The process and pictures themselves have also given me a new sense of confidence coming across in my writing and in my interactions with clients and colleagues. I love my new first impression."
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Photographed by Allana Taranto of Ars Magna StudioAs a small business owner, it is imperative to have a professional, engaging online presence. We work hard at defining our brand, spending [sometimes too much] time on social media marketing. An online presence is a face of your business, and a compelling editorial portrait that engages your target market and builds familiarity with your clients is necessary. "I spoke with Bradley a few days prior to the portrait shoot, to discuss who he is inside, and what we need to portrait outwardly. Brad wanted to have direct eye contact with the person viewing the portrait and to see how open and accessible he is. In person he has an intimidating stature. I couldn't think of a better place than the Golden Gate bridge to bring him back to a "less intimidating size" and show the real Bradley Miller." |
Compiled by Mike Michalowicz, Author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur
