This is not another one of those LinkedIn posts about ~personal branding~.
This email is a deep dive into the success of one of the best personal brands out there and how YOUR brand can begin to pull this lever.
(Before you ask, yes I watch Emma Chamberlain. )
A platform dominated by Logan Paul, PewDiePie, and David Dobrik, Emma began to stake her claim as a voice to be reckoned with.
Off of her raw and uncut vlogs, Emma began to build an audience of millions through the course of the next 4 years.
While others were hyper focused on audience retention and eye-catching thumbnails, Emma just talked to the camera while making her morning coffee.
It was simple, it was clear, it was honest.
And in 2020, Emma made a power move. Leaning into her obsession, Emma decided to explore making her own line of coffee.
Now I know what you’re thinking, a coffee brand built on the back of a YouTuber with 12M subscribers, that’s quite the platform to launch from.
And you’re right. If we all had 12M subscribers we could think of a business and probably be able to move some units at first. But what Emma has built is not just a one-time product that after people buy from her, they never add to cart again.
How has she been able to do that? Years of staying top of mind and building herself into a thought leader in the coffee space, through the output of content that highlights her expertise. Okay, that was a lot of buzz words.
Basically Emma has been posting weekly vlogs on YouTube since 2017. And these vlogs are always centered around coffee and fashion, leading to her building a following of over 12M subscribers.
People want to follow people, not companies.
We see it a lot on LinkedIn, personal branding gurus and everyone vying to become a thought leader on the timeline. But there are only a handful that execute the way Emma has executed.
Becoming a thought leader takes time. Emma spent 4 years creating content before launching Chamberlain Coffee.Your content has to be hyper focused on the niche you are targeting.
Emma has used coffee as the anchor in all of her videos, you won’t go one video without seeing her making a cup of and showcasing her outfit of the day.
You have to identify what your differentiator is, and lean into it unapologetically. For Emma it has been her witty humor and conversational tone that has since been emulated by thousands on YouTube and TikTok.
In August of 2022, Chamberlain Coffee raised a $7M Series A round and continues to look to expand. Over 50% of online orders for Chamberlain Coffee purchase merch in tandem with coffee.
A voice for effortless fashion and great-tasting coffee, Emma Chamberlain is turning Chamberlain Coffee into a brand ready to shake up the $95B coffee industry.
It can be the personal touch, credibility, and organic reach that your brand is missing.
Want a masterclass in personal branding? Just watch Emma.
