Thread by @thefernandocz

In 2018, Mark Zuckerberg was one of the most hated CEOs on the planet.

6 years later, he wears chains, surfs in tuxedos and fights Lex Fridman.

Everyone seems to love him.

It's the most brilliant PR transformation of the century and everyone needs to understand why it worked: 🧵

Remember this scrawny, awkward hacker?

Now, he’s a jacked CEO who fights Lex Fridman & wears chains.

Here’s what you missed about Zuck’s PR transformation:

2004: A nervous 19-year-old in flip-flops launches Facebook from his dorm room.

2024: A confident 40-year-old in gold chains wakeboarding while holding the American flag.

What happened in between?

It's not just about looks.

Zuck's gone from awkward Congressional hearings to scrapping with UFC fighters.

From "smoking meats" videos to receiving gold chains from T-Pain.

This isn't an accident...

Coincidentally, it's coincided with Meta getting its mojo back.

Meta stock is up 60% this year (& 160% in the last 5).

Zuck's transformation mirrors Meta's:

• Meta: From scandal-plagued social media to AI innovator
• Zuck: From robotic CEO to relatable tech bro

The secret?

Zuck's new strategy: Authenticity.

He's not pretending to be a normal guy anymore. He's owning his billionaire status.

• Wakeboarding in a tux? Check.
• Collecting designer chains? Yep.
• Training with MMA fighters? You bet.

Other transformations we're seeing:

Zuck's whole wardrobe got an upgrade:

• Out: Dishwater tees and hoodies
• In: Capri cabana shirts and Yeezy-esque sweatshirts

And:

• He's let his hair grow out into Gen-Z curls
• He's engaging with fashion designers in IG comments

The secret:

While Elon Musk picks culture war fights on X, Zuck's projecting a "whatever bro, I'm doing me" vibe.

By embracing his quirky billionaire status instead of hiding it, Zuck's become MORE relatable.

Now, he's just spending time with his family & spending his billions as we would.

The big takeaway:

Whether or not you liked Zuck before, you probably like him more now.

And it's all down to him just being himself.

This is what people get wrong about personal brand:

They think a personal brand is about being someone else.

That a personal brand = the LinkedIn influencer types.

But Zuck's transformation shows you:

Your authentic self is what leads to the best outcomes.

@iamjasonlevin puts this extremely well:

"If you want to be loved by masses, stop pretending to be normal and middle class and acting ashamed of your wealth (no one finds shame cool)."

This goes for whoever you are:

If you're just starting out to entrepreneurship, don't try and share lessons from a place of authority.

Those who ACTUALLY have authority won't respect you for it.

Be authentic. Share your journey & struggles instead.

Now, you're probably wondering what MY authority is here:

The reason I can share this lesson is because I work with founders to craft their personal brands online.

I KNOW Zuck's lesson applies. I see it in the results we get for founders we work with:

Authenticity sells.

People crave it, and they can see through the BS.

So:

Tell your real story online.

Share the successes, wins and wisdom.

The benefits are infinite: You'll attract people who align with your vision in the thousands.

Hiring, investment, sales — all become a breeze.

Just be authentic.

If you're ready?

Want to attract customers, investors & opportunities with high-performing content like this?

We just finished our FREE X Audience Building Masterclass showing you how to create content (in any niche) that gets millions of views.

Get it here:

audiencemasterclass.com

A bit about me:

2 years ago, I stumbled on the opportunity of the decade:

Personal Branding.

Since then, I quit my job to build @ThoughtleadrX — and now we're working with some of your favorite founders.

Follow for more content like this!