Every now and again, you get a life (or professional) lesson just when you need it most. When Hay House sent me Your Stand Is Your Brand by Patrick Gentempo, I thought they’d shipped me a mentor in a box. No joke. The experiences that best-selling author and multi-faceted entrepreneur Gentempo shares in his book, focusing on unearthing your purpose and being true to who you are, couldn’t have aligned better with my own professional journey.

This book is not only designed for entrepreneurs but for any professional who feels as if they are giving it all and somehow, it’s not quite checking all the boxes. He encourages you to identify your contradictions and look for blind spots that you’ve missed as you’ve jumped feet first into this life’s endeavor. When you’ve arrived at this place, Gentempo challenges you to take a stand for what you truly believe in.

This is when your brand is unleashed, and your professional journey is aligned and on a success path.

“Your true calling lies in your strengths and not your weaknesses.”

The big takeaway from this book is not only how much of his life story is incredibly intriguing (global keynote speaker, millionaire business owner and national karate champion just to give you a taste), but how many powerful lessons (and I mean applicable AND powerful) he shares from these experiences that you can immediately apply. Take this one:

“What happens far too often is that people get clarity about their philosophy and purpose and then they are psychologically aligned. Everything starts moving, but then—BAM—their procedures come in conflict with those elements and it’s like hitting a brick wall with a sign on it that says, ‘Your growth stops here.’”

But one of Gentempo’s lessons learned is that he needed to provide his listeners, readers and followers with actual, applicable and authentic success steps. How this realization came about is an awesome story, too! So, voila! You are introduced to The 5-P Expansion Sequence, “a model that fully illustrates how philosophy is the ultimate cause, and prosperity is the ultimate effect.”

This breakthrough process is designed to unearth your core values and then grow your brand and business harmoniously to a three-star rating.

I can’t stress enough how applicable this book and the 5-P Expansion Sequence is. I used it in my own life and unearthed several contradictions which needed to be explored. It’s amazing how much we allow external factors to dictate who we are and why we need to perform, or run a business, in a certain way. I’ve always inwardly rebelled against doing so, but have found myself time and again, returning to what seemed safe and smart. It wasn’t. Instead, when I understood and appreciated my values that would dictate what my brand did, I found joy in my work and success for my clients.

Your Stand is Your Brand, available on 3/17/2020, is a book that I will frequently reference moving away from distractions and staying on your true north path. I highly recommend this read to all working professionals and entrepreneurs.

Image courtesy of Hay House Inc.