In the October 17th, 2013 article “If You Like a Star Athlete, Now You Can Buy a Share,” Peter Lattman and Seve Eder talk about the new Fantex trading exchange in which investors can “buy and sell interests in professional athletes.”

With the backing of executives from Silicon Valley, Wall Street and the sports world, the new exchange will create and then track stocks that are tied to an athlete’s financial performance.  Beyond their earnings for actually playing, corporate endorsements and appearance fees are also included in calculating the stars value both on and off the field.

Here is how you can increase your personal brand value . . .

Although it does have its detractors – renown sports psychologist Dr. Jack Singer worries that getting a ton of money up front may actually have a negative impact relative to a player’s on-field performance – it is nonetheless an interesting concept.

While only a very small percentage of the population plays professional sports, the principle behind making an investment in another person’s brand is somewhat universal in the everyday workforce.

For example, think about those organizations who pay the fees associated with providing their employees with additional education or training.  In reality, these companies are betting that their investment in developing an employee’s skill set will pay-off in terms of improved performance and bottom line results for the company.  This is the company’s return on their investment.

Of course making investments such as paying for additional training or for travel to attend an industry conference, is usually offered to those who have established their value or the potential of their value to the organization.  This is your “recognized” brand value or worth.

The question you have to ask yourself is simply this; have I established my brand’s value to the point that the company with whom I work or the client I want to serve, is willing to make an investment in me?

Even though we may not perform our various duties in front of millions of people every Sunday afternoon, at the end of the day the end goal is still the same; you have to create value to realize value in terms of personal satisfaction and financial reward.

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