Branding Fun: 4 Quick Tips

Picture a young Michael Beebe, fresh out of La Porte High School in ’93, diving headfirst into the world of hospitality with a busboy gig at the old La Porte Holiday Inn. That hustle led him to an Associate of Science from Purdue-North Central in ’95 and a Bachelor’s in Hospitality Management from Purdue-Calumet in ’97 (those schools are now merged into Purdue-Northwest, by the way). Michael’s early career was a whirlwind—running a 140-room hotel in Indianapolis, where he learned the ins and outs of the industry but realized it wasn’t his true calling. What did spark his passion? Teaching. He found himself thriving in front of students at Ivy Tech Community College and Lake Michigan College, sharing the art and science of hospitality management. Oh, and he also moonlighted at WIMS radio in Michigan City, juggling both on-air and behind-the-scenes roles with his signature high energy.
Politics? That’s been Michael’s sidekick since he was 18, registering to vote with a fire in his belly to make a difference. He threw his hat in the ring for La Porte County Council in 2010, where he got a crash course in the power of social media marketing. Undeterred by not winning, he campaigned for Indiana’s General Assembly in 2012 and took another shot at the County Council in 2014 and 2016. Though he hasn’t clinched a seat yet, Michael’s relentless drive to serve shines through. Lately, he’s been pouring that energy into helping other candidates who champion personal liberty, amplifying their voices with his knack for strategy.
Here’s a twist: Michael once co-owned a tattoo shop, despite having no ink himself. As the business manager and marketing guru, he leaned hard into low-cost, social media-driven campaigns to put the shop on the map. That experience fueled his love for digital marketing, and now he spends his free time crafting websites and boosting businesses online—a true labor of love.
These days, Michael’s living the dream as an independent contracted transporter, crisscrossing the country while getting paid to soak up new places and cultures. When he’s not exploring, he’s parked somewhere scenic, laptop open, building his digital consulting company, Spark Plug Strategies, or penning his thoughts. He even wrote a few books.
Based in La Porte County, Indiana, Michael’s embraced a “decentralized laptop lifestyle,” blending work, travel, and passion projects into a life that’s as dynamic as he is.
Creating a strong personal brand involves several key elements, and one of the most crucial is having a distinctive logo. A logo serves as the visual representation of your brand, encapsulating your identity, values, and professionalism in a single image. It's often the first thing people notice about your brand and can leave a lasting impression. Therefore, investing in a well-designed logo is essential for building a recognizable and impactful personal brand.
The rationale behind creating a single username across all social media platforms is rooted in the principles of consistency and recognizability. By using a uniform username, businesses and individuals can significantly enhance their brand identity, making it easier for audiences to find and follow them across various platforms. This uniformity contributes to building trust and credibility, presenting a cohesive and professional image to the public.
Using a consistent username for personal hashtags further strengthens your brand's presence and visibility on social media. Hashtags serve as a powerful tool for organizing content and making it discoverable to a broader audience. When your hashtag matches your username, it enhances the association between your brand and the content you create. This makes it easier for your audience to engage with your posts, follow ongoing campaigns, and participate in conversations related to your brand.
Using a consistent username as your website domain name offers several advantages. Firstly, it reinforces your brand's identity by maintaining uniformity across social media and your website. This consistency helps your audience easily connect your online presence, whether they are visiting your social media profiles or your website. When users see a familiar name, it instills a sense of trust and reliability, making them more likely to engage with your content and services.
Establishing a personal brand requires several elements, and one of the most crucial is a distinctive logo. A logo serves as the visual representation of your brand, encapsulating your identity, values, and professionalism in a single image. It is the first thing people notice about your brand and often the lasting impression they carry with them. Therefore, investing in a well-designed logo is essential for creating a strong and recognizable personal brand.
Creating a strong personal brand involves several key elements, and one of the most crucial is having a distinctive logo. A logo serves as the visual representation of your brand, encapsulating your identity, values, and professionalism in a single image. It's often the first thing people notice about your brand and can leave a lasting impression. Therefore, investing in a well-designed logo is essential for building a recognizable and impactful personal brand.