Ep 24: Building a Brand That Lasts with Dennis Rodman

When you think about the most iconic basketball players ever, our guest today, Dennis Rodman makes the list every time. Not only was he an athlete extraordinaire, a five-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA All-Star, rebound league leader four different times, and an NBA Hall of Famer, he is also a New York Times best-selling author and one of the most colorful personalities the NBA has ever seen. Dennis has built an enduring, resilient brand that is clear through his diverse fanbase. While his reputation off the court sets him apart from many other athletes, it was never his intention to gain the level of attention that he did. For so long his identity was tied to his team when he was playing in Chicago, but moving to San Antonio prompted him to follow his own path and in doing so, people were organically drawn to him.

By being authentic, working hard and having fun, Dennis showed that it was possible to march to the beat of your own drum and be a resounding success. He does acknowledge that building a brand today is much harder because things that made him stand out (his tattoos, hair, and piercings) are now far more mainstream and so, he offers what he thinks it would take to set yourself apart today. He also shares with us the power of adapting your brand, what’s on the horizon for him and much more. To hear it all from the Rebound King himself, tune in today!

WATCH THE INTERVIEW:

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE BELOW:

KEY POINTS FROM THIS EPISODE:

What reputation means to Dennis and how he went about creating his one.

For so long, Dennis followed everyone’s lead, but moving to San Antonio changed that.

By living his truth, Dennis found that people were naturally drawn to him.

With how fast social media evolves, building a brand today has become increasingly difficult.

Simplicity wins: why choosing something simple to build your brand on is best.

You have to have some platform for people to notice what you are doing.

Dennis was doing what he did to be authentic, not to gain attention.

Keep yourself relevant – that’s what branding is all about!

The vital question: what’s next that’s going to put your brand over the top?

There is much more in store from Dennis Rodman: apparel, TV appearances, North Korea visits!

Why Dennis wishes he was playing in the league today.

TWEETABLES

People at the NBA never knew how to handle a guy like me because when I did my work on the court, it was the off the court things that they couldn’t understand. How am I doing this and creating this own brand by Dennis Rodman?” — @dennisrodman

“I’m probably the only athlete in the history of sports to never have anybody to help me build a brand. I just did it myself. Just out the blue.” — @dennisrodman

“I wasn’t trying to be different. I was just trying to show the people I was actually doing things that I actually liked doing for myself.” — @dennisrodman

“I still got some branding left. Don’t count me out yet, baby.” — @dennisrodman

ABOUT DENNIS RODMAN

Dennis Rodman is a 5x NBA Champion, 2x NBA All-Star, and NYT Bestselling author. He is known for being one of the fiercest rebounders, best defenders, and most outrageous characters in the history of the professional game. He won championships with the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls and in 2011 was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame.