By Nick Nanton, Esq.

“Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself.” ~ Richard Bach

What really ignites our passion for our business?

What fires up our ambition and causes us to make crucial decisions about what career paths we want to follow – and what level of success we want to attain?

Well, in many, many cases, it’s people who initially inspire and motivate us in what we want to do with our lives – and how we want to do it.

People like Donald Trump. Richard Branson. Oprah Winfrey. These are people who dominate their particular arena with their personalities, people who completely own their success, people who cause others to approach them with multi-million or even multi-billion dollar deals, just because they know that having these superstars’ names attached to a project or company will almost guarantee success.

When you become aware of these kinds of people and you’re at just the right moment of your life, it’s like being hit by a lightning bolt. And you think, “Whoa! This person is the ultimate. I want to be exactly like them.”

For the first time, perhaps, you clearly see what you want your future to be – a future where, if you do what these super-successful people do, you end up with the same incredible opportunities and influence that they have.

And that’s where it can get a little dangerous.

While it’s awesome to be inspired by amazing achievers who have literally changed the face of the business world, there is a risk of becoming….well, too inspired.

To me, imitation is the highest form of flattery…and one of the biggest traps you can fall into.

THE SONG SHOULDN’T REMAIN THE SAME

There’s a difference between emulating someone you want to be like – and just plain imitating them. In the first instance, you take their best qualities and adapt them to who you are. In the second instance, you actually try to do everything exactly the way they do it – even though you can’t possibly do it as well as they do.

Because you are not them!

You see, there’s a reason Elvis impersonators don’t become known by their own names. Nobody wants them to be who they really are – no, their fans only want them to pretend to be Elvis. Of course, they could never actually be Elvis – they can only bring back great memories of The King of Rock N’ Roll.

Elvis may have inspired these musicians to begin with. And these musicians undoubtedly have to have some talent to pull off a credible Elvis impersonation. But because they only present themselves as a shadow of someone famous, rather than developing their own unique personality, they’re trapped. And if they ever want to become a singer that actually reflects their own personality, they usually have to start from scratch.

You can always enjoy an outright tribute act to a great performer. However, if they have the musical chops, they can bring back some awesome memories. But when you’re perceived as ripping off a beloved icon, that’s another story. And, since I am involved in the music business, I’d like to offer another musical example that illustrates just that scenario.

Anybody remember a rock band named “The Knack”? In 1979, their first album yielded a huge worldwide number one hit, “My Sharona,” which you still hear played today. It didn’t sound like anything else at the time – so you would think these guys had it made, right?

Wrong. The band itself ended up enraging rock fans and music critics at the time – because their first album cover art was a copy of the first Beatles’ album – down to the band’s haircuts. Now, if it had been some kind of clever ‘spin’ on the Beatles’ album cover, they probably could have gotten away with it – but instead, it was almost a replica of the real deal. This resulted in a huge backlash that doomed their next effort and turned them into a footnote in rock history.

The sad fact is, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can use the people who inspire you in a way that helps you succeed as an individual. Billy Joel has been a top act since 1973 – and there’s a good reason for his singular success. In a recent interview, he talked about how he used his inspirations growing up. “I’m a product of what I heard while I was growing up, said Joel. “I synthesize my take on Ray Charles or the Beatles. That’s where I’m coming from.”

Note that he never made a point of singing his musical idols’ songs. Or dressing up like them. Or duplicating their artwork. No, what he did was incorporate their techniques and their kind of showmanship into what he was doing – so he developed his own, strong personal identity that paid off for him. That’s how he became an authentic musical success.

And by doing so, he avoided being trapped by the shadows of the greats – and he also avoided a huge backlash by not ripping off those legends either. Nobody thinks of Billy Joel as being anyone other than Billy Joel. And yet, the man openly admits liberally borrowing from the musical influences of his youth. By developing his own sound, however, and staying true to himself, he created his own indelible stamp that still resonates after three decades in the music business.

THE DAN KENNEDY TRAP

What works in the music business works in any business. Because it’s still, ultimately, all about business. The best thing any business person can do is create their own strong, authentic personality that carries through their company’s image and PR. You can always make a few bucks by slavishly imitating those more successful than you – but you can never truly earn respect or huge profits unless you create and develop your own individual template for achievement.

One of my big inspirations in the business world is master marketer Dan Kennedy. That’s why I’m proud to be a business partner of his in Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club® (www.KennedysBarberClub.com – if you’re curious!) Now, if you know anything about Dan, you understand that he is a very unique personality. He drives professionally in about 100 harness races a year, purposely avoids and disparages slick-looking modern advertising, and is impossible to reach by phone. Yes, in the year 2010, the only way you can communicate with Dan Kennedy is… by fax.

In other words, he pretty much breaks every business rule there is in the world and makes it work for him – because he is very much his own person. And yes, I follow many of his precepts – but only in terms of what I want to project about myself, my business and my image. By absorbing his ideas through my own filter, I’m still Nick Nanton – and I don’t end up being seen as Dan Kennedy Jr.. Trust me – I have zero interest in trying harness racing!

Many of the business people that I work with and I meet through what we affectionately call “Planet Dan” (this is the network of businesspeople who attend Dan’s seminars, read his books and generally are fans of his teachings) – go through what I call “the 4 Stages of Kennedy”. I think this progression is incredibly similar to anyone else’s who suddenly stumbles upon a personality that they desperately want to mimic in their professional life.

Stage 1 is simply…”Dan Kennedy is insane!” When someone first sees Dan’s “No B.S.”, punch-to-the-head style of copywriting, looks over Dan’s rough, unpolished marketing materials and finds out that….wait, this guy only takes faxes???…., they immediately think Dan’s a psycho, I’m a psycho for promoting Dan and everybody in our Glazer-Kennedy marketing group is drinking something they shouldn’t be. But something lures them in…

….and then comes Stage 2…”Dan Kennedy is God!” The person suddenly understands how effective Dan’s approaches are, how he’s attracted all these followers with his incredible, instinctive marketing talents and how his methods can make money for any viable business. Their mind is completely blown and they have the burning fever of the recently-converted. And yes, now the convert seems like he’s ‘drinking the kool-aid’ too!

That fever takes a long while to cool down, because Stage 3 ends up being, “I will BE Dan Kennedy!” Instead of becoming an Elvis impersonator, the person decides to become a Dan Kennedy impersonator (one advantage is you don’t need a sequined jumpsuit to be the latter). So he begins modeling his entire modus operandi on Dan’s. Being only in touch by fax? Amazing idea! Telling people what to do and how to do it without pulling any punches? Outstanding! Hey, who knows where the best place is to learn harness racing?

And then brutal reality comes knocking on this guy’s door. He realizes Dan Kennedy can get away with a lot of his quirks because he’s been regarded as a marketing genius for decades; Dan’s earned his “street cred”, so he knows he can do as he ‘darn well’ pleases. Our Dan Kennedy newbie, on the other hand, is usually in the beginning steps of establishing himself and his business. He finds out he can’t afford to solely use a fax machine instead of a cell phone, nor does he really want to. He actually enjoys communicating with customers, prospects…and even friends, on a regular basis!

(Oh, and he stinks at harness racing.)

So, if he’s smart, he now progresses to Stage 4 – “I’m just going to LEARN everything I can from Dan Kennedy.” That means personally adapting and integrating Dan’s rules and techniques – but still remaining who you are.

Just as Billy Joel integrated the work of the greats who inspired him into his own authentic music, our new Dan Kennedy disciple has learned to likewise funnel the Dan Kennedy marketing magic through his own filter. And nobody looks down on him as if he’s just a pale copy of the real Dan Kennedy.

MAKE YOUR OWN KIND OF MUSIC

Obviously, Stage 4 is what you want to shoot for whenever an impressive person inspires you. But how do you avoid merely imitating the greats – when what you should be doing is integrating what they have to offer into your own persona?

First and foremost, you have to figure out who you are and what you want. You, your personality and your passions are the foundation for your growth and development, both as a human being and as a business person. “To thine own self be true,” goes the Shakespearean maxim and that still holds true 500 years later. I won’t be around in another 500 years, unless science has some really amazing breakthroughs, but I expect that thought to still be quoted then.

Second, break down what works for you and what doesn’t; where you need either a complete change of direction or where you just need to make adjustments to improve your results. To realize your ambitions, this is essential.

Finally, decide how to add needed value to who you are and what you do. This is where you should search for the proper coaches, mentors and role models who have already achieved what you want to achieve. Analyze how they made that magic happen – then see how their different methodologies apply to what you do, how you do it and the areas where you need to make adjustments.

The big lesson here? Never try to play someone else’s game. Instead, fit theirs into your own.

That’s how I help my clients achieve celebrity status in their fields. Obviously, they have to offer something different to stand out – and, to properly brand them, we employ proven strategies used by some of the most successful business people of all time. But we use those strategies to support and promote who our clients are, not to make them into something they’re not.

When you integrate instead of imitate, you eliminate a lot of self-imposed limitations and open up a world of possibilities. So don’t be an Elvis impersonator. It’s always better to be your own King…and that’s how you can ignite your business and transform your world, as well as the worlds of so many more people who you’ll now be able to help – because they see you as the real deal, not merely an impersonator.

Nick Nanton, Esq., The Celebrity Agent, along with JW Dicks, Esq., business strategist and personal branding expert, recently wrote the feature article in Poland-based Top 10 Magazine.

Orlando, Fla. – July 20, 2010 – Nick Nanton, Esq., known as The Celebrity Agent, has co-written the feature article in Top 10 Magazine, a publication based in Poland, with business partner JW Dicks, Esq., America’s Foremost Expert on Personal Branding for Business Development. The Article, titled, “The ONE Thing You Can Do Right Now to Change Your Income, Business and Lifestyle,” was the featured cover story in the Summer 2010 edition of the magazine.

“Everyone in business is always looking for the magic pill. The ‘one thing’ you can do in your business that will change everything overnight,” write Dicks and Nanton. “Some of us even thought we found the magic pill and bought it – until we realized that what we really bought was a great tool, service, or system, but it was overhyped,” continued the authors.

Nick Nanton, Esq. is known as “The Celebrity Agent” for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field, through personal branding, to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick’s expertise on branding and marketing has been sought out and featured in the Los Angeles Times, Orlando Sentinel, The Chicago Tribune, The California Chronicle, DailyMe.com, FastCompany.com, USA Today, Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal, among others.

JW Dicks is one of America’s leading experts on using personal branding to build a business. JW emphasizes branding, and the importance of online marketing and social media to his clients and gives them strategies to expand their business in the current economy.

Here is another excerpt from the article:

We’re sorry to say that a magic pill doesn’t really exist, however there is one thing that can have the same effect. One thing you can do today, that can change your business, your income and your lifestyle, tomorrow. And that one thing is to alter your current Position in the marketplace to create more value for others. Creating a position that will allow you to go from being a commodity in the marketplace, to becoming a scarcity. That one simple change can increase your income ten-fold, literally overnight.

For more information on JW Dicks, visit http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com
To learn more about Nick Nanton, visit http://www.NickNanton.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq. is known as “The Celebrity Agent” for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field, through personal branding, to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

Nick serves as the Producer of America’s PremierExperts® television show and The Next Big Thing® radio show, both designed to recognize the top Experts in their field and bring their solutions to consumers.

Nick is an award winning songwriter and television producer and has worked on everything from large scale events to reality tv pitches with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Superbowl Champion Don Shula, Legendary Basketball Coach Bobby Knight and many more. Nick is recognized as one of the top thought leaders in the business world and has co-authored the best-selling books, Celebrity Branding You!®, Big Ideas for Your Business, Shift Happens and Power Principles for Success and has interviewed the top business leaders in the world, including Donald Trump, Richard Branson and Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com. Nick also serves as editor and publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and has published books for more than 60 best-selling authors. Nick has been featured in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s prestigious Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a 4-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

To find out more about and Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.DicksNantonAgency.com and http://www.NickNanton.com

About J.W. Dicks:

J.W. Dicks, Esq. is America’s foremost authority on Personal Branding for Business Development. He has developed some of the most successful mass media and multi-channel business marketing campaigns in the country and built multi-million dollar businesses on the back of them – to the tune of more than $500,000,000 in sales.

J.W. represents some of the top marketers and professional experts in the world in the growth of their businesses using online and offline business development systems, social media, multi-dimensional marketing, franchising and strategic legal structure to accomplish their goals and capitalize on the assets they create.

A “Best Selling” author with more than 14 published books, and hundreds of articles, J.W. has also been quoted or appeared in Newsweek, The Wall street Journal, USA Today, NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX affiliates as well as Entrepreneur’s Start-Up Magazine, Forbes.com, CNN.com, and many other national and local media outlets.

In addition to coaching and consulting for clients nationwide, J.W. is also a successful entrepreneur living in the trenches himself. He has built his own businesses, with annual sales exceeding $35 Million, developed real estate in excess of $200 Million and created and sold intellectual property rights for as much as $1.8 Million.

J.W. is a graduate of the University of Florida and George Mason College of Law. He is a member of the American Bar Association, NASD, National Association of Realtors, the Florida Bar and the Virginia Bar.

J.W.’s business address is in Orlando, and his play address is at his beach house where he spends as much time as he can with his wife of 37 years, Linda, and their two Yorkies. His major hobby is fishing… although the fish are rumored to be safe.

JWDicks@DicksNanton.com • 800.980.1626
http://www.DicksNanton.com

Nick Nanton, Esq., personal branding expert and co-founder of the Dicks + Nanton Branding Agency, was recently featured on The Orlando Blog Spot as one of Orlando’s top personal brands along with the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard and pro golfer John Raser, among others.

Orlando, Fla. – July 16, 2010 – Best-selling author, Nick Nanton, Esq., marketing and branding expert and co-founder of the Dicks + Nanton Branding Agency, was recently featured in a piece on Orlando Blog Spot titled, “Top Orlando Personal Brands.” The author writes, “A strong and strategic personal brand can be one of the biggest advantages when looking for a great career in today’s job market…I wanted to share some top notch personal brands right here in our backyard of Orlando and Central Florida.”

Featured in the article were Orlando superstars, Dwight Howard, of the Orlando Magic; professional golfer John Raser; CEO of IZEA, Ted Murphy; real estate broker, Marc Grossman; and The Celebrity Agent, Nick Nanton, Esq. The article reads, “Nick Nanton is (also) known as the Celebrity Lawyer and has been responsible for creating the personal brands of a great number of people just like you. Nick is a blogger for Fast Company and uses a mixture of traditional press, social media and great imagery to expand his empire.

The strategy of developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments has led to Nick being known as “The Celebrity Agent.” Nick’s expertise on branding and marketing has been sought out and featured in the Los Angeles Times, Orlando Sentinel, The Chicago Tribune, The California Chronicle, DailyMe.com, FastCompany.com, USA Today, Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal, among others.

To read the entire feature, please visit http://orlandojobspot.blogspot.com/2010/07/top-orlando-personal-brands.html

To find out more about and Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.DicksNantonAgency.com and http://www.NickNanton.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq. is known as “The Celebrity Agent” for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field, through personal branding, to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

Nick serves as the Producer of America’s PremierExperts® television show and The Next Big Thing® radio show, both designed to recognize the top Experts in their field and bring their solutions to consumers.

Nick is an award winning songwriter and television producer and has worked on everything from large scale events to reality tv pitches with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Superbowl Champion Don Shula, Legendary Basketball Coach Bobby Knight and many more. Nick is recognized as one of the top thought leaders in the business world and has co-authored the best-selling books, Celebrity Branding You!®, Big Ideas for Your Business, Shift Happens and Power Principles for Success and has interviewed the top business leaders in the world, including Donald Trump, Richard Branson and Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com. Nick also serves as editor and publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and has published books for more than 60 best-selling authors. Nick has been featured in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s prestigious Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a 4-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

To find out more about and Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.DicksNantonAgency.com and http://www.NickNanton.com

Nick Nanton, Esq. and JW Dicks, Esq., personal branding experts and top ten expert bloggers on FastCompany.com, discuss the media and LeBron James in a new blog featured on FastCompany.com.

Orlando, Fla. – July 13, 2010 – Co-founders of the Dicks + Nanton Branding Agency and best-selling authors, Nick Nanton, Esq., Celebrity Agent and JW Dicks, Esq., America’s Foremost Expert on Personal Branding for Business Development, were recently named top ten expert bloggers on FastCompany.com. Their most recent blog featured on the site, explores the frenzy surrounding the recent LeBron James “Decision” media blitz, specifically his ability to control the media and manage his personal brand.

The latest blog, titled “LeBron, The Media, and Your Message,” was featured on July 9th, 2010, under the leadership section of FastCompany.com. Dicks and Nanton explain how “companies must take control of their own brand message and use their own media to do so when possible.” The piece includes the following excerpt:

In a world where athletes and celebrities now have their own direct relationship with fans through social media channels, they can not only deliver the news, they can bring the eyeballs to watch the announcement. When the fans have fun and the media and the celebrity make money, who is to complain except the purist–and that cat is out of the bag.

Even though you may not have superstar status in your own market, don’t miss the point that this same formula can also be used in other ways. Local announcements of sports events or celebrity appearances can be used to create your own media appearances where you act as host, agent, deal maker, or sponsor depending on the role that best helps to elevate your personal brand. Use of news to expand your brand is not a new idea, but it’s taking on a new form that offers lots of opportunities.

The entire post is available at http://www.fastcompany.com/1668719/lebron-the-media-and-your-message

Nick Nanton and JW Dicks are two of America’s leading experts on using personal branding to build a business. Together, they emphasize building a personal brand, and the importance of online and offline marketing to their clients and give them strategies to expand their business in the current economy.

According to FastCompany.com, “Fast Company sets the agenda, charting the evolution of business through a unique focus on the most creative individuals sparking change in the marketplace. By uncovering best and ‘next’ practices, the magazine and website help a new breed of leader work smarter and more effectively. Fast Company empowers innovators to challenge convention and create the future of business.”

To learn more about Nick Nanton, J.W. Dicks and the Dicks + Nanton Agency please visit http://www.NickNanton.com and http://www.DicksNantonAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq. is known as “The Celebrity Agent” for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field, through personal branding, to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

Nick serves as the Producer of America’s PremierExperts® television show and The Next Big Thing® radio show, both designed to recognize the top Experts in their field and bring their solutions to consumers.

Nick is an award winning songwriter and television producer and has worked on everything from large scale events to reality tv pitches with the likes of Bill Cosby, President George H.W. Bush, Superbowl Champion Don Shula, Legendary Basketball Coach Bobby Knight and many more. Nick is recognized as one of the top thought leaders in the business world and has co-authored the best-selling books, Celebrity Branding You!®, Big Ideas for Your Business, Shift Happens and Power Principles for Success and has interviewed the top business leaders in the world, including Donald Trump, Richard Branson and Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com . Nick also serves as editor and publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. CelebrityPress has published books by Brian Tracy, Mari Smith, Ron Legrand and many other celebrity experts and has published books for more than 60 best-selling authors. Nick has been featured in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s prestigious Warrington College of Business. Nick is a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs), a 4-time Telly Award winner, and spends his spare time working with Young Life, Florida Hospital and rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

To find out more about and Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.DicksNantonAgency.com and http://www.NickNanton.com

About J.W. Dicks:

J.W. Dicks, Esq. is America’s foremost authority on Personal Branding for Business Development. He has developed some of the most successful mass media and multi-channel business marketing campaigns in the country and built multi-million dollar businesses on the back of them – to the tune of more than $500,000,000 in sales.

J.W. represents some of the top marketers and professional experts in the world in the growth of their businesses using online and offline business development systems, social media, multi-dimensional marketing, franchising and strategic legal structure to accomplish their goals and capitalize on the assets they create.

A “Best Selling” author with more than 14 published books, and hundreds of articles, J.W. has also been quoted or appeared in Newsweek, The Wall street Journal, USA Today, NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX affiliates as well as Entrepreneur’s Start-Up Magazine, Forbes.com, CNN.com, and many other national and local media outlets.

In addition to coaching and consulting for clients nationwide, J.W. is also a successful entrepreneur living in the trenches himself. He has built his own businesses, with annual sales exceeding $35 Million, developed real estate in excess of $200 Million and created and sold intellectual property rights for as much as $1.8 Million.

J.W. is a graduate of the University of Florida and George Mason College of Law. He is a member of the American Bar Association, NASD, National Association of Realtors, the Florida Bar and the Virginia Bar.

J.W.’s business address is in Orlando, and his play address is at his beach house where he spends as much time as he can with his wife of 37 years, Linda, and their two Yorkies. His major hobby is fishing… although the fish are rumored to be safe.

JWDicks@DicksNanton.com • 800.980.1626
http://www.DicksNanton.com

Nick Nanton, Esq., personal branding expert and co-founder of the Dicks + Nanton Branding Agency, was recently featured in a University of Florida Law Magazine article about alumni practicing entertainment law.

Orlando, Fla. – June 18, 2010 – Best-selling author, Nick Nanton, Esq., marketing and branding expert and co-founder of the Dicks + Nanton Agency, was recently featured and quoted in UF Law Magazine. The article titled, “A Talent For Entertainment,” written by Kara Carnley Murrhee, focuses on several University of Florida Levin College of Law alumni who “have built successful careers navigating the maze of media issues that athletes, musicians or celebrity clients confront on a daily basis.” Murrhee writes, “Because of the close relationships they’ve forged with their clients, these attorneys often provide advice and counsel that extend beyond legalities into the realm of private and personal.”

In the article, Nick commented on how brand building is one of the most important structural necessities to building and maintaining a successful business. Nick remarked, “I teach my clients how to become the best-known expert in their industry by using the principles that entertainers use to lock out their competition and be in demand.”

“My job is to create enough buzz about my clients through the creation and distribution of content, that the media comes to us…In this new economy, I tell my clients they’ve got to be in the media business — you’ve got to be creating your own media so that you can control the message,” Nanton continued. “So that’s what we do by helping them create their own content, much like Oprah or Dr. Phil, and then pushing that content through various outlets both online and offline.”

This strategy of developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments has led to Nick being known as “The Celebrity Lawyer.” Nick’s expertise on branding and marketing has been sought out and featured in the Los Angeles Times, Orlando Sentinel, The Chicago Tribune, The California Chronicle, DailyMe.com, FastCompany.com, USA Today, Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal, among others.

The article also features other University of Florida Law School Alumni, including executive vice president and general counsel for MySpace, Lin Cherry; seasoned sports agent and solo practitioner at Pro First Sports Management in Jacksonville, Florida, Paul J. Healy; Darren Heitner, founder of Dynasty Athlete Representation; and Mark NeJame, leading defense and trial attorney and senior partner in the Orlando-based firm, NeJame, LaFay, Jancha, Ahmed, Barker & Joshi, PA.

The entire UF Law Magazine article can be found at http://www.law.ufl.edu/uflaw/10spring/features/a-talent-for-entertainment-law

To find out more about and Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.DicksNantonAgency.com and http://www.NickNanton.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq. is known as “The Celebrity Lawyer” for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field, through personal branding, to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

Nick serves as the Producer of America’s PremierExperts® television show and The Next Big Thing® radio show, both designed to recognize the top Experts in their field and bring their solutions to consumers.

Nick is an award winning songwriter, television producer and, the co-author of the best-selling books, Celebrity Branding You!®, Big Ideas for Your Business and Shift Happens. Nick also serves as editor and publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. Nick has been featured in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s prestigious Warrington College of Business. Nick is also a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs) and spends his spare time rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

To find out more about and Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.DicksNantonAgency.com and http://www.NickNanton.com

Nick Nanton, Esq., personal branding expert and co-author of Celebrity Branding You®, will be the featured speaker at a dinner event hosted by Buffalo Niagara Sales and Marketing Executives

Orlando, Fla. – May 21, 2010 – Best-selling author, Nick Nanton, Esq., The Celebrity Lawyer and co-founder of the Dicks + Nanton Agency, will be the featured speaker at a monthly dinner meeting with Buffalo Niagara Sales and Marketing Executives (BNSME.) Nick will be speaking at the Buffalo Niagara Marriot in Amherst, NY on Monday, May 24, 2010 at 7:15pm.

The BSNME is a professional association that was established in Buffalo in 1942 by area sales and marketing leaders with the goal to improve the knowledge, standards, conduct and network of sales and marketing practitioners. Nick will be speaking about the importance of building a brand in the new economy.

Registration for the event can be found at http://www.bnsme.org/ems/regengine/event_page.php

Nick Nanton, Esq. is also known as “The Celebrity Lawyer” for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick’s expertise on branding and marketing has been sought out and featured in The Los Angeles Times, Orlando Sentinel, The Chicago Tribune, The California Chronicle, DailyMe.com, USA Today, Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal, among others. Nick is also FastCompany Magazine’s Blogger on the subject of Personal Branding.

To find out more about and Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.DicksNantonAgency.com and http://www.NickNanton.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq. is known as “The Celebrity Lawyer” for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field, through personal branding, to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

Nick serves as the Producer of America’s PremierExperts® television show and The Next Big Thing® radio show, both designed to recognize the top Experts in their field and bring their solutions to consumers.

Nick is an award winning songwriter, television producer and, the co-author of the best-selling books, Celebrity Branding You!®, Big Ideas for Your Business and Shift Happens. Nick also serves as editor and publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. Nick has been featured in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s prestigious Warrington College of Business. Nick is also a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs) and spends his spare time rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

To find out more about and Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.DicksNantonAgency.com and http://www.NickNanton.com

About BNSME:

The Buffalo Niagara Sales and Marketing Executives is a professional association that was established in Buffalo in 1942 by area sales and marketing leaders with the goal to improve the knowledge, standards, conduct and network of sales and marketing practitioners. Our active membership is comprised of high-level executives of leading sales and marketing departments within Western New York’s most progressive companies. We invite you to learn more about our association through this website, attend an upcoming meeting and consider joining BNSME.

BNSME focuses on three primary services for our membership. BNSME is…
1. The Networking Center for Sales and Marketing Executive Decision Makers in Western New York
2. The Leader in Continuing Sales and Marketing Education for Marketing and Sales Executives as well as their Staffs
3. The Only Association in WNY Dedicated to Consistently Improving Professionalism within Sales and Marketing

Learn more at http://www.bnsme.org/

Nick Nanton, Esq. and JW Dicks, Esq., personal branding experts and principals in the Dicks + Nanton Agency have been named to the list of top ten expert bloggers on FastCompany.com with their blog series, “Brand or Die.”

Orlando, Fla. – April 7, 2010 – Co-founders of the Dicks + Nanton Agency and best-selling authors, Nick Nanton, Esq., The Celebrity Lawyer and JW Dicks, Esq., America’s Foremost Expert on Personal Branding for Business Development, were recently named expert bloggers on FastCompany.com. Now, JW and Nick have been named to the top ten expert bloggers on the site.

Dicks and Nanton’s blog series, called “BRAND OR DIE,” is featured under the leadership section of FastCompany.com. According to their website, “Fast Company sets the agenda, charting the evolution of business through a unique focus on the most creative individuals sparking change in the marketplace. By uncovering best and ‘next’ practices, the magazine and website help a new breed of leader work smarter and more effectively. Fast Company empowers innovators to challenge convention and create the future of business.”

The latest installment of the blog titled, “Where Did You Come From? The Simple Question You Have To Answer First,” was posted on March 30th, and includes the following excerpt:

We all have some similar scenarios in our lives, but the beauty of our past experiences is in the details. Show one person a painting, ask them to point out what they find striking and she will tell you what she, “sees.” Show the same painting to another person and he will frequently see something very different. We often see the painting of our lives through distorted glasses. We just don’t realize that what we are seeing is not the same thing everyone else is seeing! Ask around and you will find out.

The entire post is available at http://www.fastcompany.com/1602335/where-did-you-come-from-the-simple-question-you-have-to-answer-first

Nick Nanton and JW Dicks are two of America’s leading experts on using personal branding to build a business. Together, they emphasize building a personal brand, and the importance of online and offline marketing to their clients and give them strategies to expand their business in the current economy.

To learn more about Nick Nanton, J.W. Dicks and the Dicks + Nanton Agency please visit http://www.NickNanton.com and http://www.DicksNantonAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq. is known as “The Celebrity Lawyer” for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field, through personal branding, to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

Nick serves as the Producer of America’s PremierExperts® television show and The Next Big Thing® radio show, both designed to recognize the top Experts in their field and bring their solutions to consumers.

Nick is an award winning songwriter, television producer and, the co-author of the best-selling books, Celebrity Branding You!®, Big Ideas for Your Business and Shift Happens. Nick also serves as editor and publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. Nick has been featured in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s prestigious Warrington College of Business. Nick is also a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs) and spends his spare time rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

To learn more about Nick Nanton and the Celebrity Branding Agency®, please visit http://www.NickNanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About J.W. Dicks:

J.W. Dicks, Esq. is America’s foremost authority on Personal Branding for Business Development. He has developed some of the most successful mass media and multi-channel business marketing campaigns in the country and built multi-million dollar businesses on the back of them – to the tune of more than $500,000,000 in sales.

J.W. represents some of the top marketers and professional experts in the world in the growth of their businesses using online and offline business development systems, social media, multi-dimensional marketing, franchising and strategic legal structure to accomplish their goals and capitalize on the assets they create.

A “Best Selling” author with more than 14 published books, and hundreds of articles, J.W. has also been quoted or appeared in Newsweek, The Wall street Journal, USA Today, NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX affiliates as well as Entrepreneur’s Start-Up Magazine, Forbes.com, CNN.com, and many other national and local media outlets.

In addition to coaching and consulting for clients nationwide, J.W. is also a successful entrepreneur living in the trenches himself. He has built his own businesses, with annual sales exceeding $35 Million, developed real estate in excess of $200 Million and created and sold intellectual property rights for as much as $1.8 Million.

J.W. is a graduate of the University of Florida and George Mason College of Law. He is a member of the American Bar Association, NASD, National Association of Realtors, the Florida Bar and the Virginia Bar.

J.W.’s business address is in Orlando, and his play address is at his beach house where he spends as much time as he can with his wife of 37 years, Linda, and their two Yorkies. His major hobby is fishing… although the fish are rumored to be safe.

JWDicks@DicksNanton.com • 800.980.1626
http://www.DicksNanton.com

Nick Nanton, Esq., personal branding expert and co-founder of the Celebrity Branding Agency®, was recently featured in a Los Angeles Times article about the marketing strategies of animal rights advocacy group, P.E.T.A.

Orlando, Fla. – April 5, 2010 – Best-selling author, Nick Nanton, Esq., The Celebrity Lawyer and co-founder of the Celebrity Branding Agency®, was recently quoted in a Los Angeles Times article titled, “Fur: In Vogue and in the Line of Fire,” written by Susan Carpenter. The article ran on March 28th, 2010, and delves into the marketing practices of controversial animal rights advocacy group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA.) The article specifically dealt with PETA’s controversial campaigns to discourage the wearing of fur.

In the article, Nick commented on how PETA uses celebrities to help advocate the banning of fur clothing. “PETA isn’t going to the Roseanne Barrs of the world,” said Nick Nanton. “”They’re going to people who set trends. You’ve seen them in US Weekly showing you what to wear before. Now they’re going to show you what not to wear.”

“Fur has always been associated with glamour and sexiness, so the closer you can get to glamour and sexiness and show people, ‘Hey, you can be sexy without fur,’ that’s the most successful pairing,” Nanton continued.

Nick Nanton, Esq. is also known as “The Celebrity Lawyer” for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. In addition to the Los Angeles Times, Nick’s expertise on branding and marketing has been sought out and featured in Orlando Sentinel, The Chicago Tribune, The California Chronicle, DailyMe.com, FastCompany.com, USA Today, Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal, among others.

The entire Los Angeles Times article can be found at http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/28/image/la-ig-peta-20100328

To find out more about and Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com and http://www.NickNanton.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq. is known as “The Celebrity Lawyer” for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field, through personal branding, to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

Nick serves as the Producer of America’s PremierExperts® television show and The Next Big Thing® radio show, both designed to recognize the top Experts in their field and bring their solutions to consumers.

Nick is an award winning songwriter, television producer and, the co-author of the best-selling books, Celebrity Branding You!®, Big Ideas for Your Business and Shift Happens. Nick also serves as editor and publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. Nick has been featured in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s prestigious Warrington College of Business. Nick is also a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs) and spends his spare time rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

To learn more about Nick Nanton and the Celebrity Branding Agency®, please visit http://www.NickNanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

Nick Nanton, Esq., personal branding expert and co-founder of the Celebrity Branding Agency®, will be featured as an expert blogger on FastCompany.com with his blog series, “Brand or Die.”

Orlando, Fla. – March 18, 2010 – Co-founders of the Celebrity Branding Agency® and best-selling authors, Nick Nanton, Esq., The Celebrity Lawyer and JW Dicks, Esq., America’s Foremost Expert on Personal Branding for Business Development, will be featured on FastCompany.com as expert bloggers.

Nick Nanton and JW Dicks are two of America’s leading experts on using personal branding to build a business. Together, they emphasize branding, and the importance of online marketing and social media to their clients and give them strategies to expand their business in the current economy.

Dicks and Nanton’s new blog series, called “BRAND OR DIE,” will be a featured blog under the leadership section of FastCompany.com. According to their website, “Fast Company sets the agenda, charting the evolution of business through a unique focus on the most creative individuals sparking change in the marketplace. By uncovering best and ‘next’ practices, the magazine and website help a new breed of leader work smarter and more effectively. Fast Company empowers innovators to challenge convention and create the future of business.”

The first installment of the blog titled, “BRAND OR DIE: The Downfall of the Institution and the Rise of the Personal Brand,” was posted on Tuesday, March 16th, includes the following excerpt:

Now, in the new “Branded Economy”, you are all allowed to play the role you want in building your brand and building your value. If you don’t take control, you will risk becoming irrelevant and relegated to the position of a cog in someone else’s wheel. You will be at the mercy of a third party whose self-interest will always outweigh our own – just like the players in the sitcom The Office and the comic strip “Dilbert”.

The entire post is available at http://www.fastcompany.com/1585319/brand-or-die-the-downfall-of-the-institution-and-the-rise-of-the-personal-brand.

Kevin H. Ohannessian, Associate Editor of FastCompany.com remarked, “We’re excited that Nick is contributing to FastCompany.com. His insight into personal branding will be a valuable resource to the executives and creatives that frequent our site.”

To learn more about Nick Nanton and the Celebrity Branding Agency®, please visit http://www.NickNanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq. is known as “The Celebrity Lawyer” for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field, through personal branding, to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding as Fast Company’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida. His book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

Nick serves as the Producer of America’s PremierExperts® television show and The Next Big Thing® radio show, both designed to recognize the top Experts in their field and bring their solutions to consumers.

Nick is an award winning songwriter, television producer and, the co-author of the best-selling books, Celebrity Branding You!®, Big Ideas for Your Business and Shift Happens. Nick also serves as editor and publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. Nick has been featured in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, FastCompany.com and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX television affiliates speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s prestigious Warrington College of Business. Nick is also a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs) and spends his spare time rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen.

To learn more about Nick Nanton and the Celebrity Branding Agency®, please visit http://www.NickNanton.com and http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com

Nick Nanton, Esq., personal branding expert and co-founder of the Celebrity Branding Agency®, will be a featured speaker at this year’s Impact San Diego conference, hosted by Ken McArthur.

Orlando, Fla. – March 17, 2010 – Best-selling author, Nick Nanton, Esq., The Celebrity Lawyer and co-founder of the Celebrity Branding Agency®, will be a featured guest speaker at the 2010 Impact Conference taking place in San Diego from March 19th – 21st. Hosting the event is Ken McArthur, Internet marketing expert and Author of the best-selling book Impact: How to Get Noticed, Motivate Millions and Make a Difference in a Noisy World.

Nick will be speaking along with some of the nation’s foremost experts in Internet marketing, personal branding, e-commerce, and other fields of business marketing. Some of the announced guests include relationship marketing specialist, Mari Smith; best-selling author, e-commerce and online marketing expert, Mark Joyner; business strategist and marketing expert, Dave Lakhani; CPA lead generation expert, Gill Ortega; Entrepreneur and COO of 123Employee, Daven Michaels, and direct response copywriting expert, Trevor Crook, among others.

McArthur describes this event as being about “reaching millions instead of thousands with your ideas, solutions, products and services and is designed to help corporations, non-profit organizations, small business people, authors, speakers, marketers and many others to reach the masses and make a difference.” The attendees will be “discovering cutting edge techniques in the areas of idea propagation, publicity, publishing, marketing, list building, advertising, motivation, persuasion, radio, television, magazines, social media, joint ventures, video production, corporate sponsorships and more.”

Nick Nanton, Esq. will be speaking about building your personal brand. Nick is known as “The Celebrity Lawyer” for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments.

To find out more about and Nick Nanton, please visit http://www.CelebrityBrandingAgency.com and http://www.NickNanton.com

About Nick Nanton, Esq.:

Nick Nanton, Esq. is known as “The Celebrity Lawyer” for his role in developing and marketing business and professional experts into Celebrity Experts in their field, through personal branding, to help them gain credibility and recognition for their accomplishments. Nick is Fast Company’s Expert Blogger on the subject of personal branding and is recognized as the nation’s leading expert on personal branding. He lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida, and his book Celebrity Branding You® has been selected as the textbook on personal branding at the University.

Nick serves as the Producer of America’s PremierExperts® television show and The Next Big Thing® radio show, both designed to recognize the top Experts in their field and bring their solutions to consumers.

Nick is an award winning songwriter and, the co-author of the best-selling books, Celebrity Branding You!®, Big Ideas for Your Business and Shift Happens. Nick also serves as editor and publisher of Celebrity Press™, a publishing company that produces and releases books by top Business Experts. Nick has been featured in USA Today, The Wall St. Journal, Newsweek, The New York Times, Entrepreneur® Magazine, and has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox television affiliates speaking on subjects ranging from branding, marketing and law, to American Idol.

Nick is a member of the Florida Bar, holds a JD from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, as well as a BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida’s prestigious Warrington College of Business. Nick is also a voting member of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, Home to The GRAMMYs) and spends his spare time rooting for the Florida Gators with his wife Kristina, and their two sons, Brock and Bowen. For more information about Nanton visit http://www.NickNanton.com.