“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
– Lao Tzu

I am willing to bet that almost every single one of you reading this chapter has read the above quote – or had it quoted to you – in the course of your life. You’re starting college and it’s rough – somebody tells you about that first step. You’re having trouble getting a new business off the ground – somebody tells you about the first step. Whenever you’re at the initial stage of anything – you hear about ‘that thousand miles’ and ‘that first step’.

And to be fair, you can’t argue with it – it’s true. That ‘thousand mile journey’ starts with that first step.

What people don’t discuss, however, is the 4634th step. Or the 5489th step. When you’re so far from the beginning that you’re in danger of forgetting where you’re going – and when you’re still so far from the end, you think you’ll never make it there.

When you’re in the middle of the grind – when it feels like the pay-off will never come – and when you may be so tired you don’t think there ever will be a pay-off – that’s when it can be incredibly difficult (maybe the most difficult) to take the next step.

I firmly believe that when you get to that tough slog where it just feels ‘like you’re grinding it out for no reason’, that’s actually when you’re in the middle of the real hard work that’s going to ultimately validate your efforts. This is when it’s most important to follow through on the process and systems you’ve set up – and not forget what got you as far as you already are. That’s when you need to power through with your process and get what you originally wanted with it.

But let’s not start with the 5489th step. Let’s take Lao Tzu’s advice and start with the first.

THE FIRST STEP AND WHY IT’S CRUCIAL

Someone who I recently learned of, and am enamored with, has become an inspiration to me and a whole lot of other people, …former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden. He always had an interesting first step for his players at his ‘first talk’ of the season. It probably wasn’t so interesting for the seniors to hear the exact same ‘first talk’ they heard when they were freshman – but Wooden was a man who believed in the proper process, which is one big reason he was voted “Coach of the Century” by ESPN.

That first talk of the season was not about the goals for the team, who the captains would be, or any of the usual rally cries of a typical coach, nope, it was all about Wooden demonstrating, in meticulous detail, how the players should properly put on their socks and their shoes. Yes, he would actually show them how to do it. And yes, you usually don’t get that kind of instruction after you’re two or three years old – especially from one of the best college coaches of all time. Frankly, most coaches at any level above elementary school would think it was too trivial to deal with – and college boys should know how to dress themselves!

Wooden, however, knew that most good players ended up on the bench because they ended up with blisters from gameplay. And he knew most of those blisters could be prevented if players would simply take the time and put on their socks and shoes correctly.

Hence the lecture every year – even to the players who had already heard it!! It was a vital first step to Wooden’s process – and do you really argue with a guy who ended up with an over-80% win record? …who won ten national championships? …who is regarded as America’s ‘winningest’ coach? I certainly wouldn’t!

By building from that base, Wooden created teams that knew basketball inside and out. He gave them a process that enabled them to do their very best – and turned him into a legendary coach.

It’s what all of us need to do in our individual businesses. Your first steps, in any venture, should be about finding out what works, from the bottom up. ‘Fine-tuning’ will obviously come as you continue along the way, but if you nail down the process that works for you personally, it’s a template that can take you to where you want to go — if you learn the basics, remember them and continue to implement them.

Some aspects of that process are generic – they’re essential to anyone trying to do what you’re doing. Others are personal – making use of your specific talents and what works best for you. Out of all of it, however, you build your own unique process by seeing what’s effective and what isn’t. Once you have it all put together, you drill that process into your brain at every given opportunity. And you never forget why you use the process you use – because it works …for you. Not for the guy down the street, or somebody two office doors down from yours… for YOU!!!!

And it has to be the process that’s going to serve you all the way down the line. I have to hand it to my four year-old son Brock’s T-ball coach, Coach Will, because he showed me this power principle in action and how it’s relevant at any age.

The kid that was playing pitcher (no, really, in T-ball they have one, they just don’t actually pitch!) in the game ran from the pitcher’s mound to run down another kid running to home plate – and pulled it off. He got the out. But the coach told the pitcher that’s not what he wanted to see. That’s not how the game is played. It’ll work out in T-ball, but that play won’t work when the kids get a little older, and a little faster. He said, “You might get an out this year with that play, but we’re not here to get outs, we’re here to learn how to play baseball.” Wow! Now that’s what I’m talking about! Coach Will wanted them to learn how to play the right way for the long run – now what worked just for now – so as they moved on, they could power through with the proper process.

With any first steps, you should be doing the same thing – finding out how whatever “game” you’re learning works, and how best to play it – whether it’s the game of life, the game of business, or a true game. The principle is the same.

THE FIRST STEP AND WHY IT’S OVERRATED

No, I’m not getting into an argument with myself, it’s true…first steps are absolutely crucial and also amazingly easy!

First of all, people are always incredibly encouraging when you start something new (unless they know you well enough to sense you’re heading for disaster). It’s exciting to them and they live vicariously through you trying something for the first time. Why? Because you have to do all the hard work and all they have to do is watch!

Seriously, how many quotes and advice do you see on beginning something, whether it’s a business or a relationship or just a workout regimen? Whereas, when you’re in the middle of something and whining about it – well, everybody’s in the middle of something and whining about it. And they’d rather listen to themselves whine than listen to you do it!

The first step also often means you’re not putting that much at stake. There’s not a lot invested in it emotionally, physically or financially yet. It’s basically setting a goal and beginning to figure out how you can achieve that goal.

Taking that first step usually means:

• You’re beginning something you want to get done.
• You haven’t faced serious opposition to your goal.
• You’ve psyched yourself up to get going – so you’re ‘pumped’ to see it through.
• Nobody expects a lot from you – because you’re just beginning to find out how it’s done.

In other words, sure, you’re nervous – but you’re okay to start that long ‘thousand mile’ journey, whatever it is. It’s not so bad. You’re choosing to do it. And nobody will be too hard on you about it.

The first step is also generally not that complicated. Remember what the first day of school or a class was like? It was the teacher telling you what you were going to be doing the rest of the semester or year and that’s about it. You didn’t have to worry, at that point, about having homework done or passing any tests. You were just there – trying to stay awake until the bell rang. Hey, even with Coach Wooden, all they had to do was figure out how to put on their socks and shoes the first time he talked to them! Most of us can handle that kind of pressure.

And one last thing about the first step not really being all that bad – you can totally ‘bail’ before the second step. Seriously, most things won’t have horrible consequences if you bail early (guys, this is not an excuse the day after that bachelor party, don’t even think about it!). Maybe you say to yourself, “Hey, I want to learn Mandarin Chinese (I use this example in honor of Lao Tzu).” You take that first step – maybe you get an introduction to a beginner’s Mandarin Chinese book – and then the bolt of lightning hits your brain….“Hey! This is hard! I’d rather spend the effort on __________ (fill in the blank with your next goal).”

What did you lose? …that $9.99 you spent on the book? …and those ten minutes it took you to realize it was hard enough for you to learn English? …let alone this.

Taking one step on the thousand mile journey and changing your mind? No big deal. Getting five hundred miles down the road and changing your mind? Enormous deal. That’s why you can’t…

DON’T JUST MUDDLE THROUGH THE MIDDLE

So let’s talk about being five hundred miles down that thousand mile road. That’s what I like to call the unsung hero of heroic struggles – the middle.

They say the closer you get to the summit, the harder it is to reach it. I’ve chosen to consciously disagree, and you can too with the right mindset – and I talked about this a little at the beginning of this chapter. When you’re so far along, you forgot why you started – but you’re not far enough to see where you’re going – it’s easy to feel like you’re stumbling around in the dark, going through the motions, and completely not getting anywhere.

And that’s where you have to power through with your process. That’s where you have to put your socks and shoes on correctly and keep doing what you’re doing, if you’ve proven to yourself that it works. You may need some adjustments – that’s normal, because the world is always changing – but in general, you have to ‘keep on keeping on’.

I’m speaking from personal experience on that point. For example, a big part of our business involves me speaking at different events all across the country. They are great because they usually generate a lot of interest in our business and we get to build a list of prospects who were interested enough to come out and hear me, and give us their contact information to stay in touch – so it’s almost always a good decision to accept invitations to speak at events. It’s something I’ve learned works for us and it’s definitely a big part of my process.

Well, I was invited to speak at what was billed as a major seminar event in California – and I was told there might be a lot of influential people there that would be interested in doing business, and many of them had very large fan bases (sounds good, but believe me, I’ve heard it before and the delivery of those elements is usually far less than what has been promised). So I thought about it. It was a big commitment (a week in California, away from my family in Orlando), and a big financial commitment (not that it was overly expensive for the trip, but because of my marketing budget at the time, I had to choose between this trip and a new marketing campaign I really wanted to launch).

The California trip, more and more, just felt like a big hassle to me, and an inconvenient one at that. I was ready to skip it, when I remembered that this kind of thing – speaking at places where I could widen my circle of influence and boost my network – was really a vital way that we grow our business. So, I agreed to it.

When I got there, I was amazed at the number of top-tier speakers and writers that were in attendance – it was a room of about 100 people who were all seven figure speakers and authors. I won’t drop names, but I would be willing to bet you’d know at least half of the people in the room. We’re talking about men and women who literally fill STADIUMS with rabid fans wanting to hear them speak, and others who had collectively sold over 100 MILLION books! It was insane! Don’t get me wrong, the seminar was hard work – sessions night and day – but out of that came lots of things, including an invitation to speak at another event which proved to be a huge windfall, and there are many other opportunities still being fleshed out, all because I didn’t forget my basic principles, even when I was reluctant, and I powered through with my process.

PROP-UP YOUR PROCESS WITH PRINCIPLES

When I was thinking about whether or not to accept that speaking engagement, I didn’t think about making important new contacts or generating more business. I concentrated on the expense, the work and the inconvenience. Obviously, big mistake on my part.
Fortunately, I got back on my thousand-mile road because I remembered that the process didn’t exist for its own sake – the process brought results!!!

And that’s what we all have to remember. We must continually perfect the process – and sticking to that process is more important than anything else…because the process gets us to the goal line.

When Coach Wooden gave his annual “socks and shoes speech,” some older players would start to feel insulted that he was still teaching the ins and outs of footwear. They didn’t want to listen to it all over again.

But consider this – do you think Coach Wooden really wanted to tell players how to put on their socks and shoes every single year?

Don’t you think maybe one season, he said to himself, “Maybe I don’t have to do this anymore. Maybe these college kids can figure this out for themselves.” I’m willing to wager he did – and that he also went back to doing it because he once again realized that this was his process, it worked and he should stick to it. …and because it was also important to his players’ process.

After the newness of whatever you’re in the middle of wears off, it’s tempting to forget all the building blocks that got you there. It’s easy to be distracted by turn-offs on the thousand mile road and take another route …that will take you somewhere you really don’t want to go.

Both behaviors are dangerous to your business. Sticking to your the principles that you used to develop your process helps you avoid them. Maybe you have a choice between a lunch with somebody you like but isn’t going to do much for your operation – and somebody else you don’t know that well but could do an awful lot for you. You’re better off seizing the second opportunity, even though you’ll have to invest some time and energy in getting to know this person and selling them on you and your business.

Making productive choices that will further your process means you’ll keep getting the results you want. And, hey, you can always have lunch with the other friend on a day when there isn’t a conflict.

When the pay-off isn’t necessarily in sight, you simply have to trust that what you’re doing will work – and that your process will, in fact, see you through to the other side.

I will leave you with some very wise words from Coach Wooden: “Don’t be too concerned with regard to things over which you have no control, because that will eventually have an adverse effect on things over which you have control.”

You have control over what you do and how you do it. You can’t control the outside factors. Even if you’ve made your process the most powerful it can be, it still won’t work every single time. But if you fixate on the things that could go against you, you’ll have a hard time achieving what you want to achieve.

Life is all about making the odds work in your favor – and having a process that will allow you to power through to the end of whatever road you’re on – means that chances are you’ll get what you’re after.

So pull on those socks and lace up those shoes the right way – so you can win the game!

I entered the huge chain bookstore, hoping my guilty expression wouldn’t give me away. Then I furtively disappeared between two large shelves of books in the back, making sure no store employees were looking at me.

I eyed the area around me one more time – no one in sight.

And then I pulled the brand new copy of my latest book out from under my jacket…headed to the nearest open cashier…smiled to myself as she scanned the book’s ISBN bar…and I paid $21.95 for a book. A book I already owned.

My name is Nick Nanton…and I am a reverse shoplifter.

Why am I committing a crime against myself? I’ll explain a little later…but first, I want to tell you that this may be one of the most controversial chapters in this book… And not because I’m moving around in bookstores in a clandestine manner.

It’s because I’m about to advocate something that I believe delivers one of the biggest ROIs of anything out there today. But it’s also something that many people regard as being as dead as the dodo.

What am I talking about?

Well, I’m talking about what you’re reading right this minute.

A book.

A book can be an amazing platform for your business – it’s got prestige, it’s got impact and, most importantly, you can market yourself and your business through it in a ‘whole bunch’ of different ways. Because, to be honest, it doesn’t do you any good to write a book and then just put it on your shelf next to that dusty dictionary. It only makes a huge difference when you use your book proactively to expand your circle of influence, build your reputation and impress current and prospective clients.

Look at the super-successful people who put out books on a regular basis – people like Donald Trump. He doesn’t need to write books to prove himself any more – he can make as much money doing a couple of speeches here and there. No, he – and mega-motivational stars like Tony Robbins and Jack Canfield – create books for the above reasons. It’s not about getting paid for the book – it’s about growing their brands.

Just look at what happens when “the Donald” writes a book. Suddenly you see him everywhere – Larry King, Fox News, even The View. It gives him a whole new set of talking points and a reason to put himself out there. He knows that the ROI on a book is unlimited – as long as you realize it’s not just a book, it’s a gigantic marketing tool. That’s why it’s something I advise all my clients to do.

I’m going to detail in this chapter just how you can make your book go to work for you in a variety of ways. First of all, let’s talk about the book itself.

MAKING YOUR BOOK HAPPEN

The first thing you should do is be realistic. You’re probably not creating a New York Times Bestseller here – that’s not even what you’re really after. You make money from having a book – not from book sales. This is meant as a marketing tool to sell yourself and your business. Put your book together with that in mind.

As with any marketing tool, you want your book to be an attention-getter. That starts with the title – finding a way to put the concept of the book in a short, ‘punchy’ and powerful statement that taps into something people want to know.

Simple is very important. Has there ever been a better title than “The Secret?” Well, there haven’t been many better-selling titles, anyway. At the same time, it’s a gutsy title – because without the multi-million ad campaign for the book, its generic title could have left it lost in the shuffle. Since you’re mostly going to be sharing this book with clients and prospects, and not trying to sell it to the general public to a great extent, you can get away with that kind of approach.

Of course, you’re thinking, the title is the easy part – what about the content? Well, that might be easier than you think as well. Do you give seminars or create instructional materials? Have you given speeches about your business? That’s content – content you had to think about and structure accordingly. By getting these materials transcribed, you could already have the bare bones of your book content.

What happens next depends on your available time and your level of confidence. Let’s start with time – most entrepreneurs and business people just don’t have enough hours in the day to run their businesses and their lives, let alone try to write a book. It’s time-consuming and requires a lot of thought. Many who try it simply give up and don’t finish.

Then there’s the confidence factor – you may be intimidated by the thought of even trying to write a book. Most people don’t even like to write a short blog – and then there are those wouldn’t be ‘caught dead’ even trying to put together the 140 characters or less that go into a “tweet.”

That’s why most business people will use a ghostwriter to get their book down on paper. You can find excellent ghostwriters on Elance.com (where they’ll bid for the chance to work on your book), or you can ask business associates if they’ve worked with someone they like and trust.

It’s easy to work with a ghostwriter – you either give them the kind of transcripts we talked about earlier or you can talk through the main points of the book with them. The important thing is to end up with something that you can feel good about. If you’re going to use a book as a marketing platform, you want to make sure it’s professional, informational, and represents you and your business in the best possible light.

THE THREE STAGES OF MARKETING YOUR BOOK

Once you have your book finished and published, it’s time to really go to work. You can maximize your marketing punch not only when your book is published, but also before and after. Again, authoring a book is impressive – so make the most of it!

1) MAKE PRE-LAUNCH A PRIORITY

You definitely want people to know your book is coming out in advance. Begin by creating a website about the book before it comes out – offer a free portion of the book (a “sneak peek”) through an ‘opt-in’ box that will allow you to capture leads. You can even feature a “countdown” to the publication date and time to generate more excitement.

When the website is up, put out a press release announcing you’ve got a publishing deal, making sure you have links back to your website. Syndicate the press release and post it on all the social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Also consider doing a podcast by having a friend interview you about the book and put it up for download on iTunes.

2) GENERATE PUBLICATION PUBLICITY

Once your book is published, you can now use it to your advantage to get booked just like Donald Trump does. You probably won’t make it to “Larry King Live,” but you have a ‘good shot’ at some local air time at the very least.

Next, send out copies of your book to local radio and TV stations, as well as print publications, and offer to be interviewed. Also put in a listing in Radio-TV Interview Report (find out more at RITR.com) to make yourself available for national interviews. You can also mail copies to your top clients, send them out to get yourself booked for speaking engagements at business and civic events, and host a book signing event at a local book store.

You can also continue to produce podcasts for distribution through iTunes with a theme of something like …“Beyond the Book,” offering additional/updated information and conversation about topics you cover in the book.

And remember my “reverse shoplifting” at the beginning of this chapter? Here’s why you should consider taking a copy of your book into a bookstore – and buying it there!
As long as your book has a legitimate ISBN number and is available from a major distributor, two things we always do for our clients’ books, the bookstore clerk will simply scan the book’s barcode, a price will come up and you can purchase it, even though the store never stocked it in the first place. Best of all, the bookstore’s computer system will register that somebody bought your book and that they’re now out of stock – meaning they just might order more copies of your book to sell on their own!

3) CREATE A LONG AFTERLIFE

Now that you’re an author, it should become an important part of your professional profile. Make sure it’s added to your official bio and possibly even put the name of the book in your email signature for a limited time.

You can also break down a chapter and make it into a free ‘special report’, available on your website through an ‘opt-in’ box. Other chapters can be turned into online articles that you can syndicate, or you can rework the material into speeches or seminar material for your personal or recorded appearances.

Your office should also reflect your author status. Put a framed copy of the cover of your book on the wall in your reception area or office – it’s easy to do through canvaspop.com. Also, leave copies of your book on the coffee table in your office with “Take Me” stickers on the front. You should also donate copies to the local libraries in your area. Make sure your contact information is contained in these copies – either put a business card in the book, or have your info stamped on the back page.

At our Celebrity Branding Agency®, we take this process through another, very powerful step. We’ve created a foolproof way to make our authors’ books best-sellers in certain Amazon categories. We then honor them by placing them in our National Academy of Best-Selling Authors™ – and send out another round of press releases noting their honor and best-selling status, which opens up a whole world of marketing opportunities for the same book.

They say print is dead, but, thanks to Kindle, iPad and other electronic devices, it’s not really. It’s just migrated to LCD screens. The fact is that nothing conveys authority and credibility more than having a published book with your name on it. Publishing a book and marketing it correctly puts you and your business up more than ‘a few notches’ against the competition – and isn’t that what it’s all about?

And, best of all….reverse shoplifting is NOT against the law!

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

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

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

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/

Orlando, Fla. – April 29, 2010 – Personal branding expert, Nick Nanton, Esq., The Celebrity Lawyer, has joined with noted business development expert, best-selling author and speaker, Brian Tracy, to publish a new book titled, “Counter-Attack: Business Strategies for Explosive Growth in the New Economy.” Nick Nanton, Esq. along with business partner, JW Dicks, Esq., recently signed a publishing deal with Brian Tracy to release the book under their CelebrityPress™ label.

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 Magazine’s Expert Blogger on the subject and lectures regularly on the topic at the University of Central Florida.

Brian Tracy is Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations. Brian Tracy has consulted for more than 1,000 companies and addressed more than 5,000,000 people in 5,000 talks and seminars throughout the US, Canada and 53 other countries worldwide. As a Keynote speaker and seminar leader, he addresses more than 250,000 people each year.

Brian has studied, researched, written and spoken for 30 years in the fields of economics, history, business, philosophy and psychology. He is the top selling author of 70 books that have been translated into 38 languages. Brian is one of the world’s foremost thought leaders on personal and business success. He’s one of the most sought after success coaches and has transformed the lives of millions.

The forthcoming book, “Counter-Attack: Business Strategies for Explosive Growth in the New Economy” will feature Brian Tracy along with leading experts from around the world across diverse fields of business. The book will feature business lessons that business owners can use to fight against declining revenues and learn the secrets of success in the new economy.

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

To learn more about CelebrityPress™, please visit http://www.CelebrityPressPublishing.com

To learn more about Brian Tracy, please visit his website at http://www.BrianTracy.com

About Celebrity Press™:

Celebrity Press™ is a business book publisher that publishes books from thought leaders around the world. Celebrity Press™ specializes in helping it’s authors grow their businesses through book publishing. Celebrity Press™ has published books alongside Brian Tracy, Ron Legrand, Mari Smith, Kelly O’Neil, Alexis Martin Neely and many other experts across diverse fields.

If you’d like to learn more about Celebrity Press™ or to see if we’re a good fit for your book project, please visit http://www.celebritypresspublishing.com/contact-us

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

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

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

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