Three-Question Personal Brand Direction Test
Find a valuable brand topic by testing fluency, energy, and willingness to pay.
- Difficulty
- Starter
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 3
- Confidence
- 98%
This decision test identifies a promising personal-brand direction through three filters. First, determine what you could explain for 15 minutes without notes, since spontaneous fluency often reveals knowledge you have normalized or overlooked. Second, compare the viable topics by the energy they create, because consistently publishing and engaging around a subject requires sustained effort. Third, test commercial usefulness by asking whether anyone would pay even a modest amount, such as $30, for help with it. A topic that combines fluency, energy, and willingness to pay offers a stronger starting point than one chosen only because it appears popular online. The method converts vague self-reflection into a practical positioning decision.
Origin
Extracted from The Jasmine Star Show
Core principles
- 01Natural fluency signals accumulated expertise.
- 02A sustainable brand topic should generate energy.
- 03Even a small payment provides meaningful market validation.
How to run it
- 1
Test spontaneous fluency
Ask what you could discuss onstage for 15 minutes without notes or preparation. Record every topic that passes this test.
- 2
Compare energy
Consider which qualifying topic makes you feel most engaged and willing to create repeatedly. Prefer the topic that gives rather than drains energy.
- 3
Test willingness to pay
Offer a small, specific form of help and see whether someone will pay a modest amount for it. Use the response as evidence of practical demand.
In the wild
A creator notices that friends repeatedly request career advice. She publishes practical career videos around knowledge she had considered obvious, remains consistent, and eventually attracts a major book deal.
→ An overlooked strength becomes a validated personal-brand category.
Common mistakes
Assuming everyone knows it
Expertise often feels ordinary to the person who possesses it, leading them to ignore knowledge others value.
Choosing demand without energy
A commercially attractive topic can become unsustainable if creating around it repeatedly is exhausting.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for people who have several interests or underestimate skills that feel obvious to them.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for selecting a topic solely for short-term virality without regard to expertise or demand.
From the transcript
“if I had to put you on stage right now, without notes, without preparation, what would you talk about for 15 minutes?”
“of the two things, which one gives you energy?”
“And then the third question is could I actually get somebody to pay me for this?”
From the episode
The Fastest Way to Build a Personal Brand People Trust