What Michael Jordan taught me about branding

Last Friday night, I went for a private movie screening.

Sriram Selvan had invited his podcast community for a chill evening, and I was invited too along with my girlfriend.

Movie on the list? Air — the story behind Nike signing Michael Jordan.

Now, I didn’t expect to be hit with branding wisdom while stuffing my face with popcorn.

But there’s a scene that stayed with me.

Matt Damon’s character (Sonny Vaccaro) looks at the Jordan Family and says: “A shoe is just a shoe until someone steps into it.”

That line?
Whew.

Coming back to the point.

It wasn’t just about sneakers anymore.

It was about everything we build — products, businesses, even personal brands.

Let me explain.

I started Stupidpreneur with zero followers.
Zero budget.
Zero clue, honestly.

The brand was just a silly idea until I gave it a voice.

Until I poured my quirks, my stories, my beliefs into it.

Now it stands for something.

Not because I wrote a perfect business plan.
But because I stepped into it fully.

That’s what Jordan did.

Nike had a shoe.
A good one.

But it became a great one because Michael Jordan decided to make it his own.

He didn’t just wear it.
He made it legendary.

He is the shoe.

Here’s the lesson:
Your product means nothing...
Until you bring meaning to it.

You can have the slickest branding.
A perfect pitch.
A killer landing page.
But if it doesn’t reflect who you are, it won’t stick.

People don’t buy logos.
They buy belief.
They buy you.

And it’s not just about business.

A relationship is just a label until someone puts in love.
A podcast is just audio until someone brings their story.
A community is just a group until someone shows up and says — “This is us now.”

Every idea starts out empty.

We fill it.
We give it meaning.

So if you’ve been sitting on that weird idea, that risky bet, that slightly offbeat dream — step into it.

Stop waiting for the perfect time.

Michael Jordan didn’t wait to be the GOAT to believe in his brand.

He wore it and became it.
You’ve got that power too.

All it takes is one bold step.
The shoe will follow.

What’s one thing you’re stepping into this week?
Hit reply and tell me. I read every message.

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