You should build a business before you build a brand.

I thought I was blowing up.

750 likes. 12K views. 37 new followers in one day. I was sitting in a tiny café near Besant Nagar, sipping overpriced black coffee, thinking: “I’ve cracked it.”

That was three years ago.

And in my head? I was already the next Naval.

But you know what happened next?

Nothing.

No DMs. No clients. No sales. No real traction.

Just dopamine. I refreshed my phone like a slot machine addict, hoping for another spike. Another vanity hit. Another “banger.”

But slowly, the high wore off. The numbers looked good. But the business? Still broke. That was the first crack in my illusion of virality.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago.

I was at a community meetup — the kind with awkward nametags, free coffee, and ambitious freelancers making polite chaos. Someone asked, “How did you grow so fast?”

Before I could answer, another guy jumped in: “Oh, easy. Just go viral.”

I laughed.

Not because it was funny. Because that was me. Once upon a time, I believed the same thing.

Virality = Visibility = Value.

Except, it doesn’t. Here’s what nobody tells you:

Viral posts don’t build businesses.
Actual People do.

And not “everyone.” Just the right ones. Back when I first started sharing content, I obsessed over reach. I was trying to play the influencer game with a strategist’s soul. And it didn’t work.

Every time something didn’t “perform,” I felt like I was underperforming. But then something weird happened.

A guy messaged me and said: “Bro, I’ve read every single one of your newsletters. You don’t know me. But I feel like I know you.”

That one line changed how I see all of this. Because attention fades. But belief? Belief sticks.

Those early 100 people? They didn’t scroll past, they stayed.

They opened every email. They shared my work with friends. They bought my first scrappy product — even when the landing page looked like it was made on MS Paint.

They’re the reason I had income before “influence.” That’s when I realised something I want every creator, founder, freelancer to hear:

10K views can’t hold a candle to 100 believers.

Virality makes noise. Community makes moves. And if I had to start all over again? I wouldn’t chase more. I’d serve deeper.

Instead of worrying about going wide, I’d go specific. Personal. Useful. That’s exactly the mindset I built The Brand Engine with.

It’s not designed for mass appeal. It’s made for the first 100 — the ones who want clarity, not clichés. People who don’t want fluff. They want frameworks.

People like you.

So if you’ve been here reading, replying, sharing — thank you. You're not part of a “funnel.” You’re part of my foundation. And I don’t take that lightly.

The pre-sale for The Brand Engine closes on June 13. No countdown timers. No urgency drama. Just a simple reminder: Start with the people who care.

Build for them. The rest will follow.

Want to go deeper?

Here are a few doors to walk through:

• I want to build with belief, not trends. → Grab The Brand Engine pre-sale access

• I’ve been shouting into the void too. → Just reply. I’ll send you a framework that helped me break through.

• I’m curious but cautious. → See what The Brand Engine actually teaches (no hype)

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