In this week’s column, Mia talks about her personal experience developing herself as a leader.

She writes: “With every move, every talk, every interaction, we contribute to our personal brand – not just the brand of the company we represent. The strongest corporate leaders cultivate their own trademark, a brand that their employees, investors and colleagues can invest their confidence in and stay loyal to.”

Recently teaming up with BlueMoon Productions to integrate high quality multimedia and simple storytelling into an internal presentation, Mia learned an important lesson: investing in your personal brand may seem like an unnecessary cost, but if done right, the payoff will be huge.

Check out her column every Thursday in the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business.

Last week, our very own—and very humble—Hugh Scholey was quoted in a Globe and Mail in an article called Narcissistic bosses and why you should love them. Check out Hugh’s take on the topic, which includes advice for CEOs of startups:

“They need the humility to surround themselves with people they trust, and listen to them.”

This week, Mia’s column talks about word-of-mouth marketing, and how sometimes the best tool in a small company’s PR kit are the referrals that come from ensuring customers walk away with a great tale to tell. She features Toronto-based jewellery designer and goldsmith Leif Benner, who built his business around maintaining strong relationships with both his clients and his creations. He recently launched a blog connecting his clients to the artistic process involved in crafting the rings and other jewellery he makes. As a result, Benner feels more connected to his customers and they feel more connected to him and his product. A small amount of effort, with a big return.

Check out her column every Thursday in Globe and Mail’s Report on Business.