Today, I am thinking about the numerous pieces of advice we receive from 'the experts' on how people should do business and how to improve company practices. For example, years ago corporate branding was a popular topic. Now, both corporate branding and personal branding are popular topics.

It strikes me that some of 'the experts' are confusing or distracting more of us than they are helping us.

I had to slow down and think about the starting point...I mean, how to explain that last thought.

After considering options for starting points, I've concluded - "When we build companies, they reflect our thinking." I am hoping the majority of people can accept and agree with that statement. Whether or not we embrace concepts around 'personal branding', we buy our favourite products. We buy 'branded products',  products produced by the companies. When we buy products we prefer our actions confirm we prefer the companies that make those products. For example, many of us buy Heinz ketchup.

Even after the company closed its Leamington, Ontario production plant, many of us continue to buy this branded product - Heinz ketchup.

Does the company that makes Heinz ketchup, now called The Kraft Heinz Company, reflect the thinking of the people who built it and created the famous product?

Do the people who work at The Kraft Heinz Company reflect the the legacy of the thinking embedded in the company/organization and/or its famous product?

There's a company with a legacy, a product with a legacy, people now long gone, and people now working.

There's all these recommendations about branding.

And, there's this question...

Who sells Heinz ketchup?