In today’s fast-paced, digital-first world, startup founders are beginning to realize that personal branding is no longer a luxury but a necessity. It’s not just about the products or services they offer; it’s about how they position themselves as leaders, tell their stories, and build trust with their audience. A founder’s personal identity can be the key to a startup’s success, shaping perceptions, building connections, and inspiring action. Mansi Thakkar, a leadership coach, mentor, and podcaster, is at the forefront of helping entrepreneurs, business leaders, and board members build strong, authentic personal brands that resonate with their values and vision. Through her extensive
experience and tailored strategies, Mansi has helped numerous individuals craft personal brands that not only stand out but align with their leadership goals.
Currently serving as the Board of Director at Windplus Pvt. Ltd. and a Board of Studies member at KES Shroff College, Mumbai, Mansi is an experienced thought leader who seamlessly merges
leadership insights with modern business practices. She has built a reputation for offering
customized strategies for executives and board members, helping them align their personal brands with their organizational goals. Her approach to leadership branding focuses on authenticity,
purpose, and strategic communication, ensuring that every leader she works with not only stands out in their industry but also stays true to their core values and vision.
Mansi’s work has proven that personal branding is a foundational aspect of leadership. For startup founders, establishing a personal brand goes beyond just creating a logo or a business tagline; it’s about aligning personal values with the company’s vision. By doing so, founders can create deeper connections with customers, investors, and collaborators. In a world where businesses often face saturation and competition, a strong personal brand can be a unique selling point. It establishes credibility, fosters trust, and allows founders to humanize their business, making them more
relatable to potential clients and customers. Furthermore, a well-crafted personal brand attracts top talent who resonate with a founder’s leadership style and vision. Founders who invest in their
personal branding can attract the best minds who share their passion for the mission and values they stand for.
Mansi has helped countless entrepreneurs build brands that reflect their leadership philosophies, taking into account the uniqueness of each individual leader. Every founder has a personal story, and Mansi ensures that their brand narrative aligns seamlessly with both their personal identity and professional goals. By working closely with entrepreneurs, she helps them fine-tune their communication strategies, so they can effectively share their stories and leadership visions with the world. Mansi emphasizes that authenticity is crucial; only when founders are true to themselves and their values can they expect to cultivate lasting relationships with their audiences.
However, Mansi’s influence goes far beyond the individual entrepreneur. She also works extensively with board members and executives, offering customized strategies that help them refine their
personal brands and align them with their roles within their respective organizations. As a mentor at MentorMyBoard, Mansi provides mentorship to board members, guiding them on how to communicate their leadership visions effectively and build strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders. Each board member has a distinct leadership style and area of focus, and Mansi tailors her strategies to ensure that they can communicate their individual contributions to the organization’s overall mission. In doing so, Mansi helps these leaders not only enhance their
influence within the boardroom but also build trust and respect within their professional networks.
One of the most effective tools for building a personal brand is networking. Mansi believes that
networking is more than just a way to gain new contacts—it’s about fostering meaningful, authentic relationships with people who share similar values and visions. For startup founders and board
members, networking opens doors to new opportunities, collaborations, and partnerships that can significantly impact business growth. Over the years, Mansi has built her own network through speaking engagements, podcast appearances, and collaborations with industry leaders. She
understands firsthand how valuable a strong network can be, and she emphasizes that networking is not about collecting business cards, but about building genuine relationships that contribute to mutual growth and success.
Speaking at conferences, summits, and panel discussions is another powerful way to amplify one’s personal brand. When leaders speak publicly, they position themselves as subject matter experts in their fields. These platforms allow leaders to share their expertise, showcase their leadership skills, and engage with a broader audience. Mansi has delivered over 600 keynote speeches across India in the past nine years, gaining recognition for her insights on leadership, personal branding, and
entrepreneurship. Through these engagements, Mansi has not only shared her wisdom but has also expanded her network, met potential partners, and attracted new opportunities. She believes that speaking engagements are an essential part of building personal authority, creating trust with
audiences, and establishing long-term relationships that lead to further business opportunities.
In addition to public speaking, Mansi has embraced podcasting as a platform to further amplify her personal brand. Podcasts provide an intimate, accessible way to engage with an audience, share insights, and demonstrate thought leadership. Mansi is the co-host of “Chanakya Unscripted”, a podcast where she engages in deep, meaningful conversations with her mentor, Dr. Radhakrishnan Pillai, about leadership lessons from Chanakya’s Arthashastra and Chanakya Neeti Sutras. This podcast explores timeless leadership principles and applies them to modern-day business challenges, making ancient wisdom highly relevant for today’s entrepreneurs. The guru-shishya format allows Mansi and Dr. Pillai to share valuable insights on leadership, personal growth, and decision-making.
Beyond “Chanakya Unscripted,” Mansi also hosts her own podcast, “RealGameChangers by Mansi”, where she interviews top entrepreneurs, leaders, and change-makers from various industries.
Through this platform, Mansi shares stories of success and failure, offering practical advice and inspiration to entrepreneurs navigating the challenges of business and leadership. Podcasting has allowed Mansi to connect with a global audience, build trust, and share her expertise in a format that resonates with listeners on a personal level.
Mansi’s commitment to continuous learning is also reflected in her participation in Ankur Warikoo’s “How to Instagram” program, where she was chosen as part of the founding batch. This program helped Mansi hone her digital branding skills, giving her the tools to further enhance her online
presence and better connect with her audience on social media platforms like Instagram. By combining this digital expertise with her leadership acumen, Mansi has been able to refine her personal brand and teach others how to do the same.
Mansi Thakkar’s journey exemplifies the power of personal branding in shaping not only a leader’s success but also the success of their business. Through customized strategies for board members, keynote speeches, podcasting, and networking, Mansi has demonstrated the immense value of a strong, authentic personal brand. As we look ahead to 2025, personal branding will continue to play an essential role in shaping the future of leadership. Mansi’s work shows how a well-crafted personal brand can help leaders establish trust, create opportunities, and build a lasting legacy, shaping the future of entrepreneurship and leadership for years to come.