Strategic shift in branding, positioning and marketing for clarity and scalability
Strategic shift in branding, positioning and marketing for clarity and scalability.
Sharing the behind-the-scenes of building and pivoting: strategic shifts in brand, positioning, and marketing.
2024 was the year I fulfilled wishes I never even dared to expect.
Leaving a corporate role and stepping away from the “forever employee” life to recover from burnout, I gave myself permission to pause and in doing so, I built something entirely new:
Founded a business
Built my personal brand (after almost two decades of not actively cultivating thought leadership)
Speaking on global event stages multiple times, across Europe and Asia
It has not only given me the opportunity to share insights and learn from others, but also led to landing client deals and building close relationships, something I never imagined I’d do.
Connected with incredible, like-minded people across cultures, industries, and borders
Of course, this journey was filled with trial and error. But those experiments led to exponential growth, in mindset, skillset, and toolset.
From barely sharing anything on social to now receiving love, support, and traction for my brand—this transformation has been deeply personal. All while growing AI Strategy League, a community that learn and build with AI.
2025: A Clear Strategic Shift
Rational Reasoning
There’s always debate around whether to build a founder-led brand or focus on growing a company brand. There’s no right or wrong, as I’ve seen incredible people succeed with both approaches.
But in hindsight, I overestimated what I could build too early on the company side, especially without having yet earned the level of trust and credibility I once had working at big tech and Fortune 500 companies.
So in 2025, I’m focusing on the 20% of existing experience and resources, specifically in coaching and AI courses which have already shown positive momentum and strong feedback, and is clearly driving 80% of the outcome.
Instead of pouring 80% of my time and energy chasing high-ticket B2B AI transformation deals prematurely, I’m now leaning into precision and simplicity.
A strategic shift on:
Impact – Delivering high-value transformation
Credibility – Building trust through real results
Velocity – Making faster, more strategic moves
With a lean, strategic approach, my most valuable 20% of effort goes toward the outcomes that matter most:
Immediate revenue via coaching & consulting
Evergreen visibility via long-form content
Brand positioning via trust-building
Faster conversions via repurposed assets
Strong testimonials bridging to high-ticket AI consulting
Dual Brand Architecture:
Official personal website: Grace Cheng → [gracecheng.co]
Founder-led personal brand & coaching and course platform—your go-to for:
Executive and career coaching
Real-world AI implementation and experimentation
AI-powered leadership development
Newsletters and courses
Thought leadership and cross-cultural insights
Trusted space for 1:1 and group transformation
2. AI Strategy League → [aistrategyleague.com]
AI Strategy League is a community and knowledge hub for professionals, creators, and founders who want to stay ahead of the curve.
We focus on applying AI practically in real work and ventures, helping you navigate the evolving landscape of technology, business, and creativity with clarity and confidence.
Our mission is to foster a modern ecosystem where individuals can explore, build, and grow with impact in the age of AI.
Focus on:
Learn with Purpose:
Share insights, toolkits, and trend breakdowns on AI in business, marketing, and strategy
Thought leadership from builders, founders, and tech-savvy professionals
Practical takeaways from real-world projects and AI use cases
Build with Support
Resources to help you experiment with AI tools and build your portfolio
Creator-focused content on launching AI-aligned offers, products, and content
Case studies on automation, content generation, personalisation, and agent workflows
Grow Together:
Stories and open knowledge sharing;
Future opportunities for collaborations, showcases, and expert features
By separating these two brands, I’ve created clarity in messaging, streamlined operations, and unlocked scalable growth.
If any of this resonates, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Always open to feedback and conversation.
Personal Branding Impact on Relationships and Self-Awareness, takeaways from Grace Cheng.
Takeaways
A strategic shift can unlock long-term success. It’s not about doing more, it’s about doing what matters and letting growth compound by design.
Be open to pivot for sustainable growth. Think beyond linear progress, build with purpose, and create flywheel effects that scale systematically.
Branding is SO undervalued. By separating these two brands, I’ve gained clarity in messaging, streamlined operations, and unlocked scalable growth.
Cultivating personal branding, credibility, and trust has helped me:
Understand people more deeply, enabling me to create content in a more meaningful and intentional way—one that truly resonates with my audience.
Understand myself better—from the kind of people I genuinely enjoy working with, to the type of clients and audience I want to grow alongside, and the network I’m excited to build with.
With this clarity, I’ve been able to overcome the tendency to people-please—something I struggled with in the past—because now I know I’m not here for everyone. I know exactly who I’m here to serve.
Creating content and solutions through services, adding value to the right people, and building personal credibility, trust, and brand identity has become a positive flywheel. It forms an ecosystem of impact and alignment and eventually, luck and support begin to flow back naturally.
I’ve never spoken so firmly about this takeaway until I truly experienced it over the past year—a wild rollercoaster that left me with no regrets.
What are your thoughts on pivoting? I'd love to hear your story. Feel free to share.