Personal Branding for Creative Professionals
Review

Build your professional reputation through strategic personal branding fundamentals

Easy
  • Last updated 15/06/2025
by Dorie Clark

What you'll learn ? Overview

We spent considerable time analyzing Personal Branding for Creative Professionals, and here's what we discovered. This course, taught by Dorie Clark (who teaches executive education at Columbia Business School and formerly taught at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business), focuses on helping creative professionals build their professional reputation systematically.

The course spans approximately 9 hours of content across 20 lessons, covering everything from understanding personal branding fundamentals to implementing practical networking strategies. What caught our attention was how Clark structures the content, starting with internal brand discovery, then moving to external communication, and finally tackling relationship-building.

You'll learn to craft your personal narrative, develop your online presence (though keep in mind this was filmed in 2016, so social media tactics might need updating), master media interviews through mock sessions, and implement what Clark calls the "Wingman Strategy" for networking. The course also features a guest expert, Susan RoAne, who adds perspective on professional networking.

What's particularly interesting is that this course doesn't promise overnight success or guaranteed income (refreshing in today's hyperbolic course market). Instead, it positions itself as a foundational framework for creative professionals who want to establish their expertise and visibility in their field.

For context, Dorie Clark isn't just another online course creator. She's authored four books including "The Long Game" and "Reinventing You," has been recognized multiple times by Thinkers50 as one of the Top 50 business thinkers, and was named the #1 Communication Coach by the Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards. She's also a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review and hosts "Better," a weekly interview show for Newsweek.

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Is this course for you?

👉

Prior experience needed

Beginner (No Prior Experience Needed)

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Time commitment

light Light (1–5 Hours/Week)

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Learning style

Self-Paced (Work On Your Own Schedule)

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Goal

Learn A New Skill

Best suited for:

Creative professionals (designers, writers, artists, marketers) seeking to establish their professional reputation, freelancers looking to differentiate themselves, or career-changers wanting to build visibility in creative fields

Instructor

Dorie Clark

Renowned Business Strategist and Communication Expert Legitimacy Score: 9/10
Dorie Clark is a highly respected figure in the business world, recognized for her expertise in personal branding, professional reinvention, and strategic communication. As of 2025, she has solidified her position as a top-tier business thinker, having been named three times to the Thinkers50 list of the Top 50 business thinkers globally. Clark's influence extends beyond consulting and speaking; she is a prolific author with multiple bestselling books and a regular contributor to prestigious publications like the Harvard Business Review.
Clark's career trajectory is marked by significant milestones. She transitioned from journalism to political communications, serving as a spokeswoman for high-profile campaigns. In 2006, she launched her marketing strategy consulting business, which evolved into a multifaceted career encompassing writing, professional speaking, and teaching. As of 2025, Clark holds a distinguished position as an executive education professor at Columbia Business School, where she imparts her wealth of knowledge to future business leaders. Her consulting portfolio boasts collaborations with global giants such as Google, Microsoft, and the World Bank.
• Named #1 Communication Coach globally by Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards
• Wall Street Journal bestselling author of 'The Long Game', 'Entrepreneurial You', 'Reinventing You', and 'Stand Out'
• 'Stand Out' recognized as #1 Leadership Book of the Year by Inc. magazine
• Three-time honoree on Thinkers50 list of Top 50 global business thinkers
• Regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, TIME, and Entrepreneur
• Executive education professor at Columbia Business School
• Recipient of multiple book translations into languages including Russian, Chinese, and Arabic
• Keynote speaker at Harvard Business School's Dynamic Women in Business Conference
• Featured speaker at the World Bank's 'Innovate4Climate' conference
• Guest lecturer at IE Business School in Madrid, Spain
• Presenter at the U.S. Library of Congress
• Speaker at Google HQ for their internal leadership series
• Host of 'Better', a weekly video interview program for Newsweek
• Guest on numerous podcasts including 'HBR IdeaCast' and 'Masters of Scale'
• TEDx speaker on personal branding and reinvention
Clark cultivates a robust digital footprint across various platforms. She regularly shares insights on LinkedIn, offering daily business tips and career advice. Her Twitter feed is a mix of industry commentary and personal reflections, updated several times a week. Clark's YouTube channel features interviews with thought leaders and excerpts from her speaking engagements, with new content added bi-weekly. Her Instagram showcases behind-the-scenes glimpses of her professional life and book tour moments, updated 2-3 times per week.

Course Details

  • ⏱ Duration20
  • 📶 DifficultyEasy
  • ⌛ Access Lifetime
  • ⏰ Time investmentLight (1–5 Hours/Week)

🧠 Prerequisites

No formal prerequisites, though basic familiarity with creative industries helps


💻 Requirements

Computer with internet connection for accessing CreativeLive platform


💸 Hidden Costs

None identified, no special software or tools required


🙋‍♂️ Support Options

CreativeLive platform support, no direct instructor interaction

Course content

  • Module 1: Understanding Personal Branding, Personal Branding Fundamentals, Telling the Branded Story
  • Module 2: Understanding Your Brand, Discovering Personal Narrative, Branding Through Leadership
  • Module 3: The Wingman Strategy, Being a Hub for Your Network
  • Module 4: Your Online Presence, Using Social Media, Social Media Presence
  • Module 5: Mastering Media Interviews, Student Mock Interviews
  • Module 6: Networking the Right Way, Networking with Guest Susan RoAne
  • Module 7: Mentors and Powerful People, Interviewing Powerful People
  • Module 8: Your Campaign Plan

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Feedbacks

Overall sentiment

Reviews show appreciation for Clark's expertise and practical approach, though some note the content feels dated given its 2016 release date

Praised points

  • Expert instructor with verified credentials and real-world experience
  • Practical frameworks that can be implemented immediately
  • Professional production quality consistent with CreativeLive standards

Criticisms

  • Dated social media strategies requiring supplementation with current practices
  • Basic content for experienced professionals already familiar with branding
  • Limited community interaction due to self-paced format

Testimonials

"Dorie provides actionable advice that helped me take control of my professional reputation." - CreativeLive User

"This masterclass in personal branding was exactly what I needed to set myself apart." - Workshop Attendee

"The networking strategies alone were worth the price of admission." - Online Review

"Clark's approach to personal branding is refreshingly practical rather than theoretical." - Course Participant

"Great for understanding the fundamentals, though I wished for more advanced techniques." - Creative Professional

Social insights

Limited specific discussions on Reddit or Quora about this particular course, though Dorie Clark's broader work receives positive mentions across professional forums

Video review

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19:53

Marketing Analysis

Claim Verification

The course promises to help creative professionals build their personal brand, which aligns with the content delivered

Price History

No significant price fluctuations identified

Upsell Practices

Fast Class version available through subscription, no aggressive upselling detected

Student Success

Limited verified success stories available specifically for this course

Platform & Delivery

Learning Platform

CreativeLive offers professional production quality with reliable streaming

Content Accessibility

Lifetime access after purchase, unclear if downloadable for offline viewing

Mobile Compatibility

CreativeLive provides responsive design and mobile apps for cross-device access

Technical Requirements

Standard internet connection, no specialized hardware needed

Red flags check

😬

Complaints

No significant complaints found during our research

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Refund policy issues

CreativeLive maintains standard refund policies with no reported issues

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Marketing practices

Transparent course descriptions without exaggerated income claims

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Community feedback

Minimal negative feedback identified in public forums

Is this course legit?

Value For Money

At $169, the course offers solid foundational content from a recognized expert, though the 2016 release date impacts current relevance

Conclusion

After thorough analysis, we can confirm that Personal Branding for Creative Professionals delivers legitimate value for creative professionals seeking foundational branding knowledge. Dorie Clark brings impressive credentials (including recognition as the #1 Communication Coach by Marshall Goldsmith and multiple Thinkers50 honors) that validate her expertise.

The course's strength lies in its systematic approach to personal branding, moving logically from self-discovery to external communication. The 9-hour curriculum covers essential topics comprehensively, and the inclusion of mock interviews provides practical application opportunities rarely seen in similar courses.

However, we must address the elephant in the room: this course was created in 2016. While core branding principles remain timeless (storytelling, positioning, relationship-building), the tactical advice around social media needs updating. You'll need to supplement the social media modules with current best practices.

For its mid-ticket price of $169, the course represents reasonable value, especially considering CreativeLive's production quality and lifetime access. We found no concerning red flags, misleading marketing, or hidden costs. The lack of recent updates and direct instructor support are limitations, but these are offset by Clark's expertise and the comprehensive curriculum.

If you're a creative professional looking for a structured introduction to personal branding from a credible expert, this course provides that foundation. Just be prepared to modernize some tactical elements for today's digital landscape.

FAQs about this course

Dorie Clark teaches executive education at Columbia Business School and is a former adjunct professor at Duke University. She's authored four books including 'The Long Game' and has been recognized as the #1 Communication Coach by Marshall Goldsmith Leading Global Coaches Awards.

The core branding principles remain valuable, including storytelling, positioning, and relationship-building strategies. However, the social media tactics need updating with current platform practices and algorithms.

CreativeLive provides lifetime access to purchased courses, allowing you to revisit materials whenever needed.

The course contains approximately 9 hours of video content across 20 lessons. You can complete it at your own pace, typically within 2-3 weeks at a casual pace.

No, as a self-paced recorded course, there's no direct instructor feedback. The course includes mock interviews with students for demonstration, but new students cannot receive personalized assessment.

You'll learn personal brand positioning, crafting your professional story, the Wingman Strategy for networking, media interview techniques, and creating a comprehensive campaign plan for your brand.

While designed for creatives (designers, writers, artists), the fundamental branding principles apply to any professional seeking to build their reputation and visibility.

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Personal Branding for Creative Professionals screenshot
Personal Branding for Creative Professionals Review
$ 169
Total score: 8,2/10 ⭐
  • Duration20
  • DifficultyEasy
  • Release Date01/2016
  • Format Self-Paced
  • AccessLifetime
  • Time InvestmentLight (1–5 Hours/Week)
  • Payment Options One-Time
  • LanguageEnglish
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Personal Branding for Creative Professionals Review