The 4 people who can make or break your brand

You might have expected Mark Zuckerberg or Biz Stone or Sergey Brin to make the list, but those aren’t the kind of people we have in mind. We’re talking about the people that get your business or your client off the ground and make it last, but instead the ones who have an impact on a network (online or otherwise), who spark the fires, and form connections.

They’re the reason we wear fluorescent Ray-Bans, put feathers in our hair, and eat way too much frozen yogurt.

Books like Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point have documented mavens and connectors and other archetypes that cause trends to, well, tip. But while Gladwell’s peeps are subject to accident and happenstance, these people are not. With the right support and incentives, the people we’re talking about can make or break your business—and there’s no reason why you can’t know (or in some cases, hire) each and every one of them.

1. The Early Adopter

The Early Adopter is the one who finds (and loves) your company first. They are probably experts in your field who stay abreast of the latest and greatest, and they know a good thing when they see it—even if their friends and favorite blogs haven’t heard of it.