Image consulting and personal branding are related, but they are not the same discipline. The two get conflated constantly, and it costs executives real time and money when they hire for one and expect the other.
Image consulting is the craft of aligning how you look with the role you are playing. Wardrobe, fit, color, grooming, on-camera presence, wardrobe planning for high-stakes events. It is tactical and physical.
Personal branding is the strategy of aligning what you are known for with the opportunities you want to attract. Positioning, message, thought leadership, digital presence, visibility planning. It is strategic and communicative.
A leader with a beautifully tailored wardrobe and no clear position will still be forgettable. A leader with a strong position and a wardrobe that undercuts their credibility will still get passed over. The work has to happen on both sides.
At McKnight Image Lab we do both, because in the rooms our clients enter, image and message are read as a single signal. If you only need one, we will tell you.