What is productizing yourself?

Productizing yourself involves leveraging your unique skills, knowledge, and brand to create scalable value, much like a business would with a product. Naval Ravikant explained this concept on the Tim Ferriss Show, noting that in the digital age, distribution costs are minimal, allowing those who excel in a particular field to serve a global audience.

For instance, if you are the best in the world at something, like teaching math or conducting interviews, you can leverage technology to reach a vast audience and monetize your expertise. This approach requires combining leverage (using tools and platforms to amplify your reach), specific knowledge (expertise that is unique or specialized), and accountability (owning your success and failure) to build a brand and business around your persona.

Naval pointed out that Tim Ferriss himself is an example of someone who has productized his skills and brand through his podcast, books, and social media following. Tim has built a business around his name and expertise, allowing him to earn from various ventures while maintaining control and ownership over his brand 1.

By owning a piece of the business that constitutes your brand and efforts, you set yourself up for financial success, rather than merely renting out your time or skills for a fixed income 2.