Becoming the Celebrity CEO With Ramon Ray

Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher

How do you grow your business and your reputation without faking it?

In this episode, Bill sits down with Ramon Ray, entrepreneur, speaker, and author, to explore how authentic visibility fuels business growth. From meeting the President to selling three companies and pivoting during a pandemic, Ramon shares real stories about showing up, adding value, and becoming your own best brand asset. Whether you're building your first business or reinventing your voice, Ramon offers a masterclass in connection, resilience, and personal branding that actually works.

Ramon Ray is a five-time entrepreneur, best-selling author, and global keynote speaker known for his infectious energy and deeply human approach to business. He’s the founder of ZoneofGenius.com and has interviewed everyone from President Obama to the founders of major brands. Ramon’s mission? To help entrepreneurs build not just successful businesses, but joyful lives.

Topics explored in this episode:

(08:10) Meeting the President

• Meeting the President wasn’t a fluke, it was the result of years of showing up and serving with integrity.
• Visibility follows value. Recognition happens when you're focused on impact, not status.

(18:00) Lessons from Selling Three Companies

• An exit doesn’t have to be massive to be meaningful. Even modest acquisitions can be life-changing if they align with your goals.
• Reinvention is part of the entrepreneurial cycle. Each sale opened new creative and professional doors.

(29:45) The Power of Personal Brand

• How do you become a ‘celebrity’ CEO? Ramon shares his take on visibility, trust, and being the brand without being fake.
• Brand is resilience. Ramon’s reputation and authenticity made it easier to pivot to new avenues because people already trusted him.

(39:10) Nobody Wants Boring

• It’s okay to tweak your content depending on your audience. The key is to stay engaging.
• Show up where you’re wanted. Look for strategic opportunities that align with your voice and values.

(45:40) Best Way to Build Your Unique Voice

• Use social media as a low-stakes way to develop and express your personal brand.
• Don’t hide behind the company logo, add to it with your personality.

Thanks to Ramon Ray for being on the show!

Connect with Ramon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramonraysmallbiz/

Learn more about his work: ZoneofGenius.com

Get his book: The Celebrity CEO: How Entrepreneurs Can Thrive by Building a Community and a Strong Personal Brand - https://a.co/d/aeJ0eQm

Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.

Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop

Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall

Bill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach

Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth.

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