‘The best time to start working on your reputation is yesterday’ – Switch CEO

In business, timing often feels like everything. However, when it comes to building one’s reputation and brand, the perfect moment rarely announces itself. More often than not, people running a business are too busy putting out fires, chasing leads, or managing growth to focus on long-term brand building.

This was the message from Richard Muscat Azzopardi, CEO of Switch, a B2B brand and marketing agency.

“There’s never a good time to start working on your reputation. There’s never the right time to put efforts into long-term brand building,” he said on his post on LinkedIn.

Mr Muscat Azzopardi believes that a common mistake many entrepreneurs make, often without even realising it, is becoming too focused on the day-to-day demands of running the business, while neglecting long-term brand and reputation building.

As he put it: “You always have something on the horizon. There’s always something that needs urgent attention.”

The local business coach reminded entrepreneurs not to be lulled into a “false sense of security” when things are going well and urged them to prioritise building their reputation, an investment that pays off in the long run.

Referring to a company he’s familiar with, Mr Muscat Azzopardi explained that the business had enjoyed a decade-long streak of strong order books and, as a result, had deprioritised brand-building efforts, focusing on fulfilling demand instead.

Now, due to unforeseen external factors beyond their control, they are struggling to regain their footing.

“Tariffs, uncertainty, and a general slowdown in the market that they operate in and now they’re scrambling to look for work,” he said.

In contrast, Mr Muscat Azzopardi referred to a service-based company that had “consistently worked with us to keep their brand front and centre.” When challenges arose, they were still able to keep the business running and continued securing new orders.

Thanks to their consistent communication and the solid reputation they had built over time, the company was perceived as a reliable and low-risk partner, even in uncertain times.

Mr Muscat Azzopardi’s advice is straightforward: “Start communicating.”

He emphasised that businesses should begin sharing their message even if they don’t have a “concrete plan” or the budget to engage consultants like himself.

“Share your expertise, remind people that you’re around, and make it clear that you know your stuff,” he concluded.