Everyday, a new brand shows up on your feed, urging you to buy their product or use their service. Every brand claims that it can change your life.
“Your life will never be the same if you take our supplements.”
“Organise your life with our planner.”
“A life-changing AI intelligence model is coming your way.”
In this influx of new brands, what does it take for a brand to stand out? What helps them develop trust? What helps them share their brand story with the world?
The answer is simple: Founder.
Founder-led Marketing
What is Founder-led Marketing?
Founder-led marketing is when the founder becomes the face of the brand. She (yes, call me sexist) is the one who drives strategy, growth, and sales by placing herself at the forefront. She uses her personal brand to drive the brand forward.
Founder-led Brands
If you are looking for a few examples, let me be your ChatGPT today.
Let’s talk about Malkin, Ms. Parul Gulati. She first rose to fame as a founder when she appeared in Shark Tank Season 2 as the beloved Malkin of Nish Hair. From then on, she positioned herself not only as an actress, but also as an Entrepreneur. She used her personal brand to dive into new avenues like Evil Eye Jewel, Malkin Hostel, and NH Degree 6.
Another lesser known Founder is Mithali Sharma. She built and popularised her brand through the series ‘Crafting a Brand from my Hostel Room!’ From choosing a name, to crafting products, she documented and shared everything around and about Ekaami. This did two things simultaneously; it established her personal brand as well as brought awareness to a brand that did not even have a product out yet.
Yushika Jolly, Founder of Paradyes, is often seen in the brand’s social media content like reels and carousels. With her funky hair colors, she is the perfect person to become the face of the brand. Her jolly (see what I did there?) personality impresses their target group, the millennials and Gen-zs.
Why it Works?
There are a lot of brands out there and it becomes really difficult for consumers to figure out which one they can trust. In such a situation, coming across a brand where the founder of the brand is speaking directly to the potential consumer develops trust. Taking ownership of your brand publicly raises the authenticity of the brand online.
A founder knows their brand best! The story behind it, the struggles faced, the pivots made, the late nights put in. So the founder is the best person to convey the truth of the brand.
“Why does it exist?”
“Why should one buy it?”
“How will one benefit from it?”
These and many more questions are best answered by the founder.
Will it Always Work?
No.
That’s it. Toodles.
But on a serious note, whether or not founder-led marketing will work or not varies brand to brand and founder to founder.
And let’s not forget that there are risks involved too. If you were to make a mistake (for example, making a homophobic comment), your brand will have to bear the cost heavily. If your image can benefit the brand, it can negatively affect it too.
To figure out if it is the right choice for your brand, get in touch with a personal branding agency like Rioconn. Our brand positioning as well as brand development services can help your brand reach the right consumers.
If you are looking for personal branding companies, get in touch with us.
