The Truth About Building a Founder-Led Brand in 2024
This morning an early-stage B2B founder asked me whether she "needed" to build a personal brand.
Not a simple yes/no answer.
But after helping plenty of founders build their brands over the past year, I can tell you this:
Building a founder-led brand isn't about vanity metrics or becoming LinkedIn famous.
It's about creating a sustainable competitive advantage.
Here's why:
We're Living in a Trust Recession
The Atlantic wrote about this a few years ago - trust in institutions is at an all-time low.
People trust governments less
People trust companies less
People trust media less
But you know what's still holding strong?
People still trust other people.
This is why founder-led branding works so well in 2024. Your prospects want to buy from humans they trust, not faceless corporations.
The Real Value of Founder-Led Branding
When done right, a strong founder brand delivers 3 core benefits:
1. It Attracts Better Talent
Top performers want to work with visionary leaders
Your content gives them a "preview" of your leadership style
They come pre-sold on your mission
2. It Brings in Better Investors
VCs follow founders who build in public
Regular updates create FOMO
Transparency builds credibility
3. It Generates Inbound Leads
Your content educates prospects before they talk to sales
You become the default option in your category
Leads come "pre-sold" on working with you
How to Build Your PERSONAL Brand (The Right Way)
Here's one of the frameworks I use with my clients:
1. Start with your "spiky point of view"
What do you believe that others disagree with?
What unique perspective do you bring?
What's your contrarian take on the industry?
2. Pick your primary platform
For B2B founders, focus on LinkedIn
Don't try to be everywhere at once
Master one channel before expanding
3. Create a content mix
20% top-of-funnel (broad business insights)
60% middle-of-funnel (industry expertise)
20% bottom-of-funnel (company updates)
4. Show up consistently
Post 3-5x per week minimum
Engage with your audience
Play the long game
The Truth About the Time Investment
"But Andrew, I don't have time to create content!"
I hear this a lot.
Here's the truth: You don't need to spend hours writing LinkedIn posts.
The most successful founders I work with spend 30-60 minutes per week on content:
One focused content interview
Quick reviews of drafted posts
10 minutes daily for engagement
That's it.
The key is having a system and sticking to it.
Is Founder-Led Branding Right for You?
It depends on three things:
Are you playing a long-term game?
Do you have unique insights to share?
Are you willing to be consistent?
If yes to all three, founder-led branding can be your most powerful marketing channel.
If no, there are other ways to grow.
The key is being honest with yourself about what you're willing to commit to.
Building a brand isn't a "nice to have" anymore - it's a strategic imperative.
But only if you're willing to do it right.
Ready to get started? Send me a message if you have questions about building your founder brand.
