When Personal Becomes Too Personal
At the moment, it seems that everyone is a founder, building their founder-led brand.
Somewhere along the way, a narcissistic approach to founder branding has boomed. Authenticity feels manufactured and ‘founders’ are becoming harder to relate to.
Surrounded by digital noise and constant personal broadcasting, we seem to have forgotten a fundamental truth: attention is earned, not owed.
You’re a 21st century entrepreneur. You’re juggling AI, fast moving markets and demanding business ops, all while trying to build a brand.
And in your endeavours to do that, you’ve likely heard the phrase ‘founder-led brand’.
You’ve also likely been told that THIS is the marketing strategy to rival all others! Become the face of the brand and people will flock to your website faster than bees to honey.
At this point, the concept of ‘founder-led brands’ is its own brand. Touché.
But has anyone else noticed that it’s getting a bit too personal lately…?
Personal brands and founder-led companies have changed how businesses connect with their audiences. Authenticity matters, there’s no disputing that, but the right for people to care- that must be earned.
The concept of founder-led brands gained momentum tangentially with screen time. The more digitally focused our lives became, the more consumers wanted to know the faces behind the products they purchased and the services they used. And so, founders stepped into the spotlight… to varying degrees of success.
Yet, we're reaching a saturation point.
I now find myself in a sea of selfishness where founder stories overshadow customer needs.
The Merit of Founder Brands
Before we rip into everything wrong with founder-led brands, we have to recognise the benefits (when executed properly):
Honest storytelling that creates emotional connections
Direct communication channels between leadership and customers
Humanised business practices that build trust
For successful examples, look at Sara Blakely of Spanx or Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia. These founders shared their journeys not as self-promotion but as context for their mission-driven companies.
Hold onto that word: context, you’ll need it for later.
The Oversaturation Problem
It is now easier than ever to create a product, sell a course or offer a service online.
Coincidentally, we've been force fed this narcissistic, influencer-esque approach to content and branding to the point where differentiation has become the exception. So now, to spruik their effluvia there are hoards of people tapping on boxes with manicured nails, speaking with weird cadence, filming themselves in the supermarket and creating podcast snippets for their social media (there really is far too much podcasting equipment)... it’s cringey and uncomfortable and samey.
When everyone follows the same personal branding playbook, the result is paradoxical. Everyone becomes homogenous.
The question consumers are asking is simple: why should I care?
About your founder story.
About your brand.
About your product.
Without a compelling answer, brands are just adding to the noise.
But fine. If people want to bore me in their quest for a founder-led brand with nail tapping and podcast equipment then so be it. The problem escalates from being annoying to brand damaging when these founder-led businesses veer into selfish territory… also known as Carrie Bradshaw territory, Sheldon Cooper territory or Mr Krabs territory. Take your pick.
The Self-Centred Trap
Remember that word: context?
That #MainCharacterEnergy is working against you. It’s blatantly self promotional and totally out of context. It shifts the focus from your product, your service and your customer to YOU. And I don’t know if your mom ever told you but… not everyone will like you.
The thing most people are missing: You don't build a personal brand by talking about yourself. You build it by solving problems that matter to your audience.
Nowhere in that sentence did we mention putting your Insta360 in the aisle of the supermarket and filming yourself selecting cereal.
Authenticity should not feel manufactured. If you have to try to show yourself authentically.. you might be doing it wrong. If you feel the need to film yourself in a supermarket… you’re most definitely doing it wrong.
How do you know if you’re doing it wrong? We wrote you a list!
The Non-Exhaustive List of Things You Might Be Doing That Scream Selfish, Not Serving:
If you’re doing any of these, it’s more likely that you’re more of a wannabe influencer than a founder-led brand:
Using your platform primarily for self-promotion without providing value
Constantly posting about your achievements or your life without connecting anything to audience benefits
Starting most social media posts with "I" instead of focusing on your audience's needs
Sharing personal stories that have no relevance to your brand message or customer problems
Making every crisis, trend, or news event about yourself and your business
Ignoring audience feedback while continuing to push your personal narrative
Creating content that centres around your lifestyle rather than the problems you solve
Talking extensively about your journey without explaining how it benefits customers
Posting more about your morning routine than your actual expertise
Consistently experiencing low engagement on content because you're not addressing what your audience actually cares about
How did you go?
If you found yourself closer to the proverbial grocery aisle than you’d like, it’s not your fault; it’s your focus.
Let’s shift it.
How to Build a Successful, Not Selfish Founder Led Brand:
Successful founder brands understand a fundamental truth: you have to earn the right for people to care. Here's how to approach this strategically:
Quick Wins (Start Here)
Shifting from "I" to "you" in messaging
Leading with customer outcomes instead of personal achievements
Using personal narratives only when they serve the audience's needs
Core Principles (Build Your Foundation)
Focusing on customer problems first, founder stories second
Demonstrating expertise through value delivery, not proclamations
Creating value-driven content that serves rather than showing us things no one cares about… unless it's your dog. Everyone loves dogs.
Strategic Investments (Long-term Success)
Developing clear content pillars that align with both your expertise and your audience's interests
Researching deeply what your audience actually cares about through surveys, comments, and direct engagement
Consulting with a brand expert (hi!) to audit your current strategy and identify blind spots in your approach
The most powerful founder brands don't need to constantly remind you they're founder-led. They just are, and their impact speaks for itself.
Disclaimer: You Don’t Have to Be The Face
You really, really don’t.
If being the face of your brand makes you cringe harder than watching your parents dance at a wedding after too many margaritas, that’s ok!
In rebuttal to any reluctance to put your face out there, you might have heard: people buy from people.
This is true, except people also buy from luxury brands that haven’t been founder-led since their namesakes passed.
Like everything in the world of brand and perception, there are exceptions to every rule.
There are a million reasons why being front and centre might not be viable for you and I’m giving you permission, right now to remove that pressure.
It is possible to build a powerful brand without your face at the centre of it… (um, hello, hi, we’re doing it!) You just have to get creative and have a damn good product or service to back it up.
Surrounded by digital noise and constant personal broadcasting, we seem to have forgotten a fundamental truth: attention is earned, not owed. The narcissistic approach to founder branding has created a landscape where authenticity is manufactured and people are becoming harder to relate to. An expensive coffee and coordinated athleisure outfit does not revolutionary content make. That’s just Tuesday.
As you build your brand strategy, remember that your audience doesn't care about your "journey to entrepreneurship" (it involved privilege and a laptop), your meticulously staged desk setup, or the fact that you "hustle" (congratulations on having a job like everyone else).
They care about solutions to their problems, insights that improve their lives, and products that deliver on their promises.
Everything else? Despite what the social media gurus selling courses from their rented Bali villas are telling you... no one cares.
Need help building a strategically led brand? Here's how Milkshake can help when you're ready:
🥜 1:1 Peanut Budget Strategy Sessions - Unsure if you're more influencer than founder-led brand? Borrow our brains for an hour in a one-off strategy session! We can audit your content, brainstorm, answer questions and give you a crystal-clear, actionable game plan to build an authentic brand that serves your audience instead of your ego. Book your session →
🧠 DIY but kinda lost? Grab our free resource: "The Ultimate Guide to Brand Psychology" and learn how to apply these principles yourself. It's packed with science-backed principles, real-world examples, and actionable tips ready to use. Get your slice →
🔍 Brand Strategy - Let our strategists develop your brand with a distinctive personality and voice that resonates with your target audience. We'll craft a brand that goes beyond visuals to differentiate you from competitors and create meaningful connections with customers through compelling messaging. Learn more →
✏️ Copywriting - Just need some copy that doesn't sound like everyone else? Our copywriting services take your words from forgettable to "why am I suddenly throwing my credit card at the screen?" See our copywriting services →