8 Content Ideas to Showcase Your Founder Brand

In today’s digital world, a strong founder brand isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a must. Nearly 48% of a company’s reputation and 60% of customer engagement are tied directly to the founder’s personal brand. A well-crafted founder brand can also improve talent acquisition by 70%, boost staff retention by 77%, and influence 87% of investors.

Here are 8 actionable ways to build your founder brand and connect with your audience:

• Behind-the-Scenes Content: Share your daily operations and authentic moments to humanize your brand.
• Thought Leadership: Publish unique insights and solutions to establish credibility.
• Personal Story Highlights: Tell your origin story to create emotional connections.
• Expert Q&A Sessions: Engage your audience with real-time knowledge sharing.
• Case Study Narratives: Showcase client success stories and your expertise.
• Value-Driven Content: Align your messaging with your core principles and industry issues.
• Founder-Led Media: Build a personal media channel for consistent storytelling.
• Authenticity and Engagement: Communicate honestly and directly with your audience.

Founders: Here’s How to Build a Personal Brand That Stands …

1. Behind-the-Scenes Content

Sharing behind-the-scenes content is a great way to make your founder brand more relatable and connect with your B2B audience on a personal level. Henry Shapiro, founder of Reclaim.ai, explains his approach to creating transparent content:

"It’s casual, almost intentionally unedited, like Loom videos or walkthroughs of stuff we built or are working on in the product. There’s an element of tying the vision of where you’re going with the product to what you just released."

Show Your Daily Operations

Giving your audience a peek into your day-to-day activities can make your brand feel more approachable. Authentic photos, for example, are 95% more effective at generating leads compared to stock images. Some ideas for behind-the-scenes content include:

• Product development meetings
• Team collaborations
• Customer support interactions
• Decision-making processes
• Company traditions or events

This type of content provides a closer look at how your business operates. For example, Viberg Boot shares videos of their craftspeople in action, showcasing their process and dedication.

Keep It Real

Consistency and authenticity are key. Brooke B. Sellas from B Squared Media emphasizes:

"If people connect to other people, and not logos, then sharing this type of content can really help your audience connect with the WHO of your brand."

Platforms like Instagram or Loom are perfect for quick, unpolished videos that give real insights. Sharing behind-the-scenes content regularly – such as weekly – can help maintain engagement and build stronger connections with your audience.

2. Thought Leadership

Building on behind-the-scenes content, thought leadership is another way to connect with your audience and establish credibility. To do this effectively, you need a clear strategy that showcases your expertise and offers fresh perspectives.

Share Original Perspectives

To stand out as a thought leader, share insights that truly connect with your audience. Richard Tiland from New Evolution Video puts it best:

"Content needs to be new, fresh, original, disruptive, educational, and thought-provoking."

Here are some practical ways to create meaningful thought leadership content:

• Highlight proven solutions: Share strategies and experiences that have delivered results.
• Be consistent: Regularly publish content on platforms your audience uses.
• Engage directly: Respond to comments and participate in industry conversations.
• Pick the right format: Whether it’s articles, videos, podcasts, or public speaking, choose what works best for you.

Remember, thought leadership isn’t about follower counts. As Finn Thormeier explains:

"Founder-led marketing isn’t about building the personal brand of the founder, to get them to 20,000 followers on LinkedIn or 50,000 followers on TikTok."

The real goal is to create content that solves problems for your audience and shows your expertise.

3. Personal Story Highlights

Sharing your founder story helps create genuine connections and builds stronger brand loyalty.

The Power of Origin Stories

Personal stories are a powerful way to connect with your audience, complementing thought leadership strategies. A great approach to telling your founder story is using the "Pivotal Moment" format.

Take LÄRABAR as an example. In May 2000, while hiking in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, the founder came up with the idea for a simple, wholesome snack made from fruits and nuts. That moment became the foundation of a brand story that deeply resonates with health-conscious consumers. This storytelling method ties your personal journey to your brand’s broader goals and expertise.

"Looking back, the best lessons are to always listen to your intuition and follow your passions in life. Success and building a meaningful business are marathons, and not sprints. Don’t be afraid to be different and innovate. Try new things even if you don’t know what you are doing! Be sure to have fun and surround yourself with people who support your dreams." – LÄRABAR Story

To craft your origin story, focus on these elements:

• The Spark: Highlight the specific moment or challenge that inspired your business idea.
• The Journey: Share the obstacles you faced and the lessons you learned along the way.
• The Evolution: Show how your initial vision grew into what your business is today.
• The Human Element: Recognize the mentors or supporters who played a role in your journey.

Keep your story real and relatable. As Finn McKenty, Head of Product at URM Academy, puts it:

"It’s the same as art: imperfection is more interesting than perfection… You want to be the human equivalent of a watercolor painting, not an AI image".

Share your story consistently across platforms in a way that reflects your mission and connects directly with your B2B audience.

4. Expert Q&A Sessions

Expert Q&A sessions are a great way to share knowledge and engage with your B2B community. When done right, they can position you as a trusted authority while fostering meaningful connections. Here’s how to make the most of your Q&A sessions:

Planning for a Stronger Q&A Session

The success of a Q&A session lies in preparation and execution. As Joel Widmer, Founder & CEO of Fluxe Digital Marketing, puts it:

"The quality of the material you’ll get from an interview depends on the quality of the questions you ask."

1. Plan Ahead
   Start with an interview brief that outlines:
   • Goals for the session
   • An understanding of your audience
   • Key topics to cover
   • Technical setup requirements
   • Time management
2. Shape the Content
   Center the discussion around:
   • Current industry trends and challenges
   • Strategic insights
   • Practical takeaways
   • Real-world examples
3. Make the Most of Your Session
   Use tools like Zoom or Skype to record the session and repurpose the content effectively. Ideas include:
   • Turning the recording into transcripts
   • Sharing short clips on social media
   • Writing detailed blog posts based on the discussion
   • Distributing content across multiple platforms

Neil Patel, Co-Founder of NP Digital, points out the simplicity of this format:

"Question-and-answer content is easy and fast to create because it creates itself. Compared with a FAQ section where you need to know all the answers, all you need to know here are the questions."

Keep the energy up and guide the conversation with well-prepared questions. Sending these questions in advance can lead to more thoughtful and engaging responses. This approach not only makes the session flow smoothly but also strengthens your credibility and connection with your audience.

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5. Case Study Narratives

Case study narratives showcase expertise and demonstrate how your work delivers results. Let’s explore how client success stories can double as thought leadership content.

Turning Client Success Into Thought Leadership

A strong case study combines customer achievements with insights into your approach and decision-making. Take Thread‘s collaboration with Verbatim as an example. Matt Linn, Thread‘s COO, shares:

"When you’re building a new product category, you have to get the word out. Verbatim helped us get more prospects to experience that ‘aha’ moment about our value prop and to sign up for our platform."

The results speak volumes: a 500% boost in customer pipeline, 80% revenue growth, and 40 hours saved every month.

Emphasizing Broader Takeaways

Focus on the main challenges, critical decisions, and practical steps taken to address them. Share more than just results – explain your thought process, admit any missteps, and highlight lessons learned. This approach positions you as a knowledgeable and collaborative partner.

6. Value-Driven Content

Create content that reflects your core principles to show your dedication to addressing key industry issues.

Show Your Values Through Actions

Recent research shows that 58% of buyers prefer companies that align with their beliefs, and 70% feel a stronger connection to such brands.

"Consumers aren’t confused. They’re selective. And sometimes what you believe matters more than what you sell." – Dennis Francis

Putting your values into action helps establish a consistent message that resonates with your audience.

Why Consistency in Values Matters

Take In-N-Out Burger as an example. Their unwavering focus on quality, fair wages, and treating employees with respect has earned them loyal customers and top-tier rankings. This proves that staying true to your values can lead to measurable success.

How to Create Meaningful Value-Based Content

When crafting content, aim to:

• Address industry issues with new perspectives
• Show decisions rooted in your values
• Provide practical solutions
• Keep your message aligned with your principles

"Transparency, consistency, and raw value are key to building trust and authority." – Jordan Murphy, Building LinkedIn’s most profitable brands

7. Founder-Led Media

A founder-driven media channel offers a direct way to connect with your audience and build a stronger relationship.

Start Your Media Channel

Creating a dedicated media channel can significantly boost your brand’s visibility and trust. For example, Chris Walker, CEO of Passetto, generates $10 million annually through his LinkedIn content and podcast. His success highlights the impact of consistent, value-focused media efforts.

What Makes It Work?

Successful founder-led media combines personal stories with industry expertise. Owning your narrative not only strengthens credibility but also increases engagement in the B2B world. Max Greenwald from Warmly showcases this by attracting over 20,000 LinkedIn followers through updates about his startup journey.

"People love stories. I’m telling our story as it happens. People follow along. No different than why reality shows are popular and why people follow celebrities."

• Peter Caputa, CEO at Databox

Structuring Your Content

To get the best results, balance your content using this ratio:

This approach ensures your content remains engaging while promoting your brand in a natural way.

Keeping It Real

The key to sustaining momentum is being genuine. Share real stories, challenges, and lessons instead of overly polished content.

Consider sharing:

• Startup milestones
• Industry insights
• Leadership experiences
• Expert interviews
• Financial updates (when appropriate)

Engaging consistently through thoughtful replies and meaningful discussions helps build trust. Adam Robinson, CEO of Retention.com, has grown his LinkedIn audience to over 70,000 by openly discussing the ups and downs of running a startup.

8. Authenticity and Engagement

Building Trust Through Clear, Transparent Communication

Connecting with your audience starts with honesty and clarity. When your communication feels genuine, it fosters trust and builds stronger relationships.

"Finding your authentic voice can be challenging in a sea of generic industry jargon. I’ve had more success by being true to my own style."

The Power of Personal Response

Engaging directly from a personal account can make a big difference. It shows there’s a real person behind the message, not just a faceless brand. As Shapiro puts it:

"I think it’s more impactful for me to show that there’s a person who’s listening and not a social media manager using a corporate account."

This kind of interaction doesn’t just answer questions – it creates emotional bonds that last.

Emotional Connection Framework

Building emotional connections isn’t just about words; it’s about aligning with your audience’s values and sharing your experiences. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Maintaining Your Genuine Voice

Staying true to yourself is key to building engagement. Dan Martell, founder of SaaS Academy, highlights this perfectly:

"Authority isn’t bestowed to the entrepreneur with the best message but the entrepreneur most willing to express it."

And as Maya Angelou wisely said:

"People won’t remember what you did, they’ll remember how you made them feel."

To keep your voice authentic:

• Share your real journey, including challenges and victories.
• Focus on emotional connections first. Genuine, empathetic insights should take priority over business content.

These strategies ensure your audience feels connected to you on a deeper level.

Conclusion

Establishing a strong founder brand hinges on being genuine, staying consistent, and engaging purposefully. While 90% of business executives believe they have their customers’ trust, only 30% of consumers agree. This gap highlights how important it is for founders to build real connections with their audience.

Chris Walker, CEO and founder of Passetto, exemplifies this by generating $10 million annually through LinkedIn content and podcasting. Peter Caputa, CEO at Databox, explains the power of storytelling in founder branding:

"People love stories. I’m telling our story as it happens. People follow along. No different than why reality shows are popular and why people follow celebrities."

Brands like Zendesk and Warby Parker have shown that consistent branding – whether through office design or customer communication – leaves a lasting impression. Holmes Nguyen cleverly compares marketing to dating:

"Marketing is like dating. You can have all the charm, style, and the right lines, but if you’re not genuine, you’ll get ghosted."

Here are key elements to consider when shaping your founder brand:

David Baum, CEO & Co-founder at Relato, sums it up well:

"As a founder, a lot of your work revolves around understanding customer needs and building product. The insight from that process is pure gold in marketing, and so are the relationships."

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