The Most Important Job Founders Might Not Be Doing

As a founder, it’s your job to create, shape and share one of your company’s most valuable assets: its story. Today, brands like Apple, Facebook, Google and Tesla are household names with well-known founders and CEOs. Their rise to stardom was not just because of the products they built and the services they offered, but also because of the leaders who shared their narratives with the world. 

A visible CEO and founder with a strong backstory can be the difference between getting lost in the noise and making a lasting impression. No one knows a company’s reason for existing better than the person who dreamed up the idea and put it out into the world. If you’ve been busy with behind-the-scenes work or feel uncomfortable in the spotlight, now is the time to leave that all behind. Use your voice to start telling the world why your company exists, and I promise you, it will pay off. 

Here’s how founders can put their best face forward when it comes to representing their brands.   

1. Show people why they should care. 

?When I started my company, hint water, I realized how much we needed to educate people about why we were creating our first product: an unsweetened flavored water. At the time, still water with no sweeteners wasn’t the drink du jour. There were already plenty of low-calorie drink options on the market. So when we came out with our product, the most common question people asked was, “Why?”

I’ve learned that telling authentic stories is one of the best ways to convince people that your company matters. (Related: How to Find Your Life Purpose.) In this case, it’s why I started making this water in the first place. As a diet soda addict, I wanted a healthier option. I felt sluggish and had gained weight. I knew there had to be a better drink option, but when I couldn’t find it, I set out to make it myself. That’s how hint was born. 

2. Lay a foundation for trust.

Telling my story not only educates people about the products we’re selling, but also it builds trust. I’ve made it clear to the public that I created hint to solve a problem in my own life and for my family and friends.  

Building trust is more important than ever. According to a 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer special report, only one in three people trust most of the brands that they buy from. As brands start to think about how they can maintain or rebuild this trust, the traditional methods, like advertising, no longer cut it. In fact, another Edelman study on trust found that 74 percent of respondents actively avoid advertising. (Related: How to Be Assertive (Not Aggressive) When Chasing New Business)

It’s also crucial to consider the voices you’re using to tell your company story. As people seek out authentic, relatable and trustworthy brands, being a visible founder with an admirable purpose is key. But also, you want to entrust other people who speak for your brand that reflect what your company and your customers look like. 

3. Be heard above the noise. 

Take it from someone who broke into an industry that’s filled with established brands that are hundreds of years old: Telling the company’s origin story through the voice of the founder can differentiate newer companies trying to break into the same market. That’s because there are very few older brands that can still use the founder story to their advantage, since the company has either moved far from the reason they first began, or the founder is no longer involved.

And while it is one of the most effective competitive advantages you have, it’s also one aspect of running a company that is nearly impossible to outsource. But once you've established yourself as the primary voice, then you can identify others in your company who can add their perspective and still reinforce the origin story. 

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Let’s Connect! Find me on Twitter (@KaraGoldin), and DM me your burning business questions and/or comments.

Kara Goldin is the founder and CEO of San Francisco–based hint?, a healthy lifestyle brand that produces the leading unsweetened flavored water and a scented sunscreen spray that’s oxybenzone and paraben-free. She is also the founder of The Kara Network (TKN), an online resource for aspiring and thriving business-minded people. Listen to her podcast, Unstoppable, where she interviews founders, entrepreneurs, and disruptors across various industries and keep up with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.