Over 50% of Indian consumers are increasingly critical of online content. As per the research led by Accenture, 71% consumers feel that trust is a key factor when engaging with a brand.
These numbers are a clear indicator of how consumers are invested in the brands for their values rather than just products. Founders and leadership members of the brands are leading this change with leadership storytelling. When done well, this approach can boost customer engagement, loyalty, and credibility. However, the stakes are high because a founder can gain trust very quickly and lose it just as quickly if they make a mistake.
In the Indian startup ecosystem, we have observed many brands leverage founder visibility carefully and successfully. About 50% marketers believe that thought leadership content directly drives sales and generates leads.
1. The Leader as Messenger, Not the Brand
The focus must always remain on the brand, not the individual. Although founders are crucial to leadership storytelling, their role is to serve as trustworthy messengers who embody the brand’s mission rather than taking on the role of the brand itself. If you see Ghazal Alagh’s social media, she often discusses how Mamaearth came to life due to her personal experience and challenges she faced as a new mother. While looking for safe, chemical-free skincare products for her baby, she built a brand that could solve the purpose. It is her authenticity and honesty as a mompreneur that makes her content so relatable for the audience. This is a very good example of a Founder using their personal social media platforms to communicate about the brand and connect with the consumers.
2. Authenticity Is Key
From my experience, when a founder becomes the face of a brand, how they show up online carries as much weight as any ad campaign. When you see Saloni Anand, co-founder of Traya, you will see how she shares the making of the brand. She tells how she with her husband combined Ayurveda, dermatology, and nutrition to tackle hair fall. In her content, she also highlights how her brand focuses on sustainable packaging.
On the flip side, consumers also notice when there’s a disconnect between the founders’ social media conversations and what the brand stands for. When this happens, consumers feel disassociated with the founders and brands.
3. Leadership storytelling must serve the customer
Leadership storytelling goes much beyond product promotion. It is a way for founders to connect with their consumers in an approachable manner. It is important to listen to what the consumers have to share and respond through their concerns. Through leadership storytelling, brands can make consumers feel acknowledged. Following this approach, founders make the brand more human for their consumers.
4. Understand the Stakes
Being the face of the brand is not a short term stunt. It is an ongoing effort that comes with a lot of responsibility. Anything you share online, be it a post, a comment, or public appearance directly influences how consumers perceive your brand.
Think of a fitness brand founder promoting alcohol consumption. Does not fit, right?
While leadership storytelling presents an immense opportunity to create a consumer base with authenticity, it also comes with its own set of risks. Founders can build trust within their consumer base, but one bad comment can erode it just as fast. Founders must recognize that their personal identity and the brand’s reputation are deeply linked—and treat every interaction with that awareness.
5. Fit Is More Important Than Following a Formula
Founder-led branding only works if it feels natural. Some founders genuinely enjoy being out there, whether it’s doing interviews, shooting quick videos, or speaking at events. For them, visibility is second nature and audiences connect with that ease.
But not every founder is wired that way. Many find the spotlight exhausting, and when visibility feels forced, it often comes across as inauthentic. And audiences can sense that instantly.
The approach should always reflect the brand and what the audience cares about. For example, a lifestyle subscription brand can benefit when the founder shares personal stories or everyday experiences—it makes the brand relatable. In contrast, a SaaS company doesn’t need the founder to be front and center all the time. Here, customers usually care more about the product’s innovation and performance than the person behind it.
Conclusion
Founder storytelling isn’t something every leader needs to do. It only works when it feels genuine and truly adds to the brand’s journey. Some founders enjoy being out there, sharing stories and connecting often. Others are more comfortable letting the work speak for itself. Both are fine. What matters is that whenever a founder does show up, it feels meaningful. In the end, people don’t remember how often you were visible, they remember the moments when what you said actually connected with them.
(Views are personal)
