PicoBlog

Today I break down the framework that shapes many successful founder stories, share examples from brands like Spanx, Tesla, Patagonia, Huda Beauty, and Ben & Jerry’s, and share a Spotify podcast playlist I’ve pre-loaded with successful leaders sharing their (very well-crafted) founder stories. ⤵️

First: What is a founder’s story?

It’s the company’s origin story. It’s the tale of the individual or group that brought a company to life. This is the story the founder tells when he or she talks about the business. (Brand or marketing teams often help hone this narrative on behalf of their founder.)

How does a thoughtfully crafted founder’s story serve you?

Think of it as the cornerstone of your brand messaging.

For customers, it humanizes the brand and communicates the company's purpose and mission. It connects us to the person behind the brand and helps us understand the "why" behind the products. These stories tap into the power of the #herosjourney and leave a lasting impression on us. We remember the products and their features better because of these narratives.

Internally, a founder story is a red thread that ties an organization’s branding and content work together. It guides business decisions and ensures that the founder or other senior leaders in the business feel prepared, clear, consistent, and compelling whenever there’s an opportunity to talk about or promote the brand.

And it’s a ready-made pitch that can earn speaking engagements, podcast appearances, and other networking or marketing opportunities.

How do you create an impactful founder’s story?

While each one is a little bit different, great founder stories often follow a formula similar to a Hero’s Journey  - especially for owner-operated companies.

The narrative tends to hit these beats:

The Painful Gap in the Market:
They start by sharing the challenging situation the founder faced before starting the brand.  This helps the audience understand the gap his or her offerings aim to fill and why it's unique.

If writing your own founder story, start with → What specific need or problem did you see or face? 

The Aha Moment:
Describes the moment when the founder realized she needed to be her own hero and create the product that the marketplace was missing.

This helps the audience understand that the brand is driven by a genuine desire to help others, not just for monetary gain.

(This is also sewing the seed of your brand’s overall mission and purpose, which will be a throughline that’s reflected later in brand messaging and storytelling.)

Questions for this section:
→ What finally inspired you to take action? 
→ What’s the deeper purpose behind your brand? 

The Trial of Effort:
Authentically shares the journey of building the business, and the rigorous process the founder went through to ensure that the product, service, or organization would truly help its customers and serve its purpose.

Emphasizes the dedication, meticulousness, and attention to detail he or she undertook during this stage - the effort and quality that sets the product apart from the rest.

This section answers:
→ What challenges did adhering to your values and purpose present as you sought to bring your offerings to the market?
→ How did you build the business to be reflective of your brand’s purpose?

The Happy Current Moment:
Celebrates the business’s current success and impact. The founder’s authenticity and storytelling make him or her a relatable and inspiring figure who has overcome challenges to build something exceptional and to be of service. 

This section conveys the excitement and joy that comes with realizing a vision, achieving goals, and making a positive contribution to the world.

Answers these questions:
→ How has the brand achieved its goals and made a positive impact? 
→ How will the brand help more people in the future?

Once you have a founder’s story, where does it live? How do you use it?

For many brands, the founder’s story is the foundational document from which the rest of the brand messaging is built.

It ties nearly all of your branding and content work together. Use it:

• On the website. 

• In marketing content. 

• On podcast appearances.

• At speaking engagements or events.

• To get senior leadership and staff wholly aligned on brand messaging.

• In your recruitment process.

• As the consistent throughline at company-wide meetings and updates.

What do these stories look like out in the wild?

Last week on LinkedIn, I highlighted how the above story structure shows up all the time in the beauty industry, and included some real-world examples (you can check it out here).

Below are additional founder stories in action. For each, I also included podcast interviews where you can hear the founders tell their stories in their own words. (I added all of these interviews, and a few more, to a Spotify playlist named Great Founder Stories on Spotify. I’ll keep adding, so check it out and follow if you’re interested.)

Huda Kattan (Huda Beauty)
Huda Kattan, the founder of Huda Beauty, shared her personal struggle with self-confidence and the transformative power of makeup. Her story resonated with many women worldwide, inspiring them to embrace their unique beauty and empowering them to express themselves through makeup.
🎧👂You can listen to Huda Kattan on Breaking Beauty

Sara Blakely (SPANX)
Sara Blakely, the founder of SPANX, famously started her brand to address her own need for comfortable shapewear. Her relatable journey from a struggling entrepreneur to a self-made billionaire, along with her emphasis on female empowerment, captured the attention and loyalty of countless customers.
🎧👂You can listen to How I Built This with Sarah Blakely.

Amy Liu (Tower 28)
After struggling with eczema and sensitive skin herself, Tower 28 founder Amy Liu recognized the lack of clean and inclusive beauty products in the market. This realization became the driving force behind Tower 28. Amy set out to create a brand that catered to individuals with sensitive skin and provided them with high-quality, non-toxic cosmetics. Her personal experience and dedication to inclusivity and transparency have shaped Tower 28 into a brand that resonates with customers seeking clean, effective, and skin-friendly beauty products.
🎧👂You can listen to Gloss Angeles’s interview with Tower 28's Amy Liu

Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX)
Elon Musk's founding stories for Tesla and SpaceX highlight his passion for sustainable energy and space exploration. Musk's vision, ambition, and dedication to creating a better future have captivated audiences and built strong brand identities around these ventures.
🎧👂You can listen to The Ted Interview with Elon Musk

Yvon Chouinard (Patagonia)
Patagonia's founder, Yvon Chouinard, built a brand with a powerful environmental mission. His story revolves around his personal love for nature and his commitment to creating sustainable and responsible outdoor gear. Chouinard's story resonates deeply with environmentally conscious consumers, forming a strong connection between their values and the brand.
🎧👂You can listen to: How I Built This with Yvonne Chouinard

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield (Ben & Jerry's):
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the founders of Ben & Jerry's, created a brand rooted in social activism and philanthropy. Their story highlights their journey from a humble ice cream parlor to a socially conscious business, advocating for various causes and promoting sustainable business practices.
🎧👂You can listen to: How I Built This with Ben Cohen & Jerry Greenfield

Jessica Alba (The Honest Company):
After experiencing allergic reactions and difficulty finding safe and eco-friendly baby products, Jessica was inspired to create a brand that prioritized transparency, sustainability, and non-toxic ingredients. She wanted to provide parents with a trustworthy and accessible alternative to conventional household and personal care products. Jessica's passion for creating a safer and healthier environment for families became the driving force behind The Honest Company. Today, the company offers a wide range of baby, beauty, and home products that are environmentally friendly and free from harmful chemicals, reflecting Jessica's commitment to creating a positive impact on people's lives and the planet.
🎧👂You can listen to: Jessica Alba on the Nordy pod

Want some support?
I hope the above might be a useful starting point. If you’d like some support in telling your founder or brand story, just reach out to me on LinkedIn. I’d love to chat.

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