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The Personal Brand Industrial Complex: Is Every Founder Supposed to Be an Influencer Now? 

Written by – Samhitha Mira

Somewhere around 2020, something strange happened. 
Being a founder suddenly came with… a second full-time job. 

Not fundraising. 
Not hiring. 
Not building. 

Content creation. 
Thought leadership. 
Being “visible.” 
Basically… performing on the internet. 

If you’re a founder today, the pressure is real: 
“You need a strong personal brand.” 
“You should post every day.” 
“You have to be on video… it builds trust!” 

And at some point, many founders quietly wonder: 
“Wait… am I running a business or auditioning for a reality show? 

Let’s call it what it is, a system that subtly convinces you that if you’re not posting 24/7, you’re falling behind. 

Suddenly your LinkedIn becomes a stage. 
Your Instagram becomes a highlight reel. 
Your stories become a motivational seminar. 

And you? 
You’re just trying to run a company without losing your sanity. 

Founders didn’t sign up to be influencers… yet here we are, pretending the ability to write a viral post is somehow a prerequisite for leadership. 
 
You do not need to be the internet’s favourite founder to build a successful business. 

A personal brand helps, no doubt. 
It can open doors, build trust, and make people choose  you  over a faceless brand. 

But forcing yourself into influencer mode? 
That’s where things go wrong. 

Because when you start treating content like a chore… 
when every post feels like homework… 
when you’re posting because “I guess I have to”… 

People can tell. 

Authenticity becomes effort. 
Personality becomes performance. 
And the whole point of a personal brand gets lost. 
 
So… should founders have a personal brand at all? 

Short answer: Yes, but only the kind that actually feels like you. 

You don’t need to post daily. 
You don’t need to share your morning routine. 
You don’t need to record 50 reels about leadership. 
(Unless you genuinely enjoy it – then go wild.) 

Your personal brand should be an  extension  of who you already are, not a new identity to maintain. 

Think of it like this: 
Your personal brand isn’t something you “create.” 
It’s something you  communicate. 

And you get to decide how often, how much, and in what style. 

If you’re tired of feeling like you’re running an online show, here’s what actually works: 

1. Show up when you have something worth saying 
Not daily. Not weekly. 
Just when you have perspective, value, or a story that feels genuine. 

2. Pick one platform…not five 
You don’t need to be everywhere. 
Choose the one that fits your tone (LinkedIn is usually enough for founders). 

3. Share your thinking, not your entire life 
Insights > routines. 
Learnings > aesthetics. 
Impact > perfection. 

4. Let your business brand carry the weight too 
Your company’s voice matters as much as yours. 
You don’t have to be the face of everything. 

5. Don’t aim to impress, aim to connect 
People follow founders who feel human, not flawless. 

You don’t need to be an influencer to be a great founder. 
You just need to be  visible enough  that people understand who you are, what you believe in, and why your work matters. 

Everything else – the engagement hacks, the motivational monologues, the “rise and grind” videos – is optional at best. 

Show up as yourself, at your pace. 
That’s a personal brand worth building.