Why Founders Should Be the First Brand Evangelists

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How 433 Investors Unlocked 400X Return Potential

Institutional investors back startups to unlock outsized returns. Regular investors have to wait. But not anymore. Thanks to regulatory updates, some companies are doing things differently.

Take Revolut. In 2016, 433 regular people invested an average of $2,730. Today? They got a 400X buyout offer from the company, as Revolut’s valuation increased 89,900% in the same timeframe.

No wonder 10K+ everyday people are taking the chance on Pacaso.

Founded by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso’s co-ownership tech reshapes the $1.3T vacation home market. They’ve earned $110M+ in gross profit to date, including 41% YoY growth in 2024 alone. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

The same institutional investors behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay backed Pacaso. And you can join them. But not for long. Pacaso’s investment opportunity ends September 18.

Invest While You Still Can

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

In the early days of a startup, every founder wears multiple hats: product manager, recruiter, customer support agent, amateur bookkeeper. But there’s one role too many founders treat as optional, or worse, outsource too soon:

Chief Evangelist.

The job of selling your vision, shaping your brand story, and making people believe?

That starts with you.

Before you build a brand team, before you hire an agency, before you write a single line of brand guidelines your brand lives in your voice, your presence, and how you show up in the world.

Brand Starts With Belief

When someone buys your product, joins your team, or invests in your company, they’re not just buying what you’ve built. They’re buying into the why behind it. And no one tells that story better than a founder who believes it deeply.

Let’s be honest: most startup brands aren’t household names—yet. So in the beginning, your reputation is the brand.

• The clarity of your pitch deck? Brand.
  

• The tone of your first email? Brand.
  

• The enthusiasm in your coffee chat with a candidate? Brand.
  

• The story you tell on stage or in a tweet? Brand.

This doesn’t mean every founder has to be a LinkedIn thought leader or a TED speaker. But it does mean you can’t be passive. Because when you show up with conviction, it creates permission—for others to believe, follow, and evangelize with you.

Proof It Works: Founders Who Are Brand Engines

Some of today’s most successful startups grew in large part because their founders showed up early, consistently, and personally to champion the brand:

✦ Melanie Perkins (Canva)

From Day 1, Perkins made Canva about accessibility and empowerment. Whether she was pitching investors or writing Medium posts, she made it clear this wasn’t just another design tool—it was a tool for everyone. That clarity made it easy for users to believe in the brand and spread the word.

✦ Ben Francis (Gymshark)

Francis didn’t just build a fitness apparel brand; he embodied the lifestyle. His transparency, YouTube vlogs, and founder updates created an emotional connection with his audience. Gymshark’s eventual $1.4 billion valuation wasn’t just about product; it was about community, story, and founder presence.

✦ Ryan Hoover (Product Hunt)

Hoover didn’t just launch Product Hunt—he lived it. His daily engagement on Twitter, Medium posts about product thinking, and authentic community-building helped make Product Hunt feel like more than a site. It became a movement. His personal presence gave the brand its early energy and trust.

Why Founder-Led Brand Evangelism Works

It’s not ego. It’s effectiveness. Here’s what happens when founders lead the charge:

✅ Clarity
You force yourself to articulate not just what you’re building, but why it matters. That sharpens everything from positioning to product vision.

✅ Trust
People trust people, not logos. When you speak directly—whether it’s on social, in interviews, or to customers—it humanizes the company.

✅ Cultural Alignment
When you model how the brand talks and behaves, it sets a tone for your team to follow. Brand steadily becomes a culture, not just a series of marketing campaigns.

✅ Momentum
Your energy is contagious. The more consistently you show up, the more others mirror that passion—employees, customers, even investors.

How to Evangelize Without Feeling Cringe

Not every founder wants to be the face of the brand. That’s fine. But there are ways to lead authentically without becoming a personal brand cliché:

1. Pick a Media Channel You Actually Enjoy

Don’t force TikToks if you hate video. Don’t write 10-paragraph posts on LinkedIn if you’d rather talk. Find your medium—and show up consistently.

2. Tell Real Stories, Not Just Product Updates

Talk about customer wins. Share founder lessons. Give context to your decisions. Evangelism isn’t just about hype—it’s about building belief.

3. Tie Every Message Back to the Brand’s Core Idea

If your brand is about trust, consistency, or innovation, let that value show up in everything you share. Repetition creates resonance.

4. Involve Your Team

Evangelism isn’t a solo act. As you grow, empower team members to echo and extend your voice—especially in support, product, and sales.

Final Thought

As a founder, you don’t need to be loud. But you do need to be visible.
Because if you won’t show up for your brand, why should anyone else?

Founders who lead with conviction—who evangelize early, often, and authentically—build brands that punch above their weight. They make people care before the world even notices.

So before you start worrying about the effort your latest marketing hire is putting into amplifying your brand…start with your own.

Because the most powerful brand asset in your startup?
It might just be you.

Until next time, say it with your chest.

Best,

Edwin