I’m off to NYC for Tech Week and can’t wait.

You’ve probably heard me mention it, but we’re building software - a new system to help you turn your ideas into a stand-out personal brand. Think: less guessing, less frustration, more results (p.s. we’re launching soon so make sure you’re on the waitlist to get a sneak peek).

My plan for NYC:
→ Meet smart people doing cool things
→ Soak up everything I can about AI + business + the creator world
→ Share a full breakdown with you when I’m back
→ Eat SO well (pls send recs)

But there’s something I keep thinking about as I prep for this week…

The businesses getting the most attention right now? They lead with a strong story and often their founder is at the forefront of the brand. Building a strong personal brand is your number one leverage in a market that’s crowded and where people look for products they connect to.

We’re also hosting a free workshop on 12th June where we will break down the science and art of building a stand-out personal brand that makes people want to be part of your world.

You can save your free seat here.

In this issue:

• 💻 ICYM: Interesting things from the internet

• 🪩 Founder-forward brands are winning

• 💌 Free workshop alert

• 🍒 Free resources for your brand

• 🤓 Learn AI in 5 min a day

Interesting things from last week

The best things we’ve read, watched and listened to.

• Do influencers need to be smart now? Interesting look into the educator-creator space and why being smart is sexy again.

• Founders are using Substack to build a connection with their communities and we’re subscribing to every single one of them! (feat. founders of Set Active, Crown Affair, Megababe and more)

• How Labubus turned into a global sensation (and what it says about the current state of the economy)

• Summer Fridays just hosted the cutest pop-up in NYC and we’re furiously taking notes for any future brand events

• Uhm, Instagram will now pay you up to $20,000 for bringing new people to the platform?!

There’s no denying that founder-forward brands are having a moment.(cue Hailey Bieber’s Rhode getting acquired in a $1B deal by E.l.f Cosmetics). And naturally, a lot of business owners & founders find themselves in the role of influencer on top of their founder duties.

Should you be on TikTok every day?
Should you be telling your story? Should you be documenting your journey?
Do you need to be the face of the brand?

Whether it’s gaining more visibility for your brand and building stronger relationships with your audience, putting yourself out there can be one of the smartest business strategies.

Let’s talk about why & how to make it work for you.

The new marketing playbook (and what that means for you)

We’re not just in a new marketing era, we’re in a new culture of consumption.

The rise of TikTok and other social media changed how people discover, trust, and talk about brands & businesses.

We’ve moved from product-based marketing (oh wasn’t the picture-perfect-IG-feed of 2019 era so easy!) to real-time storytelling & community building. From perfectly styled flatlays to personal moments & authenticity.

It’s never been easier to launch a product (but also it’s never been harder to stand out)

You can literally start a business in a day. Tools are cheap. With the rise of AI you can even map out a pretty decent strategy.

But what you cannot manufacture? The attention. Audience-building has become the most important marketing strategy in a world where pretty much any market is (over)saturated and consumers are becoming skeptical.

So to run a successful brand you need to master capturing attention and creating emotional connection & trust.

This changes the game:

• Marketing is no longer just about operations (most of it’s automated now anyway).

• It’s about content and community.

• It’s about showing up with a strong POV and earning trust over time.

• The brands that will win are the ones that make their audience care about their product.

But what happens when you’re the CEO & the face of the brand?

Recently, Aimee Smale, founder of Odd Muse, faced public backlash after a fashion education account @plzdontbuythat called out the use of polyester in her brand’s “investment pieces.” It turned into a bit of heated back-and-forth between Aimee & Mallory and sparked a lot of debate online.

You can read our full breakdown here.

A lot of the backlash online ended up being directed at Aimee herself. And that’s the risk of building in public.

Is it worse for women?

Honestly yes. When male founders get called out, it’s usually about business decisions. When women get called out, it often becomes about their character.

That’s because women-led brands tend to carry more emotional weight. We often feel more connected to them. We expect more from them. And when they misstep, it hits differently.

What would be a business issue for a man (or a non-issue altogether) is seen as a character flaw in a woman.

This isn’t new, it’s part of a bigger pattern.
As The Cut put it in their piece on the “demise of the girlboss”(2021 but definitely worth a read!), the media cycle around female founders often builds them up as icons… and then tears them down the second they fall short of perfection.

This is why building in public, while powerful, also comes with pressure.
Especially if you're a woman.

So…what's a girl to do? 😩

How do you balance being the face of your brand and protecting your peace? And more importantly…how do you do it in a way that actually grows your business?

Here’s what I recommend:

1. Be Prepared for Feedback

Your business is your baby, but feedback is part of growth.
Take time before responding. Stay grounded. Don’t get defensive, it never lands well. People remember how you respond more than what triggered it.

2. Separate Personal and Brand Identities

You are not your business.
As your company grows, you don’t want to be a bottleneck. And your personal brand should evolve beyond your product. Split your channels. Give your brand space to breathe without you in the feed every day.

3. Tell Your Story (But Not Everything)

Founder-led brands win because of storytelling. It’s what creates emotional buy-in. You don’t need to overshare. Just spend time clarifying:
Why are you building this?
What’s the story behind it?
What do you want people to feel?

Get clear on your story and repeat it OFTEN. And if you think you said it enough times, repeat it again. 

I personally love Olivia Jenkins of D. Louise. She named her jewelry brand after her late mother, Deborah Louise. And that story wasn’t just touching, it gave the brand depth. It made people feel something because sadly lot of us can relate to losing a loved one. And that emotional connection became a major reason why the brand took off.

In 2025, building in public is still one of the smartest ways to grow - especially if you don’t have a big team or a massive ad budget.

You don’t need to be everywhere. You don’t need to share everything.
But you do need to show up with clarity, consistency, and a story to tell.

So create that content, grow a bit of a thick skin, and go build something extraordinary. You got this!

FREE WORKSHOP

Build A Profitable Personal Brand

You’ve got the audience. Or the business. (or at least the idea).
Now it’s time to turn that into a profitable personal brand.

In this free live training, you’ll learn:

• How to build in public without burning out

• How to turn your story into sales

• Why most personal brands stall and how to fix yours

Plus, I’ll walk you through the exact method I use to help creators + founders grow their brand and business at the same time.

🗓 Thursday 12th May
⏰ 10AM PST / 1PM EST
💸 Free, but you need to register

We’ve created free tools to help you level up your personal brand this year. Grab both of them below.

Obsession-Worthy Brand Guide

Your blueprint for a personal brand that connects and converts. Downloaded 3,000+ times and rated 5 stars, it helps you show up with clarity so your content actually lands.

On-Demand Personal Brand Strategist

Get a powerful ChatGPT prompt + five follow-ups to clarify your positioning, grow your audience, and create content that drives results. 

Learn how to make AI work for you

AI won’t take your job, but a person using AI might. That’s why 1,000,000+ professionals read The Rundown AI – the free newsletter that keeps you updated on the latest AI news and teaches you how to use it in just 5 minutes a day.

Sign up to start learning.

That’s it for this week.

As always, thanks for being here. I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you’re a founder, are you the face of your brand? Or not subscribing to the operator + influencer double-life? And who are your favorite female founders with personal brands?

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

The Girls Club Team 

Say hi on Instagram or Linkedin.