Their founder’s pretty face.
Here’s why that’s a mistake and how to fix it.
Most founders think they need:
→ Cold email at scale
→ Google Ads or SEO
→ A "brand" presence
Note: this doesn't mean you shouldn't test things.
But here’s the truth:
People trust people before they trust companies.
If you're early-stage, no one cares about your logo.
They care about why you built this.
What is the value for them?
And who you are.
What I've seen firsthand:
When I consult for SaaS teams, here's the playbook I always push:
Step 1: Build the founder’s brand
→ Talk about the problem space weekly
→ Share real behind-the-scenes (building, failing, iterating)
→ Use a mix of personal and tactical content
Step 2: Funnel attention into conversations
→ CTAs like “Drop a comment if you want X,” not “Buy now”
→ Offer value before pitching anything
→ Make DMs the new inbound
Step 3: Turn those convos into demand
→ Send them a demo link, doc, or loom when relevant
→ Track what content sparked the lead
→ Repeat what works
What happens when founders show up?
One founder I advised had:
→ A 2-page site
→ 200 followers on LinkedIn
→ No ad budget
We posted 2x/week. Mostly personal POVs + practical tips.
In 30 days:
→ 3 inbound deals
→ 1 angel investor convo
→ 1 podcast invite
No funnels. No sales deck. Just showing up with context.
Another note: Please build something people actually need.
Why this works?
Because in early-stage SaaS, you’re not selling software.
You’re selling belief:
→ In you
→ In your mission
→ In the problem you’re solving
So ask yourself:
→ Are you hiding behind your product and you are "just an engineer"?
→ Or are you becoming the reason people trust your product?
Your face, your voice, your thinking = trust at scale.
But Aleksa, what about the distribution?
With AI, there are almost unlimited distribution loops you can implement.
I'm building one for Reddit.
It finds relevant posts for your product to be talked about.
Runs 24/7.
Want it? ♻️
Drop a comment and a connection request and I'll share the file once it's done 🪄
This post was originally shared by on Linkedin.