The creator economy is often seen as the domain of YouTubers, TikTok stars, and Instagram personalities. But in 2025, another type of voice is cutting through the noise: the founder.
Across fashion, beauty, and digital, business leaders are stepping out from behind their logos and building audiences of their own. No longer just CEOs, they are creators in their own right – driving sales, building communities, and in some cases, eclipsing the brand itself.
Why founders are becoming influencers
The shift is clear. Audiences want to buy from people, not faceless companies. A founder’s story carries authenticity: the late nights, the mistakes, the product passion. Sharing that online not only markets the brand but also builds trust and loyalty.
For founders, personal influence can also open doors to investors, partnerships, and talent. Recruitment is easier when candidates feel connected to the person behind the business. The founder’s social presence becomes as powerful as the brand’s marketing strategy.
Founder–Influencer Examples
- Aimee Smale (Odd Muse)
Built her fashion label from scratch and has grown her own platform alongside it, regularly sharing founder insights and becoming a visible face for the brand. - Arianna Ajtar (Mars The Label)
Grew Mars The Label into a celebrity-loved fashion brand, using her personal profile and storytelling to amplify the brand’s aspirational identity. - Ben Francis (Gymshark)
Initially known only in fitness circles, Francis has become a global business personality — sharing his founder journey, business lessons, and leadership insights across social platforms. - Conna Walker (House of CB)
Turned her eBay dress shop into a globally recognised fashion house, while also becoming an online voice for entrepreneurship, fashion, and female leadership. - Aimee Connolly (Sculpted by Aimee)
Founder of the beauty brand Sculpted by Aimee, she regularly uses her personal channels to front product launches, tutorials, and founder-led storytelling, merging influencer and entrepreneur roles.
Each shows a different model of how founder influence can power brand growth, whether through community building, media expansion, or personal storytelling.
Risks and rewards
Of course, when the founder is the brand, risks follow. A poorly received post or PR misstep can damage not just reputation but revenue. There’s also the challenge of scalability: if the founder steps back, does the brand lose its magnetism?
But the rewards are clear. Founders who harness influence effectively can bypass traditional advertising, speak directly to customers, and create loyalty that’s hard to replicate with paid campaigns.
What this means for talent management
For talent managers and agencies, this shift is worth watching closely. Some founders are now operating in the same space as influencers, seeking brand partnerships or needing representation themselves. Others are competing for the same marketing budgets that might once have gone solely to creators.
The takeaway? The definition of “influencer” is widening. In 2025, the next big name to front a campaign may not be a YouTuber or TikTok star — it may be the founder of the brand itself.
