Lanny Smith was initially uncomfortable being the public face of Actively Black. He found, however, that sharing his personal story and motivations created a deeper customer connection than any marketing campaign could, making his authentic narrative the brand's most powerful growth tool.

Audiences connect with genuine, imperfect people, not polished professionals. Overcome the fear of looking awkward or making mistakes, as this authenticity is what viewers seek and will ultimately lead to a stronger connection and following.

To achieve authentic, word-of-mouth growth, Olipop's social media strategy intentionally relies on real customers. A full 70% of its content creators are first-timers, not professional influencers. This ensures the brand's messaging feels genuine and resonates with its audience, fostering high brand affinity.

Instead of trying to produce polished content as an expert, founders should simply document their daily journey—challenges, learnings, and even product development decisions. This approach lowers the barrier to creation, feels more authentic to the audience, and invites them to contribute.

For founders without a large marketing budget, building in public isn't optional. Lindsay Carter attributes Set Active's initial hype to sharing behind-the-scenes content on her personal social media. She argues that consumers want to root for the underdog, and showing the story—failures and all—is the most effective way to build a loyal following from scratch.

A brand that tries to please everyone is memorable to no one. To build a truly strong brand, you must be willing to be disliked by some. Intentionally defining who your customer is *not* and creating polarizing content sharpens your identity, fostering a passionate community among those who love what you stand for.

In its first six months, Alave's most effective marketing was incredibly simple: screenshotting every positive customer review from texts or DMs and posting them to Instagram Stories. This relentless stream of user-generated testimonials provided powerful, low-cost social proof that drove initial sales and built trust.

In an era of highly produced brand content, raw, unpolished videos can feel more authentic and are more likely to stop the scroll. This "imperfect" quality is a strategic advantage, not a weakness, as it stands out against overly polished feeds.

As audiences push back against AI-generated and overly polished stock imagery, featuring real people in authentic situations will be critical for engagement. Showcasing your team, customers, or volunteers in natural settings—not on a green screen—builds trust and connection, making genuine humanity the key to cutting through the noise.