As tech's influence grows, the disruptive "asshole" persona is no longer celebrated. To build trust with investors, employees, and customers, founders must demonstrate respect for the communities they operate in, adopting a "give more than I get" mindset.

The initial period of struggle and repeated failures, while painful, is what forges a resilient team and a strong, frugal company culture. These early hardships create shared experiences that define the company's DNA for years to come.

To convert an audience into a community, leaders must show vulnerability. People connect emotionally with struggles, not just a constant stream of success. Serhant's strategy is to frame his job as losing all day, with wins being a bonus. This creates a relatable culture that fosters loyalty.

Ather faced three successive valuation cuts (40%, 50%, 65%) that would kill most startups. They retained their team by being radically transparent about finances, asking for voluntary pay cuts, and building trust by later rewarding those sacrifices with bonuses and equity at the lower valuations.

Facing accusations about a failed NFT project, the founder's strategy is to openly admit the project was a failure, shut it down completely, and open-source the work. He frames failure as a natural part of building ambitious things rather than defending the outcome.

Seemingly costly failures provide the unique stories, data, and scars necessary to teach from experience. This authentic foundation is what allows an audience to trust your guidance, turning past losses into future credibility.

Wang publicly committed to never profiting from vendor fees, instead setting them only to cover operating costs. While a financially "terrible" decision, this created foundational trust with vendors, enabling the signature low price cap and fostering a collaborative, non-exploitative environment that became the market's biggest asset.

Many believe once trust is lost, it's gone forever. However, it can be rebuilt. The process requires transparently admitting the mistake and, crucially, following up with tangible actions that prove the organization has changed its ways. A mere apology is insufficient; you must 'walk the walk'.

While vulnerability can be relatable, founders must be strategic. Consistently sharing significant business struggles can erode customer confidence, leading them to question the company's stability and wonder if their investment in your product is safe, creating a "sinking ship" perception.