Ghalib Hassam

Baghi

If you're a B2B founder who wants to get ahead of the competition, you must leverage your founder brand on LinkedIn. Here's why:

1. Thought leadership.

Being a thought leader has quickly become a necessity - it plays a massive role in decision-making for your target audience.

It comes down to influencing decisions and being the first name that comes to mind when clients face challenges.

Here's what you can talk about in terms of insights that are unique to you:

i) Strong opinions that aren't available anywhere else.
ii) Insights on your target audience's problems.
iii) Commentary on industry practices.

The goal is to become the go-to expert in your industry.

2. Pain point content.

Address your target audience's problems in your content.

You need to consistently share insights around their problems and share content that shows them how you'd solve these issues.

Here's what you can talk about:

i) What problems are they facing?
ii) Why do they face these problems?
iii) How does you solve these problems for them?

The source material of this content comes from your subject matter expertise and existing customer data (sales calls\discovery calls)

It's okay to challenge the status quo and shake things up.

Present bold ideas that disrupt conventional thinking and set you apart as an thought leader.

3. The high cost of not leveraging you founder brand:

Each day without a strong LinkedIn presence is a day you're overlooked by potential clients seeking expertise.

And in today's digital world, visibility equals credibility. If you're not present, why should clients trust you?

What people fail to realise is that each day you stall, the space gets more and more crowded.

Every industry leader you admire didn't get there by chance.

They took bold steps to stand out.

And the risk isn't in putting yourself out there - it's in staying hidden while others dominate the space that could have been yours.

Founder - LinkedIn Strategist for B2B Founders

The Founder Lore Podcast

In this podcast, we sit down with founders who have leveraged their founder brands on LinkedIn to not only grow their businesses but also share their experiences in real time.

Each episode dives into the human side of entrepreneurship - the challenges, the breakthroughs, and the lessons learned along the way.

We go beyond the surface-level success stories and explore what it really takes to grow, lead, and scale while staying authentic.

Founder & Host

Mentoria Digitals.

Supporting the agency with:

1. Operations.
2. Processes.
3. Client delivery.

Strategic Advisor

Talent & Truth

Content And Strategy Manager

Kurogo

1. Working with Content Writers and Senior Team to execute positioning strategies effectively through high-quality content.

2. Manage and coordinate the output of the Content Writers and Social Community Executive to ensure all work is aligned with our clients’ strategies and is delivered to a high standard and on-time.

3. Crafting positioning strategies that align with clients' end goals.

4. Creating and running reports with our clients on the performance of their personal brand, alongside Content Writers and Social Community Executives.

Account Manager

I build busy CEOs\Founders' personal brands and position them as an authority in their market.

I've worked with CEOs\Founders from the DACH, MENA, and the UK.

With a well-positioned personal brand, you can:
 
- Grow a community.
- Get inbound leads.
- Attract talent.

Here's what I do:

- Communicate with CEOs\Founders and their marketing teams.

- Come up with a strategy that is aligned with their Personal Branding goals as well as their business\company goals.

- Form a community of professionals (networking is key)

First, you create demand for you and your services.
Second, you capture that demand in the form of a growing network, more leads, and attracting talent to your company.

All inbound.

Personal Brand Manager.

notus

This internship\part-time job was my first step into the world of Marketing\Personal Branding.

I learned a number things, but mainly:

• Copywriting - Creative.
• Account management for clients.
• Content Strategy.

Personal Brand Manager

Bahcesehir University

Didn't have the best of experiences:

- Tried to change their old ways of marketing but the top-level execs weren't flexible.

- Eventually decided it was better for me to look elsewhere to get to where I wanted:

Becoming a Demand Gen marketer.

BAU Global Representative.

‣Marketing the university along with its campuses abroad in the BAU Global network.
‣Reporting directly to the head of international relations.

Marketing International Student Assistant/Masters Student Assistant

ZTE Corporation

Intern

Account Manager @ Kurogo | We create thought leaders through personal branding

I grow B2B founder brands on LinkedIn through content.

Most of my clients are struggling with:

1. Can’t justify the time spent on LinkedIn.
2. Don’t know what to write about.
3. Not sure what the end goal is.

And so, I take them through a process that grows their LinkedIn and opens them up to new business opportunities:

1. Define how you want to position yourself against competitors.
2. Map out the core topics to write about.
3. Define the end-goal for LinkedIn.
4. Create content that attracts your target-audience.
5. Measure progress monthly.

Using this process, I’ve helped my clients:

📌 FOUNDER 1: Grew from 8K → 21K followers within 10 months.
📌 FOUNDER 2: Landed 5+ new business opportunities through LinkedIn.
📌 FOUNDER 3: Grew from 3K → 10K within 8 months.

If you want to become a thought leader in your industry and generate new business opportunities,

Click ‘Book an appointment’ at the top of my profile to see how I can help you.

4 months ago, I took a leap and quit my job to build something of my own.

None of it has been glamorous and I thought it'd be much easier.

Honestly? It’s a constant juggle of financial stress, imposter syndrome, and just hoping I’m making the right moves.

I want my audience to see that behind every 'strategy' and 'framework,' there’s a real person working hard to make a vision come to life.

Let's jump into it:

1. Credibility takes time and strategy.

I knew I needed to build a foundation of trust, so I launched a podcast.

My previous work experience alone wasn't enough.

The podcast has been more about steady progress - each episode is a chance to learn from other founders, to hear what they’re doing, and to connect with their networks.

It hasn’t brought instant wins, but I can feel it’s building something meaningful over time.

2. Being targeted means slower growth... but it’s worth it.

I’m speaking directly to B2B founders and addressing the real challenges they face.

It’s led to lower numbers, but the right people are engaging.

I even went as far as removing connections to refine my feed.

It sounds harsh, but if I’m going to reach people who truly resonate with what I’m doing, I have to be intentional.

3. Offering free consultations to warm up sales.

I started doing demo calls where I show people exactly how I can add value.

I walk them through their pain points and give them a taste of what we could accomplish - it’s been a great way to build trust without pushing a hard sell. 

People are more open when they’ve seen what you can do upfront.

4. Betting on in-depth, meaningful content.

LinkedIn trends come and go, but I’m betting on long-form, value-driven content.

I know that truly connecting with my audience means diving deep and sharing my take on things that actually matter.

This is the path I’m taking to establish myself as a thought leader.

None of this has been easy and behind each step is a thought that goes something like this, "What if it doesn't work?"

I’m focused on building something that lasts - and bringing others along with my journey.

Here's to documenting my journey.

✌

I create thought leadership content for B2B Founders | Built 30+ Founder Brands Across the UK, Middle East, Europe, and Asia | Host of The Founder Lore Podcast

After working with 30+ founders across industries, I’ve noticed one common mistake:

They try to talk about everything.

- Their startup.
- Their fitness routine.
- Their thoughts on AI.
- Their weekend hobbies.
- Their latest book recommendations.

And you know what happens?

They become known for nothing.

If you want to build a founder brand that stands out, you need focus - here’s how I explain it to my clients:

Think of your content as a tree.

1. The trunk is your main topic - your expertise, the thing you want to be known for.

2. The branches are your subtopics - areas that support your trunk and give depth to your message.

3. But if you try to grow ten different trees at once, none of them will thrive.

A healthy balance is key but your focus should be sharp:

1. Thought leadership on customer pain points.

This is your expertise (the problems you solve for your ICP)

2. Thought leadership on your industry.

This shows you’re plugged in and have a unique perspective.

It’s not about posting more... It’s about posting better.

Stick to these two pillars, stay consistent, and grow from there.

Because when you spread yourself too thin, you’re not just wasting time - you’re wasting opportunity.

On Ep#4 of The Founder Lore Podcast, I had the pleasure of having Iurii Znak, CEO of Respect.Studio as a guest. His founder brand has been a game-changer for his agency. Here's how:

1. Increased lead quality and pipeline growth.

Through consistent content+engagement, he's nurturing leads over time, resulting in high-quality leads who already trust his expertise.

Remember: Most leads generated hardly interact with you publicly but they're being nurtured if you're putting content out.

2. Sales process efficiency.

His content supports sales by acting as proof of concept, which accelerates the trust-building phase with prospects.

In other words... better social proof.

3. Brand equity and perceived authority.

His thought leadership has raised the agency’s profile.

Iurii's credibility feeds into Respect.Studio's credibility.

4. Competitive differentiation.

His relationship-focused approach sets Respect Studio apart from competitors...

As opposed to relying on traditional mass outreach tactics. This helps build a loyal audience.

Watch/listen here:

YouTube: https://lnkd.in/drS2if2X

Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dH98Y5g7

The truth is, most B2B founders will never become thought leaders.

Harsh, but true.

Here's why:

There's a temptation to play it safe when it comes to content because no one wants to be disliked.

Some of your will get out of that comfort zone but some will stay in it because they'd rather please everyone.

They're afraid of pissing people off.

You need to be ruthless about 2 types of thought leadership content:

1. Your unfiltered POV/takes around your industry\niche.

You're not on this platform to be liked.

The goal is to be seen as a thought leader - no matter how aggressive or polarising your take is, you put it out there.

Could be your take on a new trend, something against/for the status quo.

-> Where can you source this from?

It needs to come directly from your thought leadership... this is the only content you cannot source from somewhere else.

2. Pain-point content.

Content that directly addresses your target audience's pain points.

- What problems do they face.
- Why do they face it.
- How to solve them.
- What happens if you don't solve them.

-> Where can you source this from?

Your sales/discovery calls.

Your customers/prospects are telling you exactly what they're suffering with.

All you need to do is use that in content.

By doing so, you position you as the go-to expert.

But if you water down your content you'll never stand out.

Do this for 6+ months and there's no way you fail.

“If I spend time on LinkedIn, will it actually be worth it?”

I hear this question all the time.

ROI isn’t always instant, but it is inevitable when you play the long game.

Troy Munson, founder of Dimmo 🦖, said during our podcast recording:

“If you drive eyeballs, revenue will come.”

When you show up consistently:

1. You build trust with your audience.
2. You stay top of mind for opportunities.
3. You create leverage that leads to revenue.

No, you can’t track every dollar back to a single post.

But you can measure the doors that open because of your presence.

More visibility = more conversations = more deals.

So the real question isn’t, “Is LinkedIn worth my time?”

It’s, “Can I afford not to be there?”

Recorded the 12th episode of The Founder Lore Podcast today. Here's a list of  incredible founders who participated: (some eps yet to release)

Justin Rowe - Founder @ Impactable - B2B LinkedIn Ads Agency
Helena Klaus - Co-founder @ SDRs of Germany
Mattia Schaper - Co-founder @ SDRs of Germany
Eva Johanna Egg - Co-founder & CEO @ Scripe
Iurii Znak - CEO @ Respect.Studio
Adam Holmgren - Co-founder @ Fibbler
David Baum - CEO & Co-founder @ Relato
Sam Dunning - Founder @ Breaking B2B
Troy Munson - CEO @ Dimmo 🦖
Jonathan Bland - Co-founder @ Omni Lab
Tycho Luijten - CEO @ Dapper - B2B Growth Agency
Michael Maximoff - Founder @ Belkins

Fantastic bundle of information+value in each episode.

When I look at back at these episodes, I see them as an extremely valuable resource for founders who are thinking of building their founder brands.

In these episodes you'll find raw stories of how each founder began their founder branding journey on LinkedIn, how they approach it, and just how much they've achieved so far (and how much they've failed)

Looking forward to having some more incredible guests.

Feel free to shoot suggestions in the comments if you think your favourite founder (running a successful founder brand on LinkedIn) needs to be on this podcast.

Every founder brand on LinkedIn has to meet 3 core needs: (regardless of the industry you're in)

1. Credibility.
2.Authority.
3. Trust.

In terms of content, how does one know what to create?

The balance of credibility, authority, or trust content depends entirely on the founder's end goal.

1. Let's say you want to build a community.

For that, you'd have to create content that builds trust.

Share content that make you relatable - your “why,” personal moments, or behind-the-scenes.

But don’t forget credibility (case studies, results) and authority (strong opinions on your industry and ICP) content every now and then.

2. Now, let's assume you want to become a thought leader.

Double down on credibility and authority.

Showcase expertise through unique insights, POVs, case studies, testimonials etc.

Create relatable (trust) content occasionally - relatability builds long-term connection.

FYI: Building a reputation as a thought leader takes time - It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Lastly, 2 things:

1. If your content speaks to the general public, it’ll gain traction faster.

2. But if you’re creating highly niched content, growth will be slower.

Consistency on LinkedIn ≠ ONLY content.

Most founders quit LinkedIn around the 3-6 month mark because they don't see:

- A growing community.
- Relevant conversations.
- Tangible ROI (leads etc.)

Even if they're consistently creating content.

But if you're skipping on engagement with your network, not starting conversations in DMs, or any other way of building genuine relationships then it's a problem.

Being consistent with your content (6+months) is just one part of a much larger picture.

You need to have a solid overall presence to see results.

Every time you post, LinkedIn shows it to a select few connections.

If these people aren’t relevant, your time and effort go to waste.

Your posts fall flat because the wrong people see them. Here’s what happens:

1. Lower engagement.

When posts go to people who don’t care about your content, engagement drops, and LinkedIn’s algorithm thinks it’s less valuable.

That means fewer people see it.

People who could actually benefit from your content are robbed from it.

2. Missed growth.

Without a relevant audience, you miss out on connections that could benefit you professionally.

Which means, you’re probably getting attention from the wrong people (the select few who do see your content)

3. Lost thought leadership.

Even the best content won’t make an impact if it’s reaching the wrong crowd.

This stalls your credibility and growth.

Lastly…

4. Wasted time and effort.

Putting in all that work just for it to fall flat?

It’s draining and offers little return.

So… what’s the solution?

1. Clean up your connections.

Remove those (first degree connections) who aren’t relevant to your goals and replace them with people aligned with your industry or target audience.

2. Engage with relevant creators.

Interact with people - the ones who you’d want to interact with your content.

LinkedIn will notice and start showing your posts to a more targeted audience.

(ever notice how you once interact with someone and suddenly you see more and more of their posts on your feed?)

The quality of time I spend here has gotten so much better ever since I started curating a more intentful network.

I've said this before and I'll say it again - obsessing over templates and formatting is hurting your content on LinkedIn.

This decline in quality can directly be attributed to 'big' creators wanting to offload their templates to gather more reach.

Put AI into the equation and you've got mediocre content being celebrated through toxic positivity.

But it's not all bad news though.

An abundance of bad quality content leaves gap for good quality content... proper thought leadership that isn't sourced from the masses.

We need thoughts and opinions that are unique to each individual.

Which one are you?

When was the last time you sat down and maximised the character count on your LinkedIn post for an in-depth piece of content?

Try it.

It feels liberating.

Joseph Rudd and I have collectively built 40+ founder brands on LinkedIn.

On Monday, 2nd of Dec, we'll show you where to start with your founder brand and how to create the right kind of content+strategy.

By the end of this 60-minute livestream, you’ll know:

→ How to position your personal brand.
→ How to create a content strategy that supports your goals.
→ Current best practices for writing content.
→ Advanced tactics for converting followers into leads.

Registration link is in the comments.

After nearly 3 years of creating content here, I’m expanding to YouTube to diversify my reach - here's my thought process behind it:

1. The core question... 'why?'

An Ali Abdaal video helped me with this.

Watching his video got me thinking - what’s my real purpose?

Is it for passive income, personal growth, or something else?

When I really dug deep, I realised that while monetisation is a goal, my driving force is my love for content creation itself.

2. Creating content for the past 2-3 years.

Creating content isn't new to me - I’ve been consistently active on LinkedIn for about three years.

Sure, I’ve had short breaks, but it’s always been a passion, not just a task.

Knowing that someone out there might resonate with my message is a very fulfilling feeling.

YouTube feels like the natural next step because It’s a way to bring my thoughts to life in a more dynamic format, and it aligns with my vision to expand my reach beyond text.

3. Creating content for the long-term.

LinkedIn has been my primary playground, and over the years, I've learned the value of maintaining consistency (over and over again)

My aim is to mirror this consistency on YouTube - creating content that’s not just relevant for a few days but has lasting impact.

I want to produce work that I believe in.... content that helps people.

4. I want to be intentional with my content.

Being intentional with content matters.

A lot.

If the purpose isn’t strong... staying motivated can be tough (I've been through it)

Being intentional helps my sustain my content creation efforts.

If you’re thinking about diving into content creation whether on LinkedIn, YouTube, or any other platform?

Take a moment to think about your 'why.'

Treating LinkedIn organic like paid ads makes you quit before results show.

Founders expect instant gratification:

- Post a few times.
- Get a flood of leads.
- Celebrate success.

But LinkedIn (organic) doesn’t work like that.

The problem is short-term thinking - I see it all the time:

Post for a few weeks → No leads → Quit.
Try again for a month → Still no leads → Quit again.

This mindset costs people the very results they’re chasing , but there's one thing you don't realise:

People are just starting to notice you when you quit.

Your efforts are compounding - then you stop.

You haven’t built enough credibility, authority, or trust to see returns.

If you show up consistently (with a strategy) the leads, opportunities, and connections will come. But only if you’re willing to commit.

Ep7 of The Founder Lore Podcast is live! featuring Michael Maximoff, founder of Belkins. His founder brand has helped Belkins scale to 300+ people.

Had a great chat with Michael about:

1. His thoughts on founder branding.
2. How he approaches his content+networking.
3. The impact his founder brand has had on Belkins.

But none of it was overnight.

He had to learn (and unlearn) a lot of things throughout his journey.

Link to the complete episode is in the comments.

If you're a technical B2B founder, you probably believe your knowledge is "too niche" or "too complex" for LinkedIn. Here's why you're wrong:

Your technical expertise becomes your biggest asset if you're solving the right problems and speaking directly to your ICP.

1. Pain-point content.

When you share content that addresses real, specific challenges, the right people (aka your ICP) will pay attention.

They’re not just looking for generic advice - they’re seeking expert-level insights that only someone with your background can offer.

2. Delivering your message to the right people.

Go through your connections and identify those who aren't your ICP (or their decision makers)

If they don’t align with your business goals or industry focus, it’s time to let them go.

This might sound counterintuitive, but you're not here for vanity metrics - you need to ensure your content reaches people who need it.

When your audience is full of people who need your expertise, your technical content will start taking off.

3. Become the go-to expert.

Don’t think of your technical knowledge as dry or inaccessible.

Think of it as a toolkit - share stories, case studies, or breakdowns that illustrate how your expertise solves real problems.

This builds credibility, attracts attention, and helps you stand out as a go-to resource.

Your (technical) knowledge is your golden ticket.

When you speak directly to your ICP, you'll eventually generate demand for your expertise.

And for the love of God, please don’t water down your thoughts... double down on them.

The right audience is out there, and they’re waiting for someone with your expertise to step up.

Be that person.

Most founders think they can build a brand by posting random content or outsourcing engagement. But the ones who are 'actually' doing it, know that's just noise.

Here’s what 'successful' founder brands are doing:

1. Put your face out there.

Your audience isn’t buying from a faceless brand...they’re buying from you.

The minute you take ownership of your message, values, and perspective, people connect on a deeper level.

Be the reason they trust.

Your insights, your story, and your face are what make the difference.

2. Share in-depth value.

Too many founders are afraid to go deep, sticking to “short and snacky” because it’s what everyone’s been taught for the past 2 years.

The thing is, surface-level content is forgettable, and it doesn’t create impact.

The future of LinkedIn belongs to creators who aren’t afraid to maximise that 3000-character limit.

When you dig into real insights, challenge assumptions, or walk your audience through how you solved a problem, people remember.

Going in-depth is what separates real thought leaders from the content crowd.

3. Being sustainably consistent.

Posting daily isn’t the goal (this can be very overwhelming)

You must show up with intention, not just frequency.

Sustainable consistency is about establishing a rhythm you can stick with for the long haul - whether that's 2x a week or 5x a week.

Your audience should know when and why to expect your voice.

This approach actually moves the needle and I can bet you’ve seen it in prominent founder brands - they’re successful because they show up with depth, authenticity, and reliability.

A founder brand isn’t just a 'nice-to-have' anymore.

It’s your true competitive advantage.

Ep#5 of The Founder Lore Podcast is live! Featuring Adam Holmgren, Co-Founder of Fibbler, who’s driven 95% of users through his founder brand. Here’s his blueprint:

1. Have a strategy to stay consistent.

If you're winging it, your content will become chaotic, and your audience will lose track of what you stand for.

Adam divides his topics across the week:

1. Talking about his B2B SaaS (Fibbler) 
2. Share insights about demand gen (Rillion) a couple of times.
3. Talking about his journey, values, and lessons learned.

This way, he's not just pushing out content but maintaining relevance and building a well-rounded brand presence.

2. Pushing thought leadership around target audience pain points.

Building a founder brand isn't about promotion 24/7... if all you do is push your product, people will tune out.

Instead, focus on talking about the problems you solve and engage in real conversations.

This is how you build trust and drive genuine interest.

95% of Fibbler's customers came from engaging content and not from promotional posts.

People buy into the value you offer, not just the product itself.

Remember:

Being consistent without a strategy is a waste of time.

But if you want consistency that works, create a balanced strategy and mix up your content.

Episode links in the comments!

Most content fails because it only scratches the surface of your audience’s pain points.

Your audience doesn’t want vague advice - they crave clarity.

To stand out, you need to go 4 layers deeper into their problems:

1. Why does your ICP face this problem?

Share real-world examples - make them see themselves in the problem. 

When they feel understood, they listen.

2. Why does this problem occur in the first place?

Surface-level explanations won’t cut it - dive into the root causes.

Position yourself as 'the' expert who can solve their challenges.

3. What happens if you don’t fix this problem?

Highlight the hidden costs , risks, and missed opportunities to create urgency.

Because urgency drives action.

4. How do you solve this problem?

Now it’s time for your solution.

Show them a clear, actionable path forward - prove that you’re the key to their transformation.

Every piece of pain-point content needs to uncover at least one layer at all times.

Came across a post about the dangers of over-relying on AI for content creation. Here's my take:

Q1 -> Where is the line between using AI as a tool and over-relying on it?"
↓
AI is great for ideation, training it for your tone of voice, but not good enough for direct copy-paste - you'll need to tweak the output no matter how accurately you train it.

Q2 -> Does it kill your creativity, or help you get past the blank page?"
↓
It boosts my creativity because it speeds up the process of execution + speeds up my thought process... ALWAYS helps me get past the blank page.

Q3 -> When do you find AI useful, and when should you avoid using it at all costs? 
↓
AI is useful for mass-messaging (e.g. posts on LinkedIn) but should never be used when in 1-1 communication - a little misstep and trust with the other person is gone.

Q4 -> If you're using AI for content creation, how do you keep your content sounding human? Is that important? Why/why not?
↓
The only way to make it human is by editing the AI output. And it is 100% important - OR, you could train an AI model so accurately that it nails your tone of voice at all times (I don't think thats possible... yet)

Q5 -> And...is it going to take all our jobs in a few years? Why/why not?
↓
It will replace labour (people who are awaiting instructions at all times to function). But it won't replace strategists (people who are able to make AI work to its potential)

How would you answer these questions?

Looking to leverage LinkedIn™ as a marketing channel? 

Stuck posting, without seeing business results? 

Ghalib and I have (collectively) helped 40+ founders build their brand, attract talent, open doors to new opportunities, and drive revenue that can be directly attributed to the platform. 

On December 2nd, we're going to be breaking down our entire approach to positioning, content strategy, and content production. 

We'll also be sharing advanced B2B marketing practices for converting followers into customers - and giving you a chance to ask us anything you like. 

Sign up below and we'll see you there.

Ayesha Ameer, Satwik S. and 29 other attendees

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