The Founders Driving the Funnel

Founders are the new media channels.

In an era of rising acquisition costs and shrinking performance budgets, some of the most effective brands aren’t scaling through Facebook ads or discounts. They’re scaling through storytelling — powered directly by the voice, presence, and credibility of their founders.

Whether it’s a cooking demo, a makeup tutorial, or a vlog-style coffee launch, these touchpoints feel personal because they are personal. And while they may not look like ads, the data shows they often outperform them.

In this edition of Particl Awards, we spotlight three founder-led brands: Our Place, Jones Road Beauty, and Chamberlain Coffee, that are winning without paid.

Our Place - Shiza Shahid

The Cookware Brand That Cooks Up Culture, Not Just Conversions

Our Place isn’t just led by Shiza Shahid, it’s also shaped by her voice, values, and visibility at every turn with her vision being that "Cooking should feel like home."

Few companies are as intertwined with their founder as Our Place is with Shiza Shahid. From Instagram Lives to recipe storytelling, her voice is present in every launch and caption. As performance budgets shrink across DTC, her authentic presence has become a core growth engine, not just a nice-to-have.

Wonder Oven sales spiked in late January and it wasn’t performance spend driving the lift. It was Shiza Shahid, front and center, telling the product’s story.

• Earned Authority
  Shahid’s background as a social entrepreneur builds credibility with values-led consumers, especially in moments when trust matters more than polish.

• Community-First Drops
  Launches are framed around culture, tradition, and utility, not just features. From Lunar New Year to Ramadan, products feel deeply considered.

• Minimalist Paid Strategy
  Our Place runs light on performance spend. The founder’s voice does the heavy lifting via interviews, product demos, and high-touch content.

Key Takeaway
Our Place shows that when the founder builds trust and community, performance spend becomes an accelerant — not a requirement.

Jones Road Beauty - Bobbi Brown

The Beauty Icon Who Built a Brand on Bare-Faced Honesty

Bobbi Brown's return to beauty with Jones Road in 2020 has proven that founder-led brands can still break through in a crowded market. Her constant presence across makeup tutorials, in-store experiences, and brand messaging has transformed Jones Road from just another clean beauty line into a movement that's redefining industry standards.

Early 2024 marked a turning point for Jones Road, with sales surging year-over-year. The brand has since maintained at this elevated baseline since 2023, with no discounting, demonstrating that organic founder content can deliver both breakthrough growth and retention.

• Founder as Creator
  Bobbi is the brand. She posts tutorials, often makeup-free, unscripted, and lit by kitchen windows. That honesty is a breath of fresh air in a space saturated with filters and edits.

• High-Touch Community
  Bobbi has turned product development into a public process. She replies to comments and asks for feedback on new formulas, shade extensions, and even packaging. Customer feedback isn’t a form, it’s a feature.

Key Takeaway
When founders show up authentically and consistently, they build trust that polished campaigns cannot buy.

Chamberlain Coffee - Emma Chamberlain

Gen Z’s Favorite Coffee Brand Isn’t Just About Beans

Emma Chamberlain's personal brand, from YouTube to Vogue to vintage fits, bleeds directly into Chamberlain Coffee's aesthetic. It's irreverent, nostalgic, and deeply personal. And the data shows it converts.

This wasn’t a slow burn. Sales of the Sea Salt Toffee limited edition SKU ramped aggressively within days of launch, peaking around June 23. But there’s a second wave too, likely tied to a social post or newsletter on July 1, showing how Emma’s timed content reactivates demand in bursts. No discounting required. Just storytelling.

• Founder-as-Moodboard The brand’s color palette, product names, and packaging all reflect Emma’s personality, which already resonates with millions of fans.

• Low Lift, High Return Content A single video or story post drives measurable spikes in sales. Content comes across as casual, never salesy, but converts like a paid campaign.

• Collabs as Culture Instead of running sales, Chamberlain Coffee leans into cultural moments and partnerships, from Pinterest campaigns to branded merch drops, to build long-tail brand equity.

Key Takeaway Founders who live like creators don’t need to rent attention since they already own it.

Why founder-led brands are still winning in 2025

• Founder content builds trust faster than paid ads can buy it
• Authenticity drives conversion, even with no discount attached
• Community-first drops outperform feature-led launches
• Consistent presence from founders fuels long-tail brand equity
• Performance spend becomes additive — not essential