What happens when your startup blends in instead of standing out? If your logo disappeared tomorrow, would anyone still know you exist?
On this episode of the Ignite Podcast, we sat down with Michelle B. Griffin—visibility strategist, Forbes-featured expert, and author of The LinkedIn Branding Book—to uncover why founder-led branding is the ultimate advantage in today’s competitive, AI-driven landscape.
Michelle built her career in PR and corporate communications, working with major sports brands and professional services firms. Over time, she saw a growing shift: people connect with people, not logos. In a world overflowing with automation and AI-generated noise, the authentic founder story has become the most powerful differentiator.
Michelle’s mission now? Helping B2B founders and experts Own Their Lane—and build personal brands that attract opportunities, rather than chasing them.
The Power of Founder Visibility
Today, Michelle shared why visibility is not vanity—visibility is value and velocity.
Founders can no longer afford to hide behind their startup logos. Whether you're raising capital, attracting top talent, or winning customers, your personal brand is a trust accelerant. It's how you stand out when your product alone isn't enough.
Key Insight:
"Brand is the new demand. People want to know the story behind the solution."
Especially in a world of AI, where content can feel increasingly manufactured, the real human story behind the company is more critical than ever.
How to Own Your Lane: Michelle’s 4-Part Framework
Michelle shared her Own Your Lane method—a simple but powerful roadmap for founders ready to step into the spotlight:
Own Your Unique Lane
Identify your professional purpose and the bigger vision you and your startup are driving toward.
Assert Your Edge
Define your unique differentiation—your "edge factors"—and lead with a distinct point of view.
Navigate Your Presence
Build a consistent, authentic presence across LinkedIn, events, podcasts, and media.
Expand Your Visibility
Diversify where and how you're seen—guest speaking, media mentions, panels, and strategic collaborations.
It’s not about self-promotion. It’s about becoming top-of-mind when the right opportunities arise.
Why LinkedIn Is Still Ground Zero
Michelle emphasized that LinkedIn remains the #1 platform for founder visibility, despite algorithm changes and lower organic reach.
It’s not just for posting—it’s where business happens, partnerships form, investors research you, and journalists find sources.
Pro Tip:
Keep your LinkedIn profile updated like a landing page.
Focus your headline (the first ~47 characters) so people immediately know who you are and what you do.
Even just commenting strategically builds your network and keeps you visible.
Overcoming the Biggest Mindset Block: Imposter Syndrome
Many founders hesitate to "put themselves out there" because they feel uncomfortable—or fear looking self-promotional.
Michelle's advice:
"Shift the focus from self to service."
When you view your visibility as a way to help others solve problems, it becomes an act of leadership, not ego.
Personal branding isn't about spotlighting yourself—it's about making it easier for the right people to find you, trust you, and work with you.
Rapid Fire Lessons
We wrapped up the episode with some rapid-fire takeaways from Michelle:
Most underrated skill in personal branding: Empathy.
Biggest LinkedIn mistake to avoid: AI-generated comments and spammy DMs.
Best advice for founders with only 10 minutes a day: Spend it actively on LinkedIn—comment, share, connect.
Where personal branding is headed with AI: AI can enhance productivity, but authenticity and real human stories will only become more valuable.
Final Thought
From pitching billion-dollar brands to coaching founders on building visibility from scratch, Michelle B. Griffin shows that in today’s market, your personal brand is startup equity.
Because at the end of the day, it's not just about what you build—it's about who builds it.
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Chapters:
Welcome & Guest Introduction (00:01 – 00:40)
Michelle’s Journey from PR to Founder Branding (00:41 – 03:00)
Why Visibility Is Value, Not Vanity (03:01 – 05:00)
The Own Your Lane Framework Explained (05:01 – 07:10)
Practical Visibility Tactics for Founders (07:11 – 09:10)
Personal Branding in the Age of AI (09:11 – 11:30)
LinkedIn Strategy and Optimization Tips (11:31 – 15:00)
Balancing Company and Personal Brand (15:01 – 18:00)
Positioning to Attract, Not Chase (18:01 – 21:00)
Confidence, Clarity, and Brand Equity (21:01 – 24:00)
Why Founder Stories Build Trust (24:01 – 27:00)
Building Community and Authority on LinkedIn (27:01 – 30:00)
Success Stories & Transformational Results (30:01 – 32:00)
Rapid Fire: Misconceptions, Mistakes & Inspiration (32:01 – 35:00)
AI Tools & Audio Writing for Content Creation (35:01 – 37:00)
Final Takeaways & Where to Find Michelle (37:01 – 39:58)
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