Nov 26, 2025
It doesn’t matter how big or small your business is - your brand only exists in the mind of your audience.
You might have a clear vision, with a polished logo, a well-thought-out product range but if what you’re building doesn’t align with how your customers see you, you’re missing the mark.
That’s why one of the most valuable habits you can develop as a founder is to regularly ask: How do people actually perceive my brand?
Big brands know the power of feedback - and so should you
Major companies don’t just rely on instinct or internal opinions, they commission focus groups, consumer insight reports, and brand tracking studies. It’s not because they’re unsure of who they are, but because they understand the cost of getting it wrong.
They’re constantly doing temperature checks to make sure the brand they think they’re building is the one customers are experiencing.
Small businesses don’t need an agency and a five-figure budget to do the same thing. You just need to be intentional.
You have more tools than you think
If you’re a founder with an engaged audience - whether that’s 100 people or 10,000 - you already have what you need to start gathering insight.
Use Instagram polls to ask quick yes/no or preference-based questions
Run surveys through your CRM platform to gather honest, anonymous feedback
Create a trusted mini-panel of loyal customers or followers you can speak to directly - ask them to test new products, weigh in on new ideas, or give feedback on messaging
You’re not seeking permission, you’re seeking perspective and the point of view from the outside.
The benefits go beyond product development
When you understand how your audience actually views you - not just how you hope they do - you can:
Align your brand language to match how they speak
Identify disconnects in messaging or product-market fit
Spot new opportunities based on what they wish existed
Avoid the trap of building in a vacuum
You’re no longer relying on guesswork or assumptions. You’re building something in collaboration with the people you’re here to serve - and your audience will value being asked more than you think.
Key takeaway for founders:
No brand is too small for customer insight. You don’t need a focus group and a six-month research project — you just need to ask the right questions, regularly and with curiosity.
Start with the tools you already have. Use the platforms you’re already on. Build relationships with the people who love what you do and listen.
Because when you understand how your audience sees you, you can build a brand that grows with them, not away from them.