Personal brand building isn’t just for influencers. It’s a reality every founder faces, whether they like it or not. In this episode, Chris Sugden, Managing Partner at Edison Partners, unpacks the relationship between personal branding and company growth.

Chris explores what it really means for founders to have a “brand,” how it can either support or stunt a business, and why ego often becomes a silent threat as companies scale. He reflects on common signals investors pick up during early conversations and how those signals influence future funding decisions. He also looks at what separates truly effective leaders from those who struggle to evolve with their companies.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How personal branding can help or hurt business growth

• Why investors look for “we” language instead of “me”

• When founders should hire leaders better than themselves

• The risk of mistaking personal success for company success

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:20) The rise of the brand called you

(03:34) When personal brand gets in the way of scale

(05:42) Spotting ego in leadership communication

(08:12) Why investors focus on team over founder

(11:23) Hiring leaders who outperform the founder

(14:55) Letting your team build their own brand