Are You Missing Out? Key Marketing Insights from the 'Founder Mode' Essay!

(This is the transcript of what I spoke on the Founders call)

There’s this essay floating around—it’s called “Founder Mode.” It’s been making waves, especially after Brian Chesky gave this incredible talk at YC. Now, when I read it, I couldn’t stop thinking about how the ideas in that piece, while aimed at founders, have a lot to teach us marketers too. You see, what Chesky did—he rejected the conventional advice as Airbnb scaled. People told him to manage like a professional, to step back, let others do the work. But that wasn’t working, not for him, not for Airbnb. And what it taught me is this: boldness and conviction? They’re not just founder traits. They’re marketing traits. They have to be.

Let me tell you a quick story.

Recently, I was on a call with a potential customer. And you know, I hesitated to pitch my product—worried I’d come off too aggressive. But then they mentioned using a competitor, and that’s when I realized I had waited too long. I jumped in and pitched, but that hesitation stuck with me. After reading "Founder Mode," it clicked—what was I doing? That reactive mindset? It’s a trap. We have to be proactive, like founders who relentlessly drive forward, every single day. So, what does this mean for us marketers? Here’s how the lessons from “Founder Mode” push us to think bigger, act bolder, and run marketing teams like founders run their companies. Let’s dive in. 

Stay Connected to the Core Product

Marketers, you’ve got to stay close to the product. You know, most people think marketing is just ads and campaigns, right? But in “Founder Mode,” it’s about being so in tune with the product that you’re basically living it. That’s what founders do. They don’t just sell it, they believe in it. The article says, “you don’t get involved in the details of what they do.” Well, you should. Because if you don’t understand the details, your marketing becomes empty. So, here’s the first lesson: Don’t just market the product—understand it inside out. Get your hands on the product. Know the user experience, the pain points, the delights. Go deep.

Dive Into the Details

Sometimes, people tell you, “Just hire great people and give them room.” Sounds good, doesn’t it? But as the article points out, “what this often turns out to mean is: hire professional fakers and let them drive the company into the ground.” As a marketer, you can’t let that happen. You’ve got to dive into the details when something’s not working. Don’t be afraid to get into the weeds. Founders do it because they care, and you should care too. When a campaign isn’t clicking, don’t just look at the top-line metrics—get in there. Look at the copy, the targeting, the customer journey. Make it better.

Challenge Marketing Playbooks

There’s this idea that bigger companies need to follow some “marketing best practices,” right? But what if that’s exactly what holds you back? Founders thrive by breaking the rules. Chesky didn’t scale Airbnb by following the traditional corporate playbook. He did it by trusting his instincts. The article says, “founders feel like they’re being gaslit by the people telling them they have to run their companies like managers.” For you as a marketer, it means this: Don’t get stuck in safe, predictable marketing. Be bold, be creative. You don’t need to follow what the big companies do. Challenge yourself to experiment, push boundaries. Take risks. The best marketing comes when you step outside the usual formula.

Skip the Hierarchy

Founders do “skip-level” meetings, right? They break down the org chart because it’s about speed and connection. That’s a huge takeaway for marketing leaders. Don’t just stick to your team. Talk to the product people. Talk to customer service. Talk to the engineers. Get out of your bubble and connect with everyone, because marketing shouldn’t happen in isolation.The article tells us, “whatever founder mode consists of, it’s pretty clear that it’s going to break the principle that the CEO should engage only via direct reports.” That applies to marketing too. Engage across the board.

Be Bold

You know, some of the best founders are eccentric. Steve Jobs ran retreats with the top 100 people at Apple, and not based on titles. It was about who mattered most to the product. Why? Because that’s how you keep a big company feeling like a startup. And that’s how you win. As a marketer, take risks. Be bold in your campaigns. Don’t just follow the herd. The article says, “in doing what they did they were regarded by many as eccentric or worse.” Be okay with being seen as a little crazy. Because when you push the limits, that’s when you create something remarkable.

Stay Flexible and Adapt

Founder mode teaches us that flexibility is key. You can’t run a growing company—or a growing marketing department—without adapting constantly. Markets change, customers change, and you’ve got to keep up. Don’t get too comfortable with long-term plans. The article says, “there’s going to have to be some amount of delegation,” but flexibility is the secret weapon. For marketers, it means building campaigns that can pivot fast, and respond to real-time data. Keep it nimble.

Founder mode is all about staying true to the instincts that got you started. For marketers, that means thinking like a founder. Don’t just manage campaigns. Own them. Challenge the status quo. Dive deep into the product, stay close to your customers, and be willing to break the rules. In the end, marketing is storytelling, but more than that, it’s belief. You’re not just selling something—you’re part of the creation of something. Just like founders. And that’s where the magic happens.