In today’s hyper-competitive market, building a recognizable brand has never been more challenging. AI is driving an explosion of new products, information is overwhelming audiences, and traditional corporate branding is losing its edge. So how do tech scaleups break through the noise?

On Wisdom From Wizards, brought to you by Caribou Strategic, I had the pleasure of speaking with Santosh Sharan, co-founder and CEO of a go-to-market startup. Santosh shared a powerful insight that every tech leader should take to heart:

“The next generation of brands won’t be built by companies — they’ll be built by individuals.”

Why Traditional Branding Isn’t Enough Anymore

For decades, brands were associated with companies — Nike, Apple, and Coca-Cola built empires through strong corporate identities. But as Santosh points out, we’re witnessing three major shifts that are changing the game:

1️⃣ The Rise of Personal Brands — Every company now has a brand, making differentiation harder. The most successful brands today are often tied to individuals — think of Elon Musk, Brian Chesky, or Dharmesh Shah.

2️⃣ AI Is Flooding the Market with Products — With AI-generated solutions multiplying daily, customers are overwhelmed with choices. This explosion of options is making it difficult for any single product to stand out on its own.

3️⃣ Information Overload Is Changing How We Engage — The sheer volume of AI-generated content is causing audiences to become desensitized. People are craving authentic, human-led content instead of generic, machine-generated messaging.

How Tech Scaleups Can Rise Above the Noise

Given these shifts, how can tech scaleups establish a compelling brand presence? Here are Santosh’s top recommendations:

✅ Build a Personal Brand — Founders, executives, and product leaders must actively shape the brand narrative. Customers connect with people, not faceless corporations.

✅ Craft a Clear, Consistent Message — Your messaging should be crisp, clear, and consistent across every customer and product experience. If your brand voice changes from your website to your sales calls, you risk losing trust.

✅ Edit AI-Generated Content Before Publishing — If you use ChatGPT or other AI tools for content, always refine and humanize the output. Audiences are learning to ignore machine-generated content, so make sure your brand voice feels real and personal.

Final Thoughts

Tech scaleups can no longer rely solely on company branding to differentiate themselves. The brands that will thrive in this AI-driven era will be the ones led by individuals who authentically connect with their audiences.

At Wisdom From Wizards, we bring you insights from some of the best minds in the industry to help you navigate challenges like these.

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