In a market where blue oceans are becoming increasingly scarce, the true differential lies in how a brand builds and communicates its reputation.
That is to say, the innovation, by itself, is no longer sufficient to fuel a process of exponential growth and market attention attraction, as we saw in the last decade. In a scenario where every startup, no matter how disruptive it is, faces fierce competition, consumer skepticism is also growing — which now has difficulty distinguishing the "new" from what has truly come to stay and solve its pain points.
That's where the decisive factor comes in. Today, what separates businesses that survive from those that scale is reputation. And when I talk about reputation, I am referring not only to the ability to communicate the impact of the value proposition, but also to the ability to "talk" to the audience and manage the market narrative around the brand. After all, the reputation of a company is not just a reflection of what it says about itself, but of the genuine perception that builds in the market.
To get an idea of the size of this impact, the 2nd National Survey on the Impact of Public Relations on the Innovation Market –The Investor's Perspective, developed by MOTIM, reveals that 91% of investors agree that brands that present their value proposition effectively significantly increase the likelihood of receiving a financial injection.
This means that, currently, it is no longer enough to have a disruptive solution or cutting-edge technology. If the brand does not know how to build connection and trust, has already lost the race. AND, here, I am not talking about catchy slogans or fleeting marketing campaigns. I am referring to consistency, authenticity and frequency. Reputation is built every day, and each act is an opportunity to reinforce or undermine that trust.
Reputation-Led Growth: A New Approach Enters the Scene
It is in this context that the Reputation-Led Growth mindset emerges: a strategic approach that integrates the company's unique assets — its history, your values, what the brand represents and how the leader embodies all of this in a continuous process of reputation management.
The concept not only helps to broaden the reach, but also creates stronger bonds with clients, partners and investors, educates the market, accelerates the sales process and attracts the best consumers, keeping them close and engaged. More than that, it is essential to preserve the company's image, protecting it from the ups and downs of the market and the fury of competition.
Not by chance, using the numbers from the MOTIM survey as a basis again, nine out of ten investors consider the personal brand of the founders a determining factor in the decision about the investment. Furthermore, more than a third of professionals in the venture capital market consider the positioning and story of the founders as the main assets of a brand in the search for investment.
These data show that founders and leaders have become more than just business managers. They must be the guardians of the brand's reputation. Who still believes that building a strong business is optional, you will realize too late that the market is no longer driven only by good ideas. We are in an era where real value lies in the trust and credibility that a brand conveys — and in how it remains relevant in consumers' daily lives over the long term.
The time for improvisation is behind us. If the reputation is growing at the same pace as the business, we have reached the era of Reputation-Led Growth. Here, the only sustainable advantage is being remembered, and to be remembered for the right reasons.
*Silas Colombo is CCO and founder ofI AM TROUBLING. Graduated in Journalism and with an MBA in Communication and Marketing Strategies from Cornell University, was responsible for developing communication campaigns for brands like Itaú, Volkswagen and the Organizing Committee of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. In the accelerator, he is the communication director and has produced public relations strategies for over 200 innovation brands, technology and entrepreneurship, from startups to multinationals.
