Aligning product vision with public trust

When I started building my brand ecosystem publicly, everything shifted. The traditional advice says, "build it and they will come." But after studying founder brands, I've learned that most founders are stuck choosing between getting attention and maintaining integrity. Last year, I watched a brilliant entrepreneur struggle with this exact paradox. When I shared my Brand Trust Equation with her, something beautiful happened. Here's what I learned about building in public through systematic brand development: 1. Identity System Transparency Share your core messaging, positioning, and values openly. Building your identity in public creates accountability for authentic choices. Your audience connects with the journey, not just the destination. 2. Content System Broadcasting Document your strategic output across all platforms transparently. Sharing your content framework helps others while establishing your authority. Your systematic approach demonstrates professionalism and intentionality. 3. Experience System Documentation Show how people interact with your brand at every touchpoint. Building your customer journey in public creates better experiences for everyone. Your process transparency helps prospects know exactly what to expect. 4. Conversion System Sharing Reveal how attention becomes revenue in your business model. Building your funnel in public demonstrates the value of systematic thinking. Your transparent approach shows prospects the clear path forward. 5. Lighthouse Content Strategy Create cornerstone pieces that attract your ideal audience while repelling everyone else. Building your manifesto, methodology, case studies, and vision in public establishes authority. Your transparent philosophy becomes a filter for quality connections. This approach builds long-term brand equity instead of short-term attention. 6. Platform Synergy Framework Show how different platforms serve different purposes in your ecosystem. Building your multi-platform strategy in public creates strategic alignment. Other founders learn how to maximize impact across channels. This isn't just about building brands, it's about creating beautiful, systemized, and authentic businesses that serve both founders and their communities. When you build your brand ecosystem in public, you're not just attracting attention. You're building trust through the Brand Trust Equation: (Consistency × Authenticity × Value) ÷ Self-Promotion. The solution isn't choosing between integrity and attention, it's building systems that deliver both simultaneously through transparent, value-first brand development. The future belongs to those brave enough to build their brand systems in public. __ Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Curious how this could look inside your business? DM me ‘System’ and I’ll walk you through how we help clients make it happen. This is for high-commitment founders only.

As a proptech buyer, I’ve heard some version of this line more times than I can count: “We built [insert product name] because we saw our customers buying it from other companies, and we wanted them to have another option.” This isn’t innovation. It’s imitation. When companies take an opportunistic approach instead of a strategic one, it raises questions: -  Do you actually believe in this product? -  Will you ever obsess over making it the best? -  Are you leading, or just reacting to the market? In proptech, authenticity is the foundation of trust and long-term partnerships. Authenticity isn’t a marketing tactic. It’s a company-wide commitment. Authenticity should drive what you build and it should define who you hire. Simon Sinek said it best in Start With Why: “Great companies don’t hire skilled people and motivate them. They hire already motivated people and inspire them.” When you give employees something to work toward—not just something to work on—you inspire them in ways that unlimited PTO, foosball tables, and compensation alone never will. The most trusted companies don’t just build better products. They inspire their teams and their customers. Customers can sense when a company is driven by self-interest versus a true mission. Trust isn’t earned with a flashy demo. Trust begins when people believe you’re driven by something bigger than short-term gain. So, how do you build trust so customers stay with you no matter what? - Don’t build products just because your competitors did. - Don’t expand into new categories without a clear, communicated WHY that aligns to your vision. - Hire people who are passionate about your mission—not just those with the best resumes. - Build products that align with your core values—and relentlessly obsess over making them better. Every day. Average companies follow the market. The best companies lead it.

When I co-founded Children Learning through Outdoor Experience (teachchloe.org) more than five years ago, it rolled out as an agriculture education initiative. The truth is, I didn’t found ChLOE just because I wanted people to understand farming. I had an ulterior motive. I could see public trust in agriculture slipping away, and the urgency of the situation was clear. Any farmer's freedom to operate ties to the industry's social license - the privilege of operating in a society with minimal restrictions and regulations through maintaining public trust. Trust equals freedom and business efficiency. Lack of confidence leads to burdensome operations, negative media and increased cost of doing business. Trust in agriculture, including the people and companies that work in the industry, positively influences consumer attitudes, purchase intentions, and actual buying behavior. Loss of trust leads to increased regulation, reduced sales and damage to agriculture’s reputation. Research shows that shared values are three to five times more important to the public than technical prowess or scientific data. Rather than relying solely on scientific evidence or proof of increasing efficiency, agriculture must quickly shore up public trust. We must prove our trustworthiness through words and action, resulting in alignment with consumer values around environmental stewardship, animal welfare, and food safety. Earning and maintaining consumer trust requires ongoing engagement and demonstration of responsible practices. This ongoing effort is crucial, as it requires leaders in agriculture to engage the public, fearlessly ask questions about our practices, and then deeply consider how our practices and promises align with what we hear. Agriculture must continuously show its commitment to the public through production improvements, willingness to listen and thoughtful information sharing. It's about talking the talk and walking the walk. Engaging the public also offers myriad advantages to agriculture. Continuous consumer engagement keeps agriculture attuned to evolving consumer preferences and concerns. Regular interaction creates opportunities to showcase innovations and improvements in farming practices. This dialogue can inspire new ideas and collaborations that benefit agriculture and consumers. By prioritizing consumer trust through transparency, shared values, and genuine sustainability efforts, agriculture cannot only maintain its social license and freedom to operate, but also reap the benefits of increased consumer loyalty, positive reputation, and business efficiency.

A brand’s identity is often seen as the vision of its leaders, but today’s audiences play a powerful role in shaping perceptions in real time. Balancing executive vision with audience feedback is key to long-term success. Here’s how to navigate this dynamic and build a thriving brand. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 A brand's foundation is built by its leaders, who define its mission, values, and tone. Iconic figures like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk made their personal beliefs synonymous with their brands. While consistency is key, effective leaders know when to adapt to shifting audience preferences—staying true to core values while evolving strategies to remain relevant in a dynamic market. 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 In today’s social-driven world, audiences are key players in branding. Social media, reviews, and word-of-mouth can quickly shift public perception, often outpacing leadership narratives. Brands must stay alert and engage actively with consumers through feedback loops—surveys, forums, and social media—turning insights into opportunities. Nike’s success, for example, stems from a mix of visionary leadership and a deep understanding of consumer sentiment. 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 The most resilient brands thrive by balancing leadership vision with audience feedback. It’s a partnership—leaders set the direction, while consumers validate and sometimes challenge it. Successful brands focus on three strategies: staying true to core values, staying attuned to evolving audience needs, and avoiding fleeting trends. Collaborating with expert strategists ensures they maintain their mission while embracing valuable consumer insights. A brand’s identity thrives on balance—rooted in leadership vision and enriched by audience engagement. The best brands master this dynamic to build trust, loyalty, and relevance. Achieving that balance requires a thoughtful approach. Start by listening . Successful brands actively engage with their audience, gathering feedback through reviews, conversations, and social interactions. This creates a feedback loop that uncovers growth opportunities and aligns the brand with consumer needs. Next, stay consistent but adaptable. Core values and messaging form the foundation, but relevance comes from adapting to insights while staying true to the brand’s essence. Flexibility strengthens the connection with your audience, as long as the changes are authentic. In the end, the most successful brands recognize that leadership provides the direction, but the audience shapes the journey. By balancing feedback with steadfast values, your brand can create lasting, meaningful impact. #Leadership #VisionaryLeadership #ExecutiveVision #BrandVoice #BrandMission #BrandIdentity #BrandBuilding

The Unspoken Truth of Product Management: It’s Not Just About Building Products, It’s About Building Trust. In my last post, I discussed how great product managers are creators, not just facilitators. But there’s another key element to being a successful PM—trust. Without trust, even the best product strategy will fail. Why Trust Matters in Product Management As product managers, we sit at the intersection of customers, engineering, design, marketing, and business. Our job isn’t just to define what needs to be built, but to align a diverse group of stakeholders around a shared vision. But here’s the thing: People won’t follow your vision if they don’t trust you. - Trust from the team: Your engineers and designers need to believe you understand their challenges and respect their expertise. If they think you’re just throwing tasks over the wall, they’ll disengage. Earn their trust by collaborating, listening, and being transparent. - Trust from leadership: Your executives need to trust that you’re making sound decisions based on data, user insights, and business viability. This means communicating clearly—not just reporting status, but demonstrating how your work drives outcomes. - Trust from customers: At the end of the day, your product’s success depends on whether users trust it to solve their problems. Trust isn’t built through flashy features—it’s earned by delivering real value, consistently. How Do You Build This Trust? - Be the voice of reason, not noise. It’s tempting to say ‘yes’ to every request, but great PMs know when to say ‘no.’ A well-explained ‘no’ builds more trust than an empty ‘yes.’ Teams respect PMs who prioritize ruthlessly and can defend their decisions. - Lead with data, guided by empathy. Decisions driven by gut feel alone don’t fly. Trust comes when people see that your choices are rooted in data, but balanced with a human understanding of users. It’s a blend of art and science. - Own your mistakes publicly. Every PM makes mistakes—it’s inevitable. The difference lies in how you handle them. Great PMs don’t hide failures; they acknowledge them, learn from them, and move forward. This humility goes a long way in building credibility with both your team and leadership. Beyond Features: Building a Legacy A feature-packed product might impress in the short term, but trust builds long-term loyalty. As product managers, our goal shouldn’t just be to deliver features—it should be to deliver confidence. Confidence that users can depend on us. Confidence that the business can grow with us. And confidence that the team is doing its best work. Trust isn’t earned overnight. It’s built one thoughtful decision, one honest conversation, and one successful outcome at a time. #ProductManagement #Leadership #BuildingTrust #UserCentricDesign #PMStrategy #DataDriven #ProductManager #EmpathyInLeadership #ProductDevelopment #DecisionMaking #Collaboration #ProductOwnership

“There’s a thin line between boasting and sharing small wins with meaning." I realized this during a conversation with a founder couple of months ago (another freelance gig gone right :)) He was building something incredible—a product that solved a real problem. But he was struggling. “We’ve got the product, the team, and the ambition, but people just don’t ‘get’ us yet,” he said. I asked him, “Are you sharing the journey? The small wins, the vision—what makes your team tick?” He paused. “Isn’t that boasting? Shouldn’t the work speak for itself?” Here’s what I shared: “There’s a difference between noise and meaning. Sharing your story isn’t about ego or boasting; it’s about trust. It’s about letting people see the heart behind the brand, not just the product in front of them.” The founder took a leap. He started sharing his team’s small victories—not for applause, but to show progress, grit, and the effort behind the scenes. He spoke about his company’s vision and how it aligned with his own journey as a leader. Most importantly, he celebrated his team—not as employees, but as people building something together. Something shifted. ✅ Investors and clients didn’t just see a product; they saw a shared purpose. ✅ Prospects began saying, “Your team feels like a family. You’re building something that matters.” ✅ The company stopped being a name on paper—it became a brand people trusted. When a founder’s voice aligns with their company’s mission, it creates something bigger than business—it creates belief. It’s the difference between running a puppy mill—churning out work without purpose—and building a family where people grow together. There’s nothing boastful about sharing the small wins, the struggles, and the stories that define your journey. That’s where trust is built, and trust? It changes perceptions. If you’re building something great, don’t hide behind silence. #PurposeDrivenLeadership #HumanizeTheBrand #AuthenticLeadership #Brandbuilding #Brand #Brandmanagement #reputation #reputationmanagment #management #peoplemanagement #team